Columbus’ egg is a famous story of Christopher Columbus being laughed at for discovering something as simple as America, but his retort was, stand a egg on its tip. The men tried and failed, finally Columbus pressed the tip in on the table standing the egg on its end. The answer was creativity, and the ST100 is no different. Samsung’s Columbus’s egg in the digital camera market was the unique and innovative front display series ST. After the first dual LCD camera ST550 which was released a year ago, there have been other various front display cameras. Among them, the ST100 is the first slim and compact style camera with an inner zoom lens.
Samsung compact cameras’ popularity comes from the various exciting functions they offer. The ST100 has easy to use functions such as ACB, Beauty shot, face recognition, face registration, and various scene modes.
It’s easy to use, and also has a lot of functions, so users need to read the instruction thoroughly to use them well.
The ST100 is not a perfect camera that takes great pictures all the time, but it’s good for taking shots with your friends, family and for having fun.
Stylish Dual LCD camera, Samsung ST100!
Dual LCD, Stylish and Slim!
The ST100 is a truly unique idea for the camera to come. I really excited to see where this will go in the future. Go Samsung!
5x optical inner zoom and 14.2M pixels
Compact digital cameras are divided by the type of lens and manual function. The inner zoom lens system is normally used for compact slim cameras, because the lens is not protruded and the size is small and light.
Given that the front LCD is normally used for self shots, the ST100 is a perfect camera for the dual LCD feature.
I wish it came out sooner, the size of this camera really makes it appealing compared with the first release.
The Schneider VIRIOPLAN inner zoom lens used on the ST100 has the 35-175mm (On 35mm equivalent) 6.3-31.5mm optical 5x zoom. By using the digital 5x zoom together, it can take subjects in a quite long distance. Of course, digital zoom destroys quality, but it might be useful in some situations.
It has a 1/2.3” image sensor which is similar to most other compact digital cameras, but has 14.2M effective pixels for high quality pictures. Actually, this high pixel in a small sensor isn’t good for the image quality, but it might be good for the users that use their pictures for the web.
Shinny Metallic Mirror style and ease of use
The ST100 has 2 LCDs on the back and front, but nothing is shown on the front when it’s off. The high glossy cover is harmonized with the metallic color, so it fits well with the copy ‘Shinny Metallic’. The inner zoom slim body fits well with this design concept.
To use the camera you use the shutter and power button located on the top, and on the back. there’s a 3.5” wide touch panel LCD. For more convenient shooting, it has a Front LCD, power, release, zoom, and play button on the top panel, and the menu interface and functions are operated by the back LCD.
Now, people are used to the touch interface, so it’s easy to operate the camera. The touch screen on the ST100 is the In-cell type with 115M pixels. It shows vivid and clear images.
As a dual LCD camera, it also has a 7 degree slanted body to take a self shot while putting the camera on a table. This 7 degree slanted body on the bottom allows users convenient self shots.
Self timer setting Focus setting Shooting mode selection
A. Touch screen information display setting
B. Shooting option selection
C. Motion Recognition mode
Shinny Metallic Mirror style
There’s no external button for setting menu, so all the functions can be set through touch interface.
The basic shooting screen consists of live view, shooting mode, flash, focus area, timer, information display, and shooting option, so users don’t need to go into the menu to select these items every time they take a picture. The options also change depending on the different modes.
The most frequently used items are located in the option selection on the below screen. It’s normally hid, but shows up when touched. By moving left or right, various settings are available such as exposure compensation, white balance, ISO, AF area, Face Recognition AF, image size, quality, ACB, metering, release mode, photo style, smart filter, image compensation, IS, and voice recording. (This menu composition varies by the shooting mode.)
These menu items can be set from the alternative screen, but the most used ones are at quick disposal, set on the screen already.
This menu composition could be convenient, but for beginners, it might be difficult to use each function.
Of course, for beginners, Samsung has prepared various auto and preset modes such as Auto, Smart Auto, Movie recording, Smart movie recoding, and Scene mode.
Manual function which users set like the aperture or shutter speed are not supported, but users can set other functions, so advanced people can take unique pictures after getting used to the functions.
