Hewlett Packard PhotoSmart C618 2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom
By: Hewlett-Packard Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 43
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 On: 2006-12-12
"DONT BUY FROM THIS SELLER. THEY MISREPRESENT THEMSELVES. THEY SAY ONE THING ON THE BIDDERS PAGE, BUT WHEN YOU PULL UP THE ACTUAL ITEM, THEY TELL YOU IT COMES WITH A MEMORY CARD. WHO SELLS A CAMERA WITHOUT AN OWNERS MANUAL? ITS JUST A RIPOFF. I WONDER WHERE THESE CAMERAS REALLY COME FROM WITHOUT BOXES, OWNERS MANUALS, CABLES, MEMORY CARDS. THIS CAMERA DOESNT OPERATE WITHOUT MEMORY CARD AT ALL." YOU HAVE NO MEMORY CARD, NO BATTERIES, NO OWNERS MANUAL, NO CORD TO CONNECT TO DOWNLOAD PICTURES. YOUD BE BETTER OFF PAYING FOR A NEW UPDATED VERSION OF THIS CAMERA FROM A REPUTABLE DEALER. YOULL END UP SPENDING THE SAME AMOUNT ONCE YOU BUY ALL THE ACCESSORIES NEEDED TO WORK THE CAMERA, BUT YOULL BE ABLE TO GET A FULL REFUND FROM A REPUTABLE COMPANY IF SOMETHING GOES WRONG
 On: 2006-11-18
I have had this camera for over 5 years and I use it frequently. The zoom is now stuck, but that is only because it was knocked off the desk on the carpet! It has probably been dropped on carpet at least 10 times before. I have attempted to fix it but I cant find the problem. I am so satisfied with the performance that I have ordered a used one off amazon to replace my old one. If you are think of buying this used, which is now your only option, you cant go wrong.
On: 2002-12-19
I have had this camera for about a year and I love it. All in all we have taken about 2000 pictures with it and we love the b/w, color, or sepia option. I have taken some really beautiful pictures that are worthy of being framed and out on the wall. I have noticed the battery problem but that is easily fixed by getting rechargeable batteries and putting the quality on good (you still get great pictures). I would say that we can take 125-150 straight shots with the rechargeable batteries. I have not had to talk to HP tech support so I cant comment on that. We did take this camera to Hawaii and got about 400 absolutely great pictures. I also found that it is incredibly easy to download and email my pictures. Once they are downloaded I email them to friends/family or I burn them onto a CD for people as a photo album, it saves a ton of money. I think a lot of the problems that other reviewers have run into have less to do with the actually camera as it does with either tech support, or technology problems with their computers. If you follow the setup instructions, this camera is very easy to use on the computer and a lot of fun to take pictures with.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-11-13
The camera took great pictures, but downloading from it to the computer would not work. I had to buy a card reader. Battery life was very short. The camera circuit board blew in less than 18 months and would cost $250 to fix, making it worthless. Ill never buy another HP camera.
On: 2002-11-08
I bought this camera more than a year ago. Id rate it 5 stars except that I had the following problem: The door of my battery compartment got broken! The problem looks silly enough, but upon calling HP they "simply" told me that my product is out-of-warranty and they dont service it anymore. Even worse, they offered a trade up with a newer model. After checking the prices for the newer models, it turned out that theyre buying back my camera for less! All the service centers that I could find on their websites told me that they dont service digital cameras (not only mine). So here I am with a great camera thats totally useless because of a broken plastic part and a lousy customer service.
On: 2002-05-27
purchased at Frys, it is bad news from that day onwards, battery life is non existent, you have to keep using the Li type very expensive 4 x AA battery. It does not come with any ac adapter or charger. For ac adapter you have to cought up [more money]. Otherwise, the power drains anytime whether you have the camera on or not. I tried using recharable batteries and they run out real quick. Frys refuse to take it back. Then the camera started acting funning and cannot program, i return it to HP, they send another one, same problem, call and they send another one.I am still not happy, the short battery life and that it uses 4 X AA Li battery means it is very expensive to operate. The camera is somewhat bulky for what it has. Also hard to program and use, the manual is confusing. I would certainly never buy a camera from HP again. By the way, it was Made in the Philippines, does this have anything to do?
