Labs

The R837 is aimed at beginners, with help screens for each option and a minimum of adjustments: only four buttons and a navigation pad on the rear. The 3in TFT is a massive help for framing shots too.

The Design Gallery lets you crop, rotate and apply effects, and you can stitch panoramas in-camera. But a camera is only worth buying if it takes great photos, and the HP didn't disappoint. The 3x optical zoom and 7.2-megapixel CCD delivered consistently sharp, well-exposed images. Macro ability was above average, and VGA movies had smooth frame rates and a decent level of detail.

A shot-to-shot time of 2.6 seconds is quick, but it's a shame no video cable is included in the box. If you want a large TFT and something that's simple to use, the R837 is a good choice, though.