Samsung AQ100 - Digital camera - compact - 12.2 Mpix - optical zoom: 5 x - supported memory: SD, SDHC - blue Review
I bought this camera after returning a Pentax W80 which had horrible picture quality. I was trying to replace an older Pentax Optio Wpi which is a wonderful older waterproof camera, took good pics @ 6MP and was very durable. So I wanted to replace this older camera with one at higher MP, something waterproof that I could take biking, to the beach, and do occasional snorkeling with and not worry about water. I read a lot of reviews on waterproof cameras before I decided to give the Samsung a try. There were only very limited reviews on this particular one when I bought it, but I decided to take a chance since the camera is priced very well.
I've only played with it for a day, but immediately I could see that the pictures are vastly better than the Pentax W80 that I had returned. The Smart Auto mode does a great job most of the time in selecting the correct settings for a shot. You can also select from a number of different preset modes for different shooting environments (water, night, backlit, sports, portrait, etc.). The Program mode has a fair amount of settings that you can change as well as some useful features such as self-portrait mode, detect smile, vignetting, and others. Close up mode worked great. I think this camera is going to fill my requirements for a small point-and-shoot to toss in my bag that can handle being outdoors without fear of getting wet while still taking good quality pictures. I'll still bring out my larger Canon when I really want the best quality, but this camera does very well for its size. It is also very attractive and a nice size.
So that was the good, not too many comments on the bad aspects yet. I have posted some of my photos under the 'product images' in the item description. You can see in some of them, the colors get a little too oversaturated, particularly red and green. This was not in a large percentage of the photos by any means, but I did see it on occasion. Most of the photos I uploaded were outdoor photos, the one indoor photo I posted was at ISO 400 and you could start to see pixelation, not drastic but it was there. The movie mode has an issue with the zoom during recording. I had noticed this before buying the camera in videos posted online taken by this type of camera. The motor is a little loud on the movie recording, so be forewarned if this is a deal-breaker for you. You can choose the option to mute the recorded sound during zooming (so obviously they knew this was an issue). I have posted a sample video at [..] if you want to check it out for yourself. The videos record in .mp4 format. I didn't think the motor noise was terribly distracting though.
I have yet to take it to the beach, so I will update this review once I try some underwater shots. Hopefully next week I'll have a chance to try it out on some fish underwater. Then I may also be able to comment on any condensation issues as another reviewer noted. So far, the camera is a keeper for me.
Update ~1 week later. Have used the camera a lot over the last week and finally took it to the beach today. It worked great, takes even better underwater pics than our older camera that I had loved. The focus was great underwater and the pics were sharp with good color. Unfortunately I didn't find any fish today to photograph, but I took a couple shots underwater around the rocks and coral to try it out. I'm glad I bought the Samsung, I have no regrets.
Samsung AQ100 - Digital camera - compact - 12.2 Mpix - optical zoom: 5 x - supported memory: SD, SDHC - blue Feature
- Water Proof up to 3 meters
- 5x Optical Zoom Lens
- Dual Image Stabilization
Stylish Design
Slanted shutter button fits your hands exactly so that you can grab the camera more tightly and reduce hand shaking when push the shutter. 5x Inner zoom lens makes the camera looks slim and more stylish. It also keeps the lens more safely in the water. Posture 7° slanted body lets you get more natural pose in any flat places.
12.2M Pixels, 5x Optical Zoom Lens
AQ100's delivers the vivid colors with 12.2 megapixel CCD and its powerful 5x optical zoom lens supports you to take more details in a distance. So you can capture the world as a new way you've never met.
Shake, rattle or stroll
Even the tiniest shake can ruin your shot. Dual Image Stabilization solves that. Samsung has combined the revolutionary technology of their ultimate Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) mechanism with the advanced algorithms of Digital Image Stabilization (DIS). Giving you sharp images no matter the condition. Whether it’s low light, zooming or just a case of plain old shaky hands, your photos come out sharp and clear. So let your Samsung camera shake things up. In a good way.
When it comes to brightness, it’s brilliant
When we engineered the Samsung AQ100 to be bright, we meant it in both senses of the word. It’s intelligent and luminous, both. It has a 2.7-inch LCD for improved contrast and color reproduction, which allows you to enjoy a wider and clearer image. And its Intelligent LCD brightness automatically detects envi
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Customer Reviews
Review of Samsung AQ100 after 2 weeks in Riviera Maya Mexico -- Not so great - Adam1mc -
I was really excited about getting this camera for my Mexico wedding and vacation. I wanted a waterproof HD camera and I compared many cameras before finally deciding on the Samsung AQ100. Some of the major selling points were waterproof, 720HD, 12.2MP, better optics than comparably priced cameras and the fact that Samsung has some of the nicest HD TV's on the market (IMO). So I bought the camera and received it just days before leaving for Mexico.
I really should have learned the features better before departing for the trip, had I had time to learn the scenes and programs (especially night feature with extended shutter {tripod necessary}and sunset features) I really think I could have had some better pictures. This was my issue. But I had some major issues with the camera which may sway potential buyers.
The camera was used lots in the water. Both the ocean and the swimming pools of the resort where we married. The waterproof feature was the biggest selling point. The camera was never taken deeper than the 9 feet that is stated on the features list, but after 2 days condensation started building on both the lens and the LCD display. The condensation on the display wasn't a big deal, but the condensation on the lens was huge. It ruined tons of our pics. We went parasailing. We rode on the boat for about 30 minutes before riding. The whole time we waited and rode the lens was clear. The moment we got up in the air condensation built on the lens and ruined all the pics.
And while the condensation is a major problem, the audio recording for the video is even worse and the gears can be heard on all the videos when using the zoom feature while recording. The entire wedding ceremony was recorded on this camera. The audio can barely be heard through the clicking and gearing noises that are made by the zoom. And as before, condensation build-up ruined the overall quality of the video. The lens was completely fogged up by the end of the video. The ceremony lasted 15 minutes and the video was never stopped. I've included links below to show the very beginning and very end of the video which just so happens to be a very similar image. Just look at the difference in quality. If at all possible, I'll also include a short video of the clicking and gearing noises that ruined our wedding video.
Overall I'm not happy about this camera. Some things were pretty good, others were not. I plan on contacting Samsung to return this unit.
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Jul 05, 2010 15:29:04
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