Hewlett Packard 215 Digital Camera, $199 Now $22!

[gotwater]

HP PhotoSmart 215 Digital Camera


Expires 07/28 - This is an incredible deal! You'll get HP's very popular 215 Digital Camera (retailing around $200) for just $22!


STEPS::

Visit Staples via the link below.
Find the HP 215 Digital Camera by searching for item # 445994 . Staples' current price is $199.99. Put it in your cart.
Add any other small item to your cart to get your total over $100. (For example, try thumb tacks, item # 526061 , for 25¢.)
At checkout, enter coupon code 80319 (expires 08/31) for $40 off your $200+ order. (You could try code 80147 or 70292 instead.)
The camera comes with a Staples rebate (valid for purchases through 07/28) for a free $40 Staples' gift card.
There is a separate HP mail-in rebate (valid for purchases through 07/27) for a $70.
After ordering, print out a copy of this page

http://www.buydig.com/cgi-local/shop/web_store.cgi?details=yes&pro_id=HPC215

at WorldwideDirect.com where they're selling the camera for $172.

After you receive your order, send in both rebates. The camera's box has two original copies of the required UPC and each rebate will accept a copy of the receipt.

Go to http://www.staples.com/help/default.asp?area=protection This states Staples price guarantee. They will match the price at WorldwideDirect.com. You'll use the page you just printed as proof for your claim. You'll get $27.99 back!
Your final result: $199.99 - $40 coupon - $40 Staples gift card rebate - $70 HP rebate - $27.99 low price guarantee = just $22! You'll get free shipping and free next day delivery.
Staples.com: Click Here
http://service.bfast.com/bfast/click?bfmid=573112&siteid=20241874&bfpage=home001

$40 Staples Rebate is right on the product page -- click on Rebate!
HP $70 Rebate:

http://www.hp-at-home.com/topsecret/coupons/digitalcamerasCoupon.html


--got this from teenfreeway!--

Please do not post other sites' referral links on here. Thank you.

[Edited by Got Apex Moderator on 07-23-2001 at 12:44 PM]

[Burzhui]

This is a good deal however my question is, the 40 dollar gift card, is it exchangeble for cash?

and by the way this deal is a alittle cheaper because the camera at worldwide direct is $ 166 making this camera 16 dollars

[Dar67]

This was from teenfreeway eh?
Notice it states to get your order over $100.00?(actually meant to be $200.00)
Yes it dropped to $166.00 now at worldwide,also I believe you have to price match in the store(for worldwides price)
One extra good thing is on another board someone bought the camera and got an HP accessory kit free with the camera($54.98 value)
I hope my Staples is honoring free kit!
$16.97 with tax for mine when I buy it.

[Burzhui]

how do you get the kit?

[welfareloser]

ummm... $166 at worldwide direct, but the cheapest shipping is 19.95, meaning the pricematch will get you $14.04 - still a good deal, but no longer stunning.

$36.20 (with the thumbtacks...)

[Edited by welfareloser on 07-23-2001 at 06:34 AM]

[resented]

Not to nail your big deal, but I think Apex/Leon might be dinging ya for giving referral links to Fatwallet.

At any rate..Thx!
resented

[dleinbach]

Where's that HP rebate? Tried HP.com, no luck.

I'm actually trying to determine what the cost would be for a HP 315 model - 1600x1200 max resolution (vs. 640x480); 2.1 megapixel (vs. 1.3); 8 MB flash card (vs. 4 MB).

Looks like it might come out to $100.95 all told, if I can find the $70 HP mail-in rebate, assuming there is one on that model.

The unit is $299.99 at Staples (is there a 300+ coupon for staples?)
$40 off $200 staples coupon = $259.99
$60 Staples gift check = $199.99
HP rebate (EXISTENCE UNCONFIRMED) for $70 = $129.99
Pricematch at worldwide direct.com for $270.95 with shipping, difference $29.04 = $100.95.

Not stellar, but maybe not too bad for at $300 camera.

[welfareloser]

Originally posted by dleinbach
Where's that HP rebate? Tried HP.com, no luck.

I'm actually trying to determine what the cost would be for a HP 315 model - 1600x1200 max resolution (vs. 640x480); 2.1 megapixel (vs. 1.3); 8 MB flash card (vs. 4 MB).

Looks like it might come out to $100.95 all told, if I can find the $70 HP mail-in rebate, assuming there is one on that model.

The unit is $299.99 at Staples (is there a 300+ coupon for staples?)
$40 off $200 staples coupon = $259.99
$60 Staples gift check = $199.99
HP rebate (EXISTENCE UNCONFIRMED) for $70 = $129.99
Pricematch at worldwide direct.com for $270.95 with shipping, difference $29.04 = $100.95.

Not stellar, but maybe not too bad for at $300 camera.



the link to the hp rebate is in the first post. there is also a rebate for the 315, and i think it is a bigger rebate...

also, to find coupons, the apex deals page has a coupon database in a frame on the right side of the page...

[welfareloser]

nope, it's only a $50 rebate for the 315.

[dleinbach]

Don't know how I missed the HP rebate link despite looking at the thread dozens of times... guess I can pull my head out now.

So $50 rebate on the 315. Guess that makes our $300 camera about $120. Kinda tough to justify when compared to the 215 for pocket change.

[welfareloser]

STAPLES IS NOT PRICEMATCHING.

they take their rebate into account. fatwallet is lame. i'm still getting the camera, cuz i needed one and was on the lookout for a deal, and $50 ain't bad at all, but it just goes to show you can't trust deals if they don't come straight from g|a.

[dealsdyker]

What about this clause in the price-match guarantee:
If Staples.com offers a rebate and after the rebate Staples.com’s price beats the competition, no price guarantee will be given. You will be getting a lower final cost by shopping at Staples.com. (For example, if Staples.com’s price is $89.99 before a $30.00 rebate, so you pay $59.99 after rebate and the competitor’s price is $84.99 without a rebate, there will be no price match.)

Wouldn't this kill the price match? Still a great deal at $50 though.

$200 Price
-40 Coupon
-70 HP Rebate
-40 Staples Gift Card Rebate
=$50 final cost

Anyway, wouldn't that kill the price match since technically Staples is calling the gift card a rebate?? Has anyone gotten them to price match?