On: 2002-05-05
I have enjoyed this camera. I have used it to print and send pictures in emails. The email portal, that came with the software, makes sending larger JPEG files faster.
by: Anonymous On: 2002-04-13
I spent a good amount of time researching the right digital camera for my family. We have had this now for about 4 months, and have taken well over 1000 picutes with it. We have used it from the first day we got it with absolutley no troubles at all. Weve used SanDisk CompactFlash 64mb and 128mb with no problems. I am so happy I decided on this camera. We all love it. Its so easy to use, even my kids are using it.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-12-23
I dont know if its the camera or the software but after taking two sets of pictures and uploading them to my computer something decided to call it quits. When I connect the camera to the computer with a USB cable the software states that the memory card is not present or that there are no images on the memory card. Tried using a flash card reader but that doesnt work either. Have tried using different flashcards, including the one that came with the camera but none of them work. Theres no point in buying this camera if you cant transfer your photos. HP support is essentially useless.
On: 2001-12-04
This was my fist foray into the digital camera arena, and what a wonderful surprise. I did much research before making the purchase, so I had an idea of what to expect for a low-end camera. I did not experience the ususal problems I had heard about with digitals: center in viewfinder not true to center of actual picture; color off; focus off, etc. The camera was purchased prior to a vacation in the desert and on a lake and the shots came out beautifully and quite crisp. The color was stunningly accurate and the shots perfectly focused - even the action shots. The menu is easy to understand and the camera easy to program. The minuses: indoor shots needing flash are trickier; many have come out either too bright or too dark; and the LED screen presents a much smaller picture than other digitals do. Additionally, the LED does not have good contrast, making it difficult to see details, despite the control functions for it. All in all, I am extremely happy with the finished photos and the camera itself.
On: 2001-12-03
This was our first digital camera and, after a lot of research, we are happy that we chose this one. It takes great pictures, lets you know if it is in focus or not, its easy to use and has a lot of features. My least favorite things are 1) it occassionaly takes some effort to get an indoor shot "in focus" if its not really bright inside and 2) it takes very few pictures with my rechargable batteries in (so I would hesitate to take it on vacation or something). We use it several times a week around the house and have been very happy with it.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-12-02
Have had this camera since Fathers Day. Took some hinting and Im glad I persisted. Very pleased with the quality and ease of use. Now I just keep my Nikon SLR in the closet. For every day use this H-P is the best. Like all other digitals it eats batteries pretty fast, but Ive invested in several sets of rechargeable NIMH AAs and a couple of chargers so I can keep up. Interested to read about Digita, never heard of it and would like to know more. The card furnished is pretty minimal, would recommend investing in a 32 or 64MB card if you like to take lots of shots - and why not? No film to buy or process.
 On: 2001-11-26
The lens wont retract all the way nor will it focus properly. It also requires new batteries about every 40 pictures
On: 2001-11-10
After extensive research into 2 and 3 megapixel cameras, I settled on the H-P C618xi (identical to the C618 except for included software). I was going to Europe for two weeks and wanted to give digital photography a serious workout. Boy, did I make the right choice!
The camera is worth much more than it costs, an idea supported somewhat by resell prices higher than what I paid for it new. It has tremendous versatility: Easy to use automatic features for carefree snapshots and excellent manual capabilities for greater artistic control.
I do professional work for feature and spot news stories. Over the last two or three months, I gradually have pared down the "film" equipment I keep with me until all I take along is the C618xi. The lower JPEG settings are great for newspapers, yet the highest rez TIFF images reproduce perfectly in 4-color glossy mags. Instead of a bulky kit, now I have only a small tote with a wrist strap, containing the camera, 4 spare AAs, a lens brush and CF memory cards. That will last me all day in just about any setting. If Im doing a flash-heavy shoot, I carry along 4 extra AAs just in case.
