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Samsung's Digimax U-CA 401 digital camera. Copyright © 2004, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Samsung: 4 mpix ultracompact digicam
By Michael R. Tomkins, The Imaging Resource
(Saturday, February 21, 2004 - 13:58 EST)

Amongst Samsung's new announcements at PMA, the company offered an ultracompact digital camera with a 4 megapixel imager.

The Samsung Digimax U-CA 401 has a fixed focal-length 5.8mm autofocus lens, 4.0 megapixel (effective) 1/2.5" CCD sensor, 1.5" LCD display and reverse galileo viewfinder, five-mode flash, 16MB of built-in flash memory and a Memory Stick Duo slot for additional storage. Other features include DC Input and USB connectivity, power from an SLB-1037 or Duracell CP1 battery, and a movie mode with sound recording. The Samsung Digimax U-CA 401 has dimensions of 96.7 x 60 x 15mm, weighs 95 grams without batteries or storage media, and costs $299.99.

Samsung Digimax U-CA 401
Samsung's Digimax U-CA 401 digital camera. Copyright © 2004, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Click for a bigger picture!
Image Sensor Type 1/2.5" CCD
Effective Pixels Approx. 4.0 Megapixel
Total Pixels Approx. 4.1 Megapixel
F No. F3.2/7.0
Digital Zoom
Still Image mode: 1.0X ~ 4.0X
Play mode: 1.0X ~ 8.0X (0.5X steps, depends on Image Size)
Optical Viewfinder Reverse Galileo Type
LCD Monitor 1.5" color TFT LCD
Focusing Type TTL Auto Focus
Range
Normal: 60cm ~ infinity
Macro: 6cm ~ 60cm
Shutter Type Mechanical shutter and Electrical shutter
Shutter Speed
Normal Mode: 1 ~ 1/2,000 sec.
Night Scene: 5 ~ 1/2,000 sec.
Exposure Control Program AE, Metering (Multi & Spot)
Compensation +/-2 EV (0.5EV steps)
ISO Equivalent Auto, 100, 200, 400
Flash Modes Auto, Auto & Red-eye reduction, Fill-in flash, Slow sync, Flash Off
Flash Range
Macro: 0.2 ~ 2m
Normal: 0.6 ~ 3m
Recharging Time Approx. 5 sec.
Sharpness Soft, Normal, Vivid
Effect B&W, Normal, Sepia
Voice Recording Voice Recording (max. 2 hours), Voice Memo on Still Image (max. 10 sec.)
White Balance Auto, Daylight, Sunset, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Tungsten, Custom
Shooting
Still Image Modes: Movie Clip, Voice Recording, Program
Movie Clip: With audio (Recording time is memory capacity dependent); Size: 30 fps for 320 x 240
Self-timer (Single, Double) 10 sec., 2 sec.
Media
Internal memory: 16MB flash memory
External memory (optional): Memory Stick Duo (up to 256MB guaranteed)
File Format
Still image: JPEG, DCF, DPOF, EXIF
Movie Clip: AVI (MJPEG)
Image Size
4M: 2272 x 1704 pixels
3M: 2048 x 1536 pixels
2M: 1600 x 1200 pixels
1M: 1024 x 768 pixels
0.3M: 640 x 480 pixels
Capacity (16 MB Internal Memory)
4M: Super fine - 7, Fine - 15, Normal - 21
3M: Super fine - 8, Fine - 17, Normal - 25
2M: Super fine - 14, Fine - 28, Normal - 42
1M: Super fine - 34, Fine - 68, Normal - 102
0.3M: Super fine - 87, Fine - 174, Normal - 261
These figures are measured by Internal memory base. These figures are measured under Samsung's standard conditions and may vary depending on shooting conditions and camera settings.
Image Play Single image, Thumbnails, Slide show, Movie Clip
Image Edit Rotation, Trimming, Resizing
Interface Digital output connector: USB, DC power input connector: 5.0V
Power Source
Included: SLB-1037
Optional: CP1 (Duracell)
Included battery may vary depending on sales region.
Dimensions (WxHxD) 96.7 x 60 x 15mm
Weight Approx. 95g (without batteries and card)
Software
Camera Driver: Mass Storage Driver (Windows98/98SE/2000/ME/XP, Mac OS 9.0 ~ 10.2)
Application: Digimax Viewer 2.1, Arcsoft Photo Impression 4.0
More Photos
Samsung's Digimax U-CA 401 digital camera. Copyright © 2004, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Click for a bigger picture!
Samsung's Digimax U-CA 401 digital camera. Copyright © 2004, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Click for a bigger picture!
Samsung's Digimax U-CA 401 digital camera. Copyright © 2004, The Imaging Resource. All rights reserved. Click for a bigger picture!
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Original Source Press Release:

