Samsung VLUU ST50 arrives!

New start with Samsung Digital Imaging

On Feb 1^st 2009, the digital camera department from Samsung Techwin put out newly as Samsung Digital Imaging. As the number one Korean digital camera maker, Samsung finally makes more progressive move. Actually, Samsung already has made its products one of the global hits. Samsung has become the number 3 brand in the global compact digital camera market. In Korea, Samsung stays unchallenged in compact digital camera market. Specialists analyze that its success results from its unique design and new interface, and differentiation from Japanese products. Samsung Digital Imaging is getting ready for lots of new lines to release. The first item of it is 14mm-slim ST50.

Slim digital camera with 12,000,000 high pixels

ST50 has ultra-slim thickness of 16.6mm, which could be said revolutionary. 16.6mm may not be new to slim digital cameras, but ST50 has something unique. It could be said revolutionary due to its use of protruding type lens. It is widely known that protruding type lens makes better results than inner zoom. That is why we cannot help but pay attention to ST50 style. So 35-105mm in 35mm equivalent 3x optical zoom seems rather weak. But 16.6mm slimness is not everything about ST50. 12,000,000 high pixels could be one of the outstanding specifications. Maybe it reflects the fact that only the slimness cannot attract consumers.

Clicking a button makes it smart. How easy!

One who has great senses never hangs one’s head anywhere. ST50’s Smart Auto function offers suitable recording mode for each situation. If setting up a mode is a trouble for you, just click the Smart button on the top of the camera. It’s that easy. It is the biggest strength of this camera that it can deal with any circumstance. Total 11 scene modes -Landscape, White, Night Scene, Night Portrait, Backlight, Backlight Portrait, Portrait, Macro, Macro text, Tripod, and Action- cold be set automatically. It is AI system that considers distance and exposure. This Smart Auto function that is equipped in ST50 for the first time will be useful for the beginning users who are not accustomed to various environments. However, you cannot expect 100% satisfactory result. Instead, you can set up many things on Program mode. If you’re an advanced user, you can respond to many situations depending on your experience.

Expect the best Portrait shots.

Face Detection offers functions such as Beauty Shot, Self Portrait, Smile Shot, and Blink Detection. Finally, with Red eye removal function from Flash mode, ‘Perfect Portrait System’ is completed. It offers strong retouch effect that is essential to female users who feel sensitive with portrait shots. Face Detection function detects faces on the screen and automatically controls focus and exposure. It can detect up to 10 faces, so there is no problem with group shots. Beauty Shot is a mode that edits facial blemish, and you can control the face retouch and brightness degree in three steps. When taking self-pictures, Self Portrait notifies you by beeping sound if your face appears on the screen. It prevents face cut-out and enables awesome self-pictures with auto focus and exposure. Smile Shot automatically takes smiley faces without pressing the shutter, and Blink Detection detects blinking of the subject during shooting and takes two successive photos. Red eye removal prevents the eyes of subjects turning red like those of rabbits’ when flash is used.

Advanced Digital Image Stabilization

ST50 offers Advanced DIS (Digital Image Stabilization). It may seem disappointing that it doesn’t offer Dual IS anymore because OIS (Optical Image Stabilization) is out. However, Advanced DIS shows good enough performance. If the former DIS produced less-noise image by combining one with short exposure and the other with long exposure, new Advanced DIS captures one with high speed and then removes noise in the second step. Not only it removes color noise, it also keeps the image saturation as it is. Therefore, it can stabilize images a lot faster than former DIS.

Magical photo manager, Smart Album

Many times, you get lazy with managing the pictures taken. People enjoying taking pictures, but when it comes to sorting and organizing those, they easily get bored. ST50 offers Smart Album function that organizes picture for you and enables you to spot the one you want conveniently. It is easy to manage the picture because it categorizes them under files, colors, and dates (day & week). Especially, sorting by colors is very useful for doing photo works. If you press Menu button on Play mode, you can select 1, 3, 9, or 20-slide to see the photos.

Samsung that keeps transforming

Every spring season, new products with various features pour out. But sometimes, there come out some products with no difference from the past. Only difference may be the change of appearance like Chinese Bianlian. It could be analyzed as excessive attachment to design. Samsung might be not much different until last year. However, Samsung Digital Imaging from 2009 is definitely changing. Not only design but functions are certainly reinforced. This is proven by the review of WB500. The ST50 review could be the stage to reaffirm the strong will of Samsung cameras.

Stylish 16.6mm

ST50’s ultra-slim 16.6mm body seems to be as slim as it could be. (14mm excluding lens part) It is stylish as well as thin and small. The rounded edge is also very attractive. Except the LCD part, it looks simple using glossy-coated stainless steel overall. Metallic body is highly durable and also visually aesthetic. According to Samsung Digital Imaging, the color will come in 4 versions; silver, black, blue, and red. It will appeal to users in wide range of ages including young female users.

