ST1000(CL65) SPECIAL REVIEW

01. ST1000(CL65)

The fruits of Samsung

Samsung cameras are establishing themselves in the camera market. Even consumers that think Japanese cameras are the best are being fascinated with them. Starting as Samsung Digital Imaging, they presented consumers with the pleasure of choice by releasing new cameras successively. And they are winning confidence by adopting Schneider lens and various features.

Samsung cameras continue to challenge. Samsung Digital Imaging has released the ST550(TL225) and ST1000(CL65) recently. They have a similar specification. The ST1000(CL65) equipped with networking system. But it doesn’t have the front display like the ST550(TL225).

The ST1000(CL65) is the fruits of Samsung because it has all from a high definition LCD screen to networking system.

Substantial ST1000(CL65)

The ST 1000(CL65) is equipped with 12.2M pixels CCD sensor, 5x zoom Schneider lens, and 3.5” wide LCD touch screen. With built-in Wi-Fi, Bluetooth 2.0, and Global Position System (GPS), it is much easier to share a memory and Smart Auto, Smart Gesture User Interface (UI), and Dual Image Stabilization (IS) provide users with convenience and fun. As mentioned above, the ST1000(CL65) has various features. The ST1000(CL65) gives users the opportunity to enjoy the pleasure of shooting.

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Sharing pleasure – the ST1000(CL65)

The ST1000(CL65) supports wireless networking. It is the major difference between the ST1000(CL65) and ST550(TL225). The ST1000(CL65) supports GPS, Wi-Fi, DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance), and Bluetooth 2.0. As location information is automatically saved in the picture through GPS, it is easy to classify pictures by places and memorize without memos. In addition, With Wi-Fi, DLNA, and Bluetooth, users can e-mail their pictures or upload onto web pages. The more do people use blogs and Twitter, the more they would utilize those features if Wi-Fi environment gets better.

Dignified & neat design

The ST1000(CL65) is a slim digital camera with 5x optical zoom that supports GPS, Wi-Fi, DLNA, and Bluetooth. Simplicity of ST series continues in the ST1000(CL65). Five colors – silver blue, red silver, gold black, black red, black are named according to color of grip and body. The metal-feeling body and grip is simple and classical rather than fancy and trendy. Users would never be bored with its design. The ST1000(CL65) is rather heavy, so that it helps users take a photo more stably.

As SAMSUNG logo, flash, AF-assist light/timer lamp, and lens are placed at the upper side, its lower side is neat. The Lens is inner zoom type and when power on, round lens cover moves down quickly. The ST 1000(CL65) with four buttons (power, shutter, zoom and playback) is controlled by touch. Therefore, there is a big LCD screen on the back. If you touch the LCD screen, menu would be operated or it would vibrate by Haptic technology. For a male user with big hands, the ST 1000(CL65) may be somewhat small though there is some space on the right side, so it is better to use strap or hold with both hands. The fact that a strap hole is located in the bottom makes room for improvement.

1,152k wide LCD touch screen

The LCD screen is big and has the best specification in the world. With 1,152k pixels, it is sharper than that of general digital cameras by more than four times.

Apart from wide size of 3.5 inch, it is very clear in the sunlight. Besides, with Haptic feedback, users can feel the pleasure of touch. Every time users touch menu, it vibrates with sound. In addition, with Smart Gesture UI, users can move or rotate or delete their pictures. Moreover they can change modes and play back or save their pictures by tilting the camera.

The ST1000(CL65) for this age

The time that cameras are used only for photos has already gone. I think that the ST1000(CL65) is a timely camera. As people share their life, opinion, and work through blogs, digital cameras are being paid attention. Updating their blogs is as same as life for them. The ST1000(CL65) is suitable for them because they can transmit or share or upload their pictures. I think that the ST1000(CL65) can be the answer for the reason of taking pictures and sharing memory regardless of place and time.

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02. Special of the ST1000(CL65)

Features of the ST1000(CL65)

If you don’t use a camera properly, it would be a useless thing for you though it has various features. Only if you understand features, you can use a camera properly. From now on, let’s find out Smart Auto and shooting capabilities etc.

Like a professional photographer, Smart Auto

Samsung’s Smart Auto provides convenience for photographers. It automatically chooses the appropriate modes according to shooting situations. It automatically changes modes according to distance and light regardless of place. As users don’t need to apply modes for themselves, it is gaining positive responses from beginners as well as users enjoying snap shooting. It has 16 modes.

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Haptics & Smart Gesture UI

The ST1000(CL65) is operated as it moves. With Haptic effect, users can feel vibration every time they touch buttons. The Haptic effect and sound can be set up with low, regular, high, and off.

Samsung’s advanced Smart Gesture UI can recognize tilting the camera. By tilting the camera downward, upward, and sideways while pushing the Haptic icon, users can change modes and protect or save photos in Favorite. In Playback mode, by tilting the camera without pushing the Haptic icon, users can play back next picture. And it’s possible to rotate or scroll through or delete photos by drawing an X.

