The HP PhotoSmart 812 is a well-specified 4-megapixel digital camera with a Pentax 3x optical zoom lens. It's designed as a simple-to-use point-and-shoot replacement, and comes in a compact case with silver finish. While lacking any dramatic aesthetic impact, it does possess neat lines and has an overall feel of a well-constructed camera.
The controls on the HP 812 are straightforward. A power button is accompanied by a shutter button on the top of the camera, the latter surrounded by a mode-select wheel. This enables you to choose between video mode with audio, a time-lapse mode, or straight camera mode. On the back you find zoom controls, located where your right thumb naturally sits. The 3x optical zoom is complemented by a digital zoom to provide 21x total magnification. However, quality suffers when moving to the digital zoom, as with any digital camera.
The menus found via the LCD are straightforward to navigate. You can amend the quality of pictures taken, from one to four stars, with the latter providing 4-megapixel images suitable for print enlargements.
The image quality produced by the PhotoSmart 812 is impressive by typical digital camera standards. However, when stacked against competing 4-megapixel models it doesn't compare favorably. The depth of field is quite shallow, with only small areas of the picture in focus. The autofocus also struggles in low light. This said, it is worth remembering that other 4-megapixel cameras are often considerably more expensive than the 812.
The HP 812 is designed purely for ease of use and you can configure your images while on the camera to print or e-mail, thanks to the Instant Share technology. This is best served when used in conjunction with the HP camera dock, which is not supplied. This separately available dock enables you to easily share pictures and charges your camera batteries at the same time.
The batteries supplied with the camera are nonrechargeable lithium-ion, which have a decent lifespan. The camera will also take standard AAs in an emergency, but you'll only get limited life out of these--around five minutes before the LCD powers down. We recommend getting a set of rechargeables, like those supplied with the camera dock.
The HP 812 uses a Secure Digital (SD) card memory for image storage and is supplied with a 16 MB card. More memory will be needed, as the supplied card will only store five pictures at the highest quality. The camera will also take MultiMediaCard (MMC) memory, which is cheaper than SD.
The HP PhotoSmart 812 delivers what it promises, and provides an affordable compact point-and-shoot that anyone can use and take decent pictures with, which, thanks to the resolution, can be printed at large sizes. It will however, struggle to win over any photography enthusiasts with its dearth of manual controls. --Nick Baxter
Pros:
- Affordable point-and-shoot 4-megapixel camera
- Very easy to use and download to your computer
- Good choice for beginners who desire 11-by-14-inch photo prints
Cons:
- Dearth of manual controls
- HP camera dock not included, but recommended for easy photo transfer
1 DON'T EVEN THINK ABOUT IT
First, it sucks up the battery real fast, I said well that's not such a big problem, but after 3.5 months the camera started making this crankling noise and got stuck forever. It's supose to be the logic card, that's like the motherboard for a PC. I was reading some of the reviews, and I saw the same problem in some of them. Apparently costumer service is not going to do much for me, so I guess I lost the money. Maybe at the end they'll loose more than me.
2 HP no tiene repuestos para sus camaras digitales
Un cordial saludo.
Les cuento que compre mi c‡mara HP812 en Amazon.com, me funciono regularmente, y ahora resulta que tiene una falla en el lente y pregunto al centro autorizado de soporte HP en mi pa’s y me indican que si pueden arreglar la camara con un mantenimiento normal, perfecto!. Sino perderŽ mi inversi—n, por que HP no tiene repuestos para sus c‡maras digitales a nivel mundial. Esto me desconcierta, por que siempre hab’a confiado en esta marca, tengo muchos productos de ellos, y ahora estoy a punto de perder muchos d—lares por su culpa.
Les recomiendo revisar otras marcas que si tengan un verdadero servicio al cliente, esto no es servicio al cliente, es la comercializaci—n de c‡maras "desechables", las vas a tener que cambiar tu c‡mara en 1 o 2 a–os. Triste no? para una inversi—n de tanto dinero.
