Samsung have just unveiled the world’s slimmest cameras with 15x zoom and 24mm equivalent wide angle - one of the two even features built-in GPS and a 3” AMOLED screen. The new compacts are called the Samsung HZ30W and HZ35W, with the latter being the GPS/AMOLED model. The HZ30W has no GPS unit and makes do with a more traditional 3” LCD screen. The two cameras are otherwise identical: both sport 12-megapixel sensors, 24-360mm equivalent Schneider-Kreuznach lenses and 720p HD video recording capabilities. Both the Samsung HZ30W and the Samsung HZ35W offer semi-automatic and full manual exposure control, optical image stabilisation and HDMI ports. The HZ30W and HZ35W are called WB600 and WB650 in Europe and will be available from March 2010, priced at £249.99 and £299.99 respectively.

Samsung Press Release

SAMSUNG ADDS 15X OPTICAL ZOOM HIGH END COMPACT CAMERAS TO HZ-SERIES

HZ35W Offers GPS Technology with Visual Map-View and 3.0” AMOLED Screen

Ridgefield Park, NJ (January 18, 2010) – Samsung Electronics America, Inc., a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announced the addition of two new models to its HZ-Series of high zoom, point-and-shoot digital cameras.  The 12-megapixel HZ35W and HZ30W offer the same wide-angle 24mm Schneider lenses as their predecessors, the HZ15W and HZ10W, but extend the telephoto capability of the range from a 10x optical zoom to an impressive 15x optical zoom.  In addition, the HZ35W comes equipped with a super clear and sharp 3.0” AMOLED display and built-in GPS technology for the automatic geo-tagging of images from anywhere in the world.

“These cameras represent what consumers can expect from Samsung,” said Mr. SJ Park, CEO of Samsung Digital Imaging Company.  “From their powerful optics to the exceptional combination of features which make snapping perfect pictures every time effortless, Samsung’s new HZ-Series goes above and beyond what’s expected from a point-and-shoot and raises the bar even higher for this class of high zoom compacts.” 

12 Megapixel CCD, 24mm Wide-Angle Lens with 15x Optical Zoom
The HZ35W’s and the HZ30W’s optical performance is unmatched among its competition in the compact high-zoom category. Both offer a 24mm ultra wide angle lens, and 15x optical zoom. With such wide-angle and telephoto capabilities, users will have access to a wider shooting range from a shorter distance making it possible to capture beautiful landscapes, entire wedding parties, and skyscrapers from a greater distance.  The cameras’ high-performance Schneider KREUZNACH lenses are also paired with Dual Image Stabilization (IS), which allows users to capture crystal-clear images using both Optical and Digital Image stabilizers.  The Optical IS intelligently compensates for hand trembling by shifting the lens in the opposite direction.  When Optical IS isn’t quite enough, the Digital IS automatically takes over to ensure virtually blur-free images.

Advanced Display
The HZ35W features a 3.0” AMOLED display which offers significant benefits compared to traditional LCD screens.  The impressive screen enhances the experience for end-users with a much brighter and sharper display, which can easily be viewed outdoors and even in direct sunlight.  The AMOLED screen offers improved battery life, a higher contrast ratio, more vibrant colors, and the ability to display images that can be reviewed at any angle, while fully maintaining the same color gamut.  The HZ30W features a large, 3.0” TFT LCD.

GPS Technology & Geo-tagging Capability
The HZ35W utilizes built-in GPS technology to pinpoint and store the exact location that the shots were taken.  With the HZ35W, users can geo-tag digital images, recording the longitude and latitude of where in the world the photo was taken.  The camera will display the name of the city, state, and country on its AMOLED screen.  Thanks to its visual map-view feature, users can even check the photos’ location on a map without having to upload the images to the Internet.