[HitoZen]

OK sorry to burst some bubbles, but this deal does NOT work.

Here's why:
Price for HP 215 (before PM, after rebates & coupon)
199.99 +.25 - 40 - 40 - 70 = 50.24

Since

1) Staples pricematches "after-rebate" prices
2) WorldwideDirect.com's cheapest shipping is $16.97 (as indicated by Dar67)

You'd be comparing $50.24 to $182.97 (166 + 16.97).

This is just from reading the stuff, I haven't actually tried this. Someone plz reply if this has worked for him/her.

[HitoZen]

haha ok while I was replying (hardcore alt-tabbing since at work :P), the issues have been cleared.

[jrolsen]

Also, both rebates require the original UPC symbol. There's a reasonable chance that you'd only be able to get one of them.

Edited: Nevermind, it says in the original post that there are 2 UPC's on the box...

[Edited by jrolsen on 07-23-2001 at 12:56 PM]

[DealMan]

Gotta love Staples and all their coupons.

[Dar67]

Forgot about the lower price for pricematching and adding shipping charges!
Thought my new camera would cost $16.97 total.
Checked out my Staples,they are not offering the free HP accessory kit.
Got to exited from some lucky fellow from FW.
Depends on your local store too on things.
He didn't get charged shipping for the price match.
Maybe I can get that lucky...LOL!
See the receipt?
http://kingadrock0.tripod.com/generalphotoalbum/id1.html

[BooJew]

I want new CAMERA...

[Edited by BooJew on 07-23-2001 at 05:10 PM]

[gotwater]

$70 rebate...

http://www.hp-at-home.com/topsecret/coupons/digitalcamerasCoupon.html

[iknowstuff]

Worldwide direct now has the camera for 162. Going to be making money on the camera pretty soon.

199.99 + .25 -40 -40 -70 -37.99 = 12.25
Assuming a lot of things go right.

[BooJew]

Hmmm.. I think this would probably work in store. But online, no way.

Dang

[DealMan]

Originally posted by iknowstuff
Worldwide direct now has the camera for 162. Going to be making money on the camera pretty soon.

199.99 + .25 -40 -40 -70 -37.99 = 12.25
Assuming a lot of things go right.

In a perfect world. Cool.

[dealsdyker]

Are there really 2 UPCs? Are the two UPCs really exactly identical? Rebates can be very picky...

[edit] One more Q, when you go into the store and say you want to use the $40 off $200 coupon, do you just give them the coupon number or a printout or what?

[Edited by dealsdyker on 07-24-2001 at 06:12 AM]

[welfareloser]

Originally posted by iknowstuff
Worldwide direct now has the camera for 162. Going to be making money on the camera pretty soon.

199.99 + .25 -40 -40 -70 -37.99 = 12.25
Assuming a lot of things go right.

listen carefully this time: staples takes the cost of the other guy's shipping into account, and their $40 "rebate" - you get no pricematch. period. it is a $50 camera.

[iknowstuff]

Originally posted by iknowstuff
Worldwide direct now has the camera for 162. Going to be making money on the camera pretty soon.

199.99 + .25 -40 -40 -70 -37.99 = 12.25
Assuming a lot of things go right.

It worked in the store. Got a 40 dollar cordless keyboard to push it up to 200, but sweet deal none the less.

[dealsdyker]

TWO QUESTIONS
1. How do you give them an on-line coupon when physically visiting the store?? At check-out? Just give the checkout person the coupon number?

2. How do you get them to price match... show them when checking out or at the service counter before purchasing?? I'm going to see if they'll price match but probably buy anyway.

3. My other question: Are the two UPCs on the box really identical?? I've never seen a computer item with multiple UPCs. For the $70 rebate, they are very specific on which UPC to include (see http://www.hp-at-home.com/topsecret/coupons/digitalcamerasCoupon.html).

[Dar67]

My Staples store has a computer you can place your order on and go to cashier and pay with a slip(reciept)
By reading alot of posts there are suppose to be 2 UPC's one is a sticker on box,one the box(cardboard)
I'm still waiting til Thursday(may be cheaper then)...lol

[welfareloser]

Originally posted by iknowstuff

Originally posted by iknowstuff
Worldwide direct now has the camera for 162. Going to be making money on the camera pretty soon.

199.99 + .25 -40 -40 -70 -37.99 = 12.25
Assuming a lot of things go right.

It worked in the store. Got a 40 dollar cordless keyboard to push it up to 200, but sweet deal none the less.

it did? you did it? who pulled it off?

[dealsdyker]

My local Staples had no problem doing the price match to $167 (162 plus $5 shipping) but they would not accept the coupon numbers. They said I needed physical copies of the coupons printed from the internet. Can anyone help by pointing me to these coupons? Otherwise my deal ends up being $57 through the store.

Yes, there are two UPCs with identical bar codes and numbers. One is printed on the box and the other is a sticker stuck next to it.

[iknowstuff]

Originally posted by dealsdyker
My local Staples had no problem doing the price match to $167 (162 plus $5 shipping) but they would not accept the coupon numbers. They said I needed physical copies of the coupons printed from the internet. Can anyone help by pointing me to these coupons? Otherwise my deal ends up being $57 through the store.

Yes, there are two UPCs with identical bar codes and numbers. One is printed on the box and the other is a sticker stuck next to it.





Try http://hotcoupons.freeservers.com/ for a coupon.

[gotwater]

http://www.techtv.com/freshgear/reviews/story/0,23008,3009816,00.html

[dealsdyker]

Thanks iknowstuff.

Guess what I got today!!!!!

Here are the details...
199.98 HP 215 DIGITAL CAM
-32.98 PRICE MATCH ON CAMERA
29.99 MS FLIGHT SIM 2000
-10.00 MS FLIGHT SIM INSTANT SAVINGS COUPON (i was suprised)
9.95 CANON PHOTO HOME SOFTWARE
3.25 CANDY AT REGISTER SINCE I suddenly realized I was short the $200 necessary
54.98 HP ACCESSORY KIT

255.77 subtotal
-54.98 HP ACCESSORY FREE KIT WHEN BUYING 215 CAMERA COUPON
200.19 NEW subtotal
-40.00 $40 off $200 coupon

160.19 Final Receipt(plus tax)

-70.00 HP REBATE
-40.00 STAPLES GC
-20.00 FLIGHT SIM 2000 REBATE
-10.00 CANNON PHOTO HOME SOFTWARE REBATE
20.19 AFTER ALL REBATES!!

