HP’s cameras aren’t normally known for their style, but the 735 does look pretty neat from the front. Round the back, though, it’s a bit of an ugly beast – but then at a typical asking price  you’ve got to remind yourself what you’re getting. Where else will you find a 3.2-megapixel camera with a 3x optical zoom at anywhere near this price?

You wouldn’t expect too many features at this price, but the HP does pretty well. In addition to EV compensation for adjusting exposure, there’s white balance control, which you’d also expect, plus a Movie mode with sound and a choice of metering patterns.

HP PhotoSmart 735 appears to be targeting Kodak’s EasyShare system, with its own Instant Share system. You can tag images for printing or emailing on the camera, there’s an optional camera dock for easy image transfer and battery charging, plus a remote control. And if you own a compatible HP printer, you can output images directly without the need for a computer at all.

Other areas are less impressive. HP calls the 735’s LCD ‘live view’ and the instructions warn you about increased battery consumption if you use it. Indeed, the LCD doesn’t come on by default when you start the camera up, and we couldn’t find any way to make it do so – you have to switch ‘live view’ on manually if you want it.

You don’t get a memory card with this camera. The 16MB internal memory will keep you going for a while, but it won’t be long before you’re back at the shop buying a larger-capacity Secure Digital card to go in the vacant memory card slot.

The camera’s low cost shows up in other areas, too, principally speed of operation. Startup takes a leisurely five seconds, and that’s without the LCD lighting up. Although shutter lag is around a second, it’s pretty positive and reliable. And while the LCD is good and clear in most conditions, it is a bit undersaturated and, when the light levels drop, the refresh can slow down to the point where it’s almost jerky. The optical viewfinder’s a good size, even though the image is a bit soft. The Pentax lens zooms in and out quickly and, as ever, there are a fixed number of intermediate positions.

The image writing time seems inordinately long. Take two or three shots in a row at the camera’s high-guality setting, and the card access lamp stays on for a long, long time (long enough to write this paragraph, in fact).

In Playback mode, HP PhotoSmart 735 processing is pretty slow. It cycles through images reasonable quickly, but only at low resolution. A full-resolution preview takes several seconds to render. Playback is made more awkward by the lack of a navipad. Instead, up/down buttons take care of menu navigation. It makes the control layout simpler, but zooming in on saved images and panning around takes multiple button-presses. It’s so fiddly you’re just not going to bother with it.

On the top, the HP’s design is very efficient. There are buttons for changing the Flash mode, Image quaiity and Scene modes. The Scene modes include the usual The PhotoSmart 735 isn’t especially small. It’s not light, either, or particularly pretty. But it’s solid and well made…

You can also set the lens aperture manually – f2.8 or f4.9 -so the HP also has a limited Aperture-priority Exposure mode. The settinqs are displayed on a mono LCD panel alonqside on the top-plate, and HP has to be congratulated here for producing a fuss-free, easy-to-understand control system, and one that doesn’t rely on menus or the LCD on the back.

Not that there’s anythinq wrong with the menu system when you do use it. The options are comparatively straightforward (this camera doesn’t do that much, after all), so they’re easy to find. The menu text is very clear, too.

But do you need the optional 8886 camera dock? You can transfer imaqes perfectly well without it, after all. However, as HP will be quick to point out, it’s a multifunction device that does a great deal more. It can recharqe NiMH cells in the camera; it lets you print direct to HP’s standalone (no PC required) 130 and 230 photo printers; and you get a remote control, so that when you hook it up to your domestic TV you can browse photos without leaving the comfort of your armchair.

HP PhotoSmart 735 Photographic results

Given the HP’s price, of course, imaqe quality is bound to be a concern. HP cameras have traditionally been very good in this area, regardless of price, and the PhotoSmart 735 is no exception. The exposure system does a good job in just about all common lighting conditions, colour rendition is very good and images have a sharp, saturated, contrasty look to produce very crisp and pleasing prints.

On closer inspection, a lot of this sharpness comes from some pretty enthusiastic in-camera sharpening that produces some ghosting of high-contrast edges and some gritty digital noise here and there. It’s not serious, though, and not unusual in 3-megapixel cameras, either. And given that the overall image quality is so qood, it seems a pretty reasonable compromise.

