HP Photosmart 945 — 5.3MP compact with 8x zoom (35-280mm equiv.), CompactFlash storage, from 2003
HP entered digital cameras in the late 1990s, and the Photosmart 945 arrived in 2003 as one of its more ambitious compacts, aimed at enthusiasts wanting long zoom reach without a digital SLR. It sat within HP's numbered model line, before the brand moved to R-series and M-series naming a couple of years later.
The 945 pairs a 1/1.8-inch CCD giving roughly 5.3 effective megapixels with an 8x optical zoom lens spanning a 35-280mm equivalent range, long reach for a compact of its era. Images store on CompactFlash cards, framing uses a 1.8-inch LCD plus an optical viewfinder, and power comes from four AA batteries.
The long zoom let the 945 reach subjects a typical 3x compact could not, from distant wildlife to candid street shots, though its CCD sensor and slower autofocus limit results once light drops. Four-AA power meant travellers could top up almost anywhere rather than hunt for a specific charger.
On the used market the 945 is more a curiosity for HP-camera collectors than a daily shooter, since CompactFlash compacts of this vintage are increasingly niche. Buyers should check the zoom barrel for grinding, confirm the CompactFlash slot reads reliably, and test the LCD for dimming.