Your mileage may vary. Thanks to all!

[mastert2]

So where do u find the coupon for the free kit with the camera purchase? Please help

[dealsdyker]

Coupon # 80741 which I garnished from this receipt: http://kingadrock0.tripod.com/generalphotoalbum/id1.html

I couldn't find a hard copy of the coupon but used the receipt to show it to the person in the store. I called Staples.com and verified the coupon hasn't expired.

Oh, also, the only thing of value in the accessory pack IMO is the 16MB memory card. If you can't get the acc.pack, don't sweat it. Still an awesome deal without it. IMO the acc.pack is waaaaay overpriced anyway. More like getting another $15 products free... not $55... IMO.

[BooJew]

Well, I hate to put out everyone's flame, but I've discovered that coupon code 80741 has expired. It died on 6/30/01.

Oh well.

See this website for more info

http://linux2.userland.com/users/admin/static/myUserLandHtml/2001/05/17/service03641.html


Just a note: The site only indictes that it has expired for Staples.com. I guess some B&Ms may take it.

[Edited by BooJew on 07-25-2001 at 09:43 PM]

[leemaj]

ok, well i need a digital camera. I spent $50 on developing aps film on that kodak c650 deal a while back. anyways...i want to order this tonight or tomorrow morning. the problem i see here, is that if you use the $40 off coupon, and then they pricematch it, your total will be $162, so the coupon wont work. my question is, can you ask them to change it to a $30 off $150 coupon after the PM? Also, this is the staples PM policy as taken from http://www.staples.com/help/default.asp?area=protection

"If Staples.com offers a rebate and after the rebate Staples.com’s price beats the competition, no price guarantee will be given. You will be getting a lower final cost by shopping at Staples.com. (For example, if Staples.com’s price is $89.99 before a $30.00 rebate, so you pay $59.99 after rebate and the competitor’s price is $84.99 without a rebate, there will be no price match.)"

So, i gotta buy this soon. If i do it at B&M, they will want the actual coupon. Should i call a CSR? Ive done lots of staples deals, but this one seems the least solid. Has anyone from gotapex actually pulled this off, and if so, how?

[leemaj]

also, there is talk about the price dropping to $149.99 at staples on 7/29. I saw this on anandtech, but as of 10:49pm on wednesday, july 25th, there are no scans posted. If this is true, then this will be an awesome deal, if staples will PM to the new price after we all bought our cameras before the rebate expired on the 28th. any thoughts?

[dealsdyker]

I pulled it off in the B&M. Plus, I called Staples.com and they confirmed (twice, two calls) that the coupon code for the free accessory kit doesn't expire until something like 9/01 or 10/01. But in hindsight, I wouldn't push the accessory kit in the B&M, even though it worked for me. Not enough value in the kit to risk screwing up the deal.

There is a printable $30 off $150 coupon that you can take in the store. There is a link to it earlier in this thread (bottom of page 1). If you can't find the link I know someone will repost it (I don't have it here).

So finally, if you wanted to pull it off in the B&M like I did BUT you only spend $167 then the 30 off 150 coupon will work giving you:
167
-30 off 150
-70 rebate
-40 GC
====
$27

The $30 off $150 coupon does not apply to the price match. It only applies to the total receipt price. In hindsight, I think this is the cleanest and easiest way to receipt everything. Mine will eventually be cheaper but I have to screw with 2 additional rebates. But I wanted Flight sim 2000 anyway. My B&M didn't bat an eye on the price match. And visited the store several times before pushing the deal but each time I verified they would price match (different people) and each said no problem.

[dealsdyker]

According to another deals site, someone posted next week's Staple's ad and says that the 215 will be $149.00. If true, I'll get my $17.00 more price match. Plus, according to this ad you'll get a free HP camera accessory kit with any 215 purchase. So anyone who didn't get the kit yet PROBABLY would be able to go in with the receipt, and get the price match AND the kit.

WILD STUFF!! So do the deal now paying THE FULL $199.99 without a price match. Get the $40 off $200 coupon bringing your price to $160. Then next week get your $50 back price match in the B&M. Of course, this all assumes that the post at the other deal site is true.

$200 CAMERA and a cheap thing
-40 40off200 coupon
-70 HP rebate
-40 Staples GC
$50 Final cost right now

Then on Monday, go to the B&M and get your $50 price match and a free accessory kit and

... THE CAMERA AND KIT ARE FREE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

WOW! Again, the rumored price of $150 for the 215 at Staples next week is just that... A RUMOR.

[brettman]

I just wanted to point out that technically the $40 gift card doesn't really count as money back. You're still having to spend that $40 so really your cost out of pocket is $67

[brettman]

I have a question regarding dealsdyker's last post. How can you get Staples to PM for $50 if you used a $40 off $200 purchase coupon to begin with. Wouldn't they then only only pricematch the $160 price you paid after coupon. That would technically only get you $10 back. Am I missing something here. Also, will this deal work with Staples online too or does it have to be B&M stores?

[BooJew]

Staples.com wont pricematch this price this due to the shipping rate the other company charges... Plus the online coupn

[Burzhui]

Guys is this camera actually good, i mean the people who have bought it and used it, what do you think?

[dealsdyker]

Staples.com won't price match BUT the Brick and Mortar will. Mine did. Other's did (reference other posts).

You are right that the GC technically is not cash back. I'll just keep it around to use on the next awesome Staples deal.
:)!

[mnkypzzl]

I got the camera yesterday via UPS. I used it to take pictures of my fish and dog *grin* It takes great pictures and they look good in email and printed out. So I would highly recommend. I have used several other dig cameras that were crap btw. :-)

[snake]

I went to my B&M store today and bought the camera and pack of mints. I didn't try to pricematch, used the $30 off $150 printed coupon referenced on the bottom of page 1 of this thread. I used the 30 off 150 instead of the 40 off 200 in case the rumor about the $149 sale starting Sunday is true. I didn't want to get hassled about the new amount not being $200. They had the HP accessory kit there, but it was not free. Actually the price on the shelf for it was either $79 or $89 (I did check, it was the same model number).