SAMSUNG CAMERA INTRODUCES INCREDIBLY COMPACT, INCREDIBLY STYLISH CAMERA

SAMSUNG U-CA 401 -- Small in Stature but Big on Features

SECAUCUS, N.J., (February 12, 2004) – PMA might be the scene for some of the most impressive sights around, but Samsung Camera is truly turning heads with the launch of its new U-CA 401 ultra compact digital camera. Sleek, compact and ultra thin (96.7mm x 60mm x 15mm), the U-CA 401 packs a ton of impressive features into a stylish body that's small enough to take anywhere. A 4 megapixel camera with 4x digital zoom, the U-CA 401 is destined to become the camera of choice for those who like to travel light, but record all of their experiences along the way.

Although small in size, the U-CA 401 is very big on features. Beginning with its 4.1 megapixel image sensor the U-CA 401 is designed to deliver high quality images, storing them either in its internal 32MB of flash memory or onto a Sony Memory Stick Duo card. The camera can capture as many as 406 images (at the 1/3 of a megapixel setting) and up to seven images in the super fine mode at the highest resolution using the internal memory alone. As an added feature, images can be transferred from the internal memory to the Memory Stick Duo card, essentially freeing up the camera. This allows photographers to shoot without an additional card and transfer images at their leisure. The U-CA 401 also transfers images quickly and easily to a computer via the built USB interface.

The camera's macro mode allows the U-CA 401 to focus on subjects as close as 6 cm, while normal mode facilitates smooth, swift auto focus from 60 cm to infinity. A combination mechanical and electronic shutter provides high-speed image capture up to 1/2000 of a second. A handy Night Scene mode turns the camera into a secret-agent "must have", allowing photographs to be captured in almost complete darkness.

Another impressive feature is the U-CA 401's wide variety of exposure controls, which provide the photographer with complete creative control over the image being shot. Photographers can chose from Program AE, Multi Metering, or Spot modes, all with adjustable exposure compensation up to ±2 stops, in .5 EV increments.

The U-CA 401 isn't just talented, it's sensitive too. The camera can capture images at selectable ISO ranges from 100 to 400. The built-in self-timer allows photographers to get into the action too, and the double exposure setting provides for some interesting creative effects.

Even in a camera with such diminutive dimensions, Samsung kept ergonomics in mind during the design process. The U-CA 401 fits nicely into the palm of the photographer's hand, and offers quick and easy access to a host of controls through a few simple buttons and an easy to navigate graphical user interface (GUI). Many of the camera’s controls are accessed through the large 1.5-inch color TFT LCD screen. The built-in flash, for example, can be set to fire in Auto mode, Auto and Red-eye mode, Slow-sync mode and Fill-in mode. Sharpness and special effects can also be set on-camera via the LCD screen and GUI. The U-CA 401 allows sharpness to be adjusted from the standard Normal mode to either Soft of Vivid, while the camera can also be set to capture images with either a sepia or black and white effect.

In addition to automatic white balance, the U-CA 401 also provides adjustable white balance settings for the perfect photograph. Chose from Daylight, Cloudy, Sunset, Fluorescent, Tungsten or Custom modes to capture photographs with perfect color rendition.

The U-CA 401 not only captures perfect still images, but also records video at up to 30 frames-per-second with audio at 320x240 dpi. Movies (as well as photographs) can be played back on the built-in LCD screen, providing an on-location way to check one's directorial skills.

Proving that it's possible to create a camera that's both compact and full featured, the U?CA 401 provides enormous creative controls for the photographer in a small package. With a retail price of $299.99 the Samsung U-CA 401 is the perfect choice for every photographer.

Samsung Opto-Electronics America, Inc., Secaucus, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd., Sungnam Kyungki-Do, Korea. Samsung is the world's 11th largest company. Samsung Opto-Electronics markets a full line of auto focus cameras, zoom and digital cameras for the amateur as well as the professional under the Samsung band name. CCTV monitors and lenses, motorized zoom lenses, binoculars, observation and security systems, and video presenters are other products in the family of photographic and optical equipment.

Visit the Samsung Cameras Web site at: www.samsungcamerausa.com

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