5 comments about Samsung SC-D365 MiniDV Camcorder with 33x Optical Zoom.

1. The camcorder does not have remote control but there is a battery in the box with remote control written on it. You can not copy the recorded movies on the camputer. other than that it is easy to use abd sufficient.



2. I am not yet totally familiar with the operation of the Camcorder as I have only used it a couple of times. I seems to work as it should. I have had trouble with the Light. According to the manual, the light shoud come on when you push the record button and go off when you stop recording but the light stays on as long as the camera is on. Also, once you go in and change items in the menu like 16:9 Wide to OFF. The next time you turn the camera on you have to change it again. On the second day I filmed, I got a lot of static in the sound. Maybe my problems has to do with the fact that I am not totally familiar with the camcorder yet. I will give another review after I use the camcorder for a while.



3. This camcorder has a extremeley noisy cassette chasis mechanism, it is
   a very annoying and a intermittent problem. Other than that this camera
   is satifactory, I believe it is over priced for the quality of the video,
   especially recording low light conditions.



4. this is the worst camcorder i've ever owned.the picture quality is the worst.i can't get a clear picture unless i focus at one distance.if i move a little,or something moves in the picture it goes out of focus.i haven't got one decent video with this piece of garbage yet. i recommend panasonic,it was the last camera i owned and every picture was crystal clear.it's my fault i didn't do my research before i bought this.



5. I won this camera in a contest and now I'm kinda wishing I never had. Practically everything I've shot with this thing has turned out bad in some way or another. From the autofocus that can never decide what it wants to focus on, to the very poor image quality in slightly low lighting situations, to the camera recording glitches in the audio when I capture onto my computer. I know you may look at this thing and feel like the price is right, but I really suggest you just hold out a little while longer to save up a bit more and buy a Canon camera that's not gonna cause you these problems.

5 comments about Samsung SCD6040 DuoCam MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom & 4.1 MP Digital Still Camera.

1. This is an easy to use camera and videocam. It takes excellent digital photos and the video quality is also great. For a very reasonable price you get very high quality equipment! My four year old son even took some good photos with it.
   The product came with all necessary items needed to use it right away, including a battery and charger and all necessary cables, such as USB. The only thing I had to go out and buy was a tape.



2. This bad boy ROCKS!! Within minutes of getting it I was taking pictures and video of my son. It has all sorts of cool features- artistic effects, sepia tones, black and white, fading in and out...but that's not the coolest part. I love that there is a lens cover for the camcorder and that we always have the choice available between camcorder and digital camera. The battery life is long and you can easily adjust the settings for lots of pictures OR very very high quality pix and just not as many can be stored in memory. Hooking it up to transfer pictures to a PC was a cinch. So much easier than our old JVC camcorder. This is so easy to use and we've only had it a couple of weeks. Did I mention the night vision? Don't hesitate...buy now, you won't be sorry!!



3. I did some research whether to buy a digital camcorder or a new digital camera. I couldn't decide. I had a digital camera, but many times I wished I had a DV to bring back the sounds and feel of the moment also.
   Well, when I saw this Samsung online, I had to read the reviews. Not bad, so I bought it thru amazon. Very Impressed - good video and good pictures - you must use supplied software. I was not successful in putting the memory stick in a card reader and coping over the files. Didn't work. Put it back in the camera and plugged the camera into the usb port - no problem.
   Only other issue is if you twist the knob to fast from video to still pictures - it gets messed up and doesn't do the right thing. I then have to shut it down to recover. Power on to taking a picture is maybe DV or still is about 8-9 seconds. Don't be in a hurry to grab that shot!
   Still a good buy for having both in one unit. Good choice.



4. I love this camera. The video and picture quality is great. It is so easy to use and switch from video to still pictures. It is easy to manage your pictures on the computer also. I simply can't say enough good things about this camera. What a great feeling you get when you purchase something that lives up to the hype and expectations. A rare find!



