Review: Let’s dig a ST550(TL225) fresh review

Here is a review about Samsung ST550 digital cameral.

Different from last year, in this year, there was no many tropical nights, but since August, it’s has been hot, so the tourists are crowed with a lot of people. (My friends are busy to make a plan for vacation. I’m so sorry that I can’t enjoy the vacation for my personal reason.) When I look at the people taking pictures with a digital camera in a tourist, I envy them very much.

For this vacation season, digital camera makers have released their distinguished new products. The ST550(TL225) I’m reviewing from Samsung Digital Imaging is a sensible designed product like other ST series, and I could see this product has the innovative front display. (Users having good sense already knew that.)

It’s so long time ago, since I reviewed a camera, so I’m a little afraid and nervous. Through the review of the ST550(TL225), let’s take a look at the design, functions, and performance.

 

More details about ST550(TL225) here.

I didn’t have any inconvenience to carry this, because of the size 99.8×59.8×18.6mm and the weight 165.7g. (Certainly, it’s a little bigger and heavier than other ST series, so I couldn’t be satisfied with the portability for 100%. However, with a little more weight, I could take more stable shots than before.)

The design of the product is so satisfactory, and I think this is one of the best design cameras among all Samsung digital Imaging cameras which I’ve reviewed so far. The wide screen to minimize the button part is so outstanding, and the high-glossy UV coating for sensible and elegant feeling is also very satisfactory. (There’s no extra part, and it’s so sharp and neat product. If you think the design is important for a digital camera, I strongly recommend this product.)

It’s the front of the body. It has 27~124.2mm (There’s no problem to take wide and standard angle shots. I think it’s a quite ideal angle.) Schneider protruding optical zoom lens(4.6x), and it supports F3.5(W)~5.9(T). (It’s quite different from the WB series having F2.8.) @Not only does it support 12.2M pixels, but also it has Dual IS function, so you can take satisfactory pictures any time.

There’s a flash on the left top, and on the lens side, there’s AF&Self timer lamp. It also has the front display (World’s first), so perfect self shot is possible. (It’s totally different from a convex lens or face recognition. You can take a self shot with looking at your face, so the picture is much more satisfactory.) @It supports the Smart gesture UI, so tapping on the front LCD, it  is automatically activated.

It’s the top of the body. In the center, a microphone is attached, so you can easily record the sound when recording a video. On the side, a power button is located (Because LED is also located, you can easily see the status of power.), and shutter button and zoom buttons are also there. (On the bottom, the status display LED and play buttons are located, so you can easily see videos and pictures.) @ Zoom button is small compared to other products, so at first, I couldn’t be used to it. I think it should have been better if it changes the position with the play button and the size and angle of the zoom button.

It’s the back of the product. Different from other product having some buttons, it has adopted the 3.5 inch wide (1,152K color) wide touch LCD for better display. (Even though it’s the TFT LCD, I could fee the same vividness and strength as the OLED of the WB1000. It also has a good viewing angle, and the touch response was also very good. And as a haptic product, it was so impressive that it supports the vibration feedback.) @This minimizes the buttons, so almost all functions have to be controlled by touch, but there was no inconvenience much. The large display makes finger touch easier. Moreover, like other touch panel installed product, it supports the gesture function, so rotation, magnification, and delete of pictures can be done by fingers. (Please, refer to the video preview.)

It’s the left side of the product, and you can see the strap ring there. (You can connect the hand strap included and hang on your neck.)

It’s the bottom of the product. The mount hall for tripod connection is installed and 34 pin for USB and A/V connection is also located. (It’s not universal 20 pin, but 34 pin. Using an accessory not included, HDMI output is possible.) On the side, battery is attached with the card slot. (Unlike other product, it has Micro SD memory. They said it guarantees 4GB, but the 8GB MicroSDHC was perfectly recognized.) @It also supports 55MB internal memory.

It’s the simple comparison of size. We can see the small size of the product. (The size is similar to smart phones or premium MP3P.)

@ Body, Power adaptor, USB cable, battery, hand strap, A/V cable, CD (Including user manual), and quick manual are provided, and case, memory card, HDMI cable / adaptor, and remote controller will be on sale.

We’ve looked at the design and features. Now, let’s take a look at the functions this supports.

It’s the main UI. As a touch screen product, we can see various additional functions can be set here. On the left top, the mode is displayed, and on the lower part, flash, self timer, and front LCD settings are possible. On the right side, including the motion recognition setting button, menu buttons are provided, and on the lower part, the quick menu is displayed. (Through the quick menu, you don’t need to go into each menu. You can simply set the function.) @ The motion recognition function is so impressive. Like the picture, holding the button and tilting the camera to this direction, the mode and function are automatically executed.

We can see it supports 6 modes. Including the smart auto which automatically recognizes a scene and allows us to take satisfactory pictures, it supports auto program mode, and unlike other low range product supporting DIS, this basically supports Dual IS mode. This also supports scene mode including the beauty shot and video function, so the camera is useful for a lot of works. (Through the HD video recording function, this can also be used as a camcorder.)

Read more: http://www.samsungimaging.net/let%e2%80%99s-dig-a-st550tl225-fresh-review/#ixzz0YJLH4PZM