HP PhotoSmart 912

Introduction & Physical Views

First Look posted 12/11/00
full review posted 12/18/00

Click to take a QuickTime VR tour of the HP C912

Click on the C912 to take a QuickTime VR tour

The HP PhotoSmart 912 is the second digital camera to be co-developed by Hewlett Packard and Pentax. We already reviewed their first product, the Pentax EI-200 which is physically identical to the HP C618 - only the packaging and camera logos are different. The same can be said for the new HP C912 which will also be sold by Pentax as the EI-2000.

With a combination of HP Imaging Technology, Pentax camera and optics experience and FlashPoint's Digita operating system, the HP C912 is a very advanced digicam with the following features:

SLR type viewfinder with LCD information panel

2/3-inch professional frame transfer CCD

3x optical (34-107mm) f2.5 zoom lens w/49mm threads

Closeups down to 2cm in macro mode

1600 x 1280 or 800 x 640 36-bit color images

JPEG w/three levels of compression or uncompressed TIFF

90-degree flip-up 2.0-inch color LCD

Manual and Autofocus (Wide-Area or Spot AF)

Auto, Program AE, Shutter Speed and Aperture Priority and Manual

Five programmed AE modes (Portrait, Landscape, Macro, Sports and Night)

Averaging, Center-Weighted or Spot metering options

Variable ISO sensitivity of 25, 50, 100, 200 or 400

Microphone for voice annotations (up to 45sec)

5 mode intelligent pop-up flash

Hot-shoe for external flash

CompactFlash Type II card slot with 16MB card

Fast USB image downloads

Wireless printing with HP JetSend infrared

Optional $99 Lithium-Ion rechargeable battery pack

Selectable NTSC or PAL video output for TV

Orientation sensor for automatic image rotation

Wireless IR shutter release included

Physical Views

The Nikon 950 and HP C912 for size comparison. The C912 is about the same size and weight as a conventional 35mm film SLR.

Continue on to
Page Two

HP C912 Specifications

Product type:	Digital SLR type camera
Image pickup element:	2/3 inch CCD solid-state image pickup 2.24 million pixels, frame transfer type.
Color depth:	36 bit (12 bits x 3 colors)
Lens:	Pentax power zoom 8.2-25.8mm (34-107mm 35mm equivalent) 8 elements in 7 groups; 1 aspherical element f/2.5 - f/3.9
Filter size:	49 mm.
Viewfinder:	Optical SLR viewfinder with 95% viewing field. With full exposure readout and diopter adjustment.
Recording modes:	Color, Sepia or B&W
Recording system:	Still image ; JPEG (DCF: "Design rule for Camera File system"), TIFF (non-compress), DPOF support Up to 45 secs of audio (Rec or Play mode)
Image/File sizes:	FULL (1600 X 1280) 1/4 (800 x 640) Uncompressed TIFF or JPEG (Good, Better, Best)
Memory:	CompactFlash Type I or II (not compatible with Microdrive).
White balance:	Full-auto TTL, Pre-set manual (Auto, daylight, tungsten, fluorescent, 5500K)
Light metering system:	Multi-pattern, centre-weighted average and spot metering.
Exposure Modes:	(1) Program AE (2) Aperture priority: F2.5 - 11.0 (3) Shutter priority: 4 - 1/1000 sec. (4) Manual exposure: 4 - 1/1000 sec. (5) Fully Automatic (6) Portrait (7) Landscape (8) Macro (9) Sports (10) Night Scene
Exposure control:	(1) Exposure compensation +/- 3Ev in 1/2EV steps (2) Auto Bracketing: 1/2EV or 1EV; 3 images. (3) TimeLapse: 2-1,000 images; 15 secs to 24 hrs
ISO Sensitivity:	Auto or fixed 25, 50, 100, 200, 400 equivalent
Focus System:	AF passive TTL system autofocus Wide-Area or Spot, user selectable. Single or Continuous AF modes. Manual focus presets (0.1m, 0.2m, 0.3m, 0.5m, 0.7m, 1.0m, 1.5m, 3m, 10m and INFinity)
Focus Range:	Standard mode: 50 cm (1.64ft) - infinity Macro mode: 2 cm (0.07ft) - 60 cm (0.33ft) Manual mode: 0.1m (0.33ft) - infinity.
LCD monitor:	2.0 inch color TFT LCD, 130,338 pixels brightness adjustment is possible. LCD can be tilted upward to 90 degrees
Flash modes:	Built-in Flash: Auto, Auto with Red-Eye Reduction, Forced On, and Forced On with Red- Eye Reduction
Flash working range:	N/A
Self-timer / remote controller:	10 second delay / 3 sec. after remote controller operation.
I/O Ports:	DC input terminal, USB interface Fast IrDA with JetSend and Digita protocols Audio/Video Output terminal (NTSC/PAL), flash hot shoe
Power supply:	4 x AA Ni-MH, Ni-Cd or alkaline batteries optional lithium rechargeable battery and AC adapter
Date/Time/Calendar:	Simultaneous recording onto image data.
Automatic calendar system:	Up to year 2030.
Dimensions:	3.6 x 5.6 x 4.1 inches (HWD) 90.5 x 143.5 x 105 mm (HWD)
Weight:	19 ounces / 550 g (without batteries or flash card).
Box contents	912 camera, neck strap, 16MB CompactFlash card, 4 AA batteries, Ir remote control, lens and vewfinder caps, PC USB cable, video/audio out cable. HP Photo Imaging software and ACDSee viewer (PC only), ArcSoft PhotoImpresions and PhotoMontage (PC and Mac), Quick start guide, HP CD user's guide and online help. Adobe PhotoDeluxe Business Edition (PC/Mac model 912xi only.)

Return To Our
Reviews Menu

802,002,880