Basic Photo Frames

Frames without Wi-Fi are easier to set up

Digital picture frames without Wi-Fi cost less in general, though you obviously lose the option to grab photos from your computer or an online photo-sharing website. The upside is that they are far easier to use. Photos are loaded by inserting your camera's memory card, or by connecting a USB thumb drive or other portable storage device. Some frames include some internal memory to store photos, while others require you to leave it connected to the USB drive or memory card. Windows and Mac compatibility is less of an issue unless you want to connect the frame directly to your computer for loading images.

Sony's modular approach to digital photo frames results in two parallel model lines, the D series and the V series. The Sony DPF-D70 (*Est. $100) is the base-model, 7-inch digital picture frame. The Sony DPF-V700 (*Est. $130) adds more memory and, in a decision that baffles experts, an HDMI port. A step up in size from the D70 is the 8-inch Sony DPF-D80 (*Est. $130), while the V line includes the 9-inch Sony DPF-V900 (*Est. $175).

DigitalPictureFrameReview.com's anonymous reviewer "Brian" evaluates both the D70 and V900, reporting favorably on build quality and set up. Sony programs its digital photo frames to play a demonstration video upon initial set up to help users learn to use the device, and navigation is easy with the included remote control. Back-up navigation buttons are included on the frame itself, but Brian writes that their out-of-the-way positioning (on the back of the frame) makes it difficult to discern which button is which. Kathleen Cullen of PC World in a review of the Sony DPF-D80 photo frame, concurs that the remote is more fun but writes that she finds the on-board navigation intuitive and easy to use. Cullen is especially taken with the display quality, praising "saturated" images that "pop," with good color rendering and no distortion. The display's only shortfall is its plastic overlay, which is highly reflective and requires careful angling of the frame to prevent glare from overpowering images. All reviewers compliment Sony on including support for 48-bit color, an advancement that's not yet on the market.

Another DigitalPictureFrameReview.com writer, "MKowalski", names Sony's DPF-D80 an Editor's Choice in an analysis that enthuses over its modern design and a display that is described as a "thing of beauty." MKowalski comments, "the DPF-D80 is a 'one trick pony' among photo frames," but indicates that the one trick (displaying pictures) is a good one, and "using the D80 is painless to the point that you'll probably never even open the manual."

When it comes to Sony's V700 and V900 frames, reviewer quibbles land squarely on one issue: price. PJ Jacobowitz of PCMag.com writes about the V900, "In terms of image quality, ease of use, and aesthetics, this is one of the best digital picture frames we've seen," then goes on to attack the price as inflated. A particular point of contention is Sony's decision to eschew Wi-Fi in favor of an HDMI output (which allows the frame to be connected to an HDTV, for displaying photos and photo slideshows on an even larger screen). While the HDMI feed works well in tests, reviewers wholly dislike it as an option, describing it as a niche feature. Jacobowitz recommends the DPF-D70 or DPF-D80 as lower-priced alternatives to the V900, although the downgrade also means giving up some memory space.

All four Sony digital picture frames come with 800-by-480-pixel resolution display screens and identical black frames with an antenna-like silver kickstand in the back. Expansion slots support most memory-card formats, and there's also a flash drive slot. JPEG, TIFF and BMP photo files are supported, with several options for slideshow presentation. None of the frames offers support for audio or video files. The D70 and D80 pack 256 MB of internal memory (enough for up to 500 photos) while the V700 and V900 offer 512 MB of memory to hold as many as 1,000 photos (depending on resolution). The V700 and V900 also include an HDMI output and optional Bluetooth connectivity (with purchase of an adapter).

Finding reviews of sub-$100 digital photo frames is tricky; few models exist in that price category at all and experts tend to devote their time to more richly featured (and more expensive) flagship models.

With minimal features, Kodak's 7-inch EasyShare P720 (*Est. $80) isn't destined to win any awards, but critics and owners say it's a good frame that is easy to use, with decent display quality and a comfortable price point. The P720 is only a picture frame -- there's no support for audio or video files, no fancy bells and whistles. The black plastic construction is utilitarian but can be jazzed up by swapping in a different color matte (the frame comes with a set), and Kodak loads the P720 with a basic assortment of slideshow and clock options.

Like its more upscale siblings, the Kodak P720 digital picture frame is operated by touch-screen control, and CNET's David Carnoy writes that the frame is "responsive and pretty zippy." The big downside is that the display's screen resolution is a meager 480 pixels by 234 pixels, which means that while photos look good from several feet away, up close they appear slightly blurry and pixilated. Additionally, the P720 has no built-in memory, so photo display is dependent on external memory (with support for MemoryStick, SD/SDHC and xD-Picture Card). These things aside, Carnoy finds that Kodak fills an important market niche with the P720, delivering an inexpensive, user-friendly digital photo frame that has no major standout features, but also no major failures. Nearly 100 owners at Amazon.com submit largely favorable reviews of their Kodak EasyShare P720s, landing the frame an overall rating of four out of five.

The recently discontinued GiiNii Slope GN-812 (*Est. $60) earns recognition as a good buy from the Consumer Reports Electronics blog and is well liked by reviewers for its crisp, 800-by-600-pixel display, PC- and Mac-compatibility and support for MP3 and WMA audio files as well as AVI and MOV video files. The Slope is a reasonably priced frame with solid performance, while supplies last.