The $40 Staples Gift check is simply a rebate form that the give you to mail in for the Gift Check. It says on it that it is good for purchases made between 7/15 and 7/28. My point is that there is nothing on the receipt saying I got this, so how can they take this into consideration when the pricematch (after the purchase)? I had to ask the salesperson for it. Also, IF the sale rumor is true, I don't know how I wouldn't get the $149 price and be able to send in the copy of my receipt for the Gift Check.

$150
-30 Coupon
-40 Staples Gift Check
-70 HP rebate
_________
= $10?


Has anybody checked the HP rebate fine print? I can't link to it. If that's not solid, it's a deal breaker for everyone.

[leemaj]

can anyone post a scan from the sunday flyer? I wanna be sure about this. I will buy online and then e-mail staples.com to pricematch. Ive done this before, when the store's price was cheaper than the online price, and it worked for me.

[brettman]

If nothing else, I see that Circuit City is selling it next week for $149 also. See the following link for ad:

http://www.idealwiz.com/ee_fr1.html

[aglio412]

i was checking out the reviews of this camera on cnet and it's getting hammered. if any of you already have it...what's the real deal. i'd trust a review here before i'd listen to anyone else. i have all the rebates and coupons printed and my local store has 3 in stock...itchin to buy it...but i'm getting cold feet. i'm not looking for something to replace my film camera...basically something to tote around and take not so serious shots...but if it's gonna kill batteries like nobody's business and thepics look like hell, what's the point...help!

[mastert2]

I got the camera at a B&M today. I bought some other stuff to make sure the amount's over $200 so I could use the $40 off $200 coupon. The funny thing was, the guy put in the coupon first, and THEN the pricematch. I also used the coupon code for the free kit. The store didn't have it, so the guy ordered one for me, which will arrive in 2-3 days. I returned the other stuff since I didn't need them. My total cost:
199.98 Cam
54.98 Kit
-40.00 $40 off $200
-54.98 Free kit coupon
-37.98 PM
-40.00 Staples rebate
-70.00 HP rebate
---------
12.00!!!

With tax the total comes out to be $21.76. I was SOOO happy when the deal went through for me. I tested the camera right away, and it was awesome. The quality is really good. The only I don't like is the LCD because there are tiny scratches. I'm probably going to go back and ask for another one that is not scratched. Hehe...I'm not a jerk, am I? Anyways, it's a really great deal. BTW, wouldn't one of the rebates (if not both) be expired by Monday? Just wondering. Thanks everyone

[leemaj]

hello, for those of you who live in san diego, i drove to the escondido store, and they didnt have the accessory kit, so i drove to carmel mountain. they had the kit, but wouldnt give it to me for free, even after i showed them that guy'sreceipt from pasadena. They said it was probably a local store promotion. Does anyone who lives around SD or even in SD know how i can get the kit? Also, if you live somewhere besides SD, let me knwo how you got your kits. thanks. also, i dont want to open this baby till i get the PM, so does anyone know for sure that there are 2 UPS? also which do i send to HP and which to staples?

[BooJew]

Ok.. to contradict what i said before, the accessory kit coupon hasnt expired. I spoke with several CSR's and got this explantion:

It's a Staples.com promo only. HOWEVER since Staples.com has run out of the camera they are allowing stores to give the kit for free. What you MUST do is ask to speak to a manager and have them call Staples.com. The manager has the choice whether to refuse the coupon or not.

So thats the 411. I'm gonna pick up one of these babies myself tommorow

[jamespf]

OK, I just bought the HP 215 today (7-26-01). From my own experience and that of other posts I would say that you have to go to the B&M to get the deal.

Here’s the rough price break down of my purchase:
+$200 HP 215 at staples
+$50 HP accessory kit at Staples
-$50 from free kit code mentioned in earlier post
-$30 from $30 off $150 coupon mentioned earlier
-$38 from price match mentioned earlier (www.buydig.com)
+$10 sales tax
=$142.00 cash up front.
-$70 HP rebate
-$40 Staples GC
= $32 After rebates

I chose to go with the 30 off 150 instead of the 40 off 200 because I didn’t want to push my luck. My Staples said that as long as they have the accessory kit in stock they would honor the coupon code. I think you really need the 16MB memory card to make the camera useful.

Here’s my critique of the camera. I’ve only taken about 30 pictures with it, as I just bought it earlier today.

POSITIVES
- You have a fair amount of controls for your camera. 2 buttons and a wheel
- An LCD
- A flash
- A 10 second self timer
- USB makes for reasonably fast transfers
- Expandable memory
- 3 levels of resolution
- Fairly sharp pictures
- Good color reproduction
- “instant review” lets you decide if you want to keep a picture immediately after you take it.
- The macro option lets you get really close to things. I filled the whole frame with a sticker that was about 3x2 inches. I ended up about 5 inches from it.
- You can use the manual viewfinder instead of the LCD preview to take pictures. It saves battery life.
- There’s a HUD beside the LCD so that you can easily tell what settings you have; resolution, battery life, pictures left, flash, focus.
- Fairly durable. I dropped it on the kitchen floor from about 4 feet and it was fine. A concrete floor would have probably damaged it…

NEGITIVES (What most of you are interested in)

