Samsung EX2F Smart Camera Available Today for Lower Than Anticipated Price

Samsung announced today that their new EX2F Wi-Fi enabled Smart camera is now available nationwide for $499.99 ($50 less than the anticipated retail price when the camera was announced in early September). The compact EX2F offers full manual control, an f/1.4 24mm wide-angle lens, a 1/1.7-inch 12-megapixel BSI CMOS image sensor, and a 3-inch Swivel AMOLED display. With Wi-Fi connectivity, photographers can instantly share their shots via email or social networking directly from the camera. Users can also use the Remote Viewfinder app to frame shots on a smartphone or tablet’s screen.

(Samsung)

Samsung Announces Three New NX-Series Mirrorless Cameras with Built-In Wi-Fi

Samsung today announced three new mirrorless interchangeable lens cameras to their NX-series lineup. Samsung is calling the new NX1000, NX210 and NX20 "SMART cameras" because they feature built-in Wi-Fi connectivity for sharing and storing photos straight from the camera. Each of the new cameras also features a Samsung-designed 20.3-megapixel APS-C CMOS sensor and is compatible with all of the NX-series iFunction lenses.

No pricing information is yet available for the new cameras.

(Samsung)

Samsung Announces DualView DV300F WiFi Camera

Samsung's DualView camera lineup has been increasingly gaining in popularity over the past couple of years (see DP's review of the DualView TL225 here), due in large part to the namesake feature: the dual (front and back) LCD screens. Like its predecessors, the newly announced Samsung DV300F features a 1.5-inch front LCD that allows you to see a live view of what the lens sees, in order to get a perfectly framed self-portrait or couples' travel shot. What at first seemed like a gimmick for the Facebook era narcissist in us all, the DualView has quickly been embraced as a convenient staple point-and-shoot feature.

Much the same, consumers who are used to the immediacy of sharing the images they capture on smart phones have come to expect the same sharing capabilities from digital cameras. Reacting to that consumer demand, the Samsung DV300F is the first DualView model to offer WiFi connectivity. "The camera’s built-in Wi-Fi connectivity enables users to email their images or upload them to social media sites including Facebook, Picasa, Flickr and YouTube. In addition, images saved onto the camera’s microSD memory card, can be saved to a home PC without wires, by using the Auto PC Backup function. Cloud services, including Samsung’s AllShare Play and Microsoft SkyDrive, allows users to store and share their precious pictures from anywhere," according to Samsung.

The 16-megapixel CCD sensor Samsung DV300F will be available in March for an estimated $199.

(via Samsung)

Samsung SH100 WiFi Compact Camera Review

Samsung SH100: Pocket Camera with Instant Image Sharing Text and Images by Allison Gibson

First revealed at CES this year, the Samsung SH100 ($199.99 MSRP) compact digital camera offers instant, wireless sharing of images---via email or upload to social networking and photo sharing sites---directly from the device. For a petite pocket camera, this gadget has a far reach. It features a 14-megapixel CCD image sensor, a 5x optical zoom 26mm f/3.3-5.9 Samsung lens, and 720p High Definition video recording (30fps).

Instant Sharing

The most notable feature of the Samsung SH100 is its ability to share and automatically backup captured images instantly and wirelessly, with easy menu options for single or bulk image sharing. By using the camera's built-in wireless, you can connect to your WiFi network, to other Samsung WiFi cameras, or to an Android-powered Galaxy S smartphone to share your images. The phone can also be used as a remote viewfinder, offering real time preview and control of the shutter release.

The options for sharing include: email, and upload to Facebook, Picasa, YouTube and Photobucket. You can also browse existing photo albums while logged into Facebook, but cannot view walls or post statuses (there's no qwerty keyboard on the camera).

When I recently met with members of the Samsung team, I nagged them about the fact that the SH100 wasn't Twitter compatible, given the massive global popularity of the social networking site. Twitter users regularly include images in their tweets and I saw this as a missed opportunity for Samsung. Another obvious missed opportunity for the photo sharing community is Flickr. The good news is, I was told that Twitter and others are being considered for the next generation of the camera, and that adding support for new services is easy now that the technology for sharing is already there there. The fact that the remote viewfinder feature only works with Samsung smartphones seems a little incestuous and excludes users of other smartphones, but I can understand the interest in keeping the technology within the brand.

