Digital Camera News and Reviews

Samsung ES55

The reviewing site Buy-n-Shoot has tested the Samsung ES55 camera. This budget camera seem to offer quite a deal for the money with a 10 megapixel image sensor.

Some key features for the Samsung ES55:
-10.2 megapixel sensor
-3x optical zoom lens
-2.5″ LCD screen
-digital image stabilization
-face detection
-640×520 VGA movie mode

Buy-n-Shoot ends up giving the Samsung ES55 camera a “Gold medal” score as the camera has a lot of features for a nice price. There are some minor downsides like noise at higher ISO levels but you can’t expect too much from a cheap compact camera.
Read the full review of the Samsung ES55 camera here.

Canon EOS 5D Mark II

Samsung has announced two new camcorders. The camcorders are called Samsung SMX-C14 and Samsung SMX-C10, and are focused on design and ergonomics. The only difference between the camcorders is that the SMX-C14 version contains 16GB of built-in memory.

Some key features for the Samsung SMX-C14 and Samsung SMX-C10:
-10x optical zoom
-image stabilization (Hyper Image Stabilization)
-2.7″ LCD screen
-Active Angle Lens
-SD/SDHC memory card slot

The Samsung SMX-C14 and Samsung SMX-C10 will be on the marked in July 2009. The price on the camcorders is not known at this moment.

Press release:
Samsung Focuses on Ergonomics with Two New Digital Camcorders

New SMX-C14 and SMX-C10 Offer Industry-Leading Style, Design and Ease-of-Use
Samsung Electronics America Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announced the SMX-C14 and SMX-C10, two new ergonomically designed, compact digital camcorders offering industry-leading style and design. The new SMX-C14 and SMX-C10 also feature Samsung’s stylish Touch of Color™ (ToC™) finish that was first introduced in the company’s line of flat-panel HDTVs. With ToC design, a hint of color is naturally blended into the deep black body for an attractive crystalline appearance.

The SMX-C14 and SMX-C10 are ideal for the on-the-go consumer and offer an impressive 10x optical zoom paired with Hyper Image Stabilization to help reduce blurry footage. Both camcorders also feature a 230,000-dot, swiveling 2.7-inch wide LCD screen, which allows users to effortlessly frame their subjects and review their footage. Similar to the full-HD HMX-R10, the new SMX-C14 and SMX-C10 boast Samsung’s Active Angle Lens. This unique design helps reduce fatigue by allowing consumers to grip the camcorder in a more relaxed manner, easing the overall stress on their wrist and elbow. Unlike traditional camcorders, the relaxed grip also removes the LCD screen from the user’s line of sight, enabling them to always keep an eye on their subject while recording.

“The SMX-C14 and SMX-C10 are truly unique camcorders, starting with their eye-catching ToC design,” said Reid Sullivan, senior vice president of Audio/Video and Digital Imaging Marketing at Samsung Electronics America. “In addition to being ultra-compact, ergonomic and stylish, these camcorders offer a host of advanced, yet easy-to-use capabilities that encourage consumers to integrate video recording into their everyday digital lifestyles.”

The new SMX-C14 features 16GB of internal Samsung flash memory and is expandable via an SD/SDHC memory card slot. Thanks to H.264 compression, which drastically enhances recording times when used with standard definition video, users can record over six hours of footage directly to the SMX-C14’s 16GB of built-in memory. The SMX-C10 does not feature internal memory and requires the use of SD/SDHC media. Both the SMX-C14 and SMX-C10 also offer substantial battery life, providing more than two hours and forty minutes of record time on a single charge.

The SMX-C14 and SMX-C10 also incorporate Samsung’s play-edit-sharing program called intelli-studio. The built-in intelli-studio program allows consumers to connect the camcorder to any computer via USB and edit and play their video without having to install supporting software. intelli-studio also facilitates the process of uploading users’ content to popular video-sharing Web sites. For added convenience, a one-touch “upload” button, available directly on the SMX-C14 and SMX-C10, provides a direct connection to YouTube™, further reducing the number of steps needed to upload footage. In addition, the camcorders also allow basic on-camera editing, including the ability to merge and split video files.

Samsung also enhances the video recording experience for end-users thanks to several unique features, including time-lapse recording, animated thumbnails and a versatile charging system. Time-lapse recording allows users to program the camcorder to record at a pre-set interval of one image every one, three, five, 10, 15 or 30 seconds. Time-lapse recording is especially useful for condensing extremely long events, such as rolling clouds on a sunny day, into a short, easy-to-view video.