This camera is not as power-hungry as some Ive seen. However, any user will find that 1600mAH NiMH batteries are the way to go to keep the energy costs down. My personal recommendation is to go with Ray-O-Vac: Their AAs are the highest potency around and they make a great compact 1-hour charger that will charge 4 AAs at once (...).
For the amateur or the professional, I cant recommend this camera highly enough. I wouldnt part with it for anything.
 On: 2001-11-06
Weve had the 618 for several months now. Its a been a great value. We particularly appreciated the higher resolution and flexibility that this camera offered in the price range. We paired this camera with a Photosmart 1215 printer and that has made printing very simple (we print by sending images through the cameras infrared port or through the smartcard).HPs basic photoprinting software is very easy to use and allows you to make basic adjustments in photographs prior to printing. The included 3rd party photoediting software is adequate but not a match for Adobe Photoshop or Photoshop Elements which we purchased later. Wed buy the camera again, but in our next camera we would look for these improvements on the 618: (1) Printed colors seem a bit faded for shots taken in daytime lighting.
(2) The LCD display washes out in normal daylight (a problem most of these cameras apparently share).
(3) The 16 MB smartcard included is large for cameras in this price range but insufficient (we immediately bout a 64 MB card).
(4) Battery life seems short, Id recommend purchasing the rechargable battery.
On: 2001-11-01
Great camera. Ive gotten such surprisingly good results consistently. The macro mode does a great job once you gt the hang of it.
 On: 2001-10-03
HP C618 has one of the best price/parformance values on the market, yet it only proves the inferiority of digital cameras.Pros:
* Great image resolution for a very low price
* Very good ergonomics, including the memory card storage
* Up to 30 medium-resolution pictures on the accompanying memory card Cons:
* Flash-happy. Basically all you have to do is to stand in a shadow and the camera will trigger the flash. Youll have to disable it manually very often.
* Color shift. The camera tends to use an excess of green color, which youll have to offsett with adding yellow and red on most pictures.
* Automatic options are shifted towards a low-end point and click cameras, so youll have to use the display to adjust the picture options exstensivelly. this has a negative impact on the battery life.
On: 2001-09-07
I have just spent 2 weeks or so with the camera but have loved it and would highly recommend it to someone who wants the ease of being able to email your pics driectly without scanning them and at the same time wants to indulge in slightly more serious and artistic forays once in a while.
My only crib about this camera till now has been with regards to the power requirements. Make sure you get the best rechargable batteries out there. Other than that the results have been just WOW till now.
On: 2001-08-15
I love this camera! By no means at all am I a technical person but this camera makes me look like I am... It is so easy to use and the quality is amazing. It also records 45 seconds of audio which is perfect for sending a birthday greeting.You need to get a bigger memory card, especially if youre going on vacation. (The one that comes with it is perfect for going out to dinner with friends or parties.) You should also consider getting a battery recharger because viewing your photos on your camera kills your batteries... You should also consider the 9v ac adapter. It will save your batteries while you transfer pics to your computer or when you view them on your television. The USB connection is pretty quick and easy. Did I mention all the cool lenses you can also pick up? I love the polarizing, pro-mist, and star lenses. It makes your pics look really professional. And I totally dig the HP PhotoSmart printers. You dont even need to turn on your pc. Just slip the disk and decide how many and what size. Just buy it!
