HP Photosmart M527

Auto Mode
Interestingly, the auto mode for the HP Photosmart M527 also provides the most access to manual control settings. The auto mode can of course be used as a fully automatic setting with all image parameters dictated by the camera. Flash settings may still be manually controlled when shooting in Auto Mode; the control for this feature is found on the top of the camera body.

The M527 allows manual control over exposure compensation and ISO, while users are able to set preset options for white balance. Refer back to the full review to see how Auto Mode manages to hold up when tested for noise levels and color accuracy.

Movie Mode
The Movie mode on the M425 is entered through an external control on top of the camera, a design decision which makes quick switches from still to video possible. When deactivated, the camera returns to regular still image shooting mode. Movie Mode shoots QVGA video (320 x 240) at a reported 30 fps. It was hard to tell whether that given frame rate was accurate with such a small screen. Digital video clips are recorded with simultaneous audio, which would be more admirable if it was actually possible to listen to audio while the video clip is still in-camera. This omission of an in-camera speaker seems odd considering the emphasis on in-camera editing functionality being placed on these products by HP.

Drive / Burst Mode
The burst mode for the M527 is located within the Shooting Mode menu, accessed by entering the Capture Menu. Burst Mode setting will provide a thumbnail and a description upon an opaque background, detailing how this function works when shooting with the M527. This camera shoots at a rate of 2 frames per second for 3 frames prior to saving to memory card. The Self Timer setting allows users to set the camera to take a single picture following a 10 second delay.

Playback Mode
The user of the HP Photosmart M527 enters the Playback Mode by either pressing the Shooting/Playback mode button on the top of the camera body or by entering the Design Gallery menu via the Menu/OK button. Several Playback functions regarding the printing and sharing of images are accessible through the Photo Express Menu, also accessed through a button on the top of the camera. Once the user enters the Design Gallery they will be able to control and manipulate some image parameters regarding color, image effects like kaleidoscope, and corrective red-eye measures. Images may be rotated in Design Gallery, but unfortunately they cannot be cropped.

It is possible to recording audio clips and save them to selected images with the use of the Record Audio feature found in the Design Gallery menu. However (and oddly enough), the user will not be able to hear this audio, or the audio recorded on video clips, when watching these features as there is no in-camera speaker on the M527. By using the zoom toggle users will be able to either view images in playback zoom or multi-up format. A note of warning: playback zoom on a 2-inch, 115K pixel LCD leaves much to be desired in terms of clarity. To delete images in Playback Mode, the user must select the image to be disposed, and then select the trash button located on the back of the camera beneath the four-way controller.

Custom Image Presets
The custom image presets are located within the M527’s Capture Menu, underneath the Shooting Mode menu, as Preset Shooting Modes. These are settings tailored to react to image capture in a specific manner.

The HP Photosmart M527 features options of: Action, Auto, Beach and Snow, Burst, Fast Shot, Landscape, Macro, Night Portrait, Portrait, Self Timer and Sunset. These options are enough to cover the basics without being overwhelming; the menu list was terse enough to be navigated with speed and efficiency. The settings were fast to engage, and moving in and out of the menu produced no problems during shooting.