Saludos, espero que te sirva mi experiencia al momento de tomar tu decisi—n, ahora me tocar‡ comprar mi 3 c‡mara (las dos anteriores fueron HP), pero seguro no ser‡ HP.
3 Decent- But only for outdoor still pictures!
I Previously owned the HP Photosmart 320, a decent 2 MP camera. I am somewhat dissapointed with the Photosmart 812. Anyone buying the PS 812 should be aware that there is a one to two second delay between the time that the shutter button is fully depressed untill the picture is actually taken. I've gotten tons of shots of the back of my baby's head- She'd turn by the time the camera actually took the picture! The images taken indoors are slightly off color and faded compared to my other cameras- seems to be the way the flash reflects off objects.The movie mode with sound is decent, and the outdoor pictures are fairly sharp. Even so the camera doesn't do that great of a job focusing. as mentioned in the other posts, the 812 is powered by 2 AA batteries, so even two NIMH rechargeables don't last more than 40 shots or a few minutes f movie mode. HP mentions in the manual that you must conserve the batteries, but many of the other companies out there get 300 to 800 shots on their baterries, so the 812 really cant be considered acceptable. Overall I'm thiking of switching to a Cannon.
The Cannon line of cameras seem to actually take a picture when you click- and they don't have a 4-5 second delay between shots while the previous picture loads to memory. Plus theres no nedd to chage the batteries every few pictures. HP definitely needs to get their act together.
4 This camera cannot recharge its own batteries
Well I have this photosmart 812 camera and a C8881a dock. I thought it would be a good combo since it came with two sets of batteries and easy connectivity to my computer. Seems to have nice menu's and iPhoto recognizes the camera right away. Windows XP brings it right away as well in drive mode.
The batteries that came with the camera will not charge. According to HP the camera will not charge if the batteries less than 1.2v in them. Well of course new batteries out of the box will have less than 1.2v in them!!! HP says to upgrade the firmware on the camera which will fix this issue, but it still does not work! Another annoying thing is that you need to reset the date everytime you take the batteries out, or in this case whenever you unhook the camera from the dock since the batteries never charge!
5 812 and hps support packages
I have the hp photosmart 812 and as an artist have injoyed the camera ,I use it to document my work as well as others., and are very impressed with the photos. I purchased one of hp service packs for cameras from $299.00-$499.00 , I will tell you that it was the best investment I made, I droped my camera and with a phone call it was replaced the next day, This product and its support from hp are worth it. lens and a adaptor can be purchased to add on to this camera,a catolog is inclosed in the box from which to purchase . This camra is a 10 in my book.
6 Pretty decent, easy to use, nice quality pics.
I bought this camera ... and have had no problems at all. I bought some rechargables from Ebay for seven dollars and charge one set while I use the other. They last for AT LEAST 48 pics for me, probably more.
If you don't know a lot about computers, this camera is very easy to figure out how to use. The editing software is no good for cropping, but does take out the red-eye. Outdoor shots are great. I got the two best pics of my kids yesterday that I have ever seen - no comparison to a 35mm cam. And I can print great looking photos any size I want, as many as I want, to share.
You will need another photo card if you want to take more than 10 pics.
7 I returned it in the next day
Battery-eating is 1 problem. But the biggest thing is the quality of the pictures. After I took about 50 pictures, there was even no one satisfied me. It is true that I am not a photographer. But I am not that bad.
8 Takes great pictures
I purchased the HP812 because it had a high rating and a docking station. The ease of use is great. The pictures are wonderful and the enlarged ones to 8x10 are very good which I understand is unusual for a 4 pixel camera. The rechargable nickel metal hydride batteries are necessary. I had problems downloading the camera into the computer on one occasion. The problem was the memory card which I had purchased separately. I have had many film cameras through the years---this beats them all by far.
9 Hewlett Packard continues to make garbage
I owned a Photosmart 612 for about a year before the motor on the camera went and none of the pictures would not focus. That made what was a mediocre camera turn into a paperweight. Since the 612 isn't sold anymore, my service plan replaced it with an 812. Three weeks into ownership it too has turned into a paperweight, the flash no longer works.