by: Anonymous On: 2001-08-15
The 618 offers many features for a reasonable price. Menus are easy to understand. USB uploads are quick and the Scanner/Camera Wizard in Windows ME makes it super easy. Although others have reported problems with USB and Dell laptops, my Inspiron 5000e works perfectly.Ive been using the 618 for 3 months now and taken about 700 pictures. I would say at least 95% of the pictures are excellent. My biggest complaint is when you turn the camera on, the lens zooms all the way out and sometimes I dont want to wait for that. Compared to the Sony digital cameras I have used at work, the 618 blows them away. I do not understand why Sony insists on using a floppy disk to store pictures. Also, the viewfinder on the 618 works great, so I can turn off the LCD screen to extend battery life. (The Sony models did not even have a viewfinder, you had to use the LCD screen)
by: Anonymous On: 2001-08-11
What a wonderful day !! I just got rid of my hp 618 and got a Sony S-75. The 618 took one set of very satisfactory pictures and then went bonkers (to use a technical term). The stored images (not the LCD) became EXTREMELY grainy regardless of how viewed. HP has about the worst tech support in a world of dismal tech support so I decided to eat a 20% restocking fee and returned it to the vendor. Yes, it looks good on paper. Pentax optics, HP electronics, 30 bit color depth (vs 24 for comparable units), upgradable firmware (really nice) and excellent included software. The USB transfer worked flawlessly. So, why didnt I send it to HP for repair ?? Well, I found other user reviews on the I-net that complained about the identical problem that I had. Its a happy person who cuts his losses in both $ and time to 20%. BUYER BEWARE !!!!!!
On: 2001-08-03
Bought the camera in May went on a 6 week trip from Florida to San Francisco took 1100 pictures uploaded them to my laptop Made cds send them to friends they where amazed at the quality and the vivid colors. I suggest you invest on reghargeable batterries a total of 8 it might save you a buck or two. Easy to use easy to carry great price.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-08-02
I had previously owned an Olympus D460 zoom digital camera, and it broke on me after owning it for 10 days!! Not to mention that it came with crummy software and NO USB cable but rather a serial port cable.I waited a while to get a new camera and then came across this gem. The pictures and 2.1 megapixels provide crystal-clear images, while the software allows you to edit pictures, inserting captions, bacgrounds, frames, etc. Im by no means a "technical" person, yet I manage to use this camera with ease. It also comes with a USB cable for quicker uploads onto your computer. A great buy and a steal for the $... price. I guarantee you will not be disappointed
by: Anonymous On: 2001-07-25
Purchased the camera .... Excellent pictures and great battery use. Bigger compact card great asset.Had much trouble uploading pictures via USB. Apparently, USB on Dell computers is not powerful enough to support USB uploading. Must buy separate card reader to upload pictures.
On: 2001-07-19
Like everyone else, I went to Best Buy and fumbled with the dozen or so digital cameras before leaving totally frustrated at the lack of information thats provided with their products (are you REALLY going to believe what a salesman tells you???). I did, however, realize that I didn’t like how most of the cameras felt in my hands. I’m accustomed to having my claws around an SLR, so most of these cameras felt pretty strange. It seems that these manufacturers are more concerned about how something looks rather than how it performs and its affordability to the average Joe. Therefore, you get a camera that performs well in a wind-tunnel, but it’s awkward to handle. Have you tried looking through the puny viewfinder on the Canon Elph PowerShots? Your eyes will water as it peers through the peephole. Also, you’re guaranteed to lose it since it’s so small (e.g., leave it on a restaurant table…a generous tip). On the opposite side of the spectrum, all Sony cameras are bulky, and I honestly believe that no two are alike. Have you tried slipping a Sony Mavica in your shirt-pocket? Don’t do it unless you wear XXLs. I went home, logged-on, and did my homework prior to dropping [price] based on what some pimply kid with a blue shirt told me. Consumers are brutally honest, and they’ll wear their emotions on their sleeves. This is heightened on the internet where anonymity is commonplace. I noticed that the HP PhotoSmart C618 had many reviews for such a low-key camera. Only a handful of reviews were negative. I plodded through ALL the reviews from four websites and decided that this was the one. I ordered it from eCost.com for [price]. Upon receipt, I noticed how it nestled in my hands and had the weight and feel of an SLR. All of the features were very intuitive and well-placed. I took three fabulous pictures in the first five minutes (who reads the instructions anymore???). One action, one portrait, and one B&W. They turned out so well that I’ll have these committed to photographic paper. The camera lives up to its hype. One neat feature that no one has mentioned is the camera’s time-lapse mode. I’ve always wondered what my three dogs do to my house while I’m away earning my keep. I’m greeted by a trashed living room every day and images of the delinquents rough-housing in my absence occupy my mind. Now I’ll set the camera on a tripod in a safe corner of the house and let it pop pictures every hour to see what it captures. My lone complaint is the camera’s macro feature. The dreaded parallax effect will take your image off-from-center for extreme close-ups, but once you pop a few shots to get your bearings straight, you’ll capture what you want. I believe that this camera will make me take better film pictures due to its similar feel and function of an SLR. The bottom line, however, is to have fun with it. No film. Instant gratification. Maybe along the way capture a special photo thatll hang on the wall for years. Have fun. That’s why you’re spending the money, right?
