Photo Club

Samsung has introduced two new point-and-shoots, the TL34HD and TL9. The 14.7-megapixel TL34HD features a 3.6x Schneider zoom lens with a 28mm wide angle (35mm equivalent), and a 3-inch, 460,000-dot touchscreen LCD. That model replaces Samsung’s NV24HD, and implements a new version of the Smart Touch interface that distinguished the NV series. Smart Touch 2.0 employs two sets of pressure-sensitive buttons located along the edges of the LCD to provide access to controls. Running a finger over a row of buttons lets you activate and navigate menus, or adjust settings with virtual sliders. The TL34HD also has an improved image processing engine. The 10-megapixel TL9 offers a 2.7-inch LCD, an internal 5x zoom lens, and the ability to play MP3s and videos. It has a 2.5mm headphone port, as well as an external speaker with SRS 3D acoustic technology. Both cameras offer a Dual Image Stabilization mode that combines optical and digital image stabilization.

Among the notable features that the cameras share are 13 automatic scene modes, face-detection autofocus and autoexposure, and a new Recycle Bin function that restores deleted photos. The two TL models also offer Smile Shot and Blink Detection modes, which respectively automatically snap a photo when someone smiles and alert the photographer when someone blinks. The TL34HD offers a shutter speed range of 1/1500 to 15 seconds and a light-sensitivity range of ISO 80 to ISO 3200, or ISO 4800 at a reduced 3-megapixel resolution. The TL9 has a shutter speed range of 1/2000 to 15 seconds and a light-sensitivity range of ISO 80 to ISO 1600. It also distinguishes itself with an unusual feature: two analog gauges that display remaining memory and battery life.

While both new cameras can capture 640×480 video with sound at a smooth 30fps, the TL34HD also offers a 720p, 30fps high-definition mode that saves footage in the H.264 format, and the TL9 has an MPEG-4 video mode that shoots 800×592-pixel MPEG-4 footage at 20fps. The cameras allow video capture to be paused and resumed during a single clip, and enable the optical zoom to function during video capture. Samsung sells an HDMI Consumer Electronics Control cradle that is compatible with the TL34HD for displaying hi-def video on an HDTV. When it’s connected to a Samsung HDTV, users can navigate the TL34HD’s menus with the TV’s remote.

The $329.95 TL34HD and the $279.95 TL9 will be available in September 2008.

Samsung SL310W : Samsung announces the launch of its feature packed Samsung SL310W. Ideal for the step-up shooter, the Samsung SL310W is highlighted by features commonly found on higher-end, more expensive digital cameras, including an impressive resolution of 13.6 megapixels, Dual Image Stabilization, and a 3.6x, 28mm wide-angle optical zoom lens which significantly improves the user’s ability to photograph more of a desired scene. The Samsung SL310W offers a number of user-friendly features, including 11 scene modes, auto red-eye fix and MPEG-4 video recording. The camera also features Self Portrait, Face Detection, Blink Detection, and Smile Shot technology, all of which help enhance the digital imaging experience for the shooter.

Samsung SL310W digital camera with Dual Image Stabilization
Dual Image Stabilization, which combines both Samsung’s advanced Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Digital Image Stabilization (DIS), is a useful feature that helps reduce the blur found in images as a result of vibrations, hand shake or other unexpected movements at the moment of image capture. When selected, OIS and DIS work simultaneously to reduce the effects of unwanted movement and help shooters capture crisp, clear images. Thanks to the enhanced sensitivity of the Samsung SL310W’s imaging sensor, which features a maximum ISO of 1600, and the camera’s Dual Image Stabilization, users can rest assured that they’ll be able to capture images in low-light situations, especially when the use of a flash is not desired.

Samsung SL310W ideal for scenarios and landscape photography
Additionally, Samsung gives shooters the ability to capture more of a desired scene and fit it into the frame by including a high-quality 28mm wide-angle lens. Unlike a standard 35mm lens which is commonly found on compact digital cameras, the Samsung SL310W’s 28mm wide-angle lens gives consumers the ability to expand their creativity and take even more moving and emotional images. Ideal for a variety of scenarios, users can easily leverage the increased viewing angle of the Samsung SL310W’s wide-angle lens, especially when shooting landscapes or groups of family or friends.

