HP PhotoSmart 435 3.1MP Digital Camera

by HP

Product Details

Product Manual [1.72mb PDF]

• Product Dimensions: 2.2 x 4.6 x 1.5 inches ; 4.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000A602S
• Item model number: Q3731A#ABA
• Batteries: 2 AA batteries required. (included)
• Average Customer Review: 3.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (85 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #12,130 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 11, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

If you're looking for a point-and-shoot, go-anywhere snapshot digital camera, the HP PhotoSmart 435 is a great choice. With its 3.1-megapixel resolution, you'll be able to print enlargements up to 11 x 14 inches. You also get HP's Instant Share Feature, a movie mode with audio, a 16 MB internal memory, and an expansion slot for adding SD and MMC memory cards.

Optics and Resolution
The PhotoSmart 435 features a 3.1-megapixel resolution (effective) that produces images as large as 2048 x 1536 pixels. It offers one low resolution mode: 640 x 480. A fixed-focus camera, the PhotoSmart 435 features a 5x digital zoom.

Movie Mode
In addition to taking still photos, the PhotoSmart 435 can also record movie clips at 20 frames per second with sound. The QuickTime Motion JPEG format offers a limited resolution, which is great for capturing a short movie that can be e-mailed to friends and family, but is no replacement for a true camcorder.

More Features
With HP's Instant Share feature, you can customize your camera with e-mail aliases and distribution lists of your family and friends. For each picture, you can designate up to 14 destinations, including e-mail addresses, compatible printers, and more.

Other features include:

• 1.5-inch LCD screen
• Built-in flash with auto, forced on/off, red-eye reduction, and night modes
• Shutter speed: 10 seconds to 1/1000 second
• Exposure: ISO Auto (default), 100, 200, 400
• White balance: auto

Optional Camera Dock
The PhotoSmart 435 is also compatible with the HP PhotoSmart 8886 Digital Camera Dock, which enables you to easily transfer images to your PC or charge a set of included rechargeable batteries. Cutting down on desktop clutter, this convenient remote-controlled device enables you to transfer image files to your PC, print photos, or even view images on TV--all in one easy step

Storage and Transfer
Images can be stored using the internal 16 MB memory or on optional Secure Digital (SD) or MultiMedia (MMC) memory cards. The internal 16 MB memory will store approximately 18 images at the PhotoSmart 435's 3-megapixel better setting (2048 x 1536). Images can be downloaded to either a Mac or PC via ultrafast USB 2.0, which means it can be connected to any USB-compatible Windows Me/2000/XP and Mac OS 8.6 or later computer without installing any software. When used with USB 1.1 connection, transfer will slow to USB 1.1 rate.

Power and Size
The camera is powered by 2 AA batteries (alkalines included, rechargeables recommended). It measures 4.6 by 2.3 by 1.5 inches and weighs 6.4 ounces (including batteries).

What's In The Box
This package includes the HP PhotoSmart 435 digital camera, wrist strap, 2 AA alkaline batteries; USB cable for camera to PC, USB cable for camera to printer, dock insert for use with optional hp photosmart 8886 camera dock; CD with HP Photo and Imaging software for Microsoft Windows and Macintosh; HP Memories Disc Creator, and Hemera Greeting Card Creator (Windows only).

Product Description

The HP Photosmart 435 digital camera with HP Instant Share delivers true-to-life photo-quality in a snap. With 3.1 MP effective resolution (3.3 MP total resolution), 5x digital zoom, and great shot-to-shot speed, it is so easy and fast to capture great digital snapshots. Share them with family and friends using HP Instant Share--the easy and fast way to send photos to email addresses, printers, and more. Record memories in motion and sound using the video-clip capture with audio feature and use the automatic or manual controls to create the results you want. The optional HP Photosmart 8886 camera dock offers added convenience--it connects easily to your PC or TV, includes a remote control for viewing photos, and recharges your camera batteries. It is all so easy--print photos directly from your camera to an HP Photosmart printer or select HP all-in-one--no computer is required!