by: Anonymous On: 2001-07-18
This camera is so easy to use, and it takes great pictures. I put off buying a digital camera for a long time. Too complicated, I thought. Too much to learn, itll be a hassle to use with the computer. But our business required that we advance and go digital. When it came, I was apprehensive. But within minutes of reading through the basic operations manual, I was snapping pics around the house! Wow, I thought! What took me so long?! Its very user-friendly, it feels and fits well into your hand, is light-weight & has a large view window. I like that its a marriage of both HP and Pentax technologies. Both companies that I know and trust. It comes with an infra-red remote to snap shots, but I found this a little tricky to use as you have to get it pointed at the camera just right in order to triger a shot. The automatic timer works better. There was one clitch however. It was draining the batteries over night. I called HP and they somewhat hinted that, yes, that was a little problem with a few of them. But it was no problem at all to swap it for another new one with either Amazon, or HP. Im glad we opted to try again and not choose another brand. The 2nd. one has a much longer battery life (weeks), and we use it a lot. If this is to be your first digital camera, Id recommend you also order an extra flash card, extra set of rechargable batteries and a re-charger, and a card-reader. I like the "SanDisk" reader. Its simple and easy to use. So figure on spending at least another $100.00 on accessories. For a mid-range digital camera, in my opinion, this one cant be beat.
by: dougrw On: 2001-07-17
This camera offers impressive quality and features for a reasonable price. This was my first experience with a digital camera so I wasnt sure what to expect. I was surprised to find that the camera is exceptionally easy to use and takes great photographs.You really dont even need to read the manual to start taking pictures. The "getting started" guide helps you install the memory card and batteries and then you are off and running. For the most part, all camera function can be figured out by navigation the well designed menus. This is especially good since the full manual is only included in PDF format on the software CD. So far, all of the pictures Ive taken have had very nice color balance and depth. Naturally, the quality setting on the camera (of which there are 3) has a signficant effect on the imagine quality.. but I have been satisfied with the results at all quality levels. The included memory card has 16 megabytes of storage. This will get you about 29 images at medium quality, ~ 15 at high quality and 2 at the high quality setting (which uses no compression). 16 megabytes gives you plenty of storage to get started with the camera, but youll probably want to invest in something larger once you start using it more. Of course, this camera has its set of downsides. - On occasion the response time from the zoom is a bit slow. Youll press the zoom buttom (which is nicely located right where your thumb rests) and it might take a second or so for the zoom to move. - The screen on the back of the camera isnt bright enough for outdoor photography. This only becomes a problem when you are using the macro feature. Normally the viewfinder gets the job done, but with macro photos the viewfinder doesnt accurately show what the lens sees so you must use the screen. Unfortunately the screen can be almost impossible to see on a sunny day. - When looking through the viewfinder your nose presses against the rear screen. This doesnt present a problem from a usage perspective but youll find the screen needs constant cleaning.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-07-13
Very nice camera! Im a little worried about touching the LCD preview screen and this camera doesnt quite fit right in my hands yet. Still this did not affect my rating! The pictures are good and the camera has many features for the price. The remote is a surprisingly handy extra. Wish it held more pictures, but if I buy a bigger compact flash card then that problem would be fixed as well! I am very impressed with the camera considering its low price. A great buy.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-07-10
I purchased this camera a couple of months ago when the price dropped to [price]and have nothing but raves for it ever since. Not just from me, but from everyone who have seen it and who I have shared my photos online with.Picture quality is awesome. The 3x zoom is excellent and the whole camera is very well designed for ease of use. It has more options than you might need, but you never know. USB interface is great. I upload all my photos to Ofoto.com and share them with family and friends. And prints from the digital images come out as crisp and vivid as film prints. It is bulkier than some other models, but feels more like a camera than others, yet still fits in a pocket. I tested Canons Powershot in the store and it just feels too small like a toy. I highly recommend the HP 618 to anyone in the market for a great all-around digital camera. Be sure to get a higher capacity compact flashcard and rechargeable nimh batteries. You will definitely need both.