Design & UI

click thumbnails to enlarge

With a 3-inch touchscreen LCD that operates in the familiar way of a smartphone, the menus are easy to navigate, if a smidge less graceful in the dragging department than the smartphone that I'm most familiar with---the iPhone 4. The only button on the back of the camera, to the right of the LCD, is a dedicated Home button, which brings you back to the main menu from wherever you happen to be. At the top of the camera, you have the power button, zoom toggle and playback button. Otherwise, everything else is in the digital menu, which certainly helped to keep the camera's slim profile in check. At 3.66"W x 2.12"H x .74"D, the SH100 is very compact, and also lightweight. Another way they keep the size of the body down is to use MicroSD for memory, rather than the more common SD/SDHC cards.

The thing about these tiny digicams, though, is that they are sometimes too small to stabilize, making them prone to blur from camera shake. And, unfortunately, the SH100 only features "Digital Image Stabilization," not OIS (optical image stabilization, which stabilizes before the image is converted digitally) to compensate for shakiness. However, one exterior aid is the thumb grip on the back of the camera, which allows the camera to sit more securely in-hand when recording. But even then, especially in low-light conditions, you will need to brace the left side of the camera and turn up the ISO sensitivity to combat blur. I think one way to combat this---externally--- in a future generation would be to raise the shutter release, rather than leave it in the recessed position it is in now. As it is now, it requires a lot of pressure to snap a shot, and any extra pressure is bound to cause camera shake.

Creative Touches

Magic Frame: Billboard 1 (click to view full-size image)

One of the many creative features of the SH100 is called Magic Frame Shot, which allows you to layer your photograph into a digital template of your liking, with real time preview of the effects as you shoot. The options include: Wall Art, Album, Ripple, Full Moon, Old Record, Magazine, Sunny Day, Classic TV, Yesterday, Holiday, and two Billboard choices. Options such as image quality, flash and self-timer may still be applied to this effect. As with a regular shot, a Magic Frame Shot can be instantly shared on Facebook or emailed once captured.

Photo Filters: Vignetting, Fish-eye, Miniature; Smart Auto mode (click images to enlarge)

Another built-in creative feature of the SH100 is Photo Filter, which includes a menu of distinct automatic art filters, such as: Miniature (similar to Tilt-Shift or Toy Camera options seen elsewhere), Vignetting (similar to a Pinhole camera effect), Soft Focus, Half Tone, Sketch, Fish-eye, Defog, Classic, Retro, Negative, and two Old Film options. I was pleased to find that the Fish-eye filter is one of the better digital replications of the fish-eye lens effect that I've seen to date, after having tested the effect in several other cameras' art filter lineups---including that of the PENTAX K-x and K-r DSLRs. I only wish the fish-eye images weren't framed with that black vignette, which sort of looks like an old television set.

Additional creative features include: Scene Modes, Vignetting, Beauty Shot, Movie Filter, Night Shot, Palette Effect and Object Highlight. There is also a built-in Photo Editor. The SH100's Smart Auto 2.0 for still images and video does the guesswork for you by choosing one of 17 different shooting modes.

Conclusion

While the Samsung SH100 isn't the first WiFi point-and-shoot, it does offer the most avenues for connecting. Hopefully soon this will be standard fair for pocket cams, with even more options, as instant sharing is the name of the game these days.

Samsung SH100

• MSRP:
• $199.99
• Size/Weight:
• 3.66”W x 2.12”H x 0.74”D
• Image Sensor:
• 14-megapixels, CCD (1/2.33″)
• Still Recording Format:
• JPG
• Memory:
• Micro SD
• Display:
• 3-inch touch LCD

• Video Recording Mode:
• 1280x720 (30/15fps); in H.264 format
• ISO Equivalent:
• Auto, 80, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
• Power Source:
• Rechargeable Battery
• Contact:
• www.samsung.com/us

Samsung Announces ST80 Wi-Fi Digital Camera

Samsung has just announced the ST80---a 14.2MP Wi-Fi-enabled digital camera. Similar to the technology we've seen in the Sony Cyber-shot G3, the Samsung ST80 allows users to upload and share photos and videos instantaneously, directly from the camera to Facebook, Picasa, et al. The slim point-and-shoot offers 3x optical zoom and a 3-inch wide touchscreen, as well as Samsung's new in-camera editing "Smart Crop" feature. The ST80 will be available in September for $249.99. Read more from Samsung below.