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

80 of 84 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Tim Robertson MyMac.com Review, November 29, 2003

By 

Tim E Robertson "Publisher MyMac" (Battle Creek, Mi United States) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HP PhotoSmart 435 3.1MP Digital Camera (Electronics)

I love doing product reviews. I like to think, while writing one, that I am actually talking to someone, telling them about the product in question. And as a reviewer, there are some companies whose products I love to review. Hewlett-Packard (HP) is one such company. I have had a long and happy relationship with every HP product I have used and reviewed over the last decade. So it saddens me when, after testing the HP Photosmart 435 digital camera, it came time to write this review.

The Photosmart 435 is a 3.34MP digital camera that you can also use to take small Quick-Time movies with. While not a large camera, the Photosmart 435 is by no means tiny. It fits easily in a purse, but not in the pocket of your pants. (Unless you are wearing cargo pants.)

The camera is not stylish, but rather plain and boxy. This works for me, as I don't always want to call attention to my camera. It does not look expensive, and at $149 (US) it is not. If anything, the design reminds me of a 110 Film camera I owned in my teenage years. It has that feel in my hands, very familiar.

Operation is simple. Slide the lens cover, which doubles as the on/off switch, and take a picture. There are a variety of options, from picture quality, shutter speed, flash, red-eye flash, zoom, and most of the other features every digital camera sports. So far so good.

The Photosmart 435 has 3.34MP resolution at its highest quality setting. As I already own a 3.1MP camera (The Kodak DX3900) I had an idea what to expect in image quality. In fact, I was expecting somewhat better looking photos with the Photosmart 435, being a higher resolution camera. I was sorely mistaken. The image quality, most times, is decent to good. However, the quality of the pictures is not at all consistent. I found that out of ten pictures taken indoors under normal lighting conditions, eight of the ten photos would be of decent quality, while the other two would be very poor. I don't know why the image quality is so unpredictable with this camera, but after extensive testing, I would personally not use this camera.

Also like most digital cameras, the Photosmart 435 has an image display viewfinder. The 1.5-inch LCD is used to set options, review pictures or movies, and can be used instead of the optical viewfinder. For those who hate looking through the tiny optical viewfinder when taking pictures, the image display viewfinder is a much better choice.

The problem here is the quality of the Photosmart 435's 1.5-inch LCD display. It is far and away the worse I have ever used. In live mode, the display is a green and blurry mess, all but unusable. In picture review mode, it is somewhat better, but still far and away sub-par to any other digital camera I have used in the past.

One of the biggest disadvantages is the zoom. There is no optical zoom on the Photosmart 435, but rather digital. A digital zoom is always sub-par than a optical zoom, and that is true here as well. The 5X Digital zoom works as advertised, but any picture zoomed became pixilated and not at all sharp. After playing with the various settings, I found that if I had to zoom up on an object with the Photosmart 435, it simply was not worth taking the picture.

Taking photos of objects in motion, even a slow walking cat, really showed the Photosmart 435's shortfall. After taking pictures of a cat in both normal and action shutter speed mode, the pictures were blurry and unusable.

The big test, however, came when I gave the camera to our eight-year-old daughter, Brittaney, and told her to take pictures around the yard of anything she wanted to. The conditions were very cold, around thirty degrees and frosty, but the sun was very bright and the fall colors look beautiful. Brittaney took a total of 17 pictures. One of the first problems I noticed was that every other picture had a nice close-up of a finger. Because the lens on the Photosmart 435 is receded, it is very easy to block the lens with your hand while taking a picture. Camera's that have a lens housing that sticks out some, extends from the camera body itself, usually prevents this. The pictures she took, about ten, that was unobstructed by a finger, came out blurry or the camera had too much light. Different setting made no difference.

The Photosmart 435 does come with 16MB of internal memory, so you will not have to run out and buy extra storage. However, today, 16MB will quickly prove too small. It is nice, though, that the 16MB is internal, not a card that you will toss out when you upgrade to a 256MB memory card. This is great if, by chance, you fill your memory card up and still need to take a few pictures. I wish more digital camera's would have internal, built-in memory. Unfortunately, you can use one storage device at a time. If you have a memory card installed, the internal storage will not work. The Photosmart 435 takes the smaller SD / MMC Memory cards, not Compact Flash.

