Samsung Unveils ST550 and ST500 Digital Compact Cameras Featuring LCD Screens on Front and Back
Samsung Electronics Phils Corp., today announced the ST550 and ST500, innovative compact digital cameras which feature Dual LCD screens. With one LCD on the front of the camera, and a second one on the back of the camera, Samsung now gives consumers the ability to truly step out from behind the camera and put themselves in the picture.
Delivering an unrivalled user experience, the 1.5” LCD located on the front of the camera allows consumers to take first-rate photos whether they are behind the camera or in front of it.
Samsung’s new ST550 also features a 3.5” wide touch-screen back LCD. At 1,152K resolution, the ST550’s LCD delivers almost four times more resolution than traditional cameras and also comes complete with haptic vibration feedback for ease of use. A 12.2 mega-pixel CCD and 27mm wide-angle Schneider-KREUZNACH lens with 4.6x optical zoom gives a wider shooting range from a shorter distance producing clear, clean images with balanced resolution from the center of the image to the edges.
“These cameras are the very first of their kind,” said Sang Jin Park, CEO of Samsung Digital Imaging Company. “The use of digital imaging technologies has evolved and we are offering functionality and capabilities that no other digital camera manufacturer has yet addressed. It has become more common for the photographer to switch roles and become the subject of his or her photo, especially given the rise in popularity of self-portraits or profile pictures for use with today’s popular social networking sites. The Dual LCD on the ST550 and ST500 allows consumers to become part of the picture in a way that they simply were unable to do so before. These cameras will be must-haves for those individuals that use popular social networking websites and for families that want to get everyone, including the photographer, in the picture.”
Showcasing further innovations, Samsung’s Smart Gesture User Interface (UI) with built-in Gravity sensor means that once the camera is on, a simple tap on the front LCD turns it on and the camera is automatically set into self portrait mode with smile detection. This means if users want to take a self portrait, they only need to tap and smile and the picture will be taken automatically, without pressing the shutter button. Teamed with innovative Samsung technologies such as Smile Shot, Smart Face Recognition and Smart Auto, users are given the ability to take the perfect image with ease.
Additionally, just by tilting the camera towards a certain direction, users can go directly to a different mode or view their saved images. A simple touch or hand gesture is all it takes to access the camera’s full range of key features. With Samsung’s Smart Auto feature, the worry of photos being washed out, too dark, or out of focus is also now a thing of the past. Smart Auto, which is able to recognize 16 different potential scenes, analyzes key elements of your composition and subject and then automatically selects the appropriate scene settings in response.
Samsung’s innovative Smart Face Recognition technology will memorize up to 20 faces and adjust the focus and exposure to the most high-ranked faces on the camera. It allows users to sort images by registered faces and scroll through to find images of people in their Smart Album instead of viewing every single photo.
Alongside professional-grade photos, the ST550 and ST500 record 720p HD video at 30 frames-per-second in H.264 format, providing twice as much recording capacity as MPEG4 format, and four times more than using MJPEG format, all in the palm of your hand. HDMI connectivity means that your HD videos can be enjoyed on any HDTV or HD Monitor.
ST550 and ST500
SPECIFICATIONS
Dual LCD Displays
With their Dual LCDs, the ST550 and
ST500 provide the easiest way to take the perfect self-portrait every
time, either by yourself or with friends or family. On the front of
the cameras is a 1.5” LCD that shows you what the picture will look
like, so you can now be a subject of the picture, as well as the photographer.
Key features of the Dual LCDs include:
- When you tap the front LCD,
it turns on and automatically goes into Self-Portrait mode,
ensuring that the user will always be framed exactly the way they want.
You can also turn on the front LCD with a simple selection through the
intuitive interface. As soon as you smile, the camera automatically
takes the picture. When in Self-Portrait mode, the camera will also
engage its smile detection technology, automatically taking a photo
when it recognizes a smile. - In Children mode,
the front LCD plays a fun animation to capture a child’s attention
while taking their photo. - Shutter Info ensures
you take a photo of your subject while they’re smiling. When using
Shutter Info, the front LCD will display a “smiley face” when the
photographer has the shutter button pushed halfway down, giving the
subject a signal that you’re ready to take the photo. - Function Info helps
you to keep track of what flash and macro value you’re currently using,
as the front LCD provides a visual readout of key camera settings. - When taking a group photo
using the Self-Timer, the front LCD will show a preview of the
shot as well as a visual countdown timer so that everyone knows exactly
when the photo will be snapped.
Smart Gesture User Interface (UI)
When it comes to smart, user-friendly
features, the ST550 and ST500 lead the way. Take for example the cameras’
innovative Smart Gesture UI with built-in Gravity sensor, which lets
you quickly access and use key features with either a simple tilt or
a hand gesture. To turn on the front LCD, simply tap the screen to activate
the display automatically and immediately.
Using other advanced features is just
as simple. With the Smart Gesture UI you can quickly scroll through
your photos by slightly tilting the device in either direction or by
selecting the appropriate photos for a slide show. You can also easily
delete photos from your library using the Smart Gesture UI by marking
an “X” on the screen using your finger, or you can simply save your
favorite photos into a separate folder.
Additionally, if you want to rotate
an image, you can draw a circle (O) on the screen, and if you want to
see the next image in your library you can drag it on to the screen
with a sweep of your finger or by simply tilting the device.
World’s Highest Resolution
3.5” Wide Touch Screen Back LCD
With 1,152K resolution, the 3.5”
wide touch screen LCD located on the back of the ST550 offers the sharpest
images of any camera available today, delivering almost four times more
resolution than traditional displays. Unlike other digital cameras,
the LCD touch-screen uses Samsung’s unique haptic technology, providing
users with a slight vibration and audible beep whenever they select
an option within the touch-screen display.
