HP PhotoSmart 215HP's entry-level model offers ease of use for beginning shooters.<<Executive Overview :(Previous) | (Next): Viewfinder>> Page 3:DesignReview First Posted: 3/10/2001 |
Design
Marketed as a simple, point-and-shoot digicam, Hewlett-Packard's PhotoSmart 215 features a very clean body design with a minimum of external controls. Measuring approximately 5 x 1.5 x 3 inches (127 x 38 x 76.2mm), the camera's smooth, silver body is just a little too wide for a shirt pocket, but should fit easily into a large coat pocket or purse. A wrist strap accompanies the camera for a firmer hold.
The front of the 215 has a lens, optical viewfinder window, built-in flash, and self-timer LED. The 6.68mm lens is protected by a clear plastic cover that never moves out of place, thus eliminating the need for a lens cap. A soft, rubbery finger grip on the right side of the camera's front panel, provides a comfortable spot for your fingers to cling to as they wrap around the camera. Aside from the slight protrusion of the lens and the small finger grip, the front of the 215 is very smooth and featureless.
The left side of the camera has no controls, just a smooth, rounded surface. The right side has two compartments, one for batteries and one that contains the USB and AC power connector jacks, plus the CompactFlash memory card slot. The CompactFlash card loads with the electrodes going in first, and the "face" of the card toward the compartment door. Though there is no diagram on the camera body to direct you on how to insert the card, it will not go into the slot facing the wrong way, so you don't have to worry about improper insertion. Instead of pressing a release button to retrieve the card, you simply pull it out of the slot with your fingers. The accompanying wrist strap also features a small clip for pulling the memory card from the slot. Both compartments are covered by hinged, plastic doors that snap in and out of place easily. The battery compartment features a locking switch and accommodates four AA batteries. In the lower right corner of the right side is the eyelet for attaching the wrist strap.
The top panel of the camera features only the shutter button, which is large and slightly recessed into the top of the camera, making it easy to find.
On the back panel are the camera's remaining controls, plus an optical viewfinder eyepiece, LCD monitor, and small status display panel. Although the optical viewfinder does not have a diopter adjustment dial, it does have a reasonably high eyepoint to accommodate eyeglass wearers. Two LED lamps next to the eyepiece report the camera's status. A solid green LED indicates that focus and exposure are set. A flashing LED indicates a problem with the camera, or the camera's inability to focus on a difficult subject.
We are always glad to see the inclusion of a small status display panel, which reports the majority of the camera's settings and allows you to work without the LCD monitor enabled. The 215's status display panel also shows the current level of battery consumption and the number of available images. There are only three camera controls on the 215's back panel, a Menu dial, a Mode switch, and the LCD display switch.
Finally, the 215's bottom panel is perfectly flat, except for a plastic, threaded tripod mount and the battery compartment's locking switch. We were glad to see that the CompactFlash slot is accessible while the camera is attached to a tripod. However, the battery compartment's proximity to the tripod mount makes quick battery changes while working with a tripod impossible. Though the compartment door opens to the side, it must first slide down before opening out. On the upside, the AC connector is accessible through the memory card compartment, so you can work with the AC adapter while it is attached to a tripod.
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