Scroll through by tilting and delete by drawing an X

Smart Album and Favorite

The Smart Album of The ST1000(CL65) organizes a lot of pictures by categories. When choosing Smart Album in Playback mode, users can manage files by file type, date, color, and favorite files. And it’s possible to classify pictures by location. If you put your photos into Favorite by motion recognition, you can search and view them easily later.

Album by location with GPS

Face Detection

Most of the pictures we take are portraits. Samsung’s Perfect Portrait System provides various functions for portrait shooting. Samsung’s Face Detection feature shows excellent success rates. It can detect up to 10 people at a time. In Self Guide mode, the camera will emit a beep when the subject’s face is in the center. And Smart Face Recognition automatically registers the faces that you frequently photograph up to 20 people. It prioritizes the focus and exposure on those faces. You can register up to 5 photos for one face to ‘My star’.

Face detection on                                 Face detection off

The ST1000 (CL65) shows excellent success rates of face detection

Beauty Shot & Smile Shot

If you choose the Beauty Shot mode in Scene mode and select among 3 levels, you can get a good portrait without retouch.

It takes about 2 seconds after pressing the shutter button. It’s because the camera is retouching automatically. It worked more naturally than when it is adopted first. It’s possible to do self-retouch after shooting in general mode.

Smile Shot shooting automatically when recognizing smile

Face Detection mode                                 Beauty Shot        

Blink Detection

The ST1000(CL65) provides the Blink Detection mode. If any person closes eyes when shutter is pressed, it will automatically take 2 photos in succession. It’s useful for taking group pictures.

If the camera detects closed eyes, it will take 2 photos in succession

One Touch Shooting

Good news to users spoiling a picture by pressing the shutter strongly! One Touch Shooting of the ST1000(CL65) focuses on your subject and takes a photo with a touch of your finger. It takes automatically when the level indicator fills up. And Smart Touch Focus allows you to track and auto focus on your subject, even when you are moving.

Smart Touch Focus tracks and focuses on the subject

Timer and Burst mode

You can select among various timer options: 2 Sec, Double, and Motion Timer. With the Double, you can take photo in 10 seconds and take another in 2 seconds. With the Motion Timer, the ST1000 (CL65) detects your movement and then takes a photo. In Burst mode, there are Continuous, Motion Capture, and AEB. With the Motion Capture, the camera takes 6 VGA photos per second, so it’s useful for making GIF file. But don’t forget that they’re saved by 640x480. With the AEB, you can take 3 photos with different exposures.

Motion Timer takes when the motion stops in 6 seconds after pressing the shutter

Motion Capture taking 6 pictures per second

AEB takes 3 photos with different exposures

03. Power of the ST1000((CL65)

Power of the ST1000(CL65), picture quality

If compact cameras don’t have great picture quality though they have various features, it is difficult to gain confidence of consumers. In this section, let’s find out the picture quality and various features of the ST1000(CL65).

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Picture quality test of the ST1000(CL65)

The ST1000(CL65) equipped with 12.2M pixels 1/2.3” CCD sensor. The pixel numbers, sensor size, and zoom of the ST1000(CL65) are superior to those of the ST10. The specification of the ST1000(CL65) is the same as that of the ST550(TL225). When analyzing through a resolution chart, it can distinguish lines up to 2000. The ST1000(CL65) is much more improved than the ST10 and is almost same with the ST550(TL225).

ISO Sensitivity check

The ST1000 (CL65) provides various ISO sensitivities from 80 to 3200. According to the result of test, photos were clear to ISO 200 but had some color noise at ISO 400. However, you don’t need to care about it because it is common in compact cameras. Color noise occurred on a full scale to ISO 800 and at ISO 3200, the particles were rough.

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For clear result, Dual IS

The ST1000(CL65) provides users with a wide variety of choice of image stabilization. Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) can be easily applied from the menu bar of each mode. And users select Dual Image Stabilization (IS) when light is insufficient. Dual IS mode is extra shooting mode that can use OIS and Digital Image Stabilization (DIS) at the same time. It’s very useful because it can stabilize up to about 5 stops. The picture taken with the Dual IS mode is very clear but as ISO sensitivity can be increased automatically, users are advised to use it properly.

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Macro

Food looks more delicious, flowers look more beautiful! The Macro function was tested. The ST1000(CL65) provides AF mode for the subject with more than 80cm and Macro mode for the subject within 80cm. Therefore, when in AF mode, if the distance is uncertain, it’s more likely to be out of focus. In this case, users had better take with the macro mode. The ST550(TL225) provides Super Macro mode but the ST1000(CL65) doesn’t. However, it has the same level of the Super Macro mode.

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Face backlight! ACB

The ST1000(CL65) provides Auto Contrast Balance (ACB). It’s useful especially when the contrast of subject is great. Naturally correct the difference of contrast rather than show the dramatic difference clearly. Users can get a satisfactory result if used properly when facing backlight.

