Fight the spaghetti with Samsung’s latest cameras
posted Tuesday, March 6, 2012 at 4:21 PM EDT
If you're a fan of electronic gadgets, your desk probably looks much like ours: covered in a tangled spaghetti of cables. And yet despite the fact they're seemingly multiplying before your very eyes, you can never seem to lay your hands on the one you need at any given moment.
Two recently-announced cameras from Samsung do their best to help you fight cable mountain, with built-in WiFi connectivity, and they've just gone on sale today.
The Samsung WB150F and DV300F both work with Samsung's AllShare Play cloud service, which is also supported by an array of current Samsung connected devices including everything from phones to refrigerators. They also play nicely with Microsoft's Sky Drive, and social networking / hosting services such as Facebook, Picasa, YouTube, and more.
The Samsung WB150F is aimed at photographers looking for a really powerful zoom lens in a relatively compact package. It's based around a 14 megapixel CCD image sensor, an 18x zoom that offers everything from a generous 24mm wide angle to a powerful 432mm telephoto, and offers up a high-res VGA AMOLED display that should make framing and reviewing images a pleasant experience. We've got a Samsung WB150F in-house for testing at the moment, and to help you make up your mind if it's the right camera for you, we recently posted a series of Samsung WB150F test images shot in our lab. Shipping now, the Samsung WB150F is priced at about US$230. More details in our Samsung WB150F preview.
It's sibling--the Samsung DV300F--we've yet to see in our labs. Resolution is just slightly higher at 16 megapixels, but the lens is a more modest 5x zoom with a range from a useful 25mm wide angle to a moderate 125mm telephoto. On the rear panel is a 3.0-inch LCD screen, and like past Samsung DualView cameras, there's also a smaller 1.5-inch secondary LCD on the front panel, used for framing self-portraits, attracting kids' attention towards the camera, and more. Available immediately, the Samsung DV300F costs around US$200.
Press Release
The Smart Camera Era Begins - SAMSUNG’s WB150F and DV300F SMART Cameras Available Now; Offer Connectivity for Instant Sharing Without Compromise
The WB150F makes long-zoom shooting, sharing and saving pictures easier than ever, while the DV300F makes self-portraiture engaging and entertaining
RIDGEFIELD PARK, N.J., March 6, 2012 – Samsung Electronics America Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, announced that the first two models in its highly anticipated new line of Smart Cameras begins shipping this week. The WB150F long-zoom model and DV300F dual-view model – which both offer Wi- Fi connectivity for photo sharing, backup and a host of other features - are available now at retailers across the country.
The WB150F digital camera enhances the advanced optical zoom and image quality that the WB line of cameras are known for, with wireless capability to facilitate sharing and saving images – wherever users are in the world. Housed in a compact, lightweight and durable body, the new 14.2-megapixel WB150F from Samsung makes the perfect travel companion with an 18x optical zoom.
The DV300F builds on the success of Samsung’s popular DualView line and includes a 1.5-inch LCD on the front of the camera to assist in self-portraiture, or keep children focused while capturing memories, thanks to colorful animations to draw their attention. It’s also the first model in the DualView line to integrate wireless technology for instant storage and sharing on Facebook, Picasa, PhotoBucket and YouTube.
“Both the DV300F and WB150F cameras take such impressive pictures that people will want to share them immediately – and with integrated wireless features, they’ll be able to do just that,” said Reid Sullivan, Senior Vice President of Digital Imaging, Samsung Electronics America. “Now, photographers don’t have to compromise. They get the benefits of a great digital camera – including optical zoom, high quality image sensors, true flash and image stabilization – along with the connectivity they expect.”
Advanced Wireless Features
With the wireless capabilities included in both the new Samsung WB150F and DV300F cameras, sharing is quicker and easier than ever. From any Wi-Fi hotspot, users can email photos, or share them on social networks such as Facebook and Picasa or post videos to YouTube in a few simple steps.
The new login browser featured on the WB150F and other SMART camera models, makes it possible for users to connect to a Wi-Fi hotspot in hotels, airports, coffee shops or other locations which may require visiting a landing page before gaining access to an internet connection.