by: Anonymous On: 2001-06-29
I first bought the Sony MVC FD75 because I thought it would be easy (it uses a floppy disk) instead of a media card. The pictures were not clear and were dark. I returned it and purchased this camera and was snapping away right after I put the batteries in it. Pictures are bright and clear. There are all kinds of filters that can also be purchased...wide angle,polorized, telephoto etc...so you can do more with the camera. Had a Cannon Sure Shot for years and wanted to upgrade to a digital....this camera is just as easy to use. Do yourself a favor and buy this one...
On: 2001-06-28
After spending weeks agonizing over which digital camera to buy, I finally decided on the HP 618. Mainly because of the HP name, (I have an HP printer and scanner). The camera is easy to use and takes beautiful pictures. My only complaint is the Users Guide is on CD and I had to print it out myself (I have to take time to study out some concepts).
On: 2001-06-24
In addition to all the other comments here, the HP C618 has a couple of very appealing features:- Traditional Pentax "retro" appearance, more resolution than most people need, very nice onscreen menus, unique IR blasting features, automatic lens cover, and picture quality is light-years better than my last camera (especially on outdoor shots). The default 16mb card stores 100 800x600 images or 29 1600x1200 images at "better quality" - PC Connect mode simulates a generic hard disk to both Macs and Win2K (no software or adapters needed for to connect to an average PC, plug it in using any standard USB printer cable) - Scripting language is very useful, I downloaded several free scripts and documentation from the ... site and had them copied to flash in minutes...Ive since written a couple of scripts, including one for "bracketing" shots (takes multiple pictures with various exposure or zoom levels) On the flip side, youll need to accept that... - The battery drain is significant at times...I found some AA couldnt provide enough oomph when the camera what shooting (especially several shots in a row). The includes AA Photo Lithium batteries were flawless and provided 200 shots with a high percentage of flash shots, screen usage, and USB connections. I plan on trying Radio Shack NMH rechargables as people suggest - The flash is too bright on indoor shots less than ~5 feet...as others suggested, Ive taped some tissue over the flash and sometimes also have to reduce the exposure setting to get a good shot in these cases. If youre doing eBay or inventory work youll need to set up other sources of light. and disable the camera flash. - There was not as much software included for Macintosh computers...just some generic image editing tools (the ... site claims to have a free software download for Macs but the link is broken and you end up getting their software for an older HP camera). I honestly dont think this is a big deal, as the connections to my Mac are so easy in USB drive mode Id just assume not clutter up my disk with stuff I wouldnt use. I love this camera...originally Id thought Id wanted the cute little Canon ELPH S100 but the HP has better optics, value, and customization using the scripting language. I also was very impressed with the Kodak 3400 (this was a close call but the asthetics, scripting, 3x zoom, and USB drive emulation on the HP won me over)
On: 2001-06-15
My first digital camera but I had no trouble in getting started with it. My first 29 pictures (default settings) were all good. The more I discovered about it the better I liked it. Since most of my pictures go on the family web page, I found that 1/4 picture size (4x6), and quality set on good the pictures are as good as any you find on a computer and they fit perfect on a page at 800x600 res. And the best thing, you get 101 pictures on the 16mb card that is included. By Bill Bailey, Kaufman County, Tx
On: 2001-06-12