Samsung’s animated thumbnail feature simplifies the way users search for video clips on the SMX-C14 and SMX-C10. Each video clip saved on the camcorder is represented by a small thumbnail on the LCD screen. When scrolling through one’s videos, each thumbnail will provide a short playback of the video file when highlighted by the user. The SMX-C14 and SMX-C10 also feature a versatile charging system. Users can either recharge the battery by connecting the camcorder to the supplied AC adapter or via USB while the camcorder is connected to a computer.

The SMX-C14 and SMX-C10 will be available in July 2009.

Samsung HZ15W

Samsung announced two new compact digital cameras today. One of them is called Samsung HZ15W and features a 12 megapixel sensor and a 24mm wide angle lens.

Some key features for the Samsung HZ15W:
-12 megapixel sensor
-10x optical zoom lens (24 – 240mm)
-3″ LCD screen
-720p movie mode
-built-in HDMI connectivity

The Samsung HZ15W camera will be available in March 2009 and cost about $330.

Press release:
Samsung Introduces Pair Of 12 Mega-Pixel, 24mm Ultra-Wide Angle Compact Digital Cameras

New TL320 Boasts Three-Inch AMOLED for Enhanced Viewing and Energy Efficiency

HZ15W Offers 12 Mega-Pixel Resolution and 24mm, 10x Optical Zoom Schneider Lens

RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J. – February 23, 2009 – Samsung Electronics America today unveiled two new 12 mega-pixel compact digital cameras boasting 24mm ultra-wide angle Schneider lenses. Samsung’s new TL320 raises the bar for innovation in the digital imaging industry as it is the world’s first digital camera to feature a three-inch AMOLED screen with HVGA resolution. The new HZ15W, Samsung’s second mega-zoom, point-and-shoot digital camera, offers consumers one of the most powerful lenses on a compact point-and-shoot with an impressive focal length of 24-240mm (35mm film equivalent).

The HZ15W

The step up model from the HZ10W introduced in January at CES 2009, the 12 mega-pixel HZ15W offers consumers one of the most powerful lenses on a compact point-and-shoot digital camera, featuring a 24mm ultra-wide angle Schneider lens coupled with a generous 10x optical zoom. For blur-free images, especially when using the HZ15W at its maximum zoom, Samsung includes both Optical and Digital Image Stabilization. Optical Image Stabilization can be used independently or shooters can choose Dual Image Stabilization, which combines the strengths of Optical and Digital Image Stabilization.

Like the HZ10W, the HZ15W puts high-definition video recording in the palm of users’ hands. With the HZ15W, consumers have the ability to record high-definition video at a resolution of 720p, and utilize the camera’s full 10x optical zoom. Samsung also incorporates H.264 compression and offers consumers true HDMI connectivity, which allows the camera to be connected directly to an HDTV without the need for a cradle. Additionally, the HZ15W’s ultra-clear, three-inch LCD screen is sure to turn heads and gives consumers the ability to easily frame their shots and review their images and video in any condition, even in direct sunlight.

Designed for a range of consumers, including entry-level photographers and advanced amateurs, the HZ15W offers a variety of shooting modes, including Manual. The camera’s Manual shooting mode allows users to manually configure settings such as shutter speed, aperture, exposure, and ISO values. Similar to the TL320, the HZ15W also features a highly-intuitive suite of automatic controls designed to help improve one’s ability to take great digital images. The camera’s advanced automatic shooting options include Face Detection, Smile Shot, Blink Detection, Beauty Shot, as well as Smart Auto, which automatically selects the appropriate scene mode for the user, and Smart Album, which simplifies the process of searching for an image saved on a memory card.

Available in black or silver, the TL320 will be available in May 2009 at an MSRP of $379.99.

The Samsung HZ15W will be available in March 2009 at an MSRP of $329.99

Samsung NV24HD

LetsGoDigital.com has reviewed the Samsung NV24HD compact digital camera. This camera is record 720p HD video at 30 fps and contains a 10 megapixel sensor.

Some key features for the Samsung NV24HD camera:
-720p HD video recording at 30 fps
-10 megapixel sensor
-2.5″ LCD screen
-3.6x optical zoom lens (24-86mm)

LetsGoDigital ends up giving the Samsung camera a good 72% rating as they find the camera to have quite a beautiful design and control. The only downsides are no RAW files and the noise control could be better. Seems like a pretty average compact camera to me.
Read the full review of the Samsung NV24HD camera here.