5. This is what you have been looking for.I love my Samsung DuoCam.It takes great pictures and the video mode is awesome.I love the night mode too.I actually used my Samsung to take a picture of my cousin's new car at night(it was pitch dark). Wow is all I can say! The picture came out great, it was crystal clear. I love that I can capture video on my memory card or miniDV, but I hate that there is no sound on the memory card playback. Of course when you download your video to computer you get sound.The software is little difficult to use but, I've mastered it now. Hint:READ the manual, it will save you some time.

1 comments about Samsung Digimax L73 7MP Digital Camera with 3x Advance Shake Reduction Optical Zoom (Silver).

1. I just got this camera and didn't have much time to play with it so I can't write a detailed review, but I thought it warranted noting about the video portion of the camera because I didn't see it in any of the other raving reviews. When you zoom while videoing you lose all sound. This stinks. I depend on my camera for all videoing of my kids. I don't have a camcorder. I take video of my kid's school performances constantly, most of which involve singing and music. So, when I noticed this issue with the video sound I immediately packed it up and am returning it. I can't have the sound just cutting in and out when I'm zooming for a close-up. Also, the zoom is only 5x. I currently have a Canon S2 IS which blows this camera away with 12x zoom. The only reason I wanted a new camera is because the Canon is so big and bulky. I wanted to have a camera that would fit easily in my purse so I could have it with me always. Not worth the sacrifice though. I'll stick with my big Canon.

5 comments about Samsung Digimax S800 8.1MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Black).

1. This is our second Samsung Digital Camera. The first one broken within weeks - lens would get stuck, zoom wouldn't work, and you could not take any pictures. When it would 'freeze' the only solution was to shut down, and restart. Then the photo-op was gone.
   The camera was a Christmas gift for our daughter, and I didn't want her to have to deal with these issues.
   
   We took the camera back to the store, and because it was just after Christmas the store was out of most of their digital cameras. The gave us a store credit, and we later upgraded to the Samsung Digimax S800 8.1 mp. It was a bit more than the 5.0 mp, but it seemed like an incredible deal.
   
   Now less than 6 month later, the same problem, and more. The lens stays in the fully extended position now, and runs down the batteries, and if you try to adjust the zoom the camera shuts off. There is no stop/start solution. It is now a paper weight.
   
   I was just informed it is too late to return it or exchange it. Do not be fooled by this 'Steal' , you'll just be robbed $200 like me.



2. It's a good price. It doesn't initially seem as good as other cameras, because it seems like it has less functions, but if you play around with it you find a lot of cool stuff to do with it. Also, when its on your computer the quality is great. I could see the contacts inside my eye in one of my pictures, thats how much detail it picks up on. Unfortunately when I tried to take a picture of a praying mantis, there is no focus option and I couldn't get a clear view of something so small.
   
   besides it's lack of focus on small objects, the only other downfall is it's fragility. I recommend you don't drop it. My friend dropped hers and it will barely turn back on. I dropped mine once and sometimes it shuts off while I'm taking a picture.
   
   But the quality of the prints I get is amazing, it looks almost professional, especially with it's black and white and sepia converters. Also there are some goofy settings in there for those who are amused easily, such as frames and fake hair and whatnot. You'll see if you buy it.
   
   It's really good, for those who don't want to spend so much money.
   You can still be creative.
   
   I recommend it. Just don't drop it.



3. What's up everyone, it's your boy, Emko. This camera is a great value, 8.1MP around $100, is outstanding. The videos it takes are fantastic, easily watched on your PC or TV, and you can even take pictures or video while you watch what you're doing on the TV! Take the time to read the manual, you can make adjustments (like taking close-ups, adjusting the ISO, etc.) that will make all the difference in the world and would negate most of the problems people have with this camera. A little bit of reading and you can take pictures like the pros. Don't take my word for it, I'm just Emko, try it for yourself.



4. I purchased this camera in August of 2007. This is the second Digimax camera that I have owned. I am truly happy with my purchase. I definitely agree with some of the other reviews that it is necessary to have rechargeable batteries, but otherwise the camera works good, and also takes pretty good videos.
   
   One drawback that I have found with the camera is the lag time it takes to snap the pictures. Sometimes when taking pics of impatient kids, they move around before the flash, and then it distorts the pic. Other than that, I don't have any complaints, and I would definitely recommend this camera for purchase.



5. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R3C1WNPSYYYARC What can I say, just google for samsung s800 stuck lens.
   This is a very low quality, fragile camera, I wouldnt recommend it.

5 comments about Samsung Digimax A503 5MP Digital Camera (Black).

1. Please dont buy this camera...i saw many good review and buyed the camera but i cant able to picturize any scenary itz really a bad condition.. After i returned the camera and bought a fuji in bestbuy it was really good and clear comparing samsung....



2. you can hardly get a great picture indoors bcos-- it's never bright, and looks like it was taken at night. Without the flash, picture comes out blurry. it's good for daytime outdoor shots though...



3. works great, cheap price. i thinks its a great deal. good pictures, easy to use. the batteries from dollar store don't work well, you have to buy 'good batteries'



4. I LOVE this camera. I have had it now for about 2 or 3 years. It has held up amazingly. That poor camera has been dropped, gotten wet, banged around in my purse(with no case) and still takes pictures as good as the day I got it. The price was very affordable. I would recomend camera to anyone.



5. I purchased this at walmart two years ago. All in all it was an alright camera, but I had some problems with it.
   
   Pros:
   -I liked how you could choose to take pictures in different hues such as black and white, sepia, blue, red, and green.
   - The camera is small, so it fits just about anywhere.
   - The colors ( I have black) are nice, I would have chosen red, but they were out of stock.
   -The price is good. It was about $99.00 when I purchased it, and I'm sure it has gone down since then.
   
   Cons:
   -The zoom goes up to 5.0, which is alright, but most of the pictures I took with zoom came out very blurry, and even with extra editing they were still a little unclear.
   - Maybe it's just the color, but the black seemed to have rubbed off in places, and left white smudges. I tried to color over with them with permanent marker, but it wiped off after a few days.
   - If you get this camera I suggest you buy a set of rechargeable batteries. The camera sucks regular one-time use batteries dry, and it was annoying to keep buying more batteries after a short period of time.
   
   All in all it was an alright camera, but not the best.

5 comments about Samsung Maxima 80 GL QD Zoom Date 35mm Camera.

1. This is the best camera on the market in it's price range. The camera takes excellent night shots (I have captured city skylines, fireworks, and even lightening!) which look very professional. Day shots are excellent too, the pictures always come out crystal clear and very sharp. The zoom is just enough for most nonprofessional needs. The camera also has excellent blur reduction (for shots taken from car windows). There is only one downside to this camera: the redeye reduction is not always totally effective. But, if you are like me and don't care that much about redeye, then this camera is for you.



2. I like this camera. Compact and easy to use, but unfortunately, the red eye reduction doesn't work for beans. I have two little girls with blonde hair and blue eyes, and they always end up with red red eyes... other than that, super camera! If you're mostly shooting landscapes or brown eyed individuals (my eldest brown hair brown eyed daughter always looks super) than this is an awesome camera for the money! No other complaints than the red eye issue!



3. I purchased this camera and as soon as it got here I put a CR2 battery in it and set the date. Next thing I did was load it with Kodak 400 speed 35MM film and I pushed the on/off button and it did nothing! I am going to return it to Adorama camera and get my money back. I have no complaints with Adorama camera because they shipped it super quick and it is not their fault that Samsung makes junky products. I have had similar experiences with a Samsung VCR so I was reluctant to purchase this camera. DO NOT BUY THIS CAMERA! IT IS A PIECE OF JUNK!



4. The camera works nice but its battery costs about $5 and its casing exterior quality feels like cheap plastic .. thats how you can get a $150 camera for $30 .. i wonder what was compromised !!



5. Amazon's Production description as well as one other review mentions the flash card and the Twain driver in this camera. Am I missing something here ? Also, there is no "Portrait" or "Landscape" mode. I just checked the manual one more time - sorry, cannot find any of this. Apart from that, the camera is reasonably good for the money I paid ($30+shipping). Need to strictly be atleast 3 feet away while trying to take close-ups (especially if zooming in), otherwise it results in blurry images. Outdoor pictures are fantastic.

2 comments about Samsung Digimax L55w 5MP Digital Camera with 4.8x Wide Angle Zoom (Silver).