From Samsung:

Ridgefield Park, NJ (July 28, 2010) – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, today unveiled the ST80, a 14.2 mega-pixel point and-shoot camera that joins Samsung’s growing line of Wi-Fi enabled digital cameras. With wireless technologies such as Wi-Fi and Samsung’s AllShare™ (DNLA) connectivity, the ST80 makes it easy to share images on the move and keep friends and family updated from anywhere at any time. “We want to let people share their favorite pictures quickly while they’re on the move, and the ST80 does just that,” said Sangjin Park, President of the Digital Imaging Business, Samsung Electronics. “Connectivity is everywhere, and at Samsung we are committed to bringing these wireless capabilities to the digital imaging world by developing innovative cameras that satisfy the distinct needs of our consumers. The innovative and stylish design of the ST80 is also a testament to the strong vision of Samsung’s design engineers. It’s the perfect digital imaging solution for today’s well-connected consumer.”

Beauty and Brains The unique style of the ST80 immediately makes it stand out from the crowd. Consumers will be drawn to the ST80’s slim and rounded design, which houses a 3x optical zoom as well as a large, 3.0-inch wide touch screen on the back of the camera. Consumers will also enjoy the smart features found within the camera. The ST80 comes equipped with Samsung’s new ‘Smart Crop’ feature, a unique editing tool which takes place directly on the camera. With ‘Smart Crop,’ users can crop images taken at any angle or slant, such as banners or signs, and then straighten them as if they were originally taken straight on. The ST80 also makes it easy to capture great images with Samsung’s Smart Auto (Still & Movie) scene recognition technology. Smart Auto (Still & Movie) automatically recognizes the user’s current shooting environment and selects the appropriate settings to achieve the best results possible. In addition to the impressive 14.2 mega-pixel resolution for digital still images, the ST80 offers HD video recording. At 30 frames-per-second, the ST80 allows consumers to record high quality, 720p HD video utilizing the H.264 format, which provides up to three times more recording capacity than the MJPEG video format.

Wirelessly Connected The ST80’s wireless connectivity makes it easy for users to upload or share digital images or videos with others directly from the camera without the need to be connected to a computer. By leveraging an available Wi-Fi internet connection, consumers have the option to email their digital images and video to individual email addresses or to those stored in the camera’s address book. In addition to email, consumers can also effortlessly upload images and videos directly to social networking sites such as Facebook®, Picasa™, YouTube®, Photo Bucket or even Samsung’s own Web site (www.samsungimaging.com). The ST80 range also comes equipped with an account with mobile hotspot provider Boingo, delivering broadband speeds in the palm of your hands at more than 120,000 Wi-Fi hotspots across the world. The ST80’s wireless connectivity is further enhanced by Samsung’s AllShare™ technology. Thanks to AllShare, users can effortlessly sync the ST80 to popular DLNA-compliant (Digital Living Network Alliance) electronics found throughout the home, such as HDTVs and digital photo frames, and wirelessly connect and share content between each device.

Sony G3

by Don Sutherland

Published Spring '09

Compact And Packed With Features

A lot of people looking for the best camera for snapshots mistakenly say, “I’m just an amateur, I don’t need a lot of features. I just want something simple.” Well, today’s “simple” camera comes standard with loads of high-end features. Sony’s DSC-G3 Cyber-shot includes face detection, smile shutter, touch screen LCD and even the ability to access the internet via wireless connection for transferring photos direct from the camera to popular photo sharing websites. All this, yet the camera is quite tiny, fitting inside a shirt pocket with room to spare.

With a camera so compact, you need never be without it; with so many features, there’s practically no picture you can’t take. That’s a lot of camera for a list price of $499.99 (or less—as this is written, we’re seeing it advertised for as low as $432.00).

Wireless Connectivity

Of all the novelties in the Sony G3, the most celebrated is its Wi-Fi Internet connectivity. Several pro cameras have this kind of feature, but the G3 is the first in the snapshot market. Under the right conditions, it can greatly expand the fun of taking and sharing pictures.

The benefits accrue to the traveling photographer, wherever a hot spot is to be found.

A wireless transfer, all other things equal, may be slower than a hardwired connection, but it’s a lot faster than none at all. If you have friends eager to see your photos and videos, the G3 is prepared to abide.

The wireless system in the G3 can communicate with its counterpart in your computer, although you may have to work your way through issues like encryption and firewalls before connecting (as you would with most devices). For uploading to online photo sharing sites, the G3 can connect directly to a half-dozen popular destinations including Picasa, Photobucket and YouTube.

The wireless transfer has the broadest benefits to users in the field—out at a location where their computers and drives and storage solutions are unavailable. Some may find it frustrating that only one file at a time can be uploaded to the sharing sites mentioned above, however. Batch uploading several photos at a time would eliminate the need to choose “the best” under conditions that might be hurried and distracting. I’m guessing this is a firmware consideration in the G3, and possibly future editions of the camera (or firmware upgrades) will correct this restriction.

