While the body design might give regular SLR users a more familiar grip, aside from the zoom control, it doesn't add any real functionality with the added bulkiness. Weighing almost 1.4 pounds without batteries, the PhotoSmart 912 is about twice the average weight of the other cameras in this roundup. The two more expensive cameras in the roundup, the Olympus C-2040 Zoom and the HP PhotoSmart 912, also have the most advanced features . Both provide the technically minded photographer the means to capture perfectly exposed shots through spot metering, auto bracketing, and multiple exposure modes. Spot metering can make a dramatic difference in tricky lighting conditions.
Menus are a little confusing.
Zoom produces the sharpest images and the most detail in highlight and shadow areas, with the C-2040 Zoom and the PhotoSmart 912 tying for second. Zoom also demonstrates the most accurate color reproduction, while the PhotoSmart 912 tends to render colors slightly flat. In comparison, Canon's PowerShot S100 Digital Elph captures sharpness and detail, but bright areas have a tendency to block up and lose detail. The PhotoSmart 315 and 618 deliver fairly sharp images with slightly flat colors and noticeable amounts of noise, particularly the 315. Overall, images from the DC3800 suffer from noticeable pixelation and jagged edges, making some of the photos unacceptable.