- Takes about 4 seconds to take a picture. 2 seconds to compose, 1 second for the camera to focus, and 1 second to take the picture. (2 additional seconds if you have the “instant review” on)
- The LCD goes black for a split second while the camera takes the picture. Much like when the mirror flips up on a SLR. Which means that you don’t get to see the subject at the moment the picture is taken. You could easily move the camera during this “black out” and mess up your composition. But it’s not such a big deal if you have the “instant review” on.
- Overall the picture taking process is moderate to slow.
- The flash is ok. (not good, not bad) The camera takes pretty good pictures without the flash, but you need it for indoor shots. The flash is hard and tends to leave glare and or hot spots on the picture.
- Digital zoom is pretty worthless
- The macro has almost 0 depth of field. Which means that if the subject isn’t flat, the parts close and far away will be out of focus.
- This is a battery eater. I used the 4 brand new Energizer E^2 Titanium AA batteries that came with it. I was using the flash, the LCD preview, the “instant review”, and the best quality resolution. The batteries lasted about 32 pictures and 2 camera to PC transfers. Which was about a total of 2 hours of playtime.
- The camera body is a little bulky. It’s not awful, it’s just bigger than I expected.
- The camera lens is in the bottom left of the camera body. My left hand fingers were in many of my pictures. I’m used to a 35mm SLR so I usually steady the camera with my left hand on the bottom left corner of the camera body. I found it a little awkward to keep my finger out of the path of the lens and still steady the camera. I suppose that I will get used to it though.
- The menu and camera controls respond slowly. It’s a little annoying. For instance to go from camera to preview mode it takes about 2 seconds. When previewing your pictures you have to wait almost a full second before you can scroll to the next picture. Everything you try to do with the controls takes at least a second to happen. So don’t expect to whip this baby out at a moments notice to catch the perfect unexpected picture.
- From the off position it takes about 10 seconds to fire off the first picture.

All in all I’d say this camera isn’t worth $200. $100 would make it an OK deal, but $32 makes it a great deal. Keep in mind that I am trying to be critical with my review. Take it with a grain of salt. After all it is only $32.

It’s good for me because I just want it to goof around with a little and use for pictures for my website. It will be great for that, no developing time or cost! If you’re a serious amateur photographer you will be disappointed with the performance and the picture quality. If you’re the kind of person who likes point and shoot and APS then you will probably find it acceptable. Either way, you can hardly go wrong for $32.

I will stick to my Pentax P3 SLR and my Canon Owl “Sure Shot” point and shoot for vacations and important stuff. I consider the HP 215 to be a “kids camera” or a “web camera” (although it’s probably not durable enough for kids… Good for teens maybe.)

I’d estimate that the best picture quality is about comparable to my Canon Owl “Sure Shot” shooting standard 400 ISO film.

Don’t forget that the $70 HP rebate is only good until 7-27-01. So go out and get it now! There are 2 UPCs on the box. And by the way, there is a protective plastic film over the LCD display. So if yours is scratched make sure you remove the plastic film before you return it…


[Edited by jamespf on 07-26-2001 at 11:16 PM]

[tseng99]

does anyone know where the coupons are located for the free accessory kit? I ordered my camera last week and they said I should receive it by UPS on Monday. I'm going to try to ask them about the free accessory kit...

[leemaj]

its 1am i just got off the phone w/ a staples csr about the camera. she was like, did you e-mail me earlier today? haha
must have been one of you guys. anyways, she said that i gotta persuade the staples manager to give me the kit, so anyone got suggestions or anything? also, anyone in san diego let me know if you got the kit.

[tseng99]

I suggest that you tell them...I just bought this camera yesterday (or something) and now the advertisement shows Free KIT and a lower price. Does Staples have a price protection guarantee that within a certain number of days price adjustments will be made? (make it sound like you're humble and sincere) Then...tell them...technically you could return it...and go through the process of purchasing the product and getting the free kit and new price...well..try this out first thing Sunday morning and see what they say...I ordered mine online...then I called in to have them price match to that online store..forgot the name and my total with taxes ended up being $131 something...minus the $70 reb - $40 gc = $21...well..try it and let us know...

[mrdrsput]

Here's a 7-27-01 update, coming fresh from Staples in NYC. Sears.com has the camera for only $149, so it is an even better deal now! However, I will agree with jamespf above that
(1) You really need to go to the B&M to make it work, and
(2) Trying to get the $40 off $200 is really pushing it (since you are not actually making a purchase of $200+), so stick with the $30 off $150 to avoid hassles in the store.

Here is how I did it (in the order it appears on my receipts):

+$199.98 HP 215 at staples
-$ 49.99 Price Guarantee to Sears.com [See Link #1 below]
+$ 54.98 HP accessory kit at Staples
========
+$204.97 Subtotal

-$ 54.98 Staples Coupon 80741 [Free kit - see Link #2]
-$ 30.00 Staples Coupon 11086 [$30 off $150 - see Link #3]
========
$119.99 Total before Tax

+$ 9.90 NYC Tax @ 8.25%
========
$129.89 Total Outlay upfront

-$ 70.00 HP Rebate [See Link #4]
-$ 40.00 Staples Gift Certificate
========
$ 19.89 FINAL after rebates, etc.

Link #1: Sears.com add (print and bring with you!)
http://www.sears.com/sr/product/summary/productsummary.jsp?BV_SessionID=@@@@0775790967.0996242871@@@@&BV_EngineID=eeallhhjllfhbgfcmgclchk.0&vertical=SEARS&pid=00353601000)

Link #2: Scanned receipt from prior posting (Printing this out and brining it was critical, as they used this receipt from Staples in CA as the basis for entering the "mystery code" for the free kit)
http://kingadrock0.tripod.com/generalphotoalbum/id1.html

Link #3: $30 off $150 coupon (Note: If you print this out, make sure to note the Coupon # first, as the printout is bigger than 8.5" x 11", and if you resize the picture, the codes get obscured)
http://hotcoupons.freeservers.com/

Link #4: HP $70 Rebate (Offer expires today, 7/27/01)
http://www.hp-at-home.com/topsecret/coupons/digitalcamerasCoupon.html


FINAL COMMENT: Be sure to print out each of the pages from Links #1, #2, and #3 to ensure they accept the offer.

Good luck!

[Dar67]

My Staples would not give me the kit,tried days ago.
Wait til Sunday...lol

[Scojo]

Fry's Electronics has the same camera in today's paper for $147. Who wants to see a scan? Let me hear you say "pricematch" brother!

Scojo, firing up the scanner

[Scojo]

Here is a link to the scan of the Fry's Electronics ad. It shows the camera, price, model, store location, and dates. It should cover all the bases, but let me know if you need anything else.

http://members.home.net/sonofscojo/fryscamera.jpg

Scojo

[leemaj]

for any of you who couldnt get the kit from the B&M, staples.com said that the promotion was for the .com only, but sicne they ran out, they let the stores give it away and its up to the manager on shift, so go and tell them that and maybe they will give it to you.