1. My wife loves her camara. I have a regular 5.0 Kodack digital camara and she says it's a dinosaur compared to this one. It takes excellent pics and comes with everything you need, even a charging stand.



2. Though the picture quality is not as good as my old Olympus, the wide angle capability is just what I needed. I also like the very small size and the ultra-convenient base that does both downloading and charging. Very happy.

5 comments about Samsung Digimax A7 7MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom.

1. I've been using mine for about a year and a half now, and have been quite pleased with the general quality and range of available features. I use mine with a 256MB memory card, which significantly limits the camera's use for taking video clips, but with a 1GB card this should not be much of an issue. The combination of optical and digital zoom allows you to blow up selected portions of a longer range picture without compromising the quality of the image, although your ability to do this on a lower resolution is obviously not going to be as great. I normally don't use the full 7MP capacity simply to allow a larger number of photos between downloads, but it's nice to know it's there when I need it. Definitely not a bad camera for the price. On the down side, I would note that this seems a bit fragile. I had to send mine to have the lens barrel replaced within the one-year warranty period, despite not having dropped it or otherwise abused it.



2. I don't have much to add to what others have written, but I have dropped this camera quite a few times, and aside from a few minor scratches on the case, no harm was done. Highly recommended!



3. I bought this camera thinking wow 7 mega pixels. This has been the worse digital camera I have owned yet! The video is absolutely unuseable to say the least. No sound and very poor picture. The quality of the photos is certainly NOT 7 mega pixels in my own opinion. I told my 10 year old she could have this camera for her very own and went and bought myself a Sony 10.1 mega pixel Cybershot, and she comes and gets the Sony when she wants to take a picture or make videos. If you are seriously considering purchasing the Samsung, please by all means reconsider!!! You would love the Sony 10.1 mp Cybershot and the video quality is just as good as a camcorder! Don't waste your money on this Samsung camera!



4. THIS IS A GOOD BUY FOR THE MONEY.IT DOES EVERY THING YOU WANT IT TO DO. ONE FEATURE I LIKE IS YOU CAN USE THE CAMERA AS A VIDEO CAMERA ,WITH SOUND,IVE TRIED THIS FEATURE AND IT WORKS REAL GOOD.IN OTHER WORDS YOU CAN MAKE YOUR OWN MOVIES.



5. I have had great luck with this camera. I love it. I have used it for better than a year now. I do wish that photos could be taken more quickly without the lag time for the flash to recharge, and have struggled with turing out a good photo in low light situations despite what I have tried. BUT I only paid $200.00 and for that price it has exceeded my expectations. In most situations, photo quality is great. Recently I took some photographs of my children in the sepia mode and framed them. My brother wanted to know which local photographer took them. We'll thank the camera and Costco developing for that... Kudos to this camera!

5 comments about Samsung Digimax L85 8.1MP Digital Camera with 5x Optical Zoom.

1. Although this camera has been discontinued by Samsung (they keep coming out with new cameras and discontinuing them soon after), as of this writing, many outlets still have them available. I got mine thru WM's website and am returning it tomorrow.
   
   The potential for this camera is fantastic, but that can be said of many digital cameras which ultimately prove disappointing. In the L85's case, it's ruined by horrible low-light and indoor existing-light sensitivity. What I mean is that if you like to keep flash off, this isn't the camera for you. Or, if you like to take movies indoors or in any lighting conditions other than outdoor sunlight, the L85 isn't for you, either.
   
   That being said, if you are a 'typical user' who doesn't mind using flash, and ignores the amazing potential for video most digital cameras now have (which, to me, rivals the amazing-ness of just being able to record stills), and you don't mind carrying a camera which is bigger than most any other digital camera on the market today, then I say go for it.
   
   The L85 is larger overall than the Panasonic TZ3 to my eye, and it's larger than my 3 or 4 year-old digital camera which itself is chunky by today's standards. The movie mode, while a compact MP4 at half the size of my mjpeg-encoded previous digital camera, is still inferior. Granted, my older digicam, a Sanyo MZ3, takes almost the best video ever made available on a digital camera (as long as autofocus is off), however the MZ3, like most other digicams, disables optical zoom while recording movies, and I've been hunting ever since (unsuccessfully) for something superior overall to replace it.
   