My advice to buy a digital camera from an actual camera manufacturer.
10 dont buy this unless.....
do NOT buy this camera unless you enjoy spending lots and lots of money on batteries...regular AA batteries last about 5 minutes, rechargables only slightly longer....i am waiting on Hewlett Packard to send me some photo lithiums to try...if they dont work any better, i am demanding my money back!..of course that doesnt mean i'll get it back!...takes great pictures, easy to use....just drains batteries quick as a flash!..not worth the trouble...the thing is too expensive for this!!
11 battery eater
this camera works great...for about 5 minutes..and the batteries go kaput...i have tried regular AA batteris...rechargables...neither work for longer than a few pictures...and i am on my SECOND camera...HP does have pretty good customer service, they sent me a new camera, BUT...i am having the same problem...waiting on them to send me some photo lithium batteries to see if it works, if it doesnt i am requesting a full refund...what a shame!...great pics, easy to use, just cant be replacing the batteries every 5 minutes!!
12 Stay away from this camera!
I bought this camera about four months ago after reading some good reviews, boy were they wrong! For the price, the resolution is good, but I expected better. The macrofocus does not work well at all, and I have a hard time getting a picture off indoors. The "no red-eye" feature just makes you have "green-eye" instead. I would not recommend this camera to anyone. Go buy a Canon instead, stick to those companies that know something about photography.
13 Don't get mixed up with it!
...In just about 3 months after that its zooming lence after a crackling sound jammed, I had it replaced and... guess what!... after about a month I had the very same crackling sound and jam. I changed out it to a less expensive Canon PowerShot A200 camera. It may look ugly, but it works and pictures are great what really counts. Doesn't it?
If you don't want to have trouble with cameras, stay away of HP PhotoSmart 812. Thanks
14 Beware of Warranty terms....
I bought this camera as a Christmas present for my husband and it worked fine for about six pictures and then it simply quit working...
I am so very sorry I bought this camera. My advice is, if you want to throw away good money and have nothing but trouble, buy this camera. I'm completely disgusted!
15 Great For Project Photos
For the past twenty years project engineers at my engineering firm have taken about 2,000 photos per year (mostly indoors and often in low light) to record existing conditions and progress for mechanical renovation projects in large buildings. Many of the photos are downloaded into a permanent data base on a server. Until recently we used Polaroids when we needed speed and conventional 35mm when we needed quality and then scanned the prints on a flatbed scanner.
We experimented with five other digital cameras beginning in 1994 but were unhappy with results of all until we tried the HP 850. The HP 812 was the first that gave us both the speed and convenience of a Polaroid shot and the image quality that approached that of a scanned 35mm shot. Quality with and without flash was excellent; and images were sharp when handheld (no tripod) in low light. We have now standardized on the HP 812 for all photos.
There is a nice zoom and easy menus, and we have had zero problems. I would not consider this camera complete without the docking station, which unloads photos with the push of one button while also charging the rechargeable batteries. Rechargeable batteries are a must since conventional batteries take perhaps a dozen flash shots before giving out.
We carry the cameras in the field in inexpensive, lightly padded cases. A few drops from waist height onto concrete floors while in the case resulted in no damage.
We have no need for the video/audio recorder and have not used those features.
16 Great For Project Photos
For the past twenty years project engineers at my engineering firm have taken about 2,000 photos per year (mostly indoors and often in low light) to record existing conditions and progress for mechanical renovation projects in large buildings. Many of the photos are downloaded into a permanent data base on a server. Until recently we used Polaroids when we needed speed and conventional 35mm when we needed quality and then scanned the prints on a flatbed scanner.
We experimented with five other digital cameras beginning in 1994 but were unhappy with results of all until we tried the HP 812. The HP 812 was the first that gave us both the speed and convenience of a Polaroid shot and the image quality that approached that of a scanned 35mm shot. Quality with and without flash was excellent; and images were sharp when handheld (no tripod) in low light. We have now standardized on the HP 812 for all photos.
