South Korean electronics giant Samsung has introduced three new compact point-and-shoot cameras, two sporting front-and-back LCD displays (the TL220 and TL225) and another (the CL65) jam-packed with technology extras like GPS, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, DNLA, the ability to shoot HD video, and DLNA compatibility.
“It is our goal to continue to lead the evolution of the industry while delivering a first-class consumer experience through ease-of-use and the design of our Smart Cameras,” said Samsing Digitla Imaging’s CEO Jin Park, in a statement. “We’ve listened to what consumers want and need, particularly in the social networking field, and I consider these latest products to surpass even the highest expectations of today’s budding photographer, providing fun and excitement to the user.”
First up, the 12.2 megapixel TL220 and TL225 sport a new dual LCD design, with a 3- or 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen display on the back (respectively) and a front-mounted 1.5-inch LCD display that gives subject’s a postage-stamp view of how an image will turn out. The front-mounted LCD is intended to help folks using a self-timer function compose and prepare for shots before the shutter clicks, but Samsung has found another fun use for the front display in traditional photography: play cutesy animations to make kids smile. Both cameras feature Samsung’s Smart Gesture interface with a gravity sensor: when users turn the camera on, one tap puts the camera into self-portrait mode with smile detection, so users can snap a shot of their glorious self just with one touch and a grin. Both cameras feature a 5× optical zoom, a number of convenience features (face detection for up to 20 faces, smile and blink detection, smart autofocus, optical and digital image stabilization, and more) and can shoot 720p video. Expect to see both cameras in September, with the TL225 going for $349.99, and the TL220 going for $299.99.
If the TL220 and TL225 are just a little too ego-centric for you—what with all the self-portrait features—the new CL65 will help you share your photos with the world. The CL65 sports a 12.2 megapixel resolution and can shoot 720p video; the camera also sports a 3.5-inch touchscreen LCD display, 5× optical zoom Samsung’s Smart Gesture user interface, and niceties like a smart auto mode, face recognition (up to 20 faces), optical and digital image stabilization, smart albums, and smart autofocus. But connectivity is where the CL65 really shines, offering both Wi-FI and Bluetooth wireless networking with DLNA support, making it easy to share images with social networking sites, home media gear, and friends’ devices. he CL65 also sports an integrated GPS for geotagging photos. Users can also push images and video out to HDTVs via an optional HMDI adapter. Although images pushed to social networking sites via Wi-Fi are reduced down to 2 megapixels in the interests of bandwidth efficiency, the features should still be plenty interesting to folks who can’t wait to share their images with the world. Expect to see the CL65 in September for a suggested price of $399.99.
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