HP intros nine Photosmart cameras

HP kicked off its summer on Thursday by launching several new Photosmart point-and-shoot cameras, including one with the largest touch interface to date. The 8-megapixel R937 (pictured) is controlled chiefly through a very large 3.6-inch touchscreen that helps edit and sort photos before they leave the camera; owners using the camera with Windows Vista or other photo editing tools can tag photos with keywords. On-camera editing also provides for slimming, spot removal, and red-eye correction, HP says. The camera comes with 3X optical zoom as well as digital anti-blur adjustment, and should be available in August for $300.

A second but also significant addition is the Mz67, according to the company. Also 8 megapixels, the black-bodied camera is the first compact from HP to ship with a high zoom: a 6X 7.9-47.4mm lens helps capture distance shots without moving in or losing detail through crops. It also features an anti-blur mode but relies on a more conventional 2.5-inch LCD with side buttons for its interface. It releases alongside the R937 in August at a price of $200.

The R742 leads the series of more mainstream cameras with an emphasis on style; the all-metal design includes several colors such as blue or silver. It features a 7-megapixel sensor and 3X optical zoom, and should be available in August for $180.

The five remaining cameras occupy the budget range and start as low as $79 for the Photosmart E337, which achieves its particularly low price by using a fixed-focus lens and a 5-megapixel sensor. The remaining cameras -- the M447, M547, M637, and R847 -- use 3X optical zoom and range from 5 to 8 megapixels as well as prices from $100 to $230. The E337 is first of all the cameras to ship in July, while the remaining models appear in August.