[thenate1]

The 40 gift check is also avaliable online at:

http://www.staplesrebates.com/clients/staples/rebates/promotion_detail.jsp?PromotionCode=01-39187&BundleID=234982

[leemaj]

well, what a mess. I went to the staples by my house, and got the camera, then went to one thats a 30 minute drive to get the kit, then back to the one by my house to get the PM. Took the people like 15 minutes to give me the PM, but hey, its all done and i have everything here, and like 8 different receipts (return, buying, rebuying, PM, acessory kit, etc.) I made a copy of my original original receipt before accessory kit or PM or anything, but i dont think they will accept it since i "returned" the items and everything. so which receipts do i send for the rebates?

[aliska29]

The Virgin says thanks. Thats right I was virgin at this game. Until today. I lost my virginity and it feels good. I have been doing rebates for years but I have never done a coupon here plus a coupon here plus a price match here type of deal. But I did it. I lost my virginity and don't feel used. Instead I feel like the user. The manager would not give me the kit but here is what I got.
199.98 HP 215
29.99 Flight Sim 2000
-49.99 Sears Price Match
-10.00 Flight Sim 2000 Instant Rebate
-40.00 $40.00 off of $200.00 coupon 70292

129.98 Out of pocket (give or take a few)
-70.00 HP MIR
-20.00 Flight Sim 2000 MIR
-40.00 Staples GC to be used on another great deal like this

-.02 Total
What a bargain. I'm going to write my Congressman for making me pay the taxes on the $230.00. I would rather pay the tax on the total after rebates. Well there you have it. Thanks to you guys I lost my virginity and I have no regrets. I'm going for the kit on Sunday.

[Scojo]

My deal:

Camera at staples = $199.98
Pricematch w/ Fry's -52.98
$30 off of $150 coupon -30.00
So, $117.00 (plus tax)out the door.
Then, -$70.00 mail in rebate
and, -$40.00 gift card
Gives us a grand total of $7.00 plus tax.
So, I just want to say thanks to all you guys and gals for taking the time to help each other out.
It allowed me to get a $200 camera for $7 and many others to get in on a version of the deal, too.

You are a great bunch,

Scojo

[leemaj]

wow i totally forgot about the flight sim addon....oh well, sigh. anyways, WHERE IS THE SECOND UPC CODE??!! I CANT FIND IT ANYWHERE. please help me.

edit: ok, stupid me, it was right next to the first UPC. ok, well id like to thank you guys for all of your help. ANd i would also like to thank staples for giving me sooo many great deals (TI-89, desk, leather chair, visor handspring, digial camera...ahhh memories...<tear>). anyways, this was an awesome deal, especially w/ the accessory kit.

[Edited by leemaj on 07-28-2001 at 01:26 AM]

[jrolsen]

Just so everyone knows this deal has now expired (you can't get the $70 rebate from HP anymore)

"You save $70 when you purchase the hp photosmart 215 camera between 7/11/01-7/27/01".

Congrats to all who got in

[leemaj]

just to let you know, this thing eats batteries like a mofo!!! i took like 12 pics and did 2 pc transfers, and it ate 4 energizer e^2 AA batteries. Does anyone know where i can get some good rechargable AA batteries and a charger for cheap?

[thenate1]

Yeah I noticed the Battery thing also...But the manual says that it is "Not designed to opperate on rechargable batteries" and that if you use rechargables then it will void the warranty. So basicly the made a digital camera that operates ONLY on alkaline AA Batteries!!!!!! STUPID!

But I was wondering what exactly would happen if I did stick in a set of rechargables...So I went on http://www.cnet.com and did a search in their help section and found that some other people had posted the same question. There were lots of replies each time, everyone basicly said that they had never had any problems when they used them in their HP 215, and that the only thing that it really did was make the battery meter inaccurate (Due to the fact that NMHI loost their charge at a different rate than alkline). So I think I will go a head and try some of the Rayovac NMHI (10.00 at my local Walmart for a set of 4). They say they can be recharged 100's of times and won't get memory lines. I have been using some of the AAA for my Handspring Visor and the charger will work on AA as well as AAA. I will let you all know if I have any problems. (I figure I can try them within the first 14 days of purchase and if my camera breaks I can still return it to Staples for a new one that I can Ebay).

[playa]

Does anyone have a heads up on the accessory kit thing? Wasn't it supposed to go on sale today? I went to my local staples, and nothing. No circular's even. So did anyone actually manage to get a circular for this week? Is the camera and kit in there?

[leemaj]

accessory kit is in the flyer, and you need the coupon code, look at the first page, at the guys receipt. if its not there, then e-mail me [email protected]

Thenate1--please please keep your progress posted, cuz i dont wanna spend more on batteries than i did on the camera. Do those rayovacs come w/ a charger? I had a charger but i cant find it, so i need a new one.

[gotwater]

Originally posted by playa
Does anyone have a heads up on the accessory kit thing? Wasn't it supposed to go on sale today? I went to my local staples, and nothing. No circular's even. So did anyone actually manage to get a circular for this week? Is the camera and kit in there?


here's the accessory kit, whichever link you prefer...



http://www.staples.com/products/Themes/Special_Offers/Hp/Accessory_Kit/Default.asp?




http://www.tigernt.com/staplesads.jpg

[Dar67]

I was thinkin the same thing about the rechargable batteries.
Guy at Staples said HP most likly says that so you buy the charger(6v) for $50.00-$70.00.
My concern is if you do use rechargables it was stated,it will eventually ruin camera(not meaning asap between 14 days)as long as it breaks within the warranty time fine,but my luck would...it would *poof* the day after warranty's up...lol
So,I'm not sure if I'll use the rechargables yet.
Decisions,decisions...lol

[johnnymk]

I believe that rechargable batteries have a slightly lesser voltage than regular alkaline batteries. I have an AGFA SMILE camera which will not allow the flash to work with rechargable batteries. Someone at work confirmed that to be true, also. Maybe someone else can verify this.

[leemaj]

well, the most drainage occurs when you do a PC transfer, so does anyone know of a CF reader i can get for free after rebate : :) Either that, or will any of these AC adaptors i have lying around work?

[playa]

Originally posted by leemaj
accessory kit is in the flyer, and you need the coupon code, look at the first page, at the guys receipt. if its not there, then e-mail me [email protected]

Thenate1--please please keep your progress posted, cuz i dont wanna spend more on batteries than i did on the camera. Do those rayovacs come w/ a charger? I had a charger but i cant find it, so i need a new one.

