Here is a user review about Samsung PL70.
It’s autumn now. A lot of new digital devices are being released in autumn or will be soon. While the digital camera market becomes more high competition market, Samsung Digital Imaging is the only maker from Korea. (It’s impressive that they are releasing more products in the second half of this year with TV commercials.)
The PL70 from Samsung Digital Imaging has various functions with high performance at a reasonable price. Therefore, this can be recommended for those who look for a better camera than just popularized models.
Let’s take a look at the functions, resolution, and whatnot through this review.
It’s the Full kit and various accessories are included such as S/W CD (User manual), Warranty, Quick manual, Power adapter, USB cable, and Hand strap. (A/V cable, Memory, and Case are not included.)
It has 95.8 x 59.5 x 23.9 mm of size and 149g of weight, so you can carry it, but it’s little bit thick. (Like other compact digital cameras, it has a good mobility. However, because it also has a lot of functions, it might be heavy when hanging on your neck, but personally, I like it.)
The design is not much different from previous models from Samsung Digital Imaging. It’s impressive that it has hairlines on the front, so it looks more elegant. The 3” display and button parts on the right side are also neat. (It could have been more slimmer, but the design is okay to me.)
It’s the front of the body and 5x optical zoom protruding type lens is located. Unlike other cameras starting from 35mm, it supports 28mm wide angle, so it can take more wide shots. By supporting up to 140mm telephoto angle, it allows you more satisfactory shots. (It has not only DIS, but also OIS. The lens performance is superior to other cameras.)
For better grip, a rubber pad is located on the left side. On the top, a flash is located, so it allows you to take shots at night. On the right top, flash assist light and self timer lamp are located.
It’s the top of the body and 2 microphones are located unlike others having 1 microphone. A speaker is on the center. Because of the status LED on the power button, you can easily check the status even at night. It also has a shutter supporting half shutter and having a big difference between the half and full shutter, so I could easily take a shot.
It’s the back of the body and like I mentioned, it has a 3” LCD, so it’s much more satisfactory when checking pictures and videos. (It gives more visual satisfaction than 2.5” or 2.5” LCD.)
On the right top, a zoom lever is located and with a mode dial, you can easily change the mode to shoot pictures or videos. (It’s better for those who want to control the camera more quickly.) On the lower part, menu, cross, playback, and Fn buttons are located.
It’s the left side of the body and a strap ring is located. (You can connect the included hand strap here. Unlike other digital devices hard to connect a strap, it’s more convenient and easier to connect it with a long hole.)
It’s the bottom of the body and a mount hole for a tripod, and 34 pin port for data transfer and TV-Out are located. (Unlike others having 20 pin port, it can connect HDMI, so you can enjoy high resolution shots and more vivid movies by using the external display.) Like most other Samsung digital cameras, it supports 1050mAh SLB-10A Li-Ion battery and SDHC memory, so there will be no inconvenience caused by the storage. @ By supporting USB recharge, you can easily charge it if there’s a PC.
It’s a little thick, but like the picture, you can hold it with one hand, so you can carry it anywhere.
Accessories such as a battery, USB cable, Adapter, Hand strap, S/W CD, Warranty and Manual are included.
You’ve seen the high specification like a high grade camera. Let’s take a look at functions it supports.
It’s the main screen and various shot information is displayed on the screen. (On the left top, mode is displayed and on the left and right side, various settings are shown.) When recording a video, separate menu is displayed and with the Fn button, you can use each function more quickly without using Menu button. @ The convenient and high intuitive interface unlike complicated foreign products is very cool.
8 modes are supported. For more user convenience, it supports various modes such as Smart Auto representing Samsung digital cameras, Auto, Program, DIS, Beauty Shot, Scene mode, and Shot Guide for video or learning functions. (Its mode dial allows us a faster mode exchange.)
Not by entering the setting menu, you can set frequently used functions buy by using the button on the back. Shot information displayed on the LCD can be hid and by using the cross button, Self timer, Flash, and Macro can easily be set.
It’s Smart Auto mode which the camera automatically recognizes the environment and takes a perfect shot. (Various environments such as Macro, Macro text, White, Scenery, Action, Tripod, Night scenery, Night Portrait, Backlight, Backlight Portrait, and Portrait are supported.) @ In Smart Auto mode, you are only able to adjust resolution and other are automatically set.
