Product Listing

Samsung ST550 - Double Delight

By Seow Tein Hee - 9 Sep 2009

Features

Shake, Rattle and Roll

So other than the dual-LCD concept, what else can the Samsung ST550 do that hasn't been done on other similar touchscreen cameras? To answer that question, we have to once again take a closer look at the secondary LCD display.

While the secondary LCD is targeted at those who wish to frame themselves properly for self-portrait shots, it does serve other purposes too. One of which is the countdown timer during self-timer modes. With standard compacts, the only indication of an impending snapshot is a blinking light. Adding on to that industry standard, the ST550 will display the last three seconds in numbers, giving one a more definitive indication of when to keep still and stretch that smile.

Though seemingly simple, the addition of the countdown timer does wonders in making sure you're all fixated on the camera for self-timer shots.

The Child mode, with an animation of a clown fumbling shown on the secondary LCD, is interesting, but this isn't a foolproof method in keeping a child smiling. However, it might just be enough to draw the attention of a child and snap a decent shot before he/she starts gazing elsewhere.

The camera's user interface is laid out as simple as it seems, with just a few icons to navigate through. This includes the mode selector on the top left of the screen, followed by the flash, autofocus mode, timer and display settings right underneath it. The bottom right houses the menu icon, which brings us to the settings of the camera. Depending on your camera's operational mode, you can choose your white balance, ISO, focus area and much more.

While integrating accelerometers seems to be a common feature amongst the newer compact lineup, the ST550 takes it a step further. By clicking on the motion sensor icon, you'll be able to swap camera modes by a matter of orientation. Depending on the way you flip your camera about, you can jump straight to the Smart Auto mode, Program mode or proceed with some video shooting on the video mode. This might seem to be a little gimmicky, but in our opinion, such shortcuts will dramatically ease the use of the device when you get comfortable with it.

The icons as seen on the screen are quite self-explanatory, so we'll move deeper and highlight some of the more prominent features of the user interface.

Clicking and holding onto this icon here will activate the motion sensor mode.

By tilting the screen towards any of the three axis, you can switch to different modes such as Smart Auto, Movie and Program. Note that the camera must be in the neutral position before you can activate and use this feature.

As mentioned in our earlier coverage during the product launch, scrolling through the photos is done with the flick of your fingers. Also, drawing an X across the screen in playback mode allows you to delete the photo. While the integrated accelerometer does automatically rotate your shots to either portrait or landscape, you can also do that with a clockwise or counter-clockwise swipe of the finger.

Tossing the little but important things aside, we focus our attention on features that should improve the camera's imaging quality. One such feature is the dual image stabilization, which is selectable as one of the shooting modes. Nonetheless, exercise caution and keep those hands steady, because no amount of optical or digital image stabilization will be able to assist those hard to get night shots at low ISO settings and high shutter speeds.

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