There is a nice zoom and easy menus, and we have had zero problems. I would not consider this camera complete without the docking station, which unloads photos with the push of one button while also charging the rechargeable batteries. Rechargeable batteries are a must since conventional batteries take perhaps a dozen flash shots before giving out.
We carry the cameras in the field in inexpensive, lightly padded cases. A few drops from waist height onto concrete floors while in the case resulted in no damage.
We have no need for the video/audio recorder and have not used those features.
17 Beware the cons of this camera
I decided to upgrade from my 1.3 MegaPix Olympus Brio D-150 digital camera. The Olympus was my first digicam and I realized I wanted a camera that took better quality photos. The photo quality of the Olympus left me with a lot to be desired as I compared its photos with other cameras.
After reading some reviews and considering the price, I decided the HP 812 would meet my needs for a near pocket-sized, point and shoot, zoom, 4.1 MegaPix digicam. Although I read both positive and negative reviews, I was comfortable with the possibility I may experience some of the minor cons.
The camera itself is the perfect size. The features are exactly what I want. The picture quality wasn't exactly perfect, but much better than my Olympus. I also bought the accessory kit and the docking station.
The first issue I experienced is that, using ordinary alkaline batteries, I could only get about one dozen photos using flash when the batteries died. This camera is very demanding on batteries. Fortunately, HP includes one set of disposable lithium batteries that last longer than alkaline. With the accessory kit, I also received two pairs of rechargeable NiMh batteries and a recharger.
My greatest disappointment is that the second day I had this camera, after about twenty pictures taken over two days, the camera stopped working. I turned it on, heard a popping noise, then a grinding noise. The lens would not extract from the camera. Either the lens motor or gear stopped functioning. What a shame. I read some reviews which other people experienced similar problems. I understand that a bad unit can come out of a batch of good units, but with my unit being defective after having read such mixed reviews, I decided to return the camera, not for an exchange for a working unit, but for a refund.
I now realize I should simply stick with buying one of the better-reviewed Canon or Sony cameras. It may cost more or I may have to settle for lower MegaPix in order to stay within budget, but the reviews for the Canon and Sony cameras have me convinced they are better quality than this HP 812. I gave this camera the benefit of the doubt, thinking the cons I read in the reviews would not affect me. It takes good (not great) pictures, is small, has good features, and is easy to use. But it also drains batteries too fast and, in my experience, can be defective right out of the box. I do not recommend this camera. There is a reason this is one of the lowest price 4.1 MegPix cameras on the market, and that reason has to do with quality. I will be buying a Canon or Sony now, maybe even another Olympus or Nikon. But unfortunately, I will not buy another HP anytime soon. Thanks for trying HP. It was a fair effort.
18 Digital Convenience!
I'm a photographer. I've used the hp812 at work for about a month now. Although it does not have some of the hardly-ever-used and difficult-to-access manual controls of the high-priced digitals, The bottom line is...It takes great pictures! Just like 35mm! It's also very small and light...perfect for shirt or jacket pocket. So you are more likely to take it along. Get the dock and a 128 sd card and you're ready for anything. It automatically sends pics to your computer, clears the card, then recharges the battery. For the money and the convenience, the hp812 is one of the best values out there!
19 Beware of this camera.
I purchased this camera after reading all the positive reviews. However, I am having a miserable time with it. The exposure is always delayed by about a second which makes taking action shots nearly impossible. Always blurred. I am even having touble taking still photos without them being blurred. Yes, I read the manual, but there is nothing there to solve my problem. I plan to return the camera tomorrow. May be that I just got a lemon. When I do get lucky and get a good picture, the images are very good but it doesn't happen enough to warrant more than one star.
