The HP PhotoSmart M425

Similar to the HP PhotoSmart E337, the M425 is an affordable digital camera with a loyal following. Users like the high quality images it takes, plus the affordability. The M425 is a higher-end version of its E337 cousin. Even professional photographers praise the camera's clear, vibrant pictures and the ease with which they can be taken. With its many features and adequate specifications, the HP PhotoSmart M425 is a good digital camera for beginners and intermediate users.

The HP PhotoSmart M425 has a 4.9 megapixel resolution. It offers a 3x optical zoom and a 1.7 inch LCD display, which is a bit on the small side when compared to similarly-priced digital cameras. The HP PhotoSmart M425 comes with 16MB of onboard memory. It is also compatible with Secure Digital or MultiMediaCards. Easy to use with just about any computer, the HP PhotoSmart M425 is compatible with most versions of Windows and Mac OS.

The USB transfer speed of this camera has been called into question. Images are transferred to over a USB 1.1 connection, which is slower than the speedy USB 2.0 connections offered on most modern digital cameras. This, coupled with the HP PhotoSmart M425's small LCD, might simply be a sign of the camera's age. Unlike most of its competitors that came out in 2007, the M425 has been with us since early 2006. (Perhaps some upgrades are in order?)

Still, even with some features that seem rather dated, this camera has retained a body of loyal fans for years. Why do so many users go crazy for this camera? The onboard editing options and red-eye removal, for starters. Users can adjust the white, black, sepia, and negative settings within the camera itself. That is incredibly useful for photographers who might not have quick access to a computer with photo editing software. The picture quality is universally praised. Customers describe the HP PhotoSmart M425's photos as "beautiful" and "fantastic any time of day or night". The camera has a flash that is arguably superior to others, making it a great choice for indoor or outdoor photography.

Other little extras have propelled this camera to popularity. It has a self timer, which many users enjoy. It also has easy-to-use buttons and menus. There are no complicated series of button pushes for deleting pictures; one press and a confirmation is all it takes to get rid of muddled photos. Video is also simple with the HP PhotoSmart M425's "click to start", "click to stop" interface. The camera also does audio recording and direct print. It works with all PictBridge certified printers, among others.

The HP M425 is covered by a 90 day warranty and retails for about $130 US. Purchase this camera and its optional camera dock to print out high quality photos anywhere!