   Another odd thing about the L85 is that I couldn't take a screen shot in Windows of a still of the movie mode using the print screen button. The screen capture showed as black, as what happens when you try to screencap protected content. The encoder showed up as XviD, which is tantalizing, considering that a straight DVD-ROM of these videos would probably play on any DivX-capable DVD player without modification.
   
   The movie samples I took using indoor light were grainy, and had a lot of splotchy noise and a good bit of digital artifacting (the artifacting not as big of a deal as the graininess/bad light sensitivity). The sound seemed to be very good, but the sounds gets muted during optical zoom--which is still superior to no optical zoom, of course. However, I want the option to optically zoom AND have audio through the whole video, EVEN if it introduces zoom motor noise (and it will, and that's OKAY), instead of having the speech of the person I'm recording cut out just because I choose to zoom in on their face.
   
   I really wanted to like this camera. And I read so many reviews before purchasing. I desperately tried to find a sample video somewhere online, unsuccessfully. I did direct A/B comparisons to my MZ3 as a reality check on what I'm saying. The video on my MZ3 is so much smoother, even though darker (the L85 nicely gains up for video, UNlike/opposite of its still mode, but the result is still bad for any digicam video enthusiast).
   
   The MOST irritating thing about the camera to me, though, was its insane shutter lengths when the flash was off. Contrary to one review I read, it's extremely easy to turn the flash off. It's just not good to do that. The L85 will readily go to 1 second and beyond for shutter lengths when flash is disabled, even in full Auto mode. It regularly went to 2 full seconds! 2 seconds! This was in a moderately (realistically) lit room, a small living room with one well-placed, 100W incandescent lamp (which is how I always have my living room lit.
   
   Anyone smart enough to get a job desigining digital cameras should know to limit the shutter length to 1/2 second or less while in auto mode, or arguably even less. People just can't hold their hands still long enough to get an unblurry shot at 1/2 second or longer. At 1/4 second, it's still a challenge, but can be done if you know the exposure length in advance, and that brings me to my next point. Despite being bombarded with on-screen information, the L85 doesn't tell you what the shutter time will be (nor the aperture), until you midway-depress the shutter release button. My old MZ3 displays the shutter and F-stop changes real-time as you move the camera around, without touching the trigger. This makes sizing up an exposure, especially without flash, much easier. Hmmph... the live histogram didn't impress me (no wonder disabled by default), in light of absence of much more useful information appearing real-time in the window.
   
   
   Some features I really LOVED, and got me to buy the camera, are of course the 5x optical zoom, enabled while recording video (again, audio gets muted while zooming to prevent ignorant people from complaining about zoom noise and possibly exchanging the cameras as defective [to which I counter, just keep the audio mute setting on by default, but let there be an option to manually enable zooming WITH audio]). I also love the ability to pause video recording--and audio recording with the 'Voice' feature--and be able to resume, still in one continugous file. There are reportedly basic movie editing features on-board, which I know from experience can be very handy, and tremendously easier to use in terms of learning curve and tools needed, than doing on a computer.
   
   I can also say that the pics I took with zoom turned out excellent. I just believe that 'the best way to use flash is not to use flash', and I don't like becoming the center of attention when I am trying to put my attention on another situation without disrupting it. And remember, you can't use 'flash' while recording video. And I've found that the best measure of ANY camera--digital or not--is how well it works in low- and existing-light. Virtually any digital camera nowadays of decent brand name will take great photos in bright outdoor light. And even a disposable film camera will.
   
   
   The camera has a very nice feel to it, metallic and smooth, a soft, buttery, metallic, well-engineered feel to it. I think the LCD is oversized, but most would like that. The control surfaces are adequate, I just think the function of the few dedicated buttons should've been redone before releasing the camera.
   
   When plugged in directly via USB cable, the camera shows up as a mass storage device, so you can drag and drop without software and without a card reader if you want. Because it contains some built-in memory, you can be up and taking test photos and movies even if you haven't bought an SD card for it yet, and I imagine you could switch over to it if your SD card fills up.
   
