Final Thoughts
[ad#review987-top]I have had the chance to play around with the Samsung ST50 camera for a couple of weeks and, in my opinion, it performs pretty well for a small, ultra-thin, compact digital camera. You can check out some of the full-sized, unprocessed photos I have taken with it over at my Flickr Photoset for the Samsung ST50.
The focal range of the lens is pretty good in my opinion. Its 3x optical (35-105mm in 35mm equivalent) is pretty good for taking group shots of people or wide photos of the beach. I would like to see a larger range, but with the ST50’s ultra thin design, I am sure that increasing its focal length is probably not possible. The Samsung ST50’s indoor capability is pretty good too. At the wide angle you get an aperture of f3.0 which can translate into good indoor photos, even when the lighting is poor.
As for the camera’s settings, I would probably just set the camera on its Smart Auto feature without using the more advance options. The camera does a really good job at figuring out what sort of scene you are shooting too. Just make sure you have the Digital Image Stabilization enabled to ensure the best possible outcome.
I do have a couple of disappointments with the Samsung. The biggest disappointment I have is the long delay while viewing photos. It takes roughly 10 seconds to move between photos in preview mode. Not to mention the delay from going to preview mode from live mode is long as well. It is quite frustrating actually.
The other disappointment is not a large one, but it could hinder you as well. The USB cable (at the camera end) is of a proprietary connector. This means that if you ever lose your cable, you will not be able to charge the battery or transfer your files if you do not have a memory card reader. There is enough room to have a mini-USB connector; I do not see why they did not go with that sort of connector. It is nice that you can charge the Samsung ST50 using your computer via the USB cable and you can charge it with the supplied AC adapter too.
The Samsung ST50 is one of the thinnest, compact digital cameras that I have played with. I’m happy with the image quality and find the Smart Auto feature to be quite accurate. The preview speed is a bit slow for my liking, but if you are looking for a camera that can fit in a purse or a pocket, then I do recommend the Samsung ST50 as a viable option for you.
Pros:
– Digital Image Stabilization
– 12.2 Megapixel Resolution
– Ultra-slim design
Cons:
– Proprietary USB Cable
– Really slow playback of photos
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