Nikon Digital Camera Blog

ST550 and ST500 Digital camera have been launched by Samsung, designed with :

1. front-facing LCDs
2. 12.2Mp
3. 1.5-inch LCD touchscreen next to the lens.
4. 4.6x optical zoom,
5. 27mm wide-angle lens,
6. HD video modes (1280x720p at 30fps)
7. scene recognition and
8. smile detection.

ST550 and ST500 Digital cameras cameras

Dual-screened digital cameras

The touchscreen LCDs on the rear of the cameras provide haptic feedback allowing you to feel when a touch has been registered. The focal point of the picture can also be controlled by touching the part of the image on the screen that you want to be in focus.

Both models feature image stabilisation, to counter the blurring effects of shaky hands, and Samsung claims that some of the key features of these cameras can be controlled by hand gestures and taps on the cameras’ bodies.

Al Warman a tech expert said: ‘in the past we’ve seen cameras with tilting and swivelling LCD screens on the rear, that can be turned to face the photographer for self portraits. Now Samsung have potentially gone one step further by adding a second LCD screen on the front.

‘The only problem is that you’ll still have to hold the camera at arm’s length to capture the shot, and if you’re left-handed you may want to hold the camera just where Samsung have put the screen.’

Smart Face Recognition

Smart Face Recognition technology will memorise up to 20 faces and adjust the focus and exposure to the most high-ranked faces on the camera. It allows users to sort images by registered faces and scroll through to find images of people in their Smart Album instead of viewing every single photo.

Alongside professional-grade photos, the ST550 and ST500 record 720p HD video at 30 frames-per-second in H.264 format, providing twice as much recording capacity as MPEG4 format, and four times more than using MJPEG format, all in the palm of your hand. HDMI connectivity means that your HD videos can be enjoyed on any HDTV or HD Monitor.

Samsung has a whole host of its latest digital cameras (pictured above) on display at the IFA show, including the Samsung WB1000, Samsung WB500, Samsung WB5000, Samsung ST1000 and the Samsung ST550.

The ST digital cameras in particular have been drawing a lot of attention at the show, thanks to Samsung showcasing a range of innovative features. Check out our video look at the ST550 and the ST1000, below.

Samsung-WB1000

The Samsung ST550 digital camera has a front-facing LCD screen, allowing the camera’s subject to see how he or she will appear in the frame. We found that the secondary screen is great for composing self portraits, and the Samsung ST550 digital camera has smile detection so it can take a picture without the need to depress the shutter release.

The Samsung ST1000 is all about connectivity, however. It features DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), which allows pictures to be wirelessly shown on DLNA-compatible TVs and laptops.

It tags each picture with the town or city’s name where it was taken using the in-built GPS. This is a particularly fun feature when pictures are added to a Picasa account, when they can then be viewed in galleries on Google Maps.

The Samsung ST1000 includes Wi-Fi access, so photos can be uploaded to Picasa or Facebook. The camera is also Bluetooth-enabled, so pictures can be transferred to mobile phones.

More in-depth first look reviews of these models can be found in our digital camera report and see also our report on choosing and buying the best digital camera.

Seoul, August 13th 2009: Samsung Digital Imaging Co. Ltd, today unveiled the ST550(TL225), ST500(TL220) and ST1000(CL65), the very latest additions to its camera portfolio. Representing the next step in the evolution of the digital camera, the Samsung ST550(TL225), ST500(TL220), and ST1000(CL65) give consumers a whole new approach to personal photography.

samsung-ST550

Delivering twice the fun of any other compact digital camera, Samsung’s innovative ST550(TL225) and ST500(TL220) truly put the photographer in the picture. Embracing the latest consumer trends, Samsung’s new ST1000(CL65) provides unprecedented connectivity as it incorporates geo-tagging, Bluetooth 2.0, DLNA, Wi-Fi* connectivity and DLNA compatibility, giving social networkers the ability to share their images while on the move and breaking the confines of uploading and sharing content in the traditional way.

The Samsung ST550(TL225) and ST500(TL220) bring the latest in compact camera innovation to consumers with Dual LCD screens on the front and back, offering twice the fun of any camera and allowing the user to take photographs they simply couldn’t take before. The 1.5” LCD now on the front of the ST550(TL225) and ST500(TL220) allows consumers to take these self-portraits and profile pictures with ease, showing the user exactly what the picture will look like, enabling the desired result every time. Incorporating a 3.5” wide, 1,152K resolution touch-screen LCD, the ST550(TL225) delivers one of the highest resolution screens available on a digital camera. Teamed with innovative Samsung technologies such as Smile Shot, Smart Face Recognition and Smart Auto, users are given the ability to take the perfect image with ease.

