HP - Photosmart M525 Review

Designed for point and shoot, it's a compact camera that's easy to use. Take photos at up to 6 MP for 4x6 inch prints and enlargements (the largest recommended print size estimated from the camera's resolution is 12x16 inches). You can record short mpeg video with audio using the built in camera microphone.  

It takes clear pictures and the videos are pretty good too. I don't see as much detail as the 8MP of course, but this would be a great starter camera. The navigation menus are easy to read. The LCD titles explain choices like Flash, Delete, etc. very well. All of the icons have text accompanying them. I'm thinking about getting one for the grandparents, it's that easy to use. The lack of a viewfinder may be a hindrance to some, but anyone who has used a digital camera quickly realizes that using the LCD is much easier than sticking your eye up next to the view finder.

The only real concern I have is with the flash, or lack of it. Movies are not lighted by the flash. This is probably standard on all digital cameras, but movie mode in low-light conditions (living room with indirect sunlight) came out dark. And when the flash was used for pictures, it took me a couple of tries to get the exposure just right. It's not a big deal. And maybe as I get used to the camera, it will all make more sense.

It's cheap and light, costs less than $100 and weighs 5 ounces. HP Photosmart Premiere is a great software application bundle. Has 16MB built-in memory. Uses SD Cards for memory expansion.

Unfortunately it has no viewfinder, has only a 1.7 inch viewscreen. Image quality is not equal to some more expensive models