Model Design / Appearance
The HP digital cameras being released in their R-series all come with metal bodies of either stainless steel or aluminum, which makes for a sturdier product and a more appealing visual. Although the M425 appears to be made of plastic, HP representatives assured this reviewer that the body is composed of a metal alloy. Check back for the full review for the final say on this. These cameras appear to be well constructed with tight seals, but the durability of plastic is always a concern, especially if consumers are looking to have this camera for a more extended period of time.
Size / Portability
The HP Photosmart M425 isn’t the smallest point-and-shoot camera around, but with dimensions of 3.82 x 1.42 x 2.48 inches and a weight of 4.9 oz, users shouldn’t be overwhelmed with casual carrying. That being said, this camera isn’t going to slide into a back pocket, although a coat pocket or a purse would both be fine. The camera is fairly light, although the AA batteries do add bulk to the body.
Handling Ability
The physical design of the camera doesn’t offer up innovations in ergonomics, instead providing users with a standard rectangular body with slight rounding to visually soften edges. The only grips on the camera come from a scalloped fan on the front and a depression on the back between the zoom and four-way control. Neither of these features actually contain any grip or texture, so users should be glad that the thicker frame is available for extra stability and handling. The microphone is unfortunately placed too close to the edge of the camera, a design decision that will allow fingers of the left hand to block or mute the audio feature.
Control Button / Dial Positioning / Size
The controls on the HP Photosmart M425 are limited, a decision which makes it less likely for point-and-shoot users to become confused by the physical interface. But with that said, the three buttons placed on the edge of the LCD frame, and the On/Off button placed on the transition point between the back of the camera and the top, are poorly shaped and too small to be controlled with any accuracy or grace. When we were actually able to remember where the On/Off button was located, it was still a problem to turn on due to its slight build. With the R-series, HP made control decisions which left users with large, well-labeled buttons, allowing for fast navigation of multiple menu structures. This model leaves the user struggling with such key features as the activation of flash settings, power, and printing menu. The other controls on the M425 are well sized.
Menu
The menu sections for the HP Photosmart M425 are accessed by several different controls, though the most obvious and well placed of them is the Menu/OK button in the middle of the four-way controller on the back of the camera. Once this button has been activated, the user will be able to enter into a list-style menu with full text descriptions. The menu structure is identical across all HP cameras released at CES 2006, though the menus for the M425 are truncated in comparison to other models.
The menu subsections appear as transparent and opaque bars overlaying a live view, so that users never miss a shot. There is only one live view provided when the user is manipulating manual controls; the Exposure Compensation control appears as a sliding scale in the center of the screen while the user is still within the menus. This live view will allow users to instantly see the impact that their image alterations have upon the shooting scene.
The user may also choose to enter the menu structure by pressing the up arrow on the four-way controller; it doubles as a shortcut to the Shooting Modes submenu located within the Capture menu. To enter into the Photosmart Express menu users must press the Photosmart Express button balanced on the edge of the LCD frame in a precarious and less than functional position. Once this is done, users have full access to HP printing and sharing capabilities. The menus cover pre-shot, postproduction, camera setup, help features and direct printing/sharing of images to PC, television and the Internet. The logic of the menu structure is simple, just like on the R927; however, the shift from a 3-inch LCD to a 1.7-inch LCD made comfortable reading difficult in poor lighting or at an odd angle.
Capture Menu - The Capture menu for the M425 allows users to manipulate the image settings prior to capturing them to either internal memory or memory card. These settings permit alteration of controls like image size and quality as well as the few manual controls that exist on this camera model. The Capture menu allows access to the following options: Shooting Mode, Image Quality, Date and Time Imprint, Exposure Compensation, White Balance, ISO and Exit. The only submenu that allows for live view of manual controls is the Exposure menu, while all other manual control settings immediately enter the user into another menu screen that has an opaque background.
Design Gallery Menu - The Design Gallery menu is far more truncated than the one found on the HP R-series. On the M425, users can control images with the following postproduction editing techniques: Remove Red-eye, Modify Color, Add Borders, Rotate, Record Audio, Move Images to Card and Exit. The record audio feature allows users to select specific digital still images and then record audio clips to accompany these images. The user will have to export these audio files to an external playing device though, since no internal speaker is available on the M425. The Design Gallery and Photo Express menus are intended to function as elements that would normally be found within a Playback menu.
Setup Menu - The Setup menu on the M425 is accessed by pressing the Menu/OK button and scrolling over from the Capture Menu section. The Setup menu controls parameters ranging to… well, setup. The settings included are: Display Brightness, Camera Sounds, Date and Time, USB Configuration, TV Configuration, Language and Exit.
Photo Express Menu - The Photo Express menu is entered by pressing the Photo Express button, inconveniently positioned on the edge of the LCD frame. This button opens the Photo Express menu, which allows users to select among post-capture options. This menu allows users to: Print, Buy Prints Online, Share Menu Set-up and Exit. The options found here, when combined with those offered in the Design Gallery menu, provide users with controls normally found in the Playback menu of most digital cameras. Separating these two features shouldn’t really slow down navigation, and in the case of printing and sharing images, should actually result in a swifter process.
Help Menu - The Help menu on the HP Photosmart M425 is one of the most extensive in-camera help options found for a camera within this point-and-shoot price range. For users uncomfortable with their new camera, this feature will be able to cover most basic shooting problems that they may encounter when shooting out in the field and when sharing images at home. This menu is entered by pressing the Menu/OK button located on the back of the camera body, and provides a list of the options, which can be selected to provide full text descriptions of their topics. The topics that are covered by the Help menu are as follows: Top Ten Tips, Camera Accessories, Camera Buttons, Using Shooting Modes, Sharing Images, Printing Images, Recording Audio Clips, Recording Video Clips, Reviewing Images and Video, Deleting Images, Transferring Images, Managing Batteries, Getting Assistance, About and Exit.
Ease of Use
The HP Photosmart M425 features a menu structure that is list-based and filled with help menus and thumbnails to provide unsure or beginning users an opportunity to further educate themselves on settings and image effect parameters which they may engage. The manual controls are limited, and those that exist are simple to understand thanks to the full text descriptions. Although White Balance doesn’t have a full manual mode, the preset options are provided with both a text description and a thumbnail image of a hypothetical situation where it may be engaged. The refresh rate for the LCD is markedly slow when switching between menus, and appears to drop frames.