Protruding type lens hidden under slim body

So far, all the ultra-slim products in Samsung Camera had equipped inner zoom lens. But ST500 selected protruding type lens in 16.6mm slim body. The point is that it is well hidden so it wouldn’t distract the slim stylish look. The fact that it could reduce the volume without selecting inner zoom show how much Samsung’s technology has developed. When you turn on the camera, the little lens comes out quickly. But the operation latency is 2 seconds, which is a bit slow. It has 3x optical zoom lens that covers 35-105mm in 35mm equivalent, and aperture F3.0 – 5.6. It starts from F3.0, but comparing to other competing products, it’s fairly good.

Front side with no grip part

Whoever that sees the ST50 for the first time will think that it looks like a cell phone. They’re alike in that both fit in one hand. The clean slash-patterned front side excluded the grip part. I guess they decided to omit it for slimmer design. It may help look stylish but the one-hand grip is somewhat unstable. To hold it with one hand, you’d better use hand scrap for safety. But using both hands, you can better concentrate on shooting more comfortably. (The surface of it looks different according to the light angle.)

Metallic middle line

The metallic middle line certainly separates the border between front and back side. In addition, it gives strong impression overall and more impact on edge. On the upper side of middle line, there are Smart button, Power button, Shutter, zoom lever, and speaker in order. It is easy to reach the Smart and Power button since they are in close area from left and right hand. When you press those buttons, blue light turns on. But it seems weaker than blue ring, the symbol of Samsung Camera series.

6.9cm LCD that is definitely not small

It has 230,000-pixel 2.7inch TFT LCD monitor. Some might compare it to 3.0inch LCD monitors of recent products, but they can’t be in comparison. ST50 offers the most ideal LCD size in proportion to the body size, unless no buttons on the back plus touch screen type. If you expect a bigger screen than that, you must give up the small size of ST50. Reinforced plastics could be put on top of the LCD so it could prepare for scratches or exterior shocks. Intelligent LCD automatically controls the brightness depending on lighting. I like it that it offers good viewing angle no matter where.

20pin charging port and battery holder

There is a charging port on the right side of the camera. 20pin charging type enables using both the AC adaptor and USB. On the bottom, there are battery and memory card holders. It uses SC card for storage and Lithium ion battery made for ST50. Tripod socket is made with plastics so it could get worn away if you use tripod often. It could have been better if it used metal.

Instinctive interface with buttons

On the back of ST50, there is a manual-type button interface. You can select recording mode for photos and videos using a switch on the upper right side. Right below that, there is a menu button that enables controlling of recording functions, sound, screen, and other setups in detail. 4-directional ring button offers setting for recording information, timer, close-up, flash, etc. On the far bottom, there are Play mode and Delete button. You can easily check the images without turning the power on.

This is what ultra-slim is.

What would people who studies design or have good tastes will say when they see ST50? Probably ‘I’ve gotta have it’ even before saying ‘Simple & Stylish.’ Protruding lens form 16.6mm slim body gives beauty of unexpected reversal. And it deserves praise for keeping the good style. Somewhat weak grip feeling could be compensated with the aesthetic effect. Instinctive button-type interface that maximizes the use of your thumb will approach to touch-sensitive users rather honestly. It seems obvious that not everything that is thin can be called ultra-slim.

Fundamentals that is beyond Smart

Not everyone with high IQ is called smart. Likewise, ST50 cannot be called capable only because it has Smart Auto function. However, it is true that it offers various functions that are good as well. ST50 has fundamentals that help it become smart such as optimal exposure, right angle, video recording and editing functions, etc.

ACB that sets up the optimal exposure

ST50 supports ACB (Auto Contrast Balance) function. It automatically revises exposure under the circumstances where there’s huge contrast between dark and light area. It’s good when there is an overlap of dark indoor and bright outside area, and also works well in backlight. If you don’t know how to edit later or want to get the best picture simply by pressing the shutter, I recommend you to always turn the ACB on.

Guidance of composition, Frame Guide

When you want to take a picture of yourself with the awesome background during travel, you normally ask strangers to take a picture for you. But half the time the composition of the photo is disappointing. But it is hard to ask as many times as needed until you get the picture you want. Under this kind of situation, Frame Guide mode could be very useful. First, you set the background composition you want, and then just give it to the person who will take a picture. The picture-taker can easily get the intended composition by matching the frame and the actual scene.

10cm close-up shot function

The best close-up shot of ST50 is 10cm. The average close-up shot distance of Samsung Camera line has been 5cm. Its competing products from other brands also offer close-up distance closer than 10cm. It may be beyond its capacity to take close-up picture of a tiny subject, but still it is not a bad specification.

5 successive shots per sec, Motion Capture function

It offers 4 shooting modes of sing shot, successive shots, motion capture, and AEB (Auto Bracketing Option). When you use successive shots, you can shoot until the memory card is full. But only the first 3 or so pictures are stored in same speed, and after that, it gets slower. The storage speed is not fast enough to be called as unlimited successive shots. Instead, it offers Motion Capture function. Motion Capture offers fixed resolution of 640 x 480, and 5 shots per sec. and maximum 30 shots are available.