   The flash appeared to be very well-balanced and, if using flash, just leaving things on 'Auto' mode is normally sufficient. But foray into other modes (i.e. in hopes of getting a decent no-flash shot lower than 1 second of exposure time), and... the unfun begins. On Priority mode where you can choose between F-stop or shutter speed priority, the F-stop only went down into the low 3's, or upper 2's, and strangely, the limit would change. Contrary to what I've seen some reviewers say, I thought that the interface was a bit frustrating, especially in the sense that you have very easy access to menu items you probably won't be using, however navigating through more useful/apropos tools (such as choosing manual exposure and ISO settings, which themselves are redundant, yet lumped together in one buried window area) is not intuitive--however, you can get through it. There are many mediocre digicam interfaces, and this is one of the 'average' ones in my opinion. My years-old Sanyo MZ3 is much easier to use with a much more intuitive interface and more useful options while still managing to be easier to use, actually takes better PHOTOGRAPHS, despite being only a 2 megapixel camera, vs the Samsung L85's eight megapixels. Those megapixels are pretty much worthless if what gets recorded in such high resolution is pretty much crap to start with.
   
   I still wonder if digicam mfrs collectively, and consciously, impair the video functions of their digital cameras in order to keep a market for camcorders. Camcorders and digital cameras are really now starting to converge, as camcorders are heading more and more into solid state territory. And I know that there's no reason a digital camera can't get close to matching DV camcorders if the mfr wants them to, even with small size--case in point: the old Panasonic TZ1 (5MP, 10x optical zoom, enabled during video recording, with sound, and slightly smaller than the L85). The TZ1 is replaced by the TZ3, which improves on the TZ1 in virtually all areas, EXCEPT that it now disables optical zooming while recording movies (taking away half the reason of having a 10x zoom). Other famous but not as appropriate examples due to being mini-SLR type cameras are the Canon S[x]-IS series (i.e. S1, S3, S5, S8--matching the megapixels of the model). Find and download an original video from any of these above cameras, and you can see what kind of video can come from a digital camera. And, you will note, that despite being 640x480 resolution at 30 frames per second like most other digital cameras on the market, the difference is as if numbers don't matter (and it becomes obvious they don't, when you see the differences). The above cameras running at VGA make other cams' VGA modes seem like QVGA (quarter VGA, or 320x240).
   
   So as yet, every single digital camera I've come acrost--and I've studied nearly all of them--has some kind of fatal flaw for the power user. I wish the TZ1 were still available, but then again, it was reported to have poor low-light capability. The Fuji F30 has great low-light ability, but uses xD cards and can't optically zoom on movies. Basically all of the Samsung line today (bucking the trend) can optically zoom on movies, record movies in MP4, and have pause and in-camera editing, BUT their cameras are consistently noted to have poor still & video quality, especially in low or existing light. Canons are generally great, but currently only allow optical zoom in movie mode on their SLR style cams, probably as to not compete with their own camcorder line. Sanyo "C"-series hybrid camcorder/cameras are a harbinger of the future, but are still noted for their poor stills, awkward ergonomics (try standing one up to take a photo on self-timer, or to put yourself in a movie), and big cost. The Casio "V" series (V7, V8) is out now out with stereo and allowing optical movie zoom with no sound cutout, but the stills and video I've seen of the V7 are too soft (even at highest quality video), and the focus is apparently locked in movie mode--which isn't necessarily a bad thing considering how bad digicam AF can be on movie modes, but with 7x optical zoom, you're going to want to actually use that zoom, and your subject will become blurry (as if they didn't know this would happen. And Casio doesn't allow manual focus during movie recording--just before). However, the Casio V-series movie mode WILL satisfy most users, and really impress beginners. (In European cameras, btw, Casio has reportedly put a stupid 10-minute cap on movie mode.)



2. One of the best cameras I owned. It has so many features. Even though the camera is slightly bigger than I expected it makes very clear pictures,the videos also come out good. The quality is outstanding



3. I have owned this for about 5 months. I am very satisfied except for a few minor problems, detailed below. I gave it 5 stars because the Cons can be easily overlooked, considering the high quality and cheap price.
   