28mm wide angle lens incorporated in Samsung SL310W
“The new Samsung SL310W sets a new standard for compact digital cameras in its class,” said Tony Sorice, vice president of Sales and Marketing for Digital Imaging, at Samsung Electronics America. “Typically, comparably priced digital cameras don’t offer a full suite of advanced features and functionalities like the more advanced point & shoots. With the Samsung SL310W, consumers have access to a number of advanced and helpful features, including Face Detection, Blink Detection, Smile Shot, as well as an impressive wide angle lens and Dual Image Stabilization. Compared to the competitive offerings in this category, the Samsung SL310W offers shooters MPEG-4 video, allowing them to record high-quality video clips while on the-go and an intelligent LCD screen that will automatically brighten or dim for easier viewing based on available lighting.”

Advanced technology features on the Samsung SL310W
Self Portrait mode is a unique function that takes the guessing out of taking a self portrait. When in Self Portrait mode, the Samsung SL310W automatically detects the user’s face, adjust focus and exposure, and will only allow a photo to be taken if the subject is centered in the frame. Face Detection technology makes taking pictures of family and friends a snap, as it detects up to nine faces and automatically adjusts focus and exposure to ensure better composition and image quality. Furthermore, Smile Shot automatically triggers the Samsung SL310W to take a photo only when the camera detects smiles on the subjects’ faces, and Blink Detection will prevent a photo from being taken if the camera recognizes that a subject’s eyes are closed – a useful feature as it’s often difficult to distinguish closed eyes when composing a shot on an LCD screen.

Red eye fix and Movie mode on the Samsung SL310
For enhanced versatility, shooters can remove red-eye during image playback, or for even greater convenience, set the camera to Auto Red Eye Fix to automatically detect and eliminate red-eye from their images as they are taken. The Samsung SL310W is also equipped with advanced movie modes. Featuring MPEG-4 video recording and in-camera editing controls, users can pause, and then resume filming of video clips without having to save the clips as individual files. Additionally, users can operate the camera’s 28mm wide-angle optical zoom and engage OIS and DIS while recording to compensate for unwanted movement and to reduce blur.

Function Description and Photo Help Guide features
To reduce the intimidation factor of the camera’s many elements, the Samsung SL 310W offers Function Description and a Photo Help Guide. Function Description automatically provides a brief and easy to understand description of each setting when scrolling through the camera’s menus, helping the end-user determine which setting is appropriate for their current shooting scenario. The camera’s Photo Help Guide is another intuitive component incorporated into the digital camera. Photo Help Guide offers the end-user a guided tour of how to take better images as well as easy-to-follow tips instructing them how to obtain excellent results.

Olympus FE-340 in red. Click photo for more images of the four new FE-Series point-and-shoots.

Olympus has added four new 8-megapixel models to its FE line of affordable, ultracompact point-and-shoots that share a similar set of controls but offer different optical and viewfinding options. The FE-310 and FE-340 both offer a 5x zoom lens, with an f/3.2-4.8, 37-185mm and an f/3.5-5.6, 36-180mm (35mm equivalent) range, respectively. The FE-320 and FE-350 provide f/3.1-5.9, 36-108mm 3x and f/2.7-5.4 28-112mm 4x zooms, respectively. In addition to focal-length ranges, screen size is another big differentiator between the models, with the FE-310 providing a basic 154,000-dot, 2.5-inch LCD, the FE-320 and FE-340 moving up to a sharper 230,000-dot, 2.7-inch screen, and the FE-350 sporting a big 234,044-dot, 3-inch LCD. And thanks to their implementation of Olympus’s TruePic III processor, the FE-320 and FE-340 also promise faster performance, shoot at ISO settings up to 3200 instead of the other cameras’ 640 limit, capture VGA video at a 30fps rate instead of 15fps, and offer 19 shooting modes each, compared to 17 from the less powerful models.

All of the new FE cameras offer face-detection autofocus and auto exposure, in-camera help, a digital image stabilization feature that automatically boosts the ISO setting and shutter speed, and Olympus’s Perfect Shot Preview feature, which helps users preview the effects of setting changes before taking a photo.

