WB500 Review

It’s already been 2 weeks, since I started to touch the WB500. After the first post which was only an introduction and a box opening, the information of WB500 has been uploaded on the official web site, and there were many comments of interests. The world first combination of 24mm wide angle and 10x optical zoom has made people more expect this, and I’m going to introduce photos and videos by the WB500.

This is the menu of the WB500…

As a compact product, the composition of menu looks simple. ‘Shot’ menu including quality, IS, and voice memo, and ‘Sound’ menu including shutter, action, and other sounds by the WB500.

And ‘Display’ menu setting date, time, and battery save mode, ‘Setting’ menu setting format, file name, and shut down. Those 4 menus are all. Because those menus change slightly by recording modes, you’d better check how they change by yourself. Other than that, there are functions by pushing E or Fn buttons.

Various shot modes of the WB500


These are supported by most compact cameras, but anyway, the WB500 also supports various shot modes. Largely, it includes auto, program, manual, Dual IS, beauty shot, night view, scenery, and video. Inside the scenery mode, it has another group named Frame guide which has 13 kinds of modes such as human, kid, scenery, closeup, character, sunset, dawn, backlight, fire work, sea and snow, self shot, food, and cafe. It helps users take more optimized pictured according to the situation. However, despite these various modes, users tend to use some familiar modes. It’s a dilemma.

Simple camera life coming with both wide and zoom


The most remarkable feature of the WB500 is the 24mm wide angle and 10x optical zoom. On top of that, this combination is the world first. Personally, my DSLR lens also supports wide angle, and the reason I use it much is that I think it’s more helpful to use a wide angle lens to have cool and spacious images.


In that sense, the WB500 taking objects spaciously was charming, and so the 10x optical zoom was. Not with a tele lens, taking what we want rapidly, I think this fits us better, doesn’t it? As a test, they are zoomed pictures with 1x, 5x, and 10x.

1x Normally took this picture., but


5x Actually, the building in the center is the point. With more zoom

10x Rinnai building is in the eyes. It’s not a landmark, but you might have seen this around the Hong-Ik University.

Fixing technology for more beautiful pictures… Beauty Shot

One of the funny features in the WB500 is the beauty shot mode which fixes skin when taking human pictures. Thanks to that, users don’t need to use another application for fixing to edit skin tone and feeling. To set detailed setting, fixing the mode as a beauty shot, and push the menu button, and adjust the skin light and compensation level. 3 level options are provided for both, and I prepared small images to show the result.


Because I haven’t got a permission from the model, I cut the part of it. Rough and dark skin tone at left changes like this after beauty shot (Brightness 1, compensation 1). Of course, using extremely 3 levels, it looks not real, but using it properly, it’s more fun.

HD video shot with optical zoom

Another point of the WB500 is the HD video shot. The HD video is taken with 720P(1280x720, 30fps) H.264, and encoding is not necessary to upload on the video web site.



This is taken from the bus. As you already notice, I took it to check the zoom and focus on the video mode. It’s better than I expected.

Shot parade

Those are pictures taken by the WB500. They are just resized, not edited. Please see the feeling of the WB500. Anyway, food photos are too many….



High end compact digital camera… VLUU WB500


As a starting point of the WB series, the WB500 has high end functions such as 10.2M pixel, 24mm wide angle, 10x optical zoom, and Dual IS. So? Looking at the product information, it’s with the Pro810 which was the only high end product of Samsung techwin. I think next models will be high end type compact digital cameras, and make new lines. Therefore, the success of the WB500 is necessary for Samsung Techiwn… Even though it wasn’t very long time, I think the WB500 is a good product. Since I don’t know the price yet, I can’t say if it’s successful, but it will be welcomed in the market, unless the price is too high. So if you are looking for a new digital camera like the WB500, please wait for the WB500, and compare it with other products, before making up your mind.