Product Description

Samsung's new SL30 combines all the technology you need, but at an affordable price. The extremely stylish optical 3x zoom lens, 10-megapixel digital camera boasts a host of features to make it easier than ever to take high-quality photos. Samsung's innovative Face Detection technology detects the subjects face and automatically adjusts auto focus and auto exposure to ensure better composition and image quality for portraits. The in-built Beauty Shot mode retouches facial skin for a brighter and smoother skin tone - immediately making these cameras everyones best friend. The premium quality SL30 also features Samsungs fast Digital Image Stabilization system, compensating for unwanted camera movement and subject blur - so pictures are always crisp and sharp focus.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #436 in Camera & Photo
• Color: Black
• Brand: Samsung
• Model: SL30 Black
• Dimensions: 3.00" h x 7.00" w x 6.00" l, .8 pounds
• Display size: 2.5
• Included Software: Yes

Features

• 10.2-megapixel resolution for large, photo quality prints
• 3x optical zoom; 2.5-inch Intelligent LCD screen
• Digital image stabilization; Face detection
• Movie mode (VGA 30fps, MJPEG)
• Capture images to SD/SDHC/MMC cards (not included)

Customer Reviews

A Wonderful Little Camera...that LOVES Batteries
If you can get past the battery usage factor, you will love this camera! I bought it after reading good reviews elsewhere (it had just been released and there were no amazon.com reviews at that time). I wanted something reasonable (but better than a kiddie camera) for my soon-to-be 6 year old niece. She took the camera everywhere during a trip to Washington, DC and was able to operate it with ease (although she never quite got the concept of the zoom...but that didn't matter to her).

What is good about this camera is you can set the program to eliminate "shake" or motion from the picture. If you accidentally moved the camera while taking a photo, it corrects the picture before saving it. This is simply amazing. Using this function resulted in superb pictures every time. When I decided that this function was consuming too much of the battery life, I turned it off, but after a couple of photos it was clear that it improves the photo even when you think you have a pretty steady hand...so I turned it back on.

The box included a set of AA batteries but no rechargeable batteries or battery charger. Those are optional items, as is a cover. I bought a 4 GB media card for $11 and that is the way to go with this camera. You'll run out of battery life long before you run out of photo capacity! After doing some research, I opted for the alkaline batteries recommended by the owner's manual. I believe that results in superior photos over the rechargeable batteries and was extremely happy with the performance. For the $93 that I paid, this easily performs on par with my other $300 small digital, although it does consume the batteries like there is no tomorrow! So make sure you take plenty with you (buy them on sale!) and you'll have a great time with this camera.

I really wanted to give this product 5 stars for value & performance, but opted for 4 stars solely because of the battery usage factor.

luvmyludwig
I recently bought this camera and I'm amazed at the quality of pictures it takes. They are simply amazing. The camera is easy to use and transfer to the computer is a cinch. I love the different scenes and modes the camera has and the price was lower than some other cameras that didn't offer the scenes. I would recommend this camera for anyone. The camera does use a lot of batteries if you use the review feature a lot, but it isn't a problem for me because the picture quality is worth it.

Takes nice pics and movies; a certified battery punisher
The manual that comes with the sl30 recommends Alkaline batteries or rechargeable Ni-MH batteries. I have found that, no matter which type you use, this camera goes through batteries much more quickly than my previous point and shoot, the Canon Powershot A95. I believe the problem is in the design. The Powershot used 4 AA cells and had a smaller display, and the Samsung sl30, with a larger display, uses only two AA cells. This design choice kept the camera compact and light. But I think Samsung was somewhat disingenuous in making the calculated decision to get the consumer in the door with the sexiness of this little camera, and then leave them holding the bag when it comes to the most routine aspect of ownership/upkeep.

Whereas I was able to take the Canon along for a nine hour day at Disneyland this summer and never give a second thought about battery life, the Samsung sl30 has depleted one of it's three bars indicating battery power left just in casual (not constant) shooting around the house and yard for less than an hour total. 30 more shots and a couple of short movies later, and time to reload. (A friend says that sudden battery depletion is a characteristic of rechargeables: two or three bars indicating battery health one minute, then kaput the next. I can't swear that this is always or even often true, but since I have had this camera, I have seen things which make me believe it. I have seen it go from three bars -- full battery indicator -- to the dread battery replacement message in the space of less than five minutes, on the next power-up.)

So the consumer has two choices with this camera, as I see it, if they buy it and decide to keep it. You can make a major investment in Alkaline batteries at Megamart, always carrying a couple of sixteen packs of them with you on vacation, and just try to forget that this thing uses batteries like a toy cassette recorder from 1970. Or you can buy a brace of rechargeables and always have a couple of rechargers plugged in back at the hotel with all slots filled.

Important note: The Duracell Ni-MH battery recharger I bought just for the batteries specified for this camera (which are rated at 1700 mAh, by the way) lists a recovery time of a whopping five hours. Yes, I said "five hours". With the Samsung sl30, spontanaeity -- that selling point so beloved by advertisers, that quality so coveted by consumers of cameras of this class -- certainly takes a back seat to old school camera nerd/hobbyist planning ahead and lugging extra supplies around.

To explain my rating, I give the camera almost 5 stars for the quality of pics it takes, and ease of use. (The flash on the sl30 is more forgiving than the super-hot flash on the Canon Powershot A95; this was my one complaint with the Canon the whole time I had it.) I allow it a somewhat generous 3 stars because of the battery problem. Net out around 4.

Not a terrible camera. But I think it's important that you know what you're getting into when you buy this camera. If getting on the battery-buying or battery-stress track is a deal breaker for you, you might want to look at a different camera.