The FE-320 and FE-340 share a Smile Shot mode that uses face-detection technology to automatically snap three consecutive shots when someone in front of the camera smiles. If that doesn’t succeed, photographers can resort to the questionable Expression Edit feature that these cameras provide in review mode. It lets you do just what it says: edit your subjects’ facial expressions by selecting altered versions of a shot. Another automatic tool available in the three higher-end FEs is Perfect Fix, which automatically adjusts exposure, sharpens blurry areas, and corrects redeye in playback mode.

The FE-310 is notably the only one of the new models that does not provide selectable white balance settings or a spot autofocus mode, and runs on AA batteries instead of a lithium ion cell.

The $149.99 FE-310, $179.99 FE-320, $199.99 FE-340 and $249.99 FE-350 will be available in January 2008. They all come with Olympus Master 2 software.

The Samsung NV40 is a 10.5 megapixel digital camera (CCD) with a 3x Schneider-Kreuznach Varioplan branded 3x optical zoom lens.

The NV40 features a lens with built in optical image stabilization as well as software based anti-shake technology (for both movie and still images).

The camera features self portrait mode, face detection technology the ability to shoot at up to 3200 ISO.

Movies can be recorded at 640×480 pixels at 30 frames per second.

The Samsung NV40 has a 2.5 inch LCD with 230,000 pixels, 20 megabytes of internal memory and it will have a retail price of $329.00 USD when it hits stores in March 2007.

Samsung NV40 News Release Samsung Broadens Award-Winning NV-Series With Two New Models

NV30 and NV40 Represent the Evolution of Samsung’s Celebrated NV-Series

Las Vegas, NV (January 7, 2008) – Samsung is proud to introduce two new additions to its award-winning NV-Series of advanced point and shoot digital cameras – the 8.1 mega-pixel NV30 and 10 mega-pixel NV40. In addition to featuring elite NV-Series technology, such as the revolutionary Smart Touch user interface, the NV30 and NV40 also incorporate a new DRIM Engine image processor, for enhanced image quality and speed.

Combined with the cameras’ premium 3x optical zoom Schneider lenses, the new DRIM Engine yields outstanding image quality, producing some of the sharpest, most clear and color accurate images available today. The highest performing imaging sensor found in Samsung’s extensive array of digital cameras, the DRIM Engine also boasts a drastically improved shutter lag, shot-to-shot time and processing speed.

The NV30’s and NV40’s Dual Image Stabilization also adds to the shooting experience. Dual Image Stabilization combines both Samsung’s improved Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) and Digital Image Stabilization (DIS) modes. When selected, OIS and DIS work simultaneously to provide blur-free images, no matter how shaky the user’s hand may be.

“This is the next generation of Samsung’s award-winning NV series of digital cameras,” said Stewart Henderson, Vice President Marketing, Samsung Opto-Electronics America. “NV stands for New Vision, and the NV30 and NV40 are representative of the evolution of what has become our highly-successful, flagship line. At Samsung, we strive to deliver the most advanced, digital imaging solutions to consumers in products that not only offer a stylish design but also deliver images of incomparable quality.

Samsung’s NV-Series raises the bar among the key players in this industry and is sure to continue to be a formidable challenger to such photographic brands’ competitive offerings,” concluded Mr. Henderson.

In keeping with the NV-Series’ philosophy of encouraging users to get the most out of their camera’s robust functionality, Samsung has included a new, secondary Photo Style Selector (PSS) dial. Located on top of the cameras, opposite the standard mode dial, which allows users to set the NV30 and NV40 to a designated shooting mode, the new PSS dial represents a revolution in both design and functionality. Empowering the shooter’s thumb, the PSS dial brings a host of creative effects to the fingertip, allowing the user effortless access to seven types of color profiles, including Soft, Vivid, Forest, Retro, Cool, Calm and Classic.

On the back of the cameras’ brushed black, stainless steel bodies, lies Samsung’s Smart Touch user interface. Smart Touch enables easy navigation of the cameras’ comprehensive feature sets by simply sliding a finger across the control buttons positioned around the cameras’ 2.5” LCD screens, which will automatically brighten or dim depending on the current lighting situation. For reviewing and sharing images with others, the NV30 and NV40 also feature an intuitive Multi-Slide Show. With Multi-Slide Show, end-users can playback their images using five different slide transitions and can also have their images set to scroll to the cameras’ preloaded music or their own favorite MP3 files.