1.8″ front LCD
The biggest feature of the front display cameras is the convenient self shots by using the front LCD. People like compact cameras, and one of the reasons is the simple and convenient snap shot, including self shots.
In order to take self shot, users need to practice without looking at the LCD. Some high end cameras supported swivel LCD for users to see the LCD, but I’d rather skip that, because these cameras belonged to a different category of camera.
The reason people liked front display cameras is very simple, because it’s a great idea. There’s a F.LCD button on the top to turn on/off the LCD, but by tapping the front LCD it turns on. In order to prevent the LCD from turning on accidently, it requires a strong tap. But I must say this tap idea is really fun to use.
6 modes can be used with the front LCD such as self shot, children, couple shot, jump shot, flash and focus information mode, and smile icon modes.
In the face recognition AF setting, when the smile shutter function is on, it will automatically take a shot when the subject smiles. When it comes to the couple shot, by using the face recognition process, when 2 faces are close, the camera will snap a shot.
The children mode is very useful for parents. Selecting the children mode, a funny animation is played on the front LCD with sound, so children can focus on the camera, and the parent can easily take their smiling faces.
Self shot samples by using the children mode
White Balance mode of the ST100
The white balance in digital cameras is very important. Most users select the AWB, but no camera can set the 100% accurate white balance so far.
Therefore, not depending on the AWB, but setting the appropriate preset or custom mode help users take more accurate colored images.
The AWB of the ST100 was so-so. When the light was sufficient, it shows good colors and balance, but in a little insufficient light situation, the balance went a little wrong, lower the light worse the balance.
Photo Style
The advantage of digital images is that it’s easy to alter the colors of the pictures. The ST100 offers 9 Photo style modes including 8 preset modes and 1 custom mode to take picture with various color tones.
Smart Filter
Smart Filter allows users to take pictures with effects without using editing software.
The ST100 supports 6 kinds of Smart Filters such as Miniature, Vignetting, Fish eye (2 modes), Sketch, and Defog. Each filter has their advantages, but I like Vignetting the most.
Vignetting works by darkening the edges and highlighting the center, similar to a toy camera effect. Smart Filter can be applied before and after shooting. It’s the users’ choice.
Miniature
Vignetting
Fish_eye 1 
Fish_eye 2
Sketch 
Defog
ISO 80~3200
The image sensor which is a kind of a semi-conductor takes the role of a film in a digital camera. It converts the light to electric signal and sends it as digital values. Therefore, when the light sufficient, there’s no problem, but if not, the signal will be reduced, and to compensate it, noise is increased.
That’s why higher ISO increases noise even though it secures the appropriate exposure and shutter speed for shooting.
The reason why DSLR have a large sensor is to capture the most amount of light as possible.
Actually, the higher pixel ratio (14M pixels) with the 1/2.3” size image sensor is a disadvantage, cuasing more noise in a high ISO. However, the image processor reduces the noise.
In 4:3 ratio, it could take 4320×3240 pixels images, so up to ISO 800 is good enough to use, but from ISO 1600, due to the heavy noise reduction, details were marred and colors were distorted.
Stylish Dual LCD camera
Samsung compact cameras’ popularity comes from the various exciting functions. The ST100 also has these convenient functions such as ACB, Beauty shot, face recognition, face registration, and various scene modes.
It’s easy to use, so users need to read the instruction thoroughly to use them well.
The camera isn’t perfect but for a compact digital camera it’s easy to use, small, and really fun to use with friends, families and lovers.
A few tips
■ Read the manual!
Read and study the manual, because it has a lot of functions! Then you can get the best out of the camera.
■ Under exposure!
Generally, the exposure tended to be bright. If you consider the exposure balance and colors tones, I’d recommend the exposure compensation about +-1 stop.
■ Use Vignetting mode!
Vignetting mode makes the most attractive image among all the smart filters. It reduces the light in the corner and makes different color tones from the normal mode, and it gives a strange emotion to pictures.
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
20.5mm F4.2 1/90s ISO100 -1.0EV
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