Snap, nip and tuck
Tan Chong Yaw , 20 May 2009, Digital Life
(c) 2009 Singapore Press Holdings Limited
Samsung ST50 $399, available at authorised dealers
IF THE svelte and sophisticated Angelina Jolie were a camera - she may look like Samsung's new 12.2-megapixel ultra-compact camera.
This metal-clad little beauty is just slightly larger than a name card and 16.6mm thick - just the width of my index finger. The back is dominated by a 2.7-inch LCD screen.
It feels heavier than it looks - probably due to its metal exterior.
Hold five AA alkaline batteries in your hands - that is about the weight of this 140g camera.
Instead of having a separate battery cradle, charging is done in the camera. Just plug its small AC adapter into a power socket and connect it to the camera with a supplied cable.
If you are taking your nifty netbook along to stay connected, you can even ditch the adapter. The cable connects to any USB port and charges the battery.
That same cable can be used to transfer photos and videos from the camera to the netbook.
I love this degree of attention to detail. The ST50 took less than two seconds to start up. I could turn it, fire a shot and switch it off within nine seconds - a decent speed for an ultra-compact.
When posting your mugshot on Facebook, reality sucks. Do you really want your warts and all to be displayed?
For this, the ST50 offers you Beauty Shot - a virtual nip and tuck for your face. I did a self-portrait in this mode. The camera took 17 seconds to process my photo, with brighter-looking skin and a smoother complexion as the welcome results. Even my five o'clock shadow became less obvious.
If idiot-proof is not good enough, this one is for even higher-order digital dullards: There is a smart - super-idiot - mode.
I pointed the camera at my toast, it went into close-up mode. When I aimed it at my wife, it detected her face and switched to portrait mode.
However, I found the menu button a little laggy. Also, it takes five steps before I could change the ISO sensitivity setting.
Something new though, is the camera's ability to pause a video clip - while you are shooting.
So, you can string together individual birthday greetings from six friends for your wife as one file.
Frankly, I did not expect much for photo quality. I was surprised. The shots of my morning toast came out as crisp as the bread itself and the colours almost as rich as the kaya on the toast.
Besides red, the ST50 is available in blue, black and silver.
Final say
You have a handy compact that does some deft design work, Samsung. Why not give it a prettier name?
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