HP Photosmart 435

Value (7.0)
With an MSRP of $129.95, you’d be hard-pressed to find a cheaper digital camera without straying into the land of no-name brands. By dropping only slightly in price, suddenly you are looking at cameras shooting below 2 MP, and it will be next to impossible to find another camera like the Photosmart 435 that has a 3.1 MP resolution (which will produce quality prints up to 11 x 14). If you are a buyer looking for extensive features, perhaps you should remember the old adage: you get what you pay for.

Comparisons
HP Photosmart 635 - Although it’s the closest thing to the Photosmart 435 price-wise ($149.95 MSRP), saying the Photosmart 635 is an upgrade wouldn’t be completely accurate. The two cameras seem to trade off on feature advancements, with neither being better than the other, but rather accommodating different priorities. While the Photosmart 435 has a resolution of 3.27 MP, the 635 has only a 2.11 MP resolution and while the 635 is smaller, at 3.97" x 1.64" x 2.61", it is also heavier at 6.56 oz. On the other hand, the 635 has the upper hand with a 3x optical zoom and 4x digital zoom, compared to the 435’s fixed lens with a 5x digital zoom. The Photosmart 635 also has a slightly faster video speed of 24 fps, compared to the 435’s 20 fps and a larger aperture of up to f/2.9. The LCD on the 635 is slightly bigger and boasts 84,960 pixels compared to the 435’s 61,600 pixels. The difference between the two cameras is really in the hardware, as the features offered and options are really the same. If resolution is of key importance, stick with the Photosmart 435, but if zooming and a higher quality LCD are your priority, go with the 635. Kinda makes you wish HP had put the best of both worlds together in one camera. 
 
Fuji FinePix A205 - With the same MSRP of $149.95 as the Photosmart 635, the FinePix A205 also shares the same lower resolution of 2.11 MP, compared to the Photosmart 435’s 3.27 MP. The FinePix A205 is boxier than the Photosmart 435 at 3.9" x 2.1" x 2.6" and weighs slightly more at 6.24 oz. For the positives, the major differences are a 3x optical zoom (making it 36-108mm) with a 3.2x digital zoom, a macro focus function, and more flash options. On the downside, the video recording is at a pathetic 10 fps, there is only one ISO setting of 100, and the LCD is pretty distorted at only 55,000 pixels. If macro is a must, this camera fits the bill, but if movies are more important, you should lean towards the Photosmart 435.

Kodak EasyShare 7330 — Moving up again in price, the EasyShare 7330 rings in at $199.95 MSRP, measures 4" x 1.5" x 2.6", and weighs 6.2 oz. The best thing about this camera is that, at 3.3 MP with a 16M internal memory, it maintains the pluses of the Photosmart 435 but adds on a 3x optical zoom compared to a fixed lens. It also has auto focus, a better aperture at f/2.7, and a better LCD with 71,760 pixels. And gratefully, the Kodak EasyShare 7330 package includes the docking station that is an optional $80 accessory for the Photosmart 435. Now for the bad news: the movie recording is a bit meager at 15 fps, the camera doesn’t have a 400 ISO setting, and there is only an auto white balance. Again, if video recording important to you, stick with the HP.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters - Point-and-shooters, this camera was designed for you. With simplistic menus and a tried-and-true auto mode, the Photosmart 435 produces solid photos without much effort. Yet, if you get the urge to take control, there are options that give you a bit of leeway.

 Budget Consumers - In a nutshell, the Photosmart 435 is probably the best bang for your buck out there. It is delightfully simple while still delivering a quality photo, and as long as you know you don’t need many frills, you won’t be disappointed.

 Gadget Freaks - Gadget freaks will probably understand the ins and outs of this camera after using it for two minutes and will just get bored thereafter. If you’re looking for a camera that gives you room to grow, or challenges you to use your photography skills, this camera isn’t the one. The Photosmart 435 succeeds in its main goal of taking the complications out of image-making, and it does this by paring down on gadgets.

 Manual Control Freaks - The only options that can be controlled manually on this camera are ISO, White Balance, EV (Exposure compensation) and Flash. If you are a true manual freak, this fact would probably cause you to turn and run, most likely to something a couple hundred dollars more expensive.

 Pros/Serious Hobbyists - For those serious hobbyists that want creative control, or room to grow, you will only feel suffocated by the lack of aperture and shutter speed control. If you are a pro, you might use this camera to take snapshots of your kids on your weekends off when you don’t want to have to think about photography.