If you are ready to buy a new digital camera then you probably have some idea of what camera you want to buy. If you are like me who is low on budget but still want good performance and features, I strongly recommend C618. Buying a digital camera can be very challenging, especially when lot of manufacturers are bringing in new products every day. When I started to look for a digital camera I first wrote down the features I want and then tried to fit the products that will meet my requirements. Nikon, Canon, Minolta are the only brand names most of the amateur photographers like me know. The name HP will not come to you in first place. But after reviewing my needs and BUDGET I decided to buy HP and I very happy with this product. While judging the digital camera, you must judge it as if it was regular 35mm film camera. The reason for this is because most of the camera manufacturers try to build it in such a way that it will closely match with the film camera. Here is a small review of the camera. - Camera has very good normal to tele Pentax zoom 3x optical and 2x digital (34-108mm 35 mm equivalent) which serves most of the picture taking purpose. - The resolution of 2.11 MP produces very good 5 x 7 prints. Anything above 5 x 7 will reduce the quality. - Shutter and Aperture priority mode lets you use your creativity. - Excellent center weighted and spot metering. - Zoom flash, the flash moves based on the zoom. (I have taken acceptable quality pictures in absolute darkness with this camera) - Excellent Macro/Close Up focusing range. - AA batteries - NTSC and PAL playback on TV.The most important accessory for taking great pictures with this camera (for that matter any camera) is good quality tripod. When I took this camera for the outdoor shoot, I mounted it on [a]... tripod that I regularly use with my film camera. In place of shutter release cable, I use the infrared remote that comes standard with this camera and the results were impressive. Just like any other film camera, you must first test the camera with various subjects, lighting situation and settings. I have tested the camera for Close ups, Portraits and in studio where I work with studio lights. If you treat this camera with the same basic principles of working with film camera you should get excellent pictures. With digital camera if the final output you want is print, then I recommend that print the pictures with good quality printer. Even if your pictures are good, if you print them using average printer, you will be disappointed and camera may not be at blame. Again the truth is “Excellent technique and average equipment will produce better results than Excellent equipment and average technique”. This camera is budget buy for amateur photographer like me and to date I am very happy with this. A very good quality for the price you pay. Buy additional 128 MB compact flash card and you are all set for vacation with this camera.
On: 2001-06-08
. This camera is almost unheard of in magazine comparisons, thats an absolute shame because after buying this camera I was amazed! I have many friends who are photographers and cant understand why this camera is not on the cover of any digital magazines or at the top of any camera comparisons. Unfortunately many people will buy whats advertised the most. Hey HP......... adveritise this baby........ its the best camera on the market and nobody knows! Im glad I took a chance at an unadvertised camera......you will be too. Dennis..... A very happy HP C618 camera owner :)
by: Anonymous On: 2001-05-29
Ive looked at a lot of different digital cameras here and elsewhere. I have also used many in trying out different types. This camera is absolutely the most intuitive and easy to use digital camera that I have ever used. The transition between using a high quality film camera and using this one is seemless, plus you get a lot more features and flexibility. The quality of the photos makes it easy to take a great picture. Highly recommended.