The ST1000(CL65)’s built-in geo-tagging allows users to record the details of the location and time the image was taken. The camera’s DLNA compatibility also allows it to wirelessly connect to another DLNA compatible device, such as an HDTV, within a user’s networked home to view and share their precious moments.

Seoul, August 13th 2009: Samsung Digital Imaging Co. Ltd, today unveiled the ST550(TL225), ST500(TL220) and ST1000(CL65), the very latest additions to its camera portfolio. These three new compact devices are highlighted by innovative new features, groundbreaking technology, ease of use and design. Representing the next step in the evolution of the digital camera, the Samsung ST550(TL225), ST500(TL220), and ST1000(CL65) give consumers a whole new approach to personal photography.

Samsung Digital Imaging

Delivering twice the fun of any other compact digital camera, Samsung’s innovative ST550(TL225) and ST500(TL220) truly put the photographer in the picture. The ST550(TL225) and ST500(TL220) feature Dual LCDs with one on the front of the camera and another one on the back. Embracing the latest consumer trends, Samsung’s new ST1000(CL65) provides unprecedented connectivity as it incorporates geo-tagging, Bluetooth 2.0, DLNA, Wi-Fi* connectivity and DLNA compatibility, giving social networkers the ability to share their images while on the move and breaking the confines of uploading and sharing content in the traditional way.

“Today’s product launch is an important milestone for Samsung, reinforcing our position as a leading innovator in the digital camera market and setting a new benchmark for digital camera technology,” said Sang Jin Park, Chief Executive Officer of Samsung Digital Imaging Co. Ltd. “It is our goal to continue to lead the evolution of the industry whilst delivering a first-class consumer experience through ease of use and the design of our ‘Smart Cameras’. We’ve listened to what consumers want and need, particularly in the social networking field, and I expect these latest products to surpass even the highest expectations of today’s budding photographer, guaranteeing fun and excitement to the user.”

and ST500(TL220)
The Samsung ST550(TL225) and ST500(TL220) bring the latest in compact camera innovation to consumers with Dual LCD screens on the front and back, offering twice the fun of any camera and allowing the user to take photographs they simply couldn’t take before. The growing popularity of social networking sites has given rise to the self-portrait or profile picture with many consumers turning their digital camera on themselves to become the subject of their photo.

The 1.5” LCD now on the front of the ST550(TL225) and ST500(TL220) allows consumers to take these self-portraits and profile pictures with ease, showing the user exactly what the picture will look like, enabling the desired result every time. Incorporating a 3.5” wide, 1,152K resolution touch-screen LCD, the ST550(TL225) delivers one of the highest resolution screens available on a digital camera. Complementing this is a 12.2 mega-pixel CCD and 27mm wide-angle Schneider KREIZNACH lens with 4.6x optical zoom, allowing a wider shooting range from a shorter distance, and producing clear, clean images with balanced resolution from the center of the image to the edges.

Another innovation found on the ST550(TL225) and ST500(TL220) is Samsung’s new powerful Smart Gesture User Interface (UI) with a built-in Gravity sensor. Once the camera is on, a simple tap on the front LCD turns it on and the camera is automatically set into self portrait mode with smile detection. This means if users want to take a self portrait, they only need to tap and smile and the picture will be taken automatically. Teamed with innovative Samsung technologies such as Smile Shot, Smart Face Recognition and Smart Auto, users are given the ability to take the perfect image with ease.

With the ability to capture and share photo memories on the move, the Samsung ST1000(CL65) allows users to truly connect with family and friends. Packed full of innovation and encased in a sleek compact frame, the ST1000(CL65) incorporates an unprecedented combination of geo-tagging technology, Bluetooth 2.0, DLNA compatibility, and Wi-Fi connectivity options.

The camera’s wireless functionality enables users to send and post pictures almost as quickly as they take them, while its GPS capabilities keep track of where users travel, giving them the ability to manage their images intelligently with geographical location data embedded directly into each corresponding EXIF file. With the increasing importance of content sharing for consumers, the ST1000(CL65) provides an unrivalled experience and is a great way to keep one’s network of friends and family in the know.

The ST1000(CL65)’s built-in geo-tagging allows users to record the details of the location and time the image was taken. Bluetooth 2.0 allows images to be distributed wirelessly to supporting devices such as mobile telephones, and Wi-Fi means that users can now email photos directly from their camera and upload their photos or videos to popular social networking websites, including Facebook®, Picasa™, and YouTube®. The camera’s DLNA compatibility also allows it to wirelessly connect to another DLNA compatible device, such as an HDTV, within a user’s networked home to view and share their precious moments.

Introduced to the world via a series of themed events in New York, Beijing, Bangkok, London and Seoul, the ST550(TL225), ST500(TL220) and ST1000(CL65) will be available to consumers from August 2009.