12.2 Mega-Pixel CCD, 27mm Wide-Angle
Lens with 4.6x Optical Zoom
Samsung’s ST550 and ST500 come fully
equipped with a true color-filtered 12.2 mega-pixel CCD and boast a
powerful 4.6x optical zoom, guaranteeing some of the sharpest and most
detailed images available and allow for the printing of poster-sized
photos. Whether you’re indoors or out, shooting a landscape or friends
around a table, the 27mm-wide angle lens plus 4.6x optical zoom gives
you a wider shooting range from a shorter distance, delivering greater
flexibility than traditional 35mm lenses. Capture images of beautiful
landscapes, entire wedding parties, and skyscrapers without having to
back up to get the shot. The precisely cut, high-quality 27mm optical
lens from Schneider-KREUZNACH delivers clear, clean images with balanced
resolution from the center to the edges. Each lens surface is multi-coated
to minimize ghosting or flaring for a great shot every time.
Advanced Dual Image Stabilization
(IS)
Samsung’s Advanced Dual Image Stabilization
(IS) technology allows you to capture crystal-clear, blur-free images.
The ST550’s and ST500’s true Dual IS combines both Optical and Digital
Image stabilizers to produce sharp images without the confusion commonly
found in other cameras. 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 blur-free images.
HD Video Recording
Besides the ability to take high-quality
digital still images, the ST550 and ST500 also offer impressive 720P
HD video recording at 30 frames per second. The cameras use the H.264
format which allows you to record twice as much content as MPEG4, and
four times more than MJPEG, the format typically used in other digital
cameras. The ST550 also offers HDMI connectivity (adapter sold separately)
so that you can enjoy your HD video, as well as digital still images,
on an HDTV or HD monitor.
Smart Auto
Samsung’s Smart Auto feature ensures
that users never have to worry about their photos being washed out,
too dark or out of focus. Smart Auto analyzes key elements of your composition
such as color, brightness, motion and subject and then automatically
selects the appropriate mode for up to sixteen scene which will produce
the best results possible.
Smart Album
With Samsung’s convenient Smart Album
feature, you can quickly scroll through your entire library of images
and organize them in the way that’s best for you. This unique feature
allows you to organize photos by Favorite (if tagged as a “favorite”
photo), Face (someone you’ve taken many photos of), Timeline (date
photos were taken), Week, Color, and Content (photos, videos, voice-note).
Perfect Portrait System
Picture-perfect moments at their
best
The Perfect Portrait System takes the
guess work out of shooting beautiful portraits. Key features of this
system are Samsung’s Smile Shot and Blink Detection technologies which
automatically detect when your subjects are smiling and if their eyes
are closed, allowing you to capture them looking their best. Another
advanced feature is the Red-eye Fix mode. This in-camera feature automatically
fixes the typical red-eye associated with the use of the flash, before
the photo is produced, a significant time saver as you don’t have
to spend time afterwards removing red-eyes from your photos.
Smart touch shooting
and Auto-Focus
Sometimes the focal point of your picture
is not always in the center of the frame. In cases like this, the ST550’s
and ST500’s Smart Touch Auto Focus feature allows you to focus on
a different part of the shot by simply touching the desired area. That
means your subject, no matter where in the frame it may be, will always
be in focus. Once you’ve selected the focal point, you can simply
leave your finger on the screen for two seconds or push the shutter
button to take the picture.
Smart Face Recognition
The ST550 and ST500 feature Samsung’s
advanced Face Recognition technology which automatically stores up to
20 preferred faces to the cameras’ internal memory. While taking a
portrait, the ST550 and ST500 will automatically recognize if one of
the user’s preferred faces is in the frame and identify them as a
priority for focus and exposure. Users can also save time sorting through
their photos by searching only for those that contain a specific face.
Beauty Shot
Samsung’s Beauty Shot feature lets
you remove all the imperfections on your subject’s face such as wrinkles,
blemishes, and moles. Simply select one of two editing options to even
out skin tone and complexion.
Photo Style Selector and Highlight
Feature
The ST550 and ST500 are designed to
help you enhance your creativity when it comes to digital imaging. Samsung’s
Photo Style Selector allows you to transform your photos from simple
memories to works of art. Choose from a wide selection of artistic treatments
ranging from classic black and white to something more vivid, giving
you full control over the color tones of your image. Additionally, with
Samsung’s unique highlight feature, you can focus on one area of your
photo and blur everything around it, turning a normal photo into something
much more complex.
Specifications
| ST500 | |
| Mega-Pixels (Effective) | 12.2 mega-pixels | 12.2 mega-pixels |
| Optical Zoom | 4.6x Zoom Lens | 4.6x Zoom Lens |
| LCD Size | Dual-LCD - Front LCD: 1.5” Smart Window Front Back (haptic): 3.5 inch wide 1,152K touch-screen | Dual-LCD - Front LCD: 1.5” Smart Window Front Back (haptic): 3.0 inch wide 230K touch-screen |
| Lens | Schneider-KREUZNACH | Schneider-KREUZNACH |
| Movie Mode | 720p HD / H.264 Format | 720p HD / H.264 Format (optional HDMI / CEC cradle) |
| Size | 99.8mm x 59.8mm x 19.1mm | 99.8mm x 59.8mm x 18.9mm |
| Special Features |
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| Availability |
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* Specifications are subject to
change without notice.
[Press Release courtesy of Miss Odette Velarde of Samsung Electronics Philippines]
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I am using Samsung st500 from last 6 months and all i can say is i am truly in love with it, things that i like the most about this camera are its front display, its quality result even after full zoom in and third that it register faces automatically . its touch system is also very comfy.
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