Hewlett Packard R927 Optics

Zoom
Good performance with the R927's 3x optical zoom lens.

The Hewlett Packard Photosmart R927's optical zoom covers the equivalent of a 35-105mm range, which is fairly typical among digital cameras of its class. Results were good at wide angle, with minimal corner softness, though moderate coma distortion is present. The R927's maximum 8x digital zoom results in a maximum image resolution of 432 x 320 pixels, which helps minimize the effects of digital enlargement on the final image. Fine details are strong, though resolution does suffer from digital zoom.

Macro
An average size macro area, though great detail and resolution. Flash exposure was uneven up close, though still usable.

The Hewlett Packard Photosmart R927's macro setting performed well, capturing an average-sized minimum area of 3.54 x 2.66 inches (90 x 68 millimeters). Detail and resolution were both very good, though there's a fair amount of softening in the corners from the lens. (Most cameras have some softening in the corners in macro mode.) The flash produced an uneven exposure here, resulting in a strong hot spot in the upper right corner. You'll most likely want to use external lighting up close, but in a pinch, the R927's flash will do.

Distortion
Very high barrel distortion at wide angle, though virtually no distortion at telephoto.

This is the tendency for the lens to bend straight lines outward (like a barrel -- usually at wide angle) or inward (like a pincushion -- usually at telephoto). The Hewlett Packard Photosmart R927's 1.13% barrel distortion at wide angle is very high among the cameras we've tested, and quite noticeable in its images. At the telephoto end, I found only a portion of a pixel of barrel distortion, so our target lines appear just about straight.

Chromatic aberration
High, quite noticeable effect on images at edges.

The HP R927's chromatic aberration is rather high at wide angle, showing about 9-10 pixels of very bright coloration on either side of the target lines. At telephoto, the number of pixels is still high, but the effect isn't nearly as bright. (This distortion is visible as a very slight colored fringe around the objects at the edges of the field of view on the resolution target.) The effect is pretty noticeable in several of our wide angle test shots.

Corner Sharpness
Low to moderately strong softening in the corners of the frame.

The HP R927 produced slightly soft corners at wide angle, with the strongest effect in the upper left corner. At telephoto, corners showed stronger blurring, with the strongest effect in the lower left corner.

Coverage
Excellent frame accuracy with the LCD monitor.

The Hewlett Packard Photosmart R927's LCD monitor performed well here, measuring about 103.6% frame accuracy at wide angle (actually a little loose), and about 99.7% at telephoto.