Which flyer? I know the coupon code is there, but the staples refused to take the receipt as proof.

[Dar67]

I handed over the printed out staples.com/products----- link above and said I want to PM you with your website..ha ha and here's a printed flyer that's in Texas and Florida.
He went to work on the sites printed out copy.
Took forever for him to figure out how he was going to do adjustment ,in the long run it cost me$4.91(after rebates) that's tax included.Got to hang on to part of $40.00 coupon and used $30.00.It was a mess...........Well worth it so far, til I start to use the camera..LOL

[thenate1]

My Local Staples here in UT also was very reluctant to give me the free acessories kit when I bought it. They called the store on the recipt that I printed out from one of the above posts - The manager called the store and asked the store about why they gave the free kit out...The store in CA told them some crap about it being a special promotion arranged just for them by their local HP rep, and so the manager refused to give it to me (Since I was already getting a PM and 30 off). But then I saw the posting link above today with the ad and the also to staples.com's website and printed them off. I went back and showed the manager and he gave it to me! I was pumped!

Now as for the rechargables....

I bought some Rayovac NMHI Batteries today at Walmart for 10 bucks...I Charged them up all day so they would have a full charge tonight. I put them in and snapped about 15 shots at the fine resolution with NO PROBLEM WHATSOEVER!! They worked just fine!! (So far) I will be sure to post any negitive experiences if they occur. Right now it looks great and I belive I will buy another 4 pack of them to rotate so I always have a fresh pair. Thanks again for the great find!!

Nate

[dealsdyker]

Regarding rechargables, I'm going to use them. Go to Amazon's web site and look up the camera. Then you can read about 40 customer reviews where the biggest grip is the rechargable issue. However, many there have started using rechargable batteries without problems. In fact, I have not yet read of one person who has used rechargable and fried his camera.

Secondly: I have not yet gone back to my B&M Staples to get them to PM my camera from $167 down to $150. I already have the free accessory kit. I've read that Staples checks the receipt to make sure that the product has not been returned before issuing a rebate check (or GC in this case). And since a Price Match would mean returning, and then repurchasing the camera, I don't want to jepordize that. Can anyone confirm that Staples checks the receipt in this manner? I'd like my $17 price match if possible, but don't want to jepordize my $40 GC.

[mrdrsput]

This info is straight from an email from HP's tech support:
(Please note - this is HP's party line - YMMV)

***************************************

CAUTION Rechargeable batteries must never be used in the HP Photosmart 210 and 215 series digital cameras. The camera circuitry is not designed for that type of battery power. HP does not recommend the power. HP does not recommend the use of rechargeable batteries.

To extend the battery life in your 210/215 camera, please follow these general recommendations:

1. Experience shows that the best performance of the HP Photosmart 210 and 215 can be achieved when using premium AA or photo lithium AA batteries.
2. All digital cameras continue to use a small amount of power even when in the off state. If the camera is not going to be used for a several days, HP recommends removing the batteries to help ensure maximum life from the batteries.
3. Limiting the use of the camera LCD will enhance battery-life.
4. Because battery drain dramatically increases when connected to the PC, HP recommends using an AC adapter for downloading images from the digital camera to the PC.
5. These AC adapters, part number C8879A-ABA (AC adapter, rating: 6VDC _ 0.5VDC, 2 amps), may be purchased as an optional accessory from the HP Shopping Village or from the DC Pro Company. The URL for DC Pro is http://www.dcprodirect.com.

You can extend battery life by carefully observing these variables:

* The number of photos taken
* Whether the AC adapter is used when the camera is
connected to the computer
* Frequency of flash use
* Frequency of LCD use
* Temperature conditions (colder temperatures during
camera operation result in shorter battery life.)

**************************************

Sure - it eats batteries, but for $20, what do you expect?

[BooJew]

http://www.mobileplanet.com used to have external portable batteries that would plug into the ac adapter plug. They dont seem to carry them anymore, but maybe somewhere else online has them.

The batteries were great, they lasted forever and they were rechargable!

OK... here is what I was talking about, they dont seem to have one for the 215.. bbut I'll keep on looking

http://www.ritzcamera.com/cgi-bin/ncommerce3/ProductDisplay?prrfnbr=381528&prmenbr=153&vprrfnbr=3554707&vcgrfnbr=&cgrfnbr=&RelatedAccessory=TRUE&STORENAMEPASS=ritzcamera

[Edited by BooJew on 07-31-2001 at 12:15 PM]

[jamespf]

What about those Rayovac renewal batteries. They are rechargable, but they are also alkaline...

[Dar67]

dealsdykyer-----------
I now have 3 receipts from doing the adjustment(very messed up)nowhere on any of the 2 new receipts does it show any numbers pertaining to original.
I tried scanning and posting,but they were very blurry,may try later after I settle down...lol!

[thenate1]

The ones I am using in my HP 215 are these: (I have now taken more than 50 photos with them!)

http://www.rayovac.com/products/recharge/nimh.shtml

"NiMH actually last longer than alkaline batteries in most high-drain devices and can be recharged up to 1,000 times.

New, improved, longer-lasting high-capacity NiMH batteries
Meet the demanding power needs of today's high-tech devices
Last 2 times longer than any alkaline including Duracell® Ultra M3 in digital cameras. No other battery powers high-drain devices better.

Can be charged up to 1,000 times, resulting in cost-savings that can add up to thousands of dollars.

No "memory" problems; recharges any time, even if partially drained "

"Rayovac's high-capacity 1600 mAh AA NiMH batteries last 2 times longer than Duracell® ULTRA or Energizer® e2 in digital cameras and can be recharged up to 1000 times! That means more shots and quicker recovery time between shots, not to mention thousands of dollars in savings on batteries for your digital camera! "

[tseng99]

Hi guys...I just received the camera...and called in to ask them for the free accessory kit...but they said that I couldn't combine the coupon with accessory kit...maybe I could try the local staples b&m store?...any suggestions on how to get the accessory kit?

Thanks for your help!