There is also still the option to download images from your camera to your computer by removing the Memory Stick and inserting it in a reader. This is my preference, as it’s the fastest, simplest, and least error-prone approach. The G3 also comes with about 4GB of internal memory, which can be transferred to your computer by wireless connection, or using a special cable supplied with the camera.

Touch Screen Control

The G3’s monitor screen is quite large (about 3.5-inches wide) and very bright, but it still could be overwhelmed if struck directly by sunlight. An optical viewfinder, or eyelevel EVF, would have been a thoughtful addition for conquering those tough moments.

But also, a touch screen for camera settings instead of separate buttons in the camera body keeps costs down, as virtual “buttons” on a monitor screen cost nothing extra to construct. In addition, physical buttons create spaces through which moisture and dust can enter the system. A touch screen reduces this prospect.

One of the helpful features of this touch screen is that you can frame-up a scene and then touch the part of it on the monitor that you want the camera to focus on, and it will.

Say “Cheese”

Face detection has taken the market by storm, and for good reason. By locking onto a face, the camera’s auto focus can follow it around the frame and maintain settings for the face itself and not other components in the scene.

Adult faces have different characteristics than children’s’ faces do, so the G3’s face detection mode can be adjusted for either kind, enhancing its accuracy according to subject.

In addition, the system can recognize a smile and cause the camera to do something in response— such as taking a picture. The smile shutter permits your stepping into the scene and joining a portrait, with no remote-control devices needed other than your grin. Since some people smile more broadly than others, the “smile sensitivity” of the G3’s system can be adjusted to suit.

Final Thoughts

The imager includes 10.1-megapixels, all or some of which can be used for different frame formats. Maximum picture size is 3648x2736 pixels, a 4:3 format matching traditional TV and computer screens. You can also select the 16:9 HDTV format (3648x2056 pixels) or the 3:2 format (same as “full frame” digital SLRs) at 3648x2432 pixels. Or, you can take internet-ready pictures (around 640x480 pixels) in-camera, for upload to a website directly.

The G3 also can shoot movies at 640x480 size, and 320x240, which Sony suggests for e-mail attachments.

The Carl Zeiss Tessar lens provides a 4X zoom range (35-140mm, 35mm equivalent), which covers moderate wide angle to medium telephoto— a respectable range for a camera this small. The optical steady shot system provides image-stabilization. Maximum aperture range is f/3.5-4.6, which would be more-or-less characteristic of a camera of this class.

Picture quality with the Sony G3 Cyber-shot strikes me as very good for a camera of this class. Being the tinycam it is, it uses a smallish imager which is not expected to reproduce quite the fine detail as a 10MP D-SLR, with its large imaging chip. That said, you couldn’t slip a D-SLR into a shirt pocket. I’m confident you’ll find the picture quality of the G3 completely satisfying. And with its loads of additional features, refinements, and fine-tunings, you’ll be impressed with how versatile and flexible today’s “simple camera” can be.

Sony Cyber-shot DSC-G3

MSRP: $499.99

• Size/Weight:
• 4-1/8”W x 2-1/2”H x 25/32”D, 7 oz.
• Image Sensor:
• 10.1-megapixels
• Maximum Resolution:
• 3,648x,2736 pixels
• Display:
• 3.5-inch LCD, 921,600 pixels
• Still Recording format:
• JPEG
• Memory:
• Memory Stick Duo, plus 4GB RAM internal
• Exposure Metering:
• Averaging
• Focusing Capability:
• Normal, Macro, and Close-Focus settings to approx.1/2-inch

• Special Features:
• Wireless connectivity, built-in web browser, Face Detection, Smile Shutter, 10 Scene modes, Touchscreen Focus, Optical Steady Shot image-stabilization.
• Video Recording Mode:
• MPEG1, approx. 12 minutes/GB in fine mode, 44 minutes/GB in standard mode, 2:57 hours in half mode.
• Provided Accessories:
• NP-BD1 Li-Ion battery, charger, touch screen stylus, combination USB/AV cable, wrist strap, Station Plate (for use with optional accessory).
• Power Source:
• NP-BD1 interchangeable Li-Ion battery.
• Contact:
• www.sonystyle.com

Check out the New Issue of DP!

