Samsung has announced a bevy of new compact cameras, including the new angled-body ST6500, the tiny ST30, and a trio of design-savvy point-and-shoot cameras dubbed the ST95, ST90, and ST60. All the cameras aim to extend Samsung’s presence in the consumer camera market by offering a blend of performance and features coupled with space-saving designs, simply use, and (of course) style that won’t make users the laughingstocks of their friends.
Samsung’s 16 megapixel ST6500 incorporates the angled-lens design the company first rolled out with the ST5000: the camera body is curved around the lend at at a seven degree angle to offer a more ergonomic fit in a user’s hand—at least, their right hand. In addition to the 16 megapixel resolution, the ST6500 offers a 3-inch touchscreen display, a 5× optical zoom on a 26mm wide angle lend, optical and digital image stabilization, and the capability to record 720 high-definition video. The ST6500 also features built-in image editing and a creative shooting tool suite, including 12 predefined templates with multiple backgrounds so users can have fun making their own postcards and posters. The ST6500 should land at retailers in March for a suggested price of $229.
If the ST6500 is too bulky, the ST30 makes up for it with an ultra-compact body that’s just under 17mm thick. The ST30 offers a 10.1 megapixel resolution, digital image stabilization, a 3× optical zoom, the usual suite of point-and-shoot convenience features (like skin smoothing and face, blink, and smile detection) along with a smart autofocus. And perhaps most appealing will be the price: $99.99, available from retailers in March.
Finally, the Samsung ST95, ST90, and ST65 also come in with slim (16 and 17mm) cases, but add a few features to the mix. The ST90 comes with a 3-inch touchscreen display, a 16 megapixel resolution, and a 26mm lens with 5× optical zoom, along with a Smart Auto system that can switch between 16 predefined scene modes to ensure the best picture. The ST95 can also record H.264 high-definition 720p video, meaning it can cram two to four times more video in the same storage space as cameras that shoot video in MPEG-4 or Motion JPEG. The ST90 and ST65 step down to a smaller display and a 14 megapixel resolution, although the ST65 offers a slightly larger 27mm lens and ISO sensitivity down to 3200. All three cameras should be available in February, with the ST95, ST90, and ST65 carrying suggested prices of $199.99, $149.99, and $129.99, respectively.