[leemaj]

i was thinking about getting 8 batteries and a charger that does like 4 at a time so i always have some fresh ones. as for the accessory kit, you can try to just go into the B&M, and say that staples.com told you to go in there and get it since they were sold out. thats what they told me to do. the lady told me to stand up fo rmyself and tell them that im not gonna shop at staples anymore if they dont give it to me. i was like woah lady, and you work for staples?? i called them at 1am though, so i guess everyoen is a little weird at that hour. anyways, just try the B&M, u got nothin to lose

[leemaj]

ok those batteries look pretty good--the rayovac ones. how much will it cost to get me 8 AA batteries and the 1 horu charger? any good deal engineers here?

[brettman]

Thought I would relate my story:

I tried what leemaj recommended last Saturday. I took my receipt in to a local Staple store (bought the camera initially from Staples.com) and asked them how I needed to go about getting the Accessory kit. She called up the manager who in turn called up Staples.com because he wasn't sure how to handle it. They told the manager to put me on the phone and the lady proceeded to tell me that I can only use one coupon code (I had used the $40 off $200) plus she brought up the fact that I was getting a Staples Gift Card anyway. I told them that was a crock and showed them a receipt copy where someone used 2 coupon codes and it was plain as day on there but the Staples.com lady ignored me. The store people were cool but the staples.com rep was a hag. I think her name is Dianne so be sure to hang up on her if you ever get her on the phone. So, no accessory kit for me :(

[aliska29]

Brettman:
Just thought I would let you know that I took Staples.com ad showing the new price of $150 with free kit and asked them to price match their own ad for the free kit. I told them that I already had the $150 price b/c I matched Sears. After one manager stared at it for a few minutes he got another manager to take a look at it. The other manager noticed the code and told the first manager to try the code. The code was valid so the second manager told the first manager to do a ticket and let me have it. Their POS system will not allow them to use a code on a return ticket. So the manager had to return the camera as a cash refund. He did not give me any money back. He just rang it up again for the same price and added the camera at no charge. Here is the PROBLEM: I believe that the number at the top of the receipt next to "Sale" is an invoice number. If they put that number into the system the camera will show up as a returned item. That kills my $40 Staples gift card. Why? Because the new invoice has a date that does not fall within the qualifying dates. I can send them the series of receipts showing the price match, but I am willing to bet that I receive a letter from Staples stating that I can only use one coupon. TRUST ME. That $40 gift card that you will receive is worth more than this kit. Why di I feel so sure about all of this. I was a store manager at an electronics store for several years. So feel lucky that you got denied. I wish I would have. I didn't think about this until the harm was done!!!!!!

[brettman]

aliska29:

Thanks for the feedback. I thought about that aspect too (the $40 Gift Card) if they had to rering the whole thing up. I was just hoping they would say 'OK, we'll just add that to your order and subtract it'. Wishful thinking I suppose. Besides, I figured I could buy the compact flash card for about $25 by itself anyway. It's just the principal of the matter. Staples.com kept saying that you can't use 2 coupon codes together but you'll notice on the page where you enter the coupon codes on their site that they have 4 coupon code fields. If you can only use one coupon then why the 4 fields. Makes you wonder. Seems like they make up the rules as they go. Plus they consider the gift card the same as a rebate when pricematching and that's just not right nor is it clearly spelled out on their PM policy.

[deeesouza]

i just called HP to check up on my $70.00 rebate, and they said that they have never heard of such a rebate. I made a copy of the printed out rebate from the website, but I cant find it. Does anyone happen to have it? It was the $70.00 rebate for the HP215 camera. Thanks for any help!

[deeesouza]

btw....the phone number for the rebate center is 800-728-9665, if you want to check on your status as well.

[Burzhui]

Originally posted by leemaj
well, the most drainage occurs when you do a PC transfer, so does anyone know of a CF reader i can get for free after rebate : :) Either that, or will any of these AC adaptors i have lying around work?

The readers always go for like 2bucks on ebay, i see them there all the time.

[jamespf]

Have no fear. I have the $70 HP rebate on PDF! But it's on my desktop computer. It's not assembled yet(moved to dorm). I'll probably have it up by the end of the week. Anyone who wants the PDF of the HP $70 rebate should e-mail me with the subject "HP $70 rebate".

I'll send it out as soon as I get things up and running.

[email protected]

[mrdrsput]

I just got off the phone with an HP rep, who told me the offer expired on August 10, so it was pulled from their website. She also told me that the offer was "theoretically" supposed to be accessed via an email sent out by HP, so it was not a "public" offer.

However, she said if the product was purchased within the correct dates, and the correct documentation was sent in, the rebate would be honored.

So everyone relax, wait 8 weeks, and see if you get the check (or call the numbers in the thread above if you don't, and speak to a Customer Service Representative to check status).

[dealsdyker]

HP did an about-face on the rebate and removed the current link to the rebate.

As you will see in the new link, HP renamed the rebate to be an HP employee summer deals exclusive, even though the address is the same. Fortunately, I printed and sent my rebate before they did this. So I think you will want the PDF copy that just says "top secret deals" or something like that. Not this new copy.

Also, I originally found that rebate on HP's web site by simply searching on "215" and "rebate". It was the 2nd link in the list back then. I still have that web search of HP's web site. I tried searching the other day for it though and it didn't show up in their search engine any more. I plan to use that printed search as ammo if they refuse my rebate or tell me it is meant to be "exclusive" or something like that. How can it be exclusive if it is easily found on their web site by doing a simple search??

here is the link to the new rebate form, which I suggest you don't use: http://topsecret.hp-at-home.com/topsecret/coupons/digitalcamerasCoupon.html

You can use the link there to check your rebate status. They mine is not entered into the system yet.

[playa]

Called their rebate center, and the representative told me that the rebate was originally for hp employees or something, but if you came across it on the internet and you send it in, it's fine.

[jamespf]

Sorry guys, but with moving and all I've misplaced the e-mail address of the people who wanted the rebate form. So I just posted it on my site. Anyone who wants it can find it here:
http://www.jimfeely.com/pdf/hp_rebate.pdf

[jamespf]

Just wanted to bump this one more time to give everyone a chance to see the PDF of the rebate.

[brettman]

for those of you with AMEX Blue that bought this camera, Amazon is now selling it for $129. This is a good time to take advantage of that price guarantee and claim some additional money.