HP Photosmart R725

Picture Quality / Size Options
There are several Image Quality settings available for the user on the HP Photosmart R725. The R725 can record still images in JPEG format, while it records digital video clips in MPEG-1. Still image settings of 2 MP**, 4 MP**, 6 MP** Normal, and VGA (640 x 480) may be used when shooting, while video clips record at a frame rate of 24 fps at 640 x 480. These still images and digital video images may be uploaded to the Internet via Snapfish by HP for sharing photos with friends, family, and approved Snapfish members; prints of images can be ordered as well. The image quality controls are located through the Capture Menu.

Picture Effects Mode
The Picture Effects modes are where HP has really tried to set itself apart from other offerings in this price range. HP has consciously structured a Design Gallery mode that effectively eliminates the need for the Image Editing software bundles that come with digital cameras. This change to in-camera digital effects could mark an interesting change within the point-and-shoot camera market.

These features provide opportunities for alterations to image color, image effects, and the addition of borders, three basic areas of preset options which were previously covered by PC software. HP has done much to simplify the editing process by letting it be done ‘in-house’. Attention to what happens to an image post-capture is a staple of Kodak’s EasyShare line. Let's see what happens as HP challenges them with this R-series.

The R725 comes with the following effects from within the Gallery Design menu:

Artistic Effects Menu - The Artist Effects menu provides users digital effects that manipulate images during postproduction editing. Some of the options are useful, others less so. The settings within this menu, which is located under the Design Gallery submenu, are; Ink Dots, Cartoon, Water Color, Center Focus, Posterize, Retro, Soft Glow, Vintage, Slimming, Sky Color, Ground Color, Kaleidoscope and Solarize. Settings like Vintage and Soft Glow do successfully emulate such corresponding preset shooting features found with most accompanying software suites. However, settings like Slimming produce a fun-house effect that blurs the edge of the photo while narrowing the center. The height of subtlety, this is not.

Modify Colors Menu - Within the same Design Gallery menu users may also choose to engage the features found with the Modify Colors Menu: Black and White, Sepia, Black and White Tints and Color Tints. These settings are accurate and can replace the corresponding effects in postproduction image editing.

Add Borders Menu – This feature judges the image content within each specific photo and gauges the appropriate border color to be applied; the choice isn’t always flattering or visually pleasing. Most of these effects appeared contrived and forced when viewed on the LCD. This one needs some work, HP. The Add Borders Menu includes Soft Edge, Inset Border, Torn Edge, Burned Edge, Spatter, Oval, Circle, Rectangle, Rounded Rectangle, and Square.

All three of these submenus will display a description and an actual thumbnail of each setting, demonstrating the effects of each digital change upon images. These settings may not be engaged when the user is shooting digital video clips; HP should look into expanding here. The altered image will be saved in addition to the original image.

Within the Capture Menu the user will also find three other options for making alterations to images, although these occur as a real time changes, rather than postproduction ones. They include contrast, sharpness, and saturation, although they only allow users to select between normal, high, and low settings.