A few days ago I finished a Pocket Superzoom Camera Guide with the six top pocket digital cameras with 10x (or longer) zoom lenses. Almost immediately after I published my guide, Samsung fired this missile onto the camera battlefield – the WB700 digital camera. The 14-megapixel Samsung WB700 pocket superzoom camera has an 18x 24-432mm Schneider Kreuznach zoom lens, 720p HD video, full manual exposure controls, RAW, manual flash output control and according to the dimensions in the press release it’s also the smallest camera in its class. Spec-wise, that pretty much puts on top – or at least close to the top – of the heap of current pocket superzoom cameras.
Pocket superzooms are my favorite point-and-shoot cameras right now. I love having a camera with a big zoom that comfortably fits in my pocket. And the new Samsung WB700 crushes the competition – at least on paper. The only thing it’s missing is full 1920 x 1080 HD video and built-in GPS. The 18x zoom lens is the longest of all the pocket superzooms (the Fujifilm FinePix F300EXR has a 15x zoom lens). Factor in the truly pocketable body (most pocket superzooms will fit in a pocket but they’re a bit bulky), RAW shooting and manual exposure controls and the WB700 might qualify as point-and-shoot of the year for 2011. Of course we’ll have to wait and see what else is introduced at CES and through the rest of the year. And we need to use the WB700 to see if the actual image quality and performance live up to the promise of the specs. But Samsung has definitely made a statement with this camera and I can’t wait to get one in my hands.
Samsung WB700 Digital Camera Key Features & Specs:
- 14-megapixel 1/2.33-inch CCD sensor
- 18x 24-432mm Schneider Kreuznach zoom lens
- 720p H.264 format HD video
- Dedicated video button
- Full Manual exposure controls
- RAW shooting
- Manual flash output control
- Digital noise (sound) elimination while zooming for no zoom noise in videos
- Smart Filter 2.0 – artistic filters
- Smart Auto mode for still and movie
- Dimensions: 3.9 x 2.3 x 0.85 inches (9.9 x 5.9 x 2.2 cm)
The new Samsung WB700 pocket superzoom camera will be officially introduced at the 2011 CES tradeshow in Las Vegas (January 6 to 9, 2011). It should be available for purchase in April of 2011 for a suggested retail price of US $299.99.
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All Samsung Digital Camera User Reviews
Pocket Superzoom Digital Camera Guide
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All Samsung Camera News & Articles
Samsung Digital Cameras Web Site
Well, i’m just wondering if i can trade in my Samsung WB550(HZ15W) and how much i’m gonna be paying. RAW shooting and full manual exposure control sold me on this one. Hopefully, it will be really full manual unlike the limited manual control on the WB550.
Further wish would be a bigger sensor and auto HDR comes my prediction that it will be a biggest seller in the point and shoot camera category.
Thanks for the comments, Cyberman. The price (MSRP) was at the end of the article – $299.99 US. Likely, it will cost a bit less once it’s been in stores for a while but $299 is in keeping with the prices for other pocket superzooms right now. A larger sensor would be nice – the WB700′s sensor has higher resolution than other pocket superzooms with the same size sensor and that usually means more noise. That said, in-camera noise reduction keeps getting better and we’lll have to wait and see what the actual image quality is like.
On paper, this camera seems versatile and impressive. I don’t doubt that they will sell a bunch of them, given its impressive zoom, high MP resolution, attractive design, and German lens. I still wonder how good the actual images will be, especially given its standard issue P/S 1/2.33 CCD sensor, especially at full zoom or in low light/high ISO situations. Might turn out the same as putting a 400 HP engine in a Honda Civic and expecting the same performance, corning, and braking as a Porsche with the same HP rating.
That is a sleek-looking little camera. I like it. Especially that big zoom.
Warren – I hear you on all that. My past impression of Samsung has been that they pack in the features but the performance doesn’t necessarily live up to expectations. It’s been a while since I’Ve seriously used one of their cameras, though. I think this one deserves a serious test.
I got this camera, it takes very impressive photos for a compact digital camera. With it you get a program that’s called Intelli-studio Light which is very helpful to do some minor afterwork on photos taken. What I haven’t figured out yet, and someone here might be able to help, is how to change fileformat from .jpg to .raw? can’t find the setting anywhere in the menu. I haven’t tried shooting video with it yet so I can’t say anything about that, still I am very pleased with this camera, which could have used a more in-depth manual, the one that comes with it doesn’t tell you half of what you can do in the menus of this camera – and why…