This hardly used camera comes in a neat camera bag, with a USB cable, user manual (PDF) and software on a CD, as well as a 128 Mb memory card.
Ergonomics
| Hewlett-Packard's PhotoSmart C618 is a camera designed in association with Pentax. |
 | Because both the Pentax EI200 and this, the HP C618, are by and large the same camera, this review shares a number of elements with the review of the Pentax EI-200 which was published in the September 2000 issue.
The Ergonomics and Characteristics sections, although depicting each camera, are mostly common, but the Image Quality and Test Photos sections are specific for each camera. |
Elegant and extremely well-finished and built, the HP PhotoSmart C618 is fitted with a 3 X Pentax lens and a 2.11 megapixel CCD. Much of the overall design of the C618 is traditional, and engaging. Although the body is made of a silver-toned plastic, it is of good quality and the parts are tightly fitting.
Attention has been given to details such as providing a diopter correction, a comfortable and predictable in-hand feel, and an easy to use layout of the controls. |  |
 | The grip, while small, is rubber-wrapped and topped by a 2-stage shutter release placed at a 45 angle towards the front of the camera. Nearby sits the main mode dial, offering 4 settings: - Record Mode,
- Playback Mode,
- Review Mode,
- Connection Mode.
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The centre top of the body provides 3 small buttons, arranged under the status display, for quick access to the Flash modes; Self-Timer and Remote control; Macro and Landscape Modes.
The HP PhotoSmart C618 uses the Digita operating system and all menu options and selections are made with the help of the 4-direction controller and 3 buttons below the screen, which get labelled by text or icons appearing immediately above them, on the screen. |  |
The body design of the HP PhotoSmart C618 is well thought out and follows a traditional 35mm point and shoot design, but with the addition of elements necessary to a digital camera. |
Selected features (from HP web) about HP C618:
- 3x OPTICAL / 2x digital zoom, total 6x (OPTICAL zoom is better than DIGITAL zoom for digital cameras), equivalent to a 34-108mm lens on a 35mm camera
- 2.1 mega pixel, 1600x1200 resolution for pictures (good to print out as 8"x10" photo), very nice, considering most computer monitors' resolution is only 1024x768. Pictures of higher resolutions will occupy a lot of space, and you still need to shrink/resize them down in order to email them out.
- Capable of 45-second sound recording for each picture
- 30-bit color depth (It is said many other digital cameras before it only support 24-bit)
- Watermark photos with date, time, TEXT or LOGO!
- Besides many "AUTOMATICALLY" settings, you also have a lot of "MANUAL" opportunities -- very nice because you may have many different needs under different circumstances:
- Manually adjustable aperture ranging from f/2.4 to f/9.6.
- Shutter speeds from 1/1,000 to four seconds
- Three focus settings (standard, macro, and infinity)
- Three exposure settings (auto, exposure, aperture, priority, and shutter priority)
- Three shooting modes (single shot, continuous, and time-lapse)
- Three picture modes (portrait, action, and landscape)
- Built-in flash with seven operating modes
- USB to personal computer or Mac (usb cable is included)
- 2 inch color LCD monitor
- Video out to TV
- Powered by 4 AA batteries or AC adapter (not included)
- Capable for Infrared remote control (not included)
- Automatic ISO or selectable 100 and 200 sensitivity settings.
- One Shot, Continuous, and Time-Lapse photography modes
- Black and White and Sepia tone effects.
- Using Compact Flash card for picture storage (128 Mb CF card is supplied)
- Dimension: 127.3 x 71.5 x 58 mm, or 5 x 2.8 x 2.3 inches (US)
- Weight: 298 gram without batteries , or 10.2 oz. Without batteries (US)
Click image for certificate. |
