The digital camera market is constantly on the hunt for new and exciting features. In recent years, we’ve seen more and more consumer-level cameras implement such things as GPS geotagging, HD video recording, and Wi-Fi connectivity. Offering a refreshing take on the form factor is the Samsung ST550 digital camera.
The single greatest feature that sets this particular picture-taker apart from the competition is the secondary display mounted to the front of the camera. This way, there is no more second guessing when it comes to those extended-arm self-portraits.
Features and Specifications
The Samsung ST550 is a 12.2 megapixel camera featuring a Schneider-Kreuznach VarioPlan 27mm wide angle lens good for up to 4.6x optical zoom. This is the world’s first camera to feature a dual LCD display configuration.
Around the back, you’ll find the main 3.5-inch touchscreen display and this is where you will be doing most of your interaction with the camera. It is through this touchscreen that you can change the mode, adjust your options, activate the flash, and so on.
On the front is the smaller 1.5″ LCD display. The primary purpose of this screen is for self-portraits, but there are other modes wherein the display will show goofy pictures (children mode), the self-timer countdown, shutter info, and function info.
Other quick highlights include the smart gesture UI (using the built-in acceleration/tilt sensor), HDMI connectivity, Smart Auto mode, face and smile recognition, touch-to-focus, dual image stabilization, up to ISO 3200, and a recycle bin feature.
What’s Included in the Box?
Along with the Samsung ST550 digital camera itself, the retail box contains a handy wrist strap, USB connection cable, standard AV cable, wall charger adapter, rechargeable lithium-ion battery (720mAh), quick start manual, warranty information, and user manual CD-ROM.
It’s notable that while there is a little bit of internal memory (55MB) in the Samsung ST550, you will need to invest in your own memory card if you plan on taking more than a handful of photos. Rather than using the standard SD format, Samsung opted for microSD (and microSDHC) for this camera.
First Impressions
This version of the Samsung ST550 features an extra glossy black front with gold trim on either side, but the camera is also available in your choice of red, blue, or purple trim too. From what I can gather, the specs are the same regardless of color.
Measuring just 18.6mm thick, this camera clearly fits in the “sleek and thin” niche, but it is heavier than I expected. It’s from being the lightest camera on the market, so don’t let its thin profile deceive you in that respect. The added weight and the choice of materials give a sense of great build quality though; it certainly feels better than the decidedly cheaper and older Samsung S850.
It should be noted that there is quite the discrepancy in pricing, depending on where you choose to buy this camera. Poking around on the Internet, I found that Amazon (USA) had the Samsung ST550 listed at just $230. By contrast, Future Shop (Canada) is selling the same camera for $400. Go figure.
A Slim Body with Optical Zoom
By and large, the vast majority of consumer-level cameras will offer you a 3x optical zoom lens. Despite having a slimmer body than most, the Samsung ST550 is able to bump this up to 4.6x optical zoom. This will certainly come in handy for sporting events and other occasions where you’re a little farther away from the action.
Looking at the top of the camera, you’ll find that there are a total of three buttons, along with the zoom rocker. The power button is located closer to the center (surrounded by a blue light), the two-stage shutter button is next to it, the zoom rocker next to that, and the playback button below that. This layout works well, giving you easy access with your right index finger.
Touchscreen User Interface
Aside from hitting the shutter button and adjusting the zoom at the top, just about everything else is done through the touchscreen user interface on the back. As expected, the menu system is more robust than that found on the Samsung HMX-U10, but this is a more powerful unit.
It is a wide-aspect display in the back, so if you are taking standard 4:3 aspect photos, the virtual buttons don’t obscure your view whatsoever. Along the left side, you can have quick access to changing the shooting mode, flash, timer, display settings, and so on.
To bring up the more comprehensive menu, you can pull up some of the items with the tab at the bottom of the screen. If you are in Program mode, lets you adjust the ISO, resolution, white balance, EV, and more. By holding what looks like the shaky camera on the right, you can tilt the camera to access three more features.
Doing the Finger Scroll Dance
One small feature that I thought was quite useful is that the taps on the touchscreen don’t activate anything until you take your finger off the display.
For instance, when you want to change the shooting mode, you hit the virtual button in the top-left corner and it brings up the virtual scroll wheel shown above. You can then run your finger along this circle and as you “hover” over any of the six items, it will tell you what it is. When you find the one you want, you take your finger off the screen and it is activated.
Haptic Feedback Too
A common issue that some people have with touchscreen interfaces is that it can sometimes be difficult to know when you’ve actually pressed something. Much like certain Samsung cell phones, the ST550 offers haptic feedback.
You can adjust its strength in the menu, but in a nutshell, this makes the camera vibrate slightly when you press anything on the screen. This can become an unnecessary battery draw, but it can give you a near-tactile like response.
On the downside, especially for Canadian winters, the touchscreen will not work with gloved fingers. This is the same scenario you’d encounter with the capacitive touchscreen on the Apple iPhone.
Like Looking into an Off-Center Mirror
I have an articulating LCD on my Canon S3 IS digital camera, so I can swing what is normally the rear LCD so that it shoots out the side and faces the front. I’ve used this feature on several occasions, but it is really easy to end up with pictures where people aren’t looking right at the camera lens; they’re looking at the display instead.
The exact same scenario happens with the Samsung ST550. Since the LCD is off to the side of the lens, you may end up having some photos where it looks the people are gazing off to the right. You just need to remind people to look at the lens. I should also note that the resolution of the front screen is quite poor, but the face tracking square still shows up. That’s pretty neat.
Test Shots and Picture Quality
In the picture above, you can see the Tekken Fight Stick, Wii Balance Board, and Evil Controllers‘ modded Xbox 360 gamepad. Aside from some cropping, this image has not been altered in any way. Click it for the full sized image.
On a clear and sunny day, I took this shot of some snow-dusted conifers. The bright blue sky is quite breathtaking and you are able to make out some detail for the individual needles on the tree. You can click on either image above to get the full-size picture.
For a few more sample photos, you can check out my Flickr photostream. I tried a few outdoor photos, as well as a couple of indoor macros with my breakfast. They turned out quite well, I think.
Closing Thoughts
The Samsung ST550 digital camera doesn’t offer anything incredibly innovative when it comes to the picture-taking process itself. Features like face tracking and smile recognition are nothing new, but they are still very nice to have. The smart gesture UI is a nice touch too.
I appreciated the relatively easy-to-understand touchscreen interface, giving easy access to the breadth of features and options through the 3.5″ LCD. Picture quality was good and the 4.6x optical zoom is a slight step up from some competitors.
The novelty factor of the secondary 1.5″ screen in the front certainly separates the Samsung ST550 from the rest of the pack, but this feature alone isn’t really enough for me to justify the price premium. At about $400 in Canadian stores, this is anything but cheap. South of the border, this camera seems like a more affordable and reasonable option.
Pros
- Very solid-feeling camera
- Innovative secondary display on the front
- Very large touchscreen interface
- Good quality photos
- Plenty of features and options
Cons
- Quite a bit heavier than expected
- Could result in portraits with subjects looking to the right
- Too expensive (in Canada)
- Touchscreen is not glove-friendly
Overall Rating: 8.0 / 10.0
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Samsung ST550 Dual LCD Digital Camera Photo Gallery