Average level video recording

ST50 doesn’t offer HD video recording like NV400HD or WB500. However, it offers three types of video recording resolution in MPEG format; 800x592, 640x480, and 320x240. It’s good enough for recording daily lives. Besides, you can use many options like zoom, pause/retake, photo style, white balance, image stabilization, etc while recording. Editing functions cannot be used.

Strong editing functions as good as Photoshop

ST50 offers four types of editing; resizing, rotation, photo style, and image retouch. Especially, if you use image retouch, you can easily modify red eye, facial flaw, brightness, contrast, and saturation as well as ACB (Auto Contrast Balance). Expressing antique feeling by noise effect is also strength of ST50’s editing functions.

Fun way to look at the images, Multi-Slide show

ST50 offers a slide show function. You can select 7 different effects; Calm, Pleasant, Pastoral, Refreshing, Lively, Cheerful, and Cozy. The term to shift the images could be set as 1, 3, 5, or 10 seconds. To make the viewing more fun, it supports BGM for each theme of Haze, Spring nymph, Autumn, Dawn, Party, Water drop, and Journey. It’s good to enjoy appreciating the pictures, not just simply checking the pictures taken.

Potential more than 10,000,000 pixels

There are factors in common box-office hit movies; the harmony of scenario, directing, and acting. Out of them, scenario is the most fundamental factor for a good movie. No matter how great actor or director there is, no great movie can be made without a good scenario. It’s same in cameras. No matter how stylish, how many functions it has, if it cannot produce good quality pictures, it will be neglected due to its lack of basics. If you consider camera’s image quality as movie’s scenario, ST50’s 12,000,000 pixels have possibility to move the consumers.

35mm wide angle, 105mm telephoto zoom

ST50 has 35-105mm angle in 35mm equivalent and 3x optical zoom lens. If you focus on wide angle, it could be a little disappointing. But if you’re not sensitive to angle, starting from 35mm angle might be not so bad. Also, 105mm telephoto feature would be okay for daily use.

Central and peripheral image quality

I’ve analyzed the image quality in widest angle and longest zoom. First, looking at the widest angle sample, we can see that there is a slight decline of radiation intensity on every edge. However, considering that it was under ISO 80, there’s not much to worry. At the cropped central area, clarity and contrast are expressed outstandingly. But in gray building, you can see that Magenta-ish color cast appears. The result from the longest zoom is clear overall. At the cropped area, the clarity is not as good as the central area in widest angle. But the difference in number of colors was rarely detected, and it shows fairly good image quality after all.

ISO chart resolution test

For accurate test of resolution, I used ISO12233 Resolution Chart. As a result, both the horizontal and vertical could distinguish nine lines up until 2000 samples with not much difficulty. Considering the ISO 100 setting, the clarity is basically set high. There was a bit rough feeling, but it seems to aim on expressing the high clarity that matches 12,000,000 pixels. As far as the clarity is concerned, it is higher than the level of most compact cameras.’

High-sensitivity noise test

ST50 supports wide range of sensitivity from ISO 80 to ISO 3200. According to the test, it shows excellent noise restraint until ISO 200. Until ISO 400, it is ok level to use daily. From ISO 800, large particles start to show. After that, it is similar to that of the competing brand. (Yet, ISO 3200 is available under 3,000,000 pixels.)

The accuracy of White Balance

White Balance of ST50 contains 7 modes; <Auto, Sunlight, Cloudy, Fluorescent H, Fluorescent L, Incandescent mode, plus User mode> In order to find out the basic setups, I excluded the User mode from the test. The test is done under fluorescent lamp. When we consider the <Fluorescent H> sample as the accurate white balance standard, the result from <Auto mode> seems fairly good.

Unique Photo Style

The reason that Baskin Robbins 31 is popular is not only it tastes good, but also it offers a variety of choices. ST50 offers 8 types of style effect and RGB user mode that help express various moods. You can select out of gentle feeling of SOFT, strong color of VIVID, natural image of FOREST, Sepia-toned RETRO, refreshing blue-toned COOL, composed feeling of CALM, black-and-white CLASSIC, and reversal effect of NEGATIVE. If you use custom RGB, you can control three colors –red, green, and blue- in detail.

Leading the trends, Samsung Camera and ST50

New digital cameras are flowing in faster and faster. It means the trends are changing more often than ever. Especially, the trend of compact cameras seems to be changing as fast as fashion trend. However, compact cameras should never forget its role even in this fast moving market. The basic principle is that it should be small, light, and convenient. In this respect, ST50 qualifies well. To start, it has great style. Slimness of 14mm may look far away from being smart. But it has a variety of features in stylish body. In addition, 12,000,000 high-pixels and unbelievable protruding type lens deserve more credits. Convenient Smart functions and aesthetic design tell us that it really has thought in users’ shoes. It is for sure that ST50 will help Samsung Digital Imaging accelerate its new beginning.