Samsung Pro815 review

[ete]

This is my first entry on your forum, so:
First, I would like to tell you that I really enjoy reading your reviews, although i think making a comparison to other similar cameras would be nice. Maybe you mentioned somewhere why there is direct comparison, but I didn't see it and I apologize if so.
Second and most important:

Are you going to review Samsung Pro815 camera?

I think this camera is worth a review only to try the 15x zoom without any stabilization mechanism; and, of course, to tell us (to tell me if no one else is raising fingers) :) how it works, because I don't have enough funds to buy a DSLR with at least three glasses (equivalent of 15x zoom).

Best regards

[Rex914]

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/recentupcoming.php

But to add on, Jeff doesn't typically receive cameras from Samsung, so the chances of this review being conducted are low. It also doesn't help that Samsung still hasn't released this camera in the US (as far as I know). Any more delays, and they'll miss the boat entirely.

[BrianRP73]

http://www.dcresource.com/reviews/recentupcoming.php

But to add on, Jeff doesn't typically receive cameras from Samsung, so the chances of this review being conducted are low. It also doesn't help that Samsung still hasn't released this camera in the US (as far as I know). Any more delays, and they'll miss the boat entirely.

Best Buy has it at
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7519848&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat44100050016&id=1127210798863

[JankaS]

I would also love to read a review here.
So far, I find them very useful. I've been doubting about the Panasonic DMC-FZ30, but I'm a bit worried about the noise.

I am very interested to see how well the Samsung Pro 815 performs when it comes to noise, speed, and the fact that it has no image stabilisation. Apparently, the weight is front heavy due to the lens size (external zoom whereas the FZ30 has an internal zoom), I don't know whether this means that it's better to use a tripod when using full zoom.

Also look at DCResource Pricegrabber: http://http://dcresource.pricegrabber.com/pur_discussions.php/product_id=10933492/id_type=masterid/masterid=10933492/pur_id=283651

Janka

[laxer3n7]

You might want to check out this site.
http://asia.cnet.com/reviews/digitalcameras/0,39001468,39094760p,00.htm

[Rik]

http://www.dpreview.com/reviews/samsungpro815/


enjoy!:)

[Jeff Keller]

I'm still trying to get a Pro815 and Samsung keeps telling me that they don't have any. Sigh. :rolleyes:

[Rex914]

Best Buy has it at
http://www.bestbuy.com/site/olspage.jsp?skuId=7519848&type=product&productCategoryId=pcmcat44100050016&id=1127210798863
1) Sold Out
2) No store pickup option
3) Pricegrabber only has one store listing for this and it's for a "pre-order"
4) When I manually look for the 815 through Google, Froogle, every store is on "pre-order" or "sold out"

The saga for this camera's introduction (or shipment to stores) continues. This camera was announced back in... June and was supposedly in stores by August. I can understand a month's delay, but when we get 3-4 months late, it's ridiculous. Or if they've released, supplies look to be even poorer than the supplies for the initial shipment of the D200.

[Rambler358]

I am very interested to see how well the Samsung Pro 815 performs when it comes to noise, speed, and the fact that it has no image stabilisation.
Here are the Pros and Cons from the DPReview:

Conclusion - Pros:
- Huge 28-420mm equivalent zoom range with mechanical zoom ring
- Excellent edge-to-edge results across the zoom range
- Good resolution - especially in raw mode
- Fairly light-handed noise reduction at higher ISO settings
- Large, bright 3.5-inch screen
- Useful secondary top plate screen can be used for waist-level framing
- Excellent electronic viewfinder
- Comprehensive array of photographic functions
- Generally excellent ergonomics - most controls fall easily to hand
- Lots of external controls, don't need the menus very much
- Excellent battery life
- Stereo sound
- External flash capability
- Accurate color reproduction in natural light
- Custom function button and three custom (Myset) modes
- Decent macro mode
- Raw and TIFF modes

Conclusion - Cons:
- Long shutter lag
- Focusing can feel slow
- 640 x 480 movies at 25 fps maximum clip length of 30 secs
- Focus hunts - and often fails - at long end of zoom, especially in low light
- JPEG processing doesn't make the most of the lens, smearing of low contrast detail
- JPEG Images over-processed, specifically over-sharpened
- Fairly harsh highlight clipping (JPEGs)
- No image stabilization, no high ISO capability
- Supplied raw converter worse than useless
- Raw files large, raw file writing very slow
- Tiff files no better than JPEGs, and very very slow
- Unreliable white balance under artificial light
- Big and heavy
- LCD doesn't show 100% of frame, and playback mode doesn't give very accurate indication of brightness or color of recorded file

[speaklightly]

The www.dpreview.com review is quite impressive. I think that we will know more when we see the result of the Pentax-Samsung partnership. Samsung will introduce a dSLR, using a German made Schneider lens in either March or April.

Based on how good the images looked from the Samsung Pro 815 in the www.dpreview.com review, IMHO we had better pay attention to this new dSLR from Samsung this Spring.

Speaklightly

[matt_xyz]

I can't comment on the Samsung, but I am a new owner of a Panasonic FZ30 and think the image stabilization is excellent. I have taken shots at maximum zoom (420mm) with a shutter speed of 1/10 sec and they have come out sharp. I wouldn't have believed it possible. In sum, while the features of the Samsung sound great, I think that zoom will be very troublesome without image stabilization (unless a tripod is used at all times which, let's face it, is a real pain).

I have also found the noise to be not too bad on the FZ30. I agonised over which camera to buy and was concerned by the noise issue but as long as you're shooting in reasonable light I have found noise levels to be fine (and this is looking at photos enlarged on a very sharp 19" monitor). I will avoid using ISO400 but then, to be honest, I have always avoided that. I've never found it too much of a constraint sticking to ISO100 or 200.

I hope these comments help if anyone is struggling to decide which camera to buy (like I was until around 3 weeks ago!).