Disclosure: I won the Samsung Galaxy Camera at a Verizon #VZWBuzz event during #CES. All opinions are my own.
I really like the
Samsung Galaxy Camera a lot, even love! It's a really fun camera! It's running on Android, Jellybean 4.1. It's basically a Samsung Galaxy smart phone minus the phone. You can download apps and share your photos to all of your Social Networks through a Verizon, AT&T plan or a wifi connection.
Most of the photos that were taken during my trip at SXSW was with the Samsung Galaxy Camera. Check out the photos on my flickr page.
Samsung Galaxy Camera Specs.
- 16.3MP backlight-illuminated CMOS sensor
- 21x zoom with 23-481mm equivalent focal length
- 1080p 30 fps video capture
- 4.8", 308ppi HD Super Clear LCD, 1280x720 pixels
- Android 4.1 'Jelly Bean' operating system
- 1.4 GHz Quad-core processor
- Wi-Fi and 3G or 4G connectivity
- 15 'Smart' shooting modes
- Voice commands
- Manual mode
What I loved about the Galaxy Camera
1. The Samsung Galaxy 16.3mp photos are crisp and clear. The photos are incredible, even taking the resolution down to 300dpi, the size was still at 11"x15". I've even started using the Galaxy Camera more than my iPhone.
2. The 21x optional zoom is awesome for photos and videos. I have zoomed 21x during a concert taken from the nose bleed seats. The photos/video looked incredible and sharp, considering how far away I was.
3. It handles lower light situations pretty well, much better than most smart phones but still can't handle very dark situations.
4. Android camera combo. The ability to go online and share your photos directly from the camera to all of your Social Media networks like Twitter, Facebook, Google+ and Linkedin.
5. Make new friends by using the camera. People love shiny new toys they've never seen before and want it. The quality of the photos help a lot!
6. I love how wide the lens is and the ability to capture so many people in one photo.
What I didn't like so much about the Galaxy Camera
1. It's a little too heavy and bulky. If you ever dropped the camera, it would not survive.
2. It has problems focusing in really dark low light situations even with a flash.
3. No force flash mode or the ability to lower the intensity of the flash, only in manual mode. The flash is too bright and sometimes the flash wouldn't fire.
4. It needs a view finder. Very much like most smart phones on sunny days. It can be hard to see anything on the display.
The bottom line
Even though the Samsung Galaxy Camera is the first generation combining an Android OS with a camera. It's still a pretty good one. With that said, it's not perfect. It still has a few bugs.
The camera is a little laggy when the camera power save mode was turned on. Once I turned it off, it was pretty fast. Pulling up photos from the photo gallery to share takes a little too long.
The price is a little high but I would still recommend the Galaxy Camera. The ability to get online and share from the camera is a big plus.
Samsung announced that they will be releasing a wifi only model with the same specs. and a lower price of $450. It will be available at the end of April 2013.
Labels: android, CES, Galaxy Camera, Photography, Review, samsung, Share, Social Media, Swag, SXSW