The brand new issue of Digital Photographer features profiles on top photographers, including New York based Barbara Bordnick's unique take on floral photography and an international look at fashion photographers from New York to London to Shanghai. You are sure to learn about and be inspired by the creative and business sides of shooting in that genre. The issue also features insightful reviews of new D-SLRs, including the Nikon D90, which shoots HD video and the Olympus E-30, which features creative art filters. There are also reviews of the retro looking Canon G10 "prosumer" camera and the Sony Cyber-shot G3, which is Wi-Fi enabled to share photos on sites like Picasa instantly and wirelessly. Also, don't miss the "Back to Basics" features on those nagging features that you never quite understood: resolution, image quality and zoom range, and the basics of camcorder speak.

Of course, there are always the columns you love: Digital Insider, Exposure and Inside the Image, which features the work of a DP reader. Learn how your photograph could be featured in the next issue here. We look forward to your feedback on the new issue, and as always, you can catch us on Twitter for up to the minute photo world news.

Midweek Photo News Roundup- 6/17

photo by erix! (creative commons)

It's Wednesday afternoon and all that most people can think about is how many days, hours, minutes remain until the weekend. But not you, you're a photographer! You're never bored, but are always plotting your next photo shoot or researching the new D-SLR you've had your eye on. We're right there with you, friend. To keep the wild world of photography on your mind midweek, here's our roundup of what's been happening in it lately.

-Fantasea announced two new underwater camera housings just in time for summer: the FL-19/20 for Nikon Coolpix L19 & L20 cameras and the FA-480 for the Canon PowerShot A480.

-onOne Software announced its first ever iPhone application. The new DSLR Camera Remote for iPhone allows photographers using a supported Canon EOS DSLR that is connected to a WiFi enabled computer to remotely control the settings of the camera, fire the shutter, review images, and even get a live viewfinder preview.

-Think Take Photo collaborated on a stunning concept video for their soon to be released addition to the Multimedia Wired Up Collection of bags, specifically designed for those shooting still, audio, and video in the field.

-Getty Images launched a new Flickr photo clouds feature to The Flickr Collection, which lets users visually group images that catch their eye.

CES Day One

After a whirlwind opening day at CES, I have reports on brand new products from Sony, DXG, Digital Foci, HP, iomega and an up close look at a revolutionary Panasonic camera. My favorite product of the day was Sony's just announced Cybershot G3 point-and-shoot camera. The big deal about it is that it's the world's first Wi-Fi enabled camera, so you can immediately upload your photos to a photo sharing site, such as Picasa, rather than making the usual empty promise to a friend about "sending them that picture" right after it is taken at a party, and then never following through. It's a 10 MP camera with a 4x optical zoom Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens and it comes with complimentary AT&T Wi-Fi access to Sony’s Easy Upload Home Page until Jan. 31, 2012. I'm sure you have a million questions about the Wi-Fi access and uploading, as I had for our Sony contact, so I'll just tell you that they have partnered with a few photo sharing sites, including Picasa, Shutterfly and a few others, but if you prefer a site that they haven't yet partnered with, like Flickr, you can use the web browser to head straight to that site and upload the same way you can from your computer. The partnered sites just work better because they will fit to the screen. Of course this is all done through touch screen technology with a stylus. They already have plenty of input (from me and others) about who else they should partner with, including Facebook, so they will be upgrading these choices, which will appear to a Cybershot G3 owner periodically.

Another great product that I got to finally see in person today was the Panasonic Lumix G1. You'll see more about this in our next issue of DP (our first all digital issue through Zinio.com), but let's just say it's pretty amazing. The format is different than anything else, as a Micro Four Thirds Standard. It can be a pro's alternative camera, or a beginner's first camera. Either way, the ability to easily interchange lenses and the full time Live-View will make sure you get the best shot, not matter what your background in photography.

A few other notable products from today were iomega's line up of sleek, but tough, new eGo portable hard drives and DXG's just announced HD camcorder A80. As they transition into solely camcorders, and away from still cams, I think this new DXG really puts them up there with the bigger name competitors in the field. Digital Foci also has a brand new portable digital photo storer/viewer, called the Picture Porter 35, with the capability to connect with USB and almost any CF,SD/HC,MMC,mimiSD,MS/Duo,xD card you can imagine. This product is ideal for the pro out on the field. HP also has a new 512 MB digital keychain, which we're seeing a lot of this year, in stylish options that would make a great gift, and a brilliantly stylish new Netbook. Sony also showed us a few more of their just announced HD camcorders and their Webbie HD camcorders, which are ideal for uploading straight to sites like YouTube.

Note: We are having issues with our image loading for the blog (a cruel fate for a photography magazine, I know). So, hold tight for photos to come.