HP PhotoSmart 735 isn’t especially small. It’s not liqht, either, or particularly pretty, but it’s solid and well made – more so than many earlier HP cameras -and produces really qood-lookinq shots. Beginners won’t need to know anything about photography to get good results with this digital camera, and what photographic controls it does have are easy to get to and adjust. The LCD, start-up speed and playback performance aren’t high points, but they’re not that important, either. Not when you consider the bargain price of HP PhotoSmart 735. In fact, this is one of the best entry-level digital cameras available on the market right now…

So one of the key things you need to do is elicit some kind of expression. Your first thought might be to go for a smile, and your first inclination to ask the person to say ‘cheese’. But this really doesn’t work-what you’ll end up with will be a cheesy grin, so try instead just chatting to your sitter.

Ask them about their interests and what’s been going on in their lives. Share some gossip. Find out their news. As your rapport with them builds so they’ll fee! less self-conscious and start to feel more at ease. The aim is to elicit a variety of expressions that encompass the full range of human experience. As you talk you can start to notice the many fleeting micro-expressions that pass across their face.

Some of the best expressions are when people seem far away, having a daydream, lost in their thoughts. So get them thinking about something that’s important to them – a goal they have, a magical holiday they went on, and be ready to record their wistful, pensive expression.

For something more animated, get them to play up for the camera – suggest they do silly things, like screwing up their ejyes or pulling a silly face. If they really get into it they’ll only be able to do it for so long before they coliapse into a fit of giggles. Do that and you get a range of unusual expressions and a wonderful smile at the end. Ask them to act out different emotions: first miserable, then happy, then mysterious, then angry

As with other Panasonics, it’s the lens that makes this model stand out. The 12x optical zooming range is just the start. It maintains the same f2.8 maximum aperture right across this range, unlike any of its rivals. It also incorporates an image stabiliser so those long-range shots. The image stabiliser will also help you get sharp shots in low ambient lighting. The long-range zoom makes the DMC FZ3 well-suited to sports and act ion photography, and this is backed up by high-performance continuous shooting and an innovative ‘pre-focusing’ system, which we’ll come onto shortly.

Panasonic DMC-FZ3 Handling

The FZ3’s body in particular is quite small, and the handgrip on the right is hardly a grip at all. Indeed, like the PowerShot ASS , this digital camera would probably be easier to grip without it. The camera has a plastic rather than metal finish but, in common with other Panasonic models, it still feels very well made for the money. You power up using a switch on the back, and the camera’s ready to start shooting in barely more than a second, which is very good. The AF speed is only average, taking around half a second to confirm focus at the short end of the focal range and around a second at the longer end.

But the Panasonic has a very simple yet clever alternative AF system. Instead of focusing when you half press the shutter release, it can be configured to focus via a button on the back instead. This means you do have to remember to focus before you take your shot, but there’s no AF lag when the time comes to press the shutter. This is ideal for sports shots, candid portraits and any ether kind of photography that needs instant responses. The 1.5-inch LCD on the back of the camera is good, but a bit small, and the electronic viewfinder is similarly adequate but unexceptional. EVFs are a necessary evil in cameras with long-range zooms and without the mirror/pentaprism system of an SLR – separate, coupled optical viewfinders simply can’t cover that kind of focal range.

Panasonic DMC-FZ3 Control layout

The FZ3 offers a good deal of manual control, and this is made all the more accessible by the chunky main mode dial, which has separate settings for each of its PASM exposure modes, it offers nine different scene modes, too, and these are accessed via a single SCN setting and the menus.

The menus themselves are nice and clear, and a big improvement on those of previous models. There are just two tabs – one for recording options and one for setup. You won’t need the menus that often, though, because most everyday controls are assigned to buttons on the camera or navipad functions.

Press up on the navipad to cycle through the EV compensation, bracketing and flash compensation settings. Once you’ve chosen and adjusted any of these, half-pressure on the shutter release closes the on-screen menu; press left to set the self-timer delay (ten seconds or two seconds); press down to quickly review file las! picture taken; and press right to cycle through the different flash modes (though only if you’ve manually popped up the flash beforehand).

