HP PhotoSmart 315HP's "entry-level+" model offers 2.1 megapixels and ease of use at a bargain price.<<Optics :(Previous) | (Next): Shutter Lag & Cycle Time Tests>> Page 6:Exposure & FlashReview First Posted: 03/14/2001 |
Exposure
In an effort to keep things simple, Hewlett-Packard has included very few exposure controls on the PhotoSmart 315, maintaining its position as a simple-to-use, point-and-shoot digicam. Aperture and shutter speed are automatically determined by the camera, and are not reported on the status display panel or LCD monitor. (We prefer to see these settings reported, even if they are automatically controlled, so that we have some idea of what settings the camera has selected.) White balance is also automatically controlled, and the camera's light sensitivity is fixed at an ISO 100 equivalent.
As we mentioned earlier, the LCD monitor does not feature an information display. Instead, camera settings are reported on the top status display panel. Without an information display, you get an unobstructed view of the image composition in the LCD monitor. The other benefit of the status display panel is that you can operate the camera without the LCD monitor, to save on battery power consumption.
Though the 315 does not feature a spot meter or exposure lock function, you can lock the exposure reading in the same manner that you lock the focus, by centering the target portion of the subject in the frame, depressing the shutter button halfway, reframing the subject with the shutter button halfway depressed, and then fully depressing the shutter button.
An Instant Review function automatically displays the captured image on the LCD monitor immediately following the exposure. The display lasts approximately four seconds. You can interrupt the recording and delete the image at any time during the display by pressing the Right or Left Arrow to select "Delete," and then pressing the center of the rocker pad (which also serves as the "OK" button). You can turn off Instant Review through the camera's settings menu (under the Setup option).
In addition to flash mode and image quality, the 315 also offers a 10-second self-timer. Once the timer is enabled -- by pressing the Quality and Flash buttons simultaneously -- a full press of the shutter button triggers the 10-second countdown before the shutter fires. The small, red LED on the front panel flashes slowly for the first eight seconds, then flashes rapidly for the remaining two. The self-timer is automatically canceled after the image is captured. You can cancel the countdown without taking a picture by pressing the Flash and Quality buttons together, or by turning the camera off.
FlashThe PhotoSmart 315 features a built-in flash with four operating modes: Auto, Auto with Red-Eye Reduction, On, and Off. As with the 215 model, the flash modes are relatively self-explanatory. Auto mode places the camera in control of when to fire the flash, based on the existing lighting conditions. Auto with Red-Eye Reduction works along similar lines, although in this mode the camera fires a small pre-flash before firing the flash at full power, to help reduce the effect of red eye. The On flash mode simply tells the flash to fire with every exposure, and the Off setting completely disables the flash. Hewlett-Packard estimates that the flash is effective up to 9.8 feet (3 meters). The flash icon in the status display panel reports the current mode setting. If the icon is blinking (as well as the LED lamp next to the viewfinder eyepiece), the flash is charging.
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