20 Simply Amazing!!!
My wife and I received this camera for an early Christmas present. We have been looking for a camera for a few months now, and unexpectedly, her uncle bought this for us. This camera is more than anything I have ever expected in a camera. The features are incredible and easy to use. I have not even opened the manual yet, it is that user friendly. The pictures are of the most excellent quality. I would recommend this to anyone looking for a camera.
21 THE BEST CAMERA!!!
I absolutely love this camera!!! I have only had it for one week and have already taken over 100 pictures including still with audio and video. So incredibly easy to use!!! The camera only comes with a 16mb memory card. Make sure you invest in at least a 128MB memory card. I also bought the HP DSCA20 Accessory Kit which included an HP camera bag, very compact battery charger and 4 rechargeable batteries...Well worth it! With enough memory and batteries, I can take pictures anytime. Highly recommended!!!!
22 WOW...WHAT A PICTURE !!!
I take a lot of pictures! I have 30 or so picture albums on line on Webshots. These are by far the best pictures I've ever seen. When you enlarge the picture the details stay sharp and focused! It's light enough to keep in my shirt pocket. The zoom is outstanding. The docking station makes recharging and downloading a snap! I would like a car charger. I have not looked for one yet, but I'm sure there is one out there somewhere. This little puppy even makes big movies! It's a work-horse in a small package. It is very easy to learn how to use. I never even opened the manual that came with it. You will love this camera!
23 Where's the Power?
This is my third digital camera (I also have a wonderful Toshiba PDR-M1 (1.3 Mp) and a horrible, full of bugs Kodak DX 3600). I really like the HP PS812 except that it does not come with any way to power the camera except two batteries.
There is a camera dock, which is OK, but not something that I really want to carry on trips.
There is supposedly an optional AC adapter, but HP gives absolutely no hint in its included documentation or on its web site what the part number is. Looking through the reviews here on Amazon.com for AC adaptors for HP cameras, it is obvious that getting an adapter is an iterative process of buying and returning until a lucky purchase works.
If anyone has found the magic AC adapter that works, please post which one it is.
24 Nice Camera
I looked at many brands including Sony and Canon. I liked the idea of having the docking station that I just plug the camera into and can view easily on my TV. It also uploads the pictures very easily and the software that comes with it works great. I can easily have it email the pictures automaticaly or have them displayed on a web page automaticaly. I can't wait to get my new HP printer to print off some pics.
I had actually bought a Sony camera for the same price and returned it to buy this one. The Sony was only 3.1mp and had only 2x optical and 3 way digital zoom. This has 3X optical and 7X digital zoom. The other big advantage for the same money is that this one captures sound when I take a movie clip and the Sony did not. I also found the memory cheaper with more choices than the Sony.
Overall I am thrilled with my choice.
Enjoy!!...
25 Cool camera - MMC cards are not necessarily supported
This is a cool camera and it is small and light ehough to put in your pocket. I carry mine everywhere just in case I want to take a picture. The fact that it uses only two batteries is also an advantage - you effectively get twice the battery life of many other cmaeras. While the Viking MMC cards prompted by David Payne may work in the 812, in general MMC cards are not supported with this camera. Only use SD cards in this camera.
26 Cool camera - MMC cards are not necessarily supported
This is a cool camera and it is small and light ehough to put in your pocket. I carry mine everywhere just in case I want to take a picture. The fact that it uses only two batteries is also an advantage - you effectively get twice the battery life of many other cmaeras. While the Viking MMC cards prompted by David Payne may work in the 812, in general MMC cards are not supported with this camera. According to the manual you should use SD cards for best results.
27 Excellent Camera
My company just merged with HP and so I bought this out of loyalty to my new combined company. I looked at lots of other digital cameras in this price range, but this had the most features for the money and the best resolution. The one thing I am really thrilled about though is how great the software is that comes with the camera. It's very simple to use. I haven't even popped open the manual yet and have taken pictures and video clips, uploaded them to my PC and emailed them all around the country to relatives. All without reading anything. HP has always been known for the excellent software that comes with their products such as printers and scanners. I am happy that it applies to their digital cameras as well. And now I get to write software for HP too.