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Stable White Balance

The ST1000(CL65) provides 7 white balance conditions: auto WB, daylight, cloudy, fluorescent_H, fluorescent_L, tungsten, and custom set. As it is an acceptable color in Auto WB, users are advised to use it.

Photo Styles and editing

Users can choose from normal, soft, vivid, forest, retro, cool, calm, classic, negative, RGB (custom set). This function can be applied not only for photographing but also after taking. And you can adjust color, brightness, and saturation easily.

Recording a HD video

The ST1000(CL65) can record 1280×720 HD video. There are 1280x720 HQ and 1280x720 in HD video. In addition, as Wi-Fi and DLNA are provided, users can watch the video on HDTV. Of course, there is HDMI connector in the ST1000(CL65). And users can record a video by 640X480 or 320X240 suitable for TV and web sharing.  In addition, users can shoot by pausing recording and adjusting exposure compensation, white balance, metering, and photo style etc.

HD video

Shooting by pausing recording

Shooting with the Classic mode

04. Enjoying the ST1000(CL65)

Integration of mobile technology – the ST1000(CL65)

The ST1000(CL65) is new concept digital camera. The ST1000(CL65) enables users to share their memory easily with GPS, Wi-Fi, DLNA, and Bluetooth. In other words, users remember location information through GPS and share their pictures through Wi-Fi and transmit them to other devices like a mobile phone and TV through DLNA and Bluetooth. The ST1000(CL65) is the integration of Samsung’s mobile technology. In this section, let’s find out wireless networking system of the ST1000(CL65).

Provide 6 wireless networking methods

Strongly recommend to travel-holic! GPS

With built-in GPS, the ST1000(CL65) memorizes location information automatically. Touch the GPS icon in Shooting mode and customize the GPS settings. If you set location display after implementing GPS, its screen shows up the location information with district, in case of foreign countries, with city name. I think that the ST1000(CL65) is ideal for travelers. It is also suitable for gourmets. Pictures are managed by location in Smart Album, so you don’t need to recall or add memos. In addition, if uploading your photos onto Google Earth or Google Map, you can view them as thumbnails in the ST1000(CL65). And you can share your photos with all the people on the Earth.

You can get the location information through Panoramio, Picasa, Google Map, and Google Earth etc

Instant Internet transmission! Wi-Fi

One of the reasons why many people wait for smart phone to release in Korea is because they can upload and share their pictures over the Internet instantly. Now, it’s possible with the ST1000(CL65). Immediately after taking photos or recording videos, you can upload them onto YouTube, Picasa and Facebook etc. And you can send your pictures to any e-mail address. In a gathering or party, people often take pictures. But they don’t send them because it’s much trouble to transfer onto pc to send them. However, as the ST1000(CL65) can transmit instantly with built-in Wi-Fi, it’s very convenient. In addition, you don’t need to worry about the shortage of memory card because you can email them while journey. Considering the tendency that simple and personal space like Twitter gains popularity, if wireless internet environment is improved more, the demand for the ST1000(CL65) will increase.

You can transmit your photos with drag

Photo upploading onto YouTube

The ST1000(CL65) provides DLNA (Digital Living Network Alliance). It’s a home networking system as its name. It has been equipped on all of Samsung’s TVs releasing recently. You can connect computer with TV through it. As the ST1000(CL65) is also equipped with it, you can view your contents easily.

It provides a QWERTY keyboard on the wide LCD screen

You can save several e-mail addresses

Bluetooth 2.0

The ST1000(CL65) provides Bluetooth 2.0. With it, you can transmit your photos to Bluetooth-enable devices like a mobile phone. When transmitting to the mobile phone, your photos are automatically resized. So you’d better send them after resizing.

It’s possible to share pictures easily with Bluetooth

Sharing pleasure together – the ST1000 (CL65)

A mobile phone is indispensable to modern people. People do a lot of activities with the mobile phone: communication, text message, taking photos, listening to the music, watching TV, and browsing the Internet etc. It’s an all-round gadget. But, there is room for improvement in a mobile phone with regard to pictures. Aside from the function as phone, people make use of the mobile phone to take pictures. Though the image quality of the mobile phone is getting better, it is true that it’s not as good as that of cameras. Now, It’s possible to send pictures with messages with the ST1000(CL65). As transmitting by e-mail or Internet uploading is easy, users can save trouble. Don’t forget the fact that the ST1000(CL65) is only a camera if you don’t use Wi-Fi fully. And it’s more likely to be out of focus in AF due to the difference of distance recognition between AF and Macro Mode. In that case, you’d better change into Macro mode.

Samsung cameras have gained a lot of confidence of image quality. If Samsung’s ideas and technology is combined with it, nothing will be to be desired. In this sense, the ST1000(CL65) is coming up with the trend of time because it has elements for image quality and shooting such as pixel, zoom performance, high sensitivity, and clear LCD as well as is easy to upload or transmit or share. As mentioned at the beginning of this review, the ST1000(CL65) would be the camera that can fully demonstrate real meaning of pictures, ‘record and share of pleasure and memory‘.

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