Connections

On the left side of the camera (from the rear) are a group of connectors protected by a rubber cover. These are; USB (1.1), A/V output and DC-IN. On the base of the camera is the dock connector which is normally covered by a rubber grommet. This provides connectivity to the optional dock which can be used to easily connect the camera to a computer / TV / Printer and also charge batteries in-camera.

Pop-up Flash

The 850's flash is opened by sliding a lever on the top of the camera. Once open the camera enters the last used flash mode and is ready to shoot. I personally prefer this type of enable / disable flash function as it's far quicker to access than the electro-mechanical type.

Lens

Unlike other recent HP digital cameras the 850's lens isn't made by Pentax, instead this is a Fuji Photo Optical (Fujinon) lens - similar to that found in the S602 Zoom.

It's a sophisticated lens with large elements and has an impressive maximum aperture of F2.8 to F3.1. That's F3.1 at an equivelant focal length of 300 mm. The lens takes just 2.5 seconds to extend (although camera startup takes slightly longer) and about the same time to retract.

AF Assist

Just to the right of the camera lens is a small window behind which is an orange AF assist lamp. This lamp will automatically illuminate the subject in medium-low to low light situations. The extra light provides the camera's TTL AF system just enough contrast to focus in almost any light conditions. We found the AF assist lamp to work quite well, even up to full telephoto at distances over 3 m.

Tripod mount / camera base

It's good to see a quality metal tripod mount which is aligned perfectly with the center of the lens and (we assume) the focal plane. This will provide (a) a good position for tripod shoes (no tilt forwards) and (b) lens center rotation when shooting panoramas. Kudos HP.

Supplied In the Box

Supplied in the box are:

 • HP Photosmart 850 Digital Camera
 • 4 x AA batteries
 • Neck strap
 • USB cable (to PC)
 • USB cable (to Printer)
 • CD-ROM
 • Dock insert

HP Accessories

  • HP Digital Camera Accessory Kit (DSCA20)
  • HP Digital Camera Travel Accessory Kit (DSCA40)
  • HP Photosmart 8881 Digital Camera Dock