Connect to the Samsung Ecosystem
The new Smart Cameras also interface with Samsung’s line of Smart TVs, Blu-ray players, PCs, tablets and smartphones, creating a truly unique and integrated ecosystem.
The WB150F and DV300F cameras support Remote Viewfinder features, allowing users to remotely control the camera’s shutter, zoom and flash from the palm of their hand, using a Samsung Galaxy smartphone or tablet.
Samsung TV Link allows the new Smart Cameras to connect to a TV or Blu-ray player without wires – so photos and movies can be shared and enjoyed on the biggest TV on the house.
The Samsung Mobile Link application makes it a snap for users to transfer photos from the camera directly to a supported phone or tablet, using a free app available for download in the Android marketplace. Further, the new Smart Cameras support WiFi Direct technology for peer-to-peer transfers with any Samsung Galaxy device – no wireless router required.
The Auto Backup function easily manages users’ photo transfers by quickly and securely connecting the camera wirelessly to their PC – no need for clumsy USB cables or fumbling with memory cards.
Microsoft® Sky Drive® Cloud services are also integrated into the new models– so photos can be accessible anywhere, and from any connected device. Additionally, the in-camera editing feature allows users to edit images directly on the camera prior to sharing them, eliminating the need for a PC to make adjustments.
Exciting Shots Made Easy
Samsung’s Smart Auto setting analyzes, identifies and automatically selects the most appropriate of its scene modes to provide users with the best possible result every time. From a brilliant fireworks display to a dimly-lit party environment, scene detection technology identifies the shooting conditions and automatically tailors the settings to help achieve standout results. For users seeking more control over their photo-taking experience, the WB150F allows them to explore their own photographic skills with the Full Manual Control setting, while also taking advantage of the camera’s dual image stabilization (DIS).
Whether filming exotic locations and fauna on vacation or capturing sentimental family footage on the football field, Samsung’s latest cameras allow users to capture and share their video in stunning HD quality. The WB150F and DV300F feature fantastic 720p/30fps HD recording, ensuring that once-in-a-lifetime experiences are captured in the same color and vibrancy that existed in real life.
Dynamic Live Panoramas Capture the Big Picture
The Live Panorama function featured on the WB150F, allows consumers to capture even more of the action, facilitating wide panoramic shots which don’t miss any of the detail, from sprawling mountain peaks through to large groups of friends. By simply holding down the shutter button and sweeping the camera across the subject users want to capture, the camera can seamlessly stitch together a dynamic scene. Users can even preview the whole image they’ve just captured via the ultra-clear AMOLED screen.
Fun Features Add Pizazz to Pictures
With Split Shot, camera users can divide the screen into three separate shots and create up to three different photographs by simply blending them together to create a whole new view of their travels. Using Magic Frame they can also position their target in the middle of a fun background – either choose from one of the many pre-designed backgrounds like movie billboards or posters or erase part of an existing picture to get even more creative! Or use the Picture-in-Picture feature to insert a photo – whether an eye-catching monument or personal portrait into another image or video so users can combine their favorite shots to make a memorable collage. Finally, users can also bend, stretch, and warp pictures of friends and family for big laughs — with the Funny Face feature. Simply press the 5-direction key to enlarge heads or noses, or create hilarious distortions. When they move the camera, Face Tracking preserves the funny looks just the way they want them.
Pricing and Availability
The WB150F (MSRP: $229.99) and DV300F (MSRP: $199.99) are now available from authorized Samsung retailers. For more information on the WB150F, DV300F and the full line of Samsung digital cameras, please visit www.samsung.com .
About Samsung Electronics America, Inc.
Headquartered in Ridgefield Park, NJ, Samsung Electronics America, Inc. (SEA), a wholly owned subsidiary of Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd., markets a broad range of award-winning, digital consumer electronics and home appliance products, including HDTVs, home theater systems, MP3 players, digital imaging products, refrigerators and washing machines. A recognized innovation leader in consumer electronics design and technology, Samsung is the HDTV market leader in the U.S. Please visit www.samsung.com for more information.