Below and to the left of the navipad is the Focus button, which we’ve already mentioned, while on the top of the camera is the continuous shooting button. Panasonic DMC-FZ3 can maintain an unusually high shooting speed of 4fps for between 7 and 13 frames (depending on the quality setting), or 2fps indefinitely, right up to the capacity of the memory card. This continuous-shooting ability, clever pre-focusing system, image stabiliser and massive 12x optical zoom make the FX3 a very good sports/act ion/wildlife camera indeed. Yes, the 3.1MP resolution is a limitation, but the image quality is, nevertheless, good.

Just to round off our tour of the controls, you use the Exposure button on the back to change the shutter speed, aperture or both in the ASM modes, and the EVF/LCD button to switch between the two viewing systems.

Panasonic FZ3 Image quality

So what about the results? This is bound to be a concern, given this camera’s comparatively low resolution. The fact is, it provides the best image guaiity you’re likely to see from any 3MP camera. It’s so good that it’s snapping al the heels of 4MP models for detail rendition, and embarrassing a few in its control of colourfringing.

So is it better than the mighty PowerShot S1 IS? Yes it is, and in every respect. In particular, the Canon’s colour fringing problems become all too apparent when you compare its images with those from the Panasonic. Nevertheless, you might find Panasonic DMC-FZ3 is a little small, and those worried about the resolution might want to buy the 5-megapixel FZ20, which replaces the FZ10.

Make sure you pay attention to background details as well. It’s all too easy to miss trees, telephone wires and other distractions appearing to sprout from your subject’s head. Think about the colour and texture of the environment – will it provide a fantastic contrast or just make your subject look awkwardly out of place?

Breaking the rules can lead to arresting images, so take time to try unusual compositions and extreme choices of lens focal length towards the end of a shoot.

Twisting your digital camera can also help you to accommodate wider subjects within the frame. You can apply this tactic to  virtually any subject for instant impact. Any lens will do, but a wide angle tends to produce the most dramatic results. Try this  simple exercise next time you are in town shopping. Take a shot of some pedestrians walking towards the camera so that the  horizon meets the bottom corner of the frame. Compare the different mood and energy off the two photographs. You don’t have  to make the tilt so extreme every time, but the subtler then more likely people are to view it as an error rather than a  conscious artistic statements. Just like with the rule of thirds, it’s also important not to overuse this approach as it  starts to look like a gimmick.

Another compositional standard is that you should always leave some space in front of moving subjects for them to travel  into the picture. This not only gives the impression that the action on journey is just beginning rather than just about to  end, it’s also avoids that disconcerting sensation that the subject is going to crash headlong into the frame. It also  explains to the viewer where the subject is headed.

There are, however, several situations that strongly warrant ignoring this rule. First is when you want to make the  subject’s journey an integral part of the story. You can do this by showing the terrain that has been traveled through, or  by showing what’s been left behind and, more intriguingly, why each has been left behind. Another case is one of the trail  left behind the subject is of particular interest. For instance, a surfer riding a colossal wave; a fox leaving a trail of  footprints in the snow; a swimmer stepping out about perfectly tranquil pool; a smoke trail behind the plane… leaving  space behind the subject can also convey the impression that the subject is moving much faster than you.

With still portraits of people or animals the conventions are similar-allow ample space around the side over the subject  into which they are facing. This usually works well because the space not only helps to satisfy the viewers natural  curiosity as to what the subject might be looking at, but it also produces a more balanced composition.

By framing tightly and leaving little or no space for your subject to look you can subvert the convention and create an  uneasy, ambiguous mood. Have your subject fix their gaze on a mystery focal point outside of the frame and you can raise the  level of intrigue still further.

Another interesting way to unsettle things is to care subjects looking and/or moving across the frame from right to left  rather than from left to right-i.e. contrary to the way we instinctively read. The viewer may not be consciously aware of  this subtle shift, but it can operate on a subliminal level.

Don’t stop there, however, have fun flaunting other photographic rules. For example, using extreme wide-angle and shoot  close-up to distort facial features for comic or creepy effects; shoot into the sun to deliberately produce dazzling, hazy  flair; shoot looking up at tall buildings using a wide angle lens to emphasize converging verticals.

