Samsung ST1000

Samsung ST1000 Review

The Samsung ST1000 has a host of features which many other digital cameras available today possess as well. It does, however, have a few mean tricks within its svelte frame that are likely to become standard features on compact digital cameras within the next 12 months. GPS functionality, wireless connectivity and built-in social network uploads are just a few features to distinguish the ST1000 from its rivals.

The Samsung ST1000’s other features are all pretty standard – 12.2 megapixels of effective resolution, 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen, still and video capture are all packed into the ST1000’s compact frame. The ST1000 has HD video capture capability, at 1280 x 720 pixels at a maximum rate of 30fps.

A 5X Schneider zoom lens is housed in the sleek body as well, with a focal range of 35-175mm (in 35mm terms). Samsung’s data storage of choice is microSD, which is unusual since the body is quite large enough to allow the use of a full-size SD card. However, the ST1000 has a 100mb internal memory which can get you started.

The Samsung camera has a slew of useful features, one of which is Face Recognition, which informs you that the ST1000 is focusing on the right subject. It can recall up to 20 faces and when it identifies them, prioritize the focus and exposure on that area.

16 automatic modes are pre-set to guide you to better image quality and the Smart Auto system will select the appropriate mode if you're not certain about which settings to implement. Apart from the Wi-Fi connection it’s got Bluetooth built in as well.

The ST1000 is a snap to use for basic photography and creating great-looking photos is made simple as expected. When in the slide show mode, you can sweep through images much like iPhone and a built-in accelerometer automatically screens out orientation.

Uploading images to Facebook over a Wi-Fi network may seem like a dull feature. It is, however, engaging and addictive. If you’ve got a Facebook account and use this feature, then you'll realize the importance of this capability. The thrill of excitement is almost indescribable as you shoot a picture and upload it to Facebook almost at the same time to share with your online friends. You can also use Flickr, YouTube, Picasa, or Photobox to store both your still and video uploads.

Image quality is more than satisfactory for this 12 megapixel snapper. It has its imperfections, but if you’re not looking for perfection then the ST1000 gets the job done. There may be times when colors are too saturated for your taste, but not on a frustrating level.

The Samsung ST1000 is not without its flaws, and it does not pretend to be the perfect compact camera. However, it does possess some really cool features that will surely hit home in some photo-sharing buffs out there. Though some may find a few glitches in the Samsung ST1000’s performance, it is nonetheless a good and functional compact camera. And it’s Wi-Fi connectivity is no gimmick at all.