The Photosmart 435 ships with its own software solution, HP Director, which you can use to store and transfer pictures. While the software does work fine, I preferred using iPhoto. The Photosmart 435 works perfectly well with iPhoto, as expected. But if you use the Photosmart 435 to take video with, you will need to use the HP Director software to capture that file from the camera, as iPhoto will not work. Also, the HP software does not find the Photosmart 435 when running Mac OS X 10.3 (Panther) but does under 10.2. If you do buy this camera, look for an update to their software if you are running 10.3. As I type of this review, there is no update for the HP software. In fact, I have not seen anything on the HP website that indicated you can download updates. The only option I have found is to order a CD-ROM.

The video capture feature is more gimmick than anything. The clips are small, grainy, and not worth using to record your important memories with. But it is fun! My kids liked the ability to capture video and audio using the Photosmart 435. I have less worry letting them practice being the next Spielberg with this camera than I do turning over my Canon Camcorder to them. All the video recorded can be used in iMovie, so this is a neat and fun way to let kids learn the basics of shooting video and editing in iMovie.

Unfortunately, the Photosmart 435 is a sub-par digital camera. The price, at US $149, makes it inexpensive. Simply reading the specifications in its documentation would sounds like a great deal: 3.34MP, internal 16MB of memory, able to capture video and audio, a 1.5-inch LCD, the ability to use an optional dock, and an optional AC adapter, and more. The reality is that the Photosmart 435 has horrible power consumption (I used three sets of batteries in one week of testing, a total of around 100 pictures!) sub-par picture quality, and a near-useless LCD display.

I am disappointed with the Photosmart 435. I expect much better from HP. I am hoping that the next HP camera we review will better meet my expectations of quality HP products. The Photosmart 435 does not feel or operate at the expected quality of an HP product.

MyMac Rating: 2 out of 5

Tim Robertson

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars In this case, you get what you pay for..., November 1, 2003

By 

J. Benningfield (Montana USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: HP PhotoSmart 435 3.1MP Digital Camera (Electronics)

If you're looking for a camera with lots of creature features and super clear pics, look elsewhere. This is a basic camera, with the right amount of features for the price. It's a good starter camera, but do not expect to use alkaline batteries with this one. You WILL NEED 2100mah or better AA NiMH rechargeables. It does have decent battery life with a set of those, but for all day shooting, I'd recommend carrying at least an extra pair of these batteries. The software that comes with the camera has good features for a beginner. If you're looking to do professional pix with this camera...FORGET IT. If you want something that will take acceptable pictures for digital storage or email, then this camera will fill the bill. It does decent 640x480 video with audio, with a 256MB SD card, it will give you about 20 minutes (provided your batteries do not run out first).

22 of 23 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good Auxiliary Camera, February 3, 2004

By 

Arthem "arthem" (Knoxville, TN USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: HP PhotoSmart 435 3.1MP Digital Camera (Electronics)

I agree with other reviewers who found this to be a well-priced, but underperforming camera. I received this camera as a gift, and decided to keep it to supplement at Kodak DX6490. Of course, there's no comparison in terms of quality and performance (or price), but the standout features of the HP are worth mentioning.

First of all, this is a nice pocket camera, except that the sliding lens cover (& power switch) is altogether too easy to open. On a couple of occasions, I've downloaded pictures of the inside of my jacket pocket. Other than that, the size is right.

The camera runs through batteries like a Suburban runs through gasoline - if you buy this camera, get it with a recharger & several spares. The battery indicator on my camera is also a little fickle - I don't know that I've every seen it showing a full charge. Of course, the LCD display can be turned off to conserve battery life, etc., but it really is quite quick to consume juice.

The picture quality is excellent for the size and price. I really have no complaints with the digital zoom's quality, but its performance leaves a lot to be desired. The digital zoom is slow, and the control is unwieldy.

One other irritating feature is the USB port on the side, which is covered by a fairly rigid piece of rubber. This makes connecting the camera a two-handed operation - and it can be a little bit frustrating to try to connect it in a hurry. I imagine that the Photosmart dock would be preferable, but my DX6490 came with a dock and I'm not in a hurry to buy another.

I haven't used the software yet, since the Kodak software works so well, and iPhoto on my Mac works beautifully with both the Kodak & HP, but the rest of the HP imaging suite (image editor, scanner & print software) works pretty well when it isn't leaking memory (HP has a fix for this, but the download is huge & I can't be bothered ordering the CD).

Overall, this is a nice camera to keep in the car, in a pocket, or in a briefcase - but it's not the camera I would choose for challenging or critical photography.