   Pros:
   * This camera is just, sexy. It feels comfortable and smooth in the hands, and the black and silver looks great.
   * Pictures taken in daylight, or close pictures with the flash on are unsurpassed. The 8.1 MegaPixels really show.
   * The video mode is great (640x480, 30fps), and the mic is pretty good.
   -For an example of the video capabilities, see: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=f-MqMOTPu-o
   * No part of the camera scratches easily. I have had it in my pocket while walking many times, and it has no scratches. Not even on the screen.
   * The screen on the back is high resolution.
   * Tons of different modes, though I haven't used them much yet.
   * HDMI output, provided you buy a separate adapter.
   * USB cable, AC adapter, and Composite Video/Mono Audio cables included.
   
   Cons:
   * Poor shutter speed in the dark, with flash off.
   -For example, 90% of pictures at a dimly lit concert were blurry, I could not use the flash because of the fog, and could not hold the camera still for about two seconds while it was recording all the dark pixels.
   -I tried taking a picture of a bright city skyline from about 1/2 mile away. It did not work because I couldn't hold it still enough, and flash overpowered the skyline.
   * Stupid zoom in-out controls; they are on the back rather than a dial on the top like most cameras.
   * USB cable does NOT charge camera. Only AC adapter will. They cannot be plugged in at the same time.
   
   BOTTOM LINE:
   * If you are interested in taking dark pictures the flash will not work for (far-away concert photos, night-time outdoor scenery, etc), then avoid this camera.
   * If you are interested in taking daytime photos, and close-up night photos where the flash can be used, this 8.1MP camera can be found for sub-150 dollars. It's a great deal, and you should get it.



4. I have had this camera a little over a week and have taken about 1000 pictures with it. So, while this is not a long-term review, I have spent quite a bit of time with the L85 during the short period I've owned it.
   
   First off, this Camera has a really nice look and feel to it. Not one part looks or feels cheap. Even the battery/memory card door features a precise slide mechanism. It makes you want to go out and take some pictures...or just hold it and press buttons for no particular reason.
   
   I got mine from Walmart for $158.00 and that included shipping, the HDMI docking/recharging station, a remote, and a nice little camera bag. A great deal, unfortunately, they just sold out.
   
   I love all the manual controls...something that can be hard to find in a camera this small. I wish it had an optical viewfinder, but I knew that it didn't when I bought it, so I am not subtracting any points for that.
   
   Plan to spend a little time playing with it if you want to figure out all the features. The Manual is fairly good and is definitely a help if you can force yourself to actually read it. I went back and forth between reading the manual for a while and then playing with the camera for a while, and was able to figure out what I wanted to fairly easily. Some features are not available in certain modes, so that can be annoying until you figure out what is what.
   
   The L85 is great for outdoor shots, but not the best for indoor and lowlight situations unless you want to use a tripod. The LCD works very well in most situations, but in bright light you will have to engage in some "faith-based" shooting, but it is probably no worse than any other cameras that lack an optical view finder.
   
   If you love the styling and you want to do some manual creative tinkering and can get one for $150.00, buy it, but otherwise, I would get something newer with higher ISO's. If you want a point and shoot only, and don't want to mess with manual settings at all, then definitely go with another camera. This camera is a nice size and weight to not be a burden on daily walks. I would like to get a DSLR, and probably will eventually, but don't think I will ever want to carry it every day with me. The Digimax L85 is small and light enough where you can, and still get some creative control. It would be a great second camera for someone who already has a larger camera.
   
   
   I hate flash pics, so I don't use it much, so I can't really comment on that.
   
   One concern I have is that there is dust getting under the LCD cover and there is no way that I know of to get it out. I have only had it for a week, so I will have to see if it becomes a problem over time. Without an optical view finder I will be up the proverbial sh_t creek if I can't use the LCD.
   
   Pros:
   Really nice Style, look, and feel.
   Full manual controls.
   Exposure times up to 15 seconds for creative low light shots.
   5x optical zoom.
   Good quality images (but not exceptional)
   Compact enough, but sizeable enough to get a good grip.
   None of the surfaces show fingerprints (except for the LCD Screen)
   Choice of Jpeg or Tiff format
   Nice Macro and super-macro features.
   