On: 2001-05-26
WE AGONIZED FOR WEEKS BEFORE SELECTING THE HP 618---WENT TO THE OFFICE SUPPLY PLACES, CIRCUIT CITY, SAMS CLUB AND OTHER DISCOUNT PLACES---LOOKING FOR SOMEONE TO TAKE US BY THE HAND AND RECOMMEND A CAMERA THAT WOULD SATISFACTORILY TAKE THE PICTURES WE NEEDED. WE TOOK A SAMPLE TO EACH STORE WE VISITED AND TOLD EACH SALESPERSON "THIS IS WHAT WE NEED TO TAKE PICTURES OF, PLEASE SHOW US A CAMERA THAT WILL DO IT". MUCH TO OUR DISMAY, NOT A SINGLE SALESPERSON COULD SUGGEST WHAT WE NEEDED; ACTUALLY MOST OF THEM COULD NOT EVEN TURN THE CAMERAS ON!! WHEN WE SAT BACK AND REVIEWED ALL THE DISCUSSIONS AND INFO WE GLEANED FROM THESE STORE VISITS, WE FELT WE NEEDED A CAMERA WITH AT LEAST 2 MEGAPIXELS AND A 2X OR 3X OPTICAL ZOOM FOR THE CLOSEUP WORK THAT WAS PART OF OUR REQUIREMENT AND IF WE FOUND A CAMERA THAT COULD HANDLE THE CLOSEUPS, THE REMAINDER WOULD BE A NO BRAINER. HAVING HAD A LOT OF EXPERIENCE USING HP EQUIPMENT(COMPUTERS,GAS CHROMATOGRAPHS,AND VARIOUS TEST EQUIPMENT) WE FELT IF HP PUT THEIR NAME ON IT THEN IT HAD TO BE BETTER THAN MOST, SO THE HP618 WAS OUR FINAL CHOICE(OUR PURCHASE CAME WITH A 30-DAY RETURN POLICY). WE FELT THAT WITHIN A WEEK WE WOULD KNOW IF THE CAMERA WOULD DO OUR JOBS AND HOW TO USE IT. WELL, WITHIN AN HOUR AFTER RECEIVING THE CAMERA, LOADING THE SOFTWARE ON THE PC, AND READING THE SHORT "HOW TO GET GOING" BOOKLET, WE WERE TAKING PICTURES LIKE A PRO!! THIS CAMERA CAN DO IT ALL! SINCE MOST OF OUR WORK IS INSIDE, WE BOUGHT A POWER ADAPTOR, A MUST!
On: 2001-03-18
After agonizing for weeks over what camera to buy, and coming THIS CLOSE to buying the Olympus C-2040, I decided on the HP 618. I liked the idea of HP technology combined with a Pentax lens. Just received it yesterday, and boy am I impressed! The HP technology is very intuitive, so figuring out how the camera works is not difficult. Lots of settings available for photo buffs, but can operate on a simple point-and-shoot basis, too. Shot-to-shot times are fast, and theres very little shutter lag. Picture quality seems terrific so far, but I havent tested it under too many conditions yet. Two nice included bonuses are a 16 MB CompactFlash card and a very simple, one-button infrared remote control. The accessory kit (right now, offered FREE with purchase of camera, if you buy direct from HP) is a great deal, too. It contains another 16 MB card, a leather case, and eight lithium batteries, among other things. Can you tell Im excited about this camera? Highly recommended! Oh yes, the only difference between the C-618 and the C-618xi is the software that is included. The cameras are identical. One additional purchase I would recommend is a CompactFlash card reader to help preserve battery life. ... ... (No, I dont work for HP!)
On: 2001-02-14
This camera rocks. Great quality and is a breeze to use. There are 2 items you will need. 1. the power adapter and 2. rechargeable batteries. In fact my one and only complaint is battery life.A must buy!
On: 2001-01-08
The Hewlett Packard PhotoSmart 618 Digital Camera is the top of the line when it comes to price and quality.The price of this camera is about half the price you would pay for a camera of equal value.Picture quality is excellent.The menu is very easy to use.The features of the 618 are exceptional as comparied to other cameras in the same price range.
On: 2000-11-27
If you are looking for 3x optical zoom then this is the best camera for the money that Ive found. It has a natural feel when holding it, the menu system is outstanding, and the picture quality is great.
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