One of the biggest advantages of the PL70 is the Dual IS mode. Unlike other popularized cameras supports DIS only, because it supports both DIS and OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), you can get more pleasing results with it under low light conditions. (More than 2-3 steps of shutter speed can be secured, so it’s very useful.)
It provides Scene mode. Like the picture, you can get more pleasing results through various settings. (It’s like manual Smart Auto.)
By supporting Beauty Shot as a separate mode, after setting the compensation and brightness, you can take a shot of your flawless face. (Please check this more closely in the test section.)
It’s the video recording menu and it supports HD resolution as a high grade model. (It has much better performance than other cameras supporting VGA resolution only. 30 fps in 1280HQ resolution and 60 fps in 320 resolution can be set, so it can be used as a camcorder.)
Photo Help Guide for beginners is also very impressive. (As you can see in the picture, the way to take a shot or control the camera is displayed with pictures and text, so it helps take good pictures for beginners.) @ It’s impressive that it provides Photo Help Guide as a high grade mode.
From now, let’s take a closer look at the various functions regarding taking shots. The picture above is after pushing the menu button from a program mode and various menus are supported.
It’s a shot function supporting exposure compensation and various White Balance settings such as Auto, Sunlight, Cloudy, Fluorescence H/L, Light Bulb, and Custom. It doesn’t support Manual function, but through ISO 1600, enough shutter speed can be secured at night (ISO 3200 is only for less than 3M resolution).and various portrait functions are supported.
Let’s take a closer look at Face Recognition functions. Not only Face Recognition setting exposure and focus by recognizing faces, but also Self Guide making a beep sound when recognizing a face, Smile Shot taking an automatic shot when recognizing a smile, and Blink Detection detecting blink are supported. Besides, by supporting Smart Face Recognition, it has more advantage as a home digital camera, if you frequently take certain people. (It prioritize registered faces when taking shots. Let’s see how it works later with a video clip.)
Like the picture, various sizes of pictures (Up to 12M pixels is supported and enough for any usage, I think.) and 3 kinds of picture quality are provided. (Depending on quality and size) ACB function compensating contrast and various photometries such as Multi, Spot, and Central are supported.
It’s a Shot menu and continuous shot, motion capture taking more than 5 shots per 1 sec (Up to 30 photos in VGA resolution), and AEB taking 3 shots with right exposure, overexposure(+1/2EV), and underexposure(-1/2EV)
This also supports Multi point AF setting focus on possible 9 areas, not only central AF. And Image Correction menu such as Photo Style, Contrast, Sharpness, and Saturation is supported. (It’s like an EQ function in MP3P. You can make your own pictures by using them properly.)
It supports Dual IS mode and in program mode, you can set OIS. Like previous cameras, it supports voice memo and voice recording.
It’s a sound setting menu. Volume of all operating sounds is adjustable (3 levels and off) and various starting, shutter, and operating sounds can be selected. AF sound can be turned on or off and Self guide sound can also be set.
It’s the menu screen. Various languages and self explanation function are supported. (It’s useful for beginners to get accustomed.) You can select the image on the LCD (Users can register.) when booting the camera Screen Brightness, Reviewing time, and Power Saving mode can be set.
Lastly, let’s take a look at the setting menu. Format and initialization functions are supported and time and date can be set. It supports the file numbering and you can leave date or not. Through Auto power off function, you can manage the battery more efficiently. Not only NTSC, but also PAL is supported, so you can use TV-OUT function in foreign countries without any problem.
Flash assist light, Anynet+, and resolution setting as a product providing HDMI connection are supported, (USB connection setting is also provided.)
By pushing the play button on the back, you can play pictures, videos, and voices. (You can even run it when it’s off by pushing the play button, and through the button on the back, shooting information can easily be checked.)
Magnifying function is supported (You can cut it after magnification.), so you can check the details of pictures. Through the preview up to 20 pictures, you can quickly search and play pictures you want. (By using the zoom button on the back, you can control it.)
It’s Smart Album and like other previous products, it can be sorted by file, date, color, and faces. Setting Smart Face Recognition and taking portrait shots, faces are registered and face sorting menu is activated.
It’s the play setting. You can change the size of pictures (Not only size, but also starting image setting is possible.) and rotate them. You can apply styles on pictures already taken, and various retouching functions such as ACB, Red eye reduction, Skin Correction, Brightness, Contrast, Saturation, and Noise effects. @ It’s not that good for those who use Photoshop, but for most other users who don’t use image editing software, this is very useful.
Preview can also be set. (Like I mentioned earlier, you can set it through the zoom button.)
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