Users can also take advantage of advanced features such as Face Detection and Self Portrait mode. Face Detection technology makes taking pictures of family and friends a snap, as it detects up to nine faces and automatically adjusts focus and exposure to ensure better composition and image quality. Self Portrait mode is a unique functionality that takes the guessing out of taking a self portrait. By utilizing Face Detection technology, the NV30 and NV40 automatically detect the user’s face, adjusts focus and exposure, and will only allow a photo to be taken if the subject is centered in the frame. Additionally, with the ability to shoot at ISO 3200 and 14 scene modes to choose from, including Night, Portrait, Children, Landscape, Close-Up, Text, Sunset, Dawn, Backlight, Fireworks, Beach & Snow, Café, Food, and Self Portrait, shooters can effortlessly adjust the NV30 and NV40 and capture the best image possible in any setting.

The NV30 and NV40 also boast a Function Description feature. Designed to reduce the intimidation factor of the cameras’ various modes, the Function Description automatically provides a brief and easy to understand description of each setting when scrolling through the cameras’ menus, helping the end-user determine which setting is appropriate for their current shooting scenario.

These new NV cameras also have the ability to record at VGA resolution (640×480) at a maximum frame rate of 30fps. Shooters can also take advantage of the cameras’ movie stabilizers and 3x optical zooms while recording video and with Samsung’s Successive Recording mode, can pause, and then resume filming without having to save the clips as individual files.

NV30: $279 MSRP – Available February 2008 NV40: $329 MSRP – Available March 2008

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Not wanting to be left out of the spate of new camera announcements this week, Olympus has unleashed a small horde of new cameras designed to appeal to a wide range of entry-level and mid-range camera buyers looking for high megapixel counts and strong performance.

First up, the Olympus FE-280, FE-290, and FE-300 are meant to appeal to casual photographers, with the FE-300 offering a 12 megapixel resolution and face detection, the FE-290 opting for 7.1 megapixels with a 3-inch LCD viewfinder and a 4× optical zoom, and the slim FE-280s offering 8 megapixels of resolution and face detection technology. The FE-280s also cater to the fashion conscious, and will be available in red, blue, black, and silver. All three cameras feature digital image stabilization and store images to xD media cards. All three models should be available in August, with the FE-280s carrying a suggested price of $199.99, with the FE-290 and FE-300 going for $249.99 and $299.99, respectively.

Next, Olympus has announced the Stylus 820, Stylus 830, and Stylus 1200 which notch things up a bit with improved features and performance. All three cameras feature face detection technology, shadow adjustment, “Perfect Shot Preview” (which offers thumbnails of photo effects on the preview screen before snapping a shot), image stabilization, and a number of preset shooting modes. The Stylus 1200 offers a 12 megapixel resolution and a 2.7-inch LCD; meanwhile, the Stylus 830 offers both digital and optical image stabilization, a 5× zoom, a smaller 2.5-inch LCD, an 8 megapixel resolution, and a heap of color choices, while the Stylus 820 drops the optical image stabilization, ramps back up to a 2.7-inch LCD, and offers a selection of red, blue, black, and silver chassis. All three stylus models offer an all-weather design which should withstand the elements, and the 820 and 1200 offer a built-in panorama mode for capturing landscapes. Expect to see the 820 in August with the 830 and 1200 following in October; suggested prices will be $249.99, $329.99, and $349.99, respectively.

Olympus is also adding the Stylus 790SW to the Stylus line—SW stands for “Shock and Waterpoof,” but the hardy little cameras are also dustproof and freezeproof, within limts. The 790SW can be used up to 10 feet underwater—no special casing required!—and even offers four special underwater modes to make sure you capture that special shot. The camera is also good to 14°F (-10°C), and offers face detection technology, a 2.5-inch LCD display, sensitivity down to ISO 1600, and a 7.1 megapixel resolution. Expect to see it in September for $299.99.

Last but not least, Olympus has also unveiled the SP-560 Ultra Zoom, boasting an 8 megapixel resolution, an astonishing 18× optical zoom, both optical and digital image stabilization, and face detection technology. The camera also features 33 shooting modes—plus our favorite, a full manual mode—and a 2.5-inch LCD viewfinder. Olympus is also offering an underwater housing and accessor lenses for the SP-560 UZ, letting users take the camera up to 130 feet underwater and offering up to a 30× optical zoom. The SP-560 UZ should hit the streets in October at a suggested price of $449.99.