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Just in time for the overindulgences of the fall holiday season and to help you forget how many helpings of stuffing, mashed potatoes and gravy you actually consumed, comes one of Hewlett-Packard’s newest digital cameras. The 8 megapixel, $299.99 HP Photosmart R937 is equipped with built-in software that will help you shed your unwanted love handles.
From the HP website:
The slimming feature, available on select HP digital camera models, is a subtle effect that can instantly trim off pounds from the subjects in your photos!
Maybe I’m personally hoping for a little too much when it comes to the loss of love handles. Rob Pegoraro at the Washington Post, who has tested the camera, reports:
...you can then select one of three levels of shrinkage to determine how much narrower the person in the shot will appear. The camera will save a new copy of your shot, allowing you to compare the original and the edited version back on your computer.
For this effect to avoid looking ridiculous, you need to frame the shot properly. The person needs to be centered in the frame because the camera will squish whatever's in the middle of the shot, whether or not there's a human being present.
Because that compression will leave you with a photo narrower than one of standard proportions, the camera will also stretch out scenery on either side of the middle. So you need to shoot in front of backgrounds that won't look appreciably different when expanded. Natural scenery is good, but anything with text on it -- like, for instance, a calendar on a wall in a few shots I took -- will look obviously fake once it's gotten this rubber-band treatment.
From the HP R937 manual:
Enhance Photos allows you to correct common problems or improve the image.
1. While in the Design Gallery Menu, touch Enhance Photos.
2. Touch an enhancement, then touch Next.
• Slimming—Compresses centered subjects for a slimmer look.
HP makes it sound simple enough. Have you tried the slimming feature? I'd enjoy seeing some before and after images—if you care to share, post a link in comments.
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Comments
Oct 14, 2007 5PM #
That sure sounds like an interesting feature ;-)
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