There are many digital camera brands obtainable at the market. When you buy a particular model, you usually get a pair of free batteries. Even though there are lots of battery brands which are not related to any camera manufacturer, but it is not really advisable to use them without considering first which type of camera you have. It is because some batteries are designed for a particular model, while some others cannot accept any other battery except the one dedicated to that model. For that reason, owners should always be aware of the brand of batteries they use and not simply rely on the cheaper ones.

It implies that you, as an owner, should research a little bit in order to find the best supplier of your brand of batteries. For maximum benefit, you can now get all the necessary information online by checking numerous reviews on the most popular brands of digital cameras. It guarantees that you will get a gadget to last for a long period of time and, more important, for a reasonable price in comparison to not that expensive and ordinary models.

Once you search for your batteries, you can choose between purchasing battery packs which can be cheaper in comparison with buying in pairs at a time and buying the rechargeable types. It is all up to you, but most of the consumers of digital cameras take rechargeable batteries which they think will be of use in the long period.

Furthermore, experienced consumers suggest checking the battery’s rated capacity and cost per Ah. The ideal type is the 1500+ mAh AA batteries for digital cameras.

If you also think of buying a battery charger as an extra, check if it is the same brand as your digital camera, as then there is no risk of damaging your device as well as your camera battery. Having a charger as an additional piece of equipment is of great help especially when you’re shooting during some important occasion where you must not miss time to continuously capture images.

Nevertheless, the thing that has changed indeed is the accessibility of truly advanced and sophisticated techniques to even the beginning photographer. The same happened with the pre-digital SLR camera. If you gave one of these to a five-year-old child, they’d probably look at you like you had six hands, and twelve arms to go with them. Still nowadays, after almost ten years of digital cameras, the digital SLR is really a remarkable machine.

SLR digital camera is able to do high definition video, and it is equipped with features like “live view”. It enables you to view your image on the LCD screen, while still enabling you to make more pictures with this wonderful device. Besides, lenses, and fast motor driven zoom lenses contribute to taking a much larger range of picture. What’s more, there are numerous other features such as facial recognition, multiple auto focusing, and image stabilization which prevent any of potential human error in photography from happening. Even the bad red eye effect is eliminated.

To be brief, during the past several years the component parts of a good digital camera haven’t undergone any big changes. All you want from your camera is that it has a fast shutter speed, solid camera body, and high quality lens. What has changed anyway, is how accessible the more advanced techniques and controls have been presented to the new photographer. Actually, almost anyone now can become a professional photographer regarding digital software and a mass of microprocessor controlled features.

It is recommended to keep your digital cameras away from direct sunlight because that can affect the sensitive parts. Put your camera at some dry place and free from electromagnetic radiation. Also, avoid high temperature since it can spoil the circuit board. It is not suitable to operate in low temperatures. Make sure you keep your camera at distance from water and other liquids as they can make your camera dysfunctional. However, if it somehow happens that you spill water, immediately take out the batteries and wipe it with a dry cloth and blow hot air throughout the body. After several minutes, get the batteries back and switch on the camera.

Be sure to put your digital camera in a safe case in order to avoid jerks and shocks to your cameras. In particular, mountaineers should carry it in a special carry case.

Always be sure to pay a lot of attention to the LCD screens. You can cover them with a scratch guard. Try not to touch the screens with your hands as too much pressure can lead to malfunctioning or inappropriate display of the screen.

A digital camera memory card should be in accordance with your memory card slot. The slot may be cleaned with a brush or with an air balloon. You must never use damaged cards in to the memory slot.

The crucial parts of your cameras are batteries, of course, as they give life to your cameras. Most of the digital cameras use rechargeable Li-ion batteries. Avoid leaving the batteries in the gadget for a prolonged time. Occasionally, it might happen that the batteries explode due to accidental discharge or short-circuiting. It can make damage not only to the camera but also to the consumer. Keep your batteries in some dry place.

A special care needs to be given if you want to transfer the files from your camera to your computers. In that sense, you should never try to disconnect your device during the transferring process. Otherwise, your camera’s memory system may be destroyed by certain malicious program or virus. Be aware of this.

Above all, it is important to service your camera in the nearest authorized service center once in a year, as it can improve its efficiency. However, if you follow the aforementioned tips, there is no reason to be worried about your camera’s performance and durability.