   Cons:
   Dust gets under LCD cover (may be an isolated problem with my camera)
   Tripod mount is way off to one side of the camera making balance tricky when using a mini tripod.
   No optical viewfinder.
   Poor low-light performance(ISO 400 max)without tripod.



5. This camera is all wrong. The size is too big. No matter what you do, it takes terrible pictures. It is confusing to use, its flash is bad, it always is blurry. It has no view finder and that is an issue for sure. It is slow at processing.
   
   I've had this camera for a while now and it's point and shoot quality is comparable to the key chain cameras that you buy for $13.
   
   The worst part about the whole camera, (other than the muddy yellow pictures) is where the flash is. IT IS RIGHT UNDER WHERE YOUR FINGERS SHOULD GO, AND IT BURNS YOU. This camera is a $300 candle.
   
   The only good quality is the battery life and thats mediocre at best. It has too many functions many of which the camera cant even handle. And to be frank, in low light, my cellular phone takes better shots.
   
   I tried taking a picture the first time and a red light shoots out that simply irritates the eyes of your target making them blink. It also has a sensor that tells you your in bad light. I KNOW IM IN LOW LIGHT, I CAN SEE, THATS WHY THE FLASH IS ON.
   
   All around this is the worst camera I've ever owned. If you want a point and shoot camera, get a minolta or cannon. Whatever you do, don't get this.

5 comments about Samsung Digimax L730 7.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Silver).

1. If you read my previous digicam review, you'll know that I am no stranger to consumer digicam. This Samsung L730 is my eleventh digicam, and I am very happy with it due to these 4 factors:
   1) Price is very reasonable (I bought it for only US$156.5 in Nov 07)
   2) Video quality is very, very good (it does MP4 video, slow and steady hand required).
   3) Nightshot/low-light shot are good.
   4) It has a manual option. Not full blown manual, but enough for prosumer.
   
   Overall built is good, but of medium quality. Design wise is similar to other cameras in the higher price range plus some added improvements (sound & light notification, I thinks it's neat and thoughtful). The USB charge cable is also nicely designed, where it has charging light built into the Samsung propietary connector. Although, battery door is a little flimsy. If you decide to carry the digicam in its purse, you need to pull it out by the lanyard when you want to take it out, otherwise you will unlatch the batt-door when you grab it by the top and bottom sides.
   
   Another negative point that a would be buyer should be aware of, is the action time to turn on and to shoot are, in my opinion, noticeably slower than other digicams that I've used.
   
   Other than that, everything else is perfect. I would highly recommend this camera for:
   1) People who appreciate value for the money.
   2) People looking for high quality video camera (I chose this over Sanyo Xacti due to the fact that L730 does MP4 video in 800*600 pixel resolution in 20 fps. I don't see other affordable CCD-based digicam who can do this at the time of the writing).
   
   
   P.S. Battery life has not been checked, since I just got this camera 3 days ago.
   I used to be a fan of SONY products until they steadily increase their consumer products prices. IMHO: SAMSUNG is the New Sony in term of product quality and design (but with more reasonable prices).



2. I bought this for my son for Christmas. He uses it a lot, because it is easy to use and not too bulky. Good pictures, though a little trouble with the balance on flash pictures.



3. You will never be unhappy for what you spend on this camera.
   perfectly designed pocket size,
   Picture quality is amazing,
   Video quality and audio is just perfect
   Very good battery life
   Red eye reduction is very handy right in the camera
   And for this price just go for it!!!



4. Esta camara en verdad que es fantastica. Fotos increibles y su bateria recargable hacen que sea ligera y practica.
   Espero que tomen esta opcion en cuenta a la hora de comprar una nueva o cambiar la que ya tienen.
   Ya he comprado 2 de estas para amigos y estan super felices.
   muy recomendada.



5. I bought this as a second camera so I could take it everywhere I go. Given its size, it has worked well and I'm happy so far. The image quality is decent in normal shooting conditions. The worst part is the waiting time between shoots when using flash. It takes around 4-6 seconds to take another shoot and the red eye mode takes even more.