1. Prologue

Smarter 24-240mm ultra wide high zoom compact digital camera WB550

The WB500 which started the Samsung digital imaging has come back with higher tuning such as high resolution and bigger LCD based on the smart auto. Certainly, they caused some kind of confusion, because it s been such a short time delay after releasing the WB500, but the WB550 means the improved Samsung. After actually using it, I could see things getting better than the WB500 which are not in the specification. From 24mm wide angle to 240 tele photo zoom angle, the WB500 has the widest FOV among compact digital cameras having more than   optical 10x zoom. Besides, additional functions and manual functions. Only with them, the value of the WB500 is enough.

It is still a bit cold, but cherry blossom is proving that spring has come. People are dressing lightly and look livelier than in freezing winter. (The good season has come for taking pictures. In winter, people used to stay inside due to cold weather and gloomy environment, but now it s time to go outside. I used to put my digital camera home in winter season, but I m planning to go out more now.)

Samsung Digital Imaging s WB550 is the most recent one of the high-class WB series. Compared to the former WB550, many things are upgraded. And it s good to carry and take high quality pictures in such a good weather like these days. (Some important features are upgraded such as Smart Auto, HDMI, image resolution, etc.)

It will be definitely different from popularized products. From this review, we ll take a look at its various functions and quality of photos and videos.

WB550 supporting ultra wide 24mm angle and optical 10x zoom. It s not yet released, but gets attention from a lot of people. I ve got an opportunity to review the Samsung WB550 coincidentally. Recently, a lot of products have been released from Samsung as VLUU series. In the compact digital camera market getting bigger occupied by Japanese brands and products, Samsung digital imaging shows their future with the WB550, and I d like to talk about the possibility one by one. Let s find out the WB550 through the preview which will be posted. If I had more time, I would go traveling with the WB550..The best sub digital camera for travel?

PENTAX Corporation | PENTAX K10D | Manual | Spot | 1/20sec | F/2.8 | 0.00 EV | 36.0mm | ISO-200 | Off Compulsory | 2009:04:19 11:51:14

It s not yet released, but I ve got the WB550 anyway. After taking pre-shots for 2 days, I think I will like this much. Most of all, it has 24mm wide angle like the LX3, and it also has 240mm tele photo zoom not 60mm which the LX3 had. I might use the LX more, if it supported better tele photo lens. I had the FX180 also, so I thought the FX180 fit me more. (The price was double.)

I like the HD video recording. It can zoom and record voice while recording. When are you Olympus supporting the zoom for video recording.. I will handle them in the review, but I like the detailed setting and accuracy when taking shots. I like the intuitive UI much, and the best thing is the price, I think. It has only 60% of Panasonic cameras which are compared to Samsung cameras. Looking at new products, they make great pictures and have wonderful performance, so I expect the Samsung to be a global brand.

I don t like this is an upgraded model of the WB500 which was released at the end of the last year, but I like the Samsung understand and reflecting customers needs. As a matter of fact, 80% of digital cameras are made by Japanese brands, so I m not the only one who hopes the Samsung is doing a good job in this market. Anyway, I think I need a kind of studio. Recently, it s getting more to review, but I have neither a strobe nor studio, so sometimes I needed better quality. I don t want to blame it for my instruments. It s because I don t have good skills to take pictures, but it s worse due to poor environments.

Starting 2009, 24mm ultra wide angle, optical 10x zoom compact digital camera Samsung WB500 was an issue. There had been optical 10x zoom digital camera, but the WB500 was the first for 24mm ultra wide angle. In a word, the WB500 has the widest angle lens digital camera among compact digital cameras.

Leap of Samsung Digital Imaging

A little while ago, Samsung digital imaging has released premium-compact camera WB550. Professional photographers usually carry DSLR as a main camera with a sub camera and camcorder. When it comes to me, I had used Nikkon P5000 as a sub and gave it to my wife. And I ve been using Xacti HD1000. However, at this time, I ve got an opportunity to use the Samsung WB550. A few months ago, Samsung already released the WB500 and got a good appraisal from various countries. The WB550 is an upgraded model of the WB500.

- 24mm ultra-wide angle and 10x optical Schneider lens

- Perfect image stabilization with Dual IS

- Photo style of my own, Photo Style Selector

- HD quality video and built-in HDMI port