HD Video Recording
The HZ35W and the HZ30W both put high-definition video recording in the palm of users’ hands thanks to the ability to record video at a resolution of 720p / 30fps.  Samsung also incorporates H.264 compression and offers consumers true HDMI connectivity, which allows the camera to be connected directly to an HDTV without the need for a cradle.  Additionally, to further simplify users’ ability to record the best video possible, the cameras offer Samsung’s advanced scene recognition technology, Smart Auto (Still & Movie).  Smart Auto has been upgraded from the HZ15W and HZ10W, as it can now be used with video as well as with still images.  Similar to the way the technology analyzes the composition of an image to select the best scene mode when capturing digital stills, the technology will do the same for video, automatically choosing between one of four pre-programmed settings and selecting the setting that will yield the best footage with proper exposure and color balance.

Samsung UK Press Release

Samsung adds 15x optical zoom, high end compact cameras to WB-series

WB650 offers GPS Technology with Visual Map-View and 3.0” AMOLED Screen

London, UK – January 19, 2010 – Samsung, a market leader and award-winning innovator in consumer electronics, today announced the addition of two new models to its WB-series of high zoom, point-and-shoot digital cameras, with the introduction of the WB650 and WB600. The 12.2 mega-pixel WB650 and WB600 offer the same wide-angle 24mm Schneider lenses as their predecessors, the WB550 and WB500, but extend the telephoto capability of the range from a 10x optical zoom to an impressive 15x optical zoom.  In addition, the WB650 even comes equipped with a super sharp 3.0” AMOLED display and built-in GPS technology for the automatic geo-tagging of images from anywhere in the world.

Continuing to provide consumers with high end solutions within the high-zoom category, the WB650/WB600 both carry a huge 24mm ultra wide angle + 15X super optical zoom. In addition, the WB series are equipped with a world-first 15X super-zoom lens, within a 30mm thick compact camera body. With such wide-angle and telephoto capabilities, users will have access to a wider shooting range from a shorter distance, making it possible to capture beautiful landscapes, entire wedding parties, and skyscrapers from an increased distance. The cameras’ high-performance Schneider KREUZNACH lenses are also paired with Dual Image Stabilisation (IS), which allows users to capture crystal-clear images by both Optical and Digital Image stabilisers. The Optical IS intelligently compensates for hand trembling by shifting the lens in the opposite direction. When Optical IS isn’t quite enough, the Digital IS automatically takes over to ensure virtually blur-free images.

The WB650 features an exceptional 3.0” AMOLED display which offers significant benefits compared to traditional LCD screens. The impressive screen enhances the experience for consumers with a much brighter and sharper display, which can easily be viewed outdoors and even in direct sunlight. The AMOLED screen offers improved battery life, a higher contrast ratio, more vibrant colours, and the ability to display images that can be reviewed at any angle while fully maintaining the same colour resolution. The WB600 features a large, 3.0” TFT LCD.

The WB650 also comes with built-in GPS technology to pinpoint and store the exact location that the shots were taken. With the WB650, users can geo-tag digital images, recording the longitude and latitude of where in the world the photo was taken.  The camera will display the name of the city and country on its AMOLED screen. Thanks to its visual map-view feature, users can even check the photos’ location on a map without having to upload the images to the Internet.

Not only do both cameras deliver truly exceptional stills shots. The WB650 and the WB600 both put high-definition video recording in the palm of your hand thanks to the ability to record video at a resolution of 720p / 30fps. Samsung also incorporates H.264 compression and offers consumers true HDMI connectivity, which allows the camera to be connected directly to an HDTV without the need for a cradle.  Additionally, to further simplify users’ ability to record the best video possible, the cameras offer Samsung’s advanced scene recognition technology, Smart Auto (Still & Movie). Smart Auto has been upgraded from the WB550 and WB500, as it can now be used with video as well as with still images. Similar to the way the technology analyses the composition of an image to select the best scene mode when capturing digital stills, the technology will do the same for video, automatically choosing between one of four pre-programmed settings and selecting the setting that will yield the best footage with proper exposure and colour balance.

“These cameras represent what consumers can expect from Samsung,” said Steve Mitchell, Marketing General Manager, Samsung Digital Imaging. “From their powerful optics to the exceptional combination of features which make snapping perfect pictures every time effortless, Samsung’s new WB-Series goes above and beyond what’s expected from a point-and-shoot and raises the bar even higher for this class of high zoom compacts.”

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