Samsung Digimax Pro 815 Pricing

[Rex914]

This formidable camera has been priced very aggressively at a mere $850. That's a lot of camera for the money. We'll have to see though how it does without IS. I wouldn't imagine shooting fully at telephoto without a tripod.

[zero]

This formidable camera has been priced very aggressively at a mere $850. That's a lot of camera for the money. We'll have to see though how it does without IS. I wouldn't imagine shooting fully at telephoto without a tripod.

Where did you find the price for it? Also, have you heard of any release dates for this camera?

[Balrog]

Hmmm.. considering you could get a Pentax *istDS or *istDL kit, Nikon D50 kit, Canon Digital Rebel kit, or (with a little extra), even a RebelXT or a D70 kit for the same amount, I don't think $850 is 'mere' anymore for a point and shoot camera...
As far as I can see, it's just going to be another ultrazoom camera, with a little more wideangle .. you can get the same thing with an FZ20 and a wide-converter ..
According to the 'rumored' specs I saw on DPreview, it'll have a 2/3" CCD and perhaps 8MP, which should put it far ahead of the other ultrazooms in the noise and resolution departments, but considering how big the FZ20's f/2.8 lens already is with only a 1/2.5" sensor, they'll either need a MASSIVE lens or it's not going to have any kind of a decent aperture .. and the fact that it's not stabilized will only exacerbate that.

[Rex914]

Price was mentioned at CNET which quoted Samsung.

Balrog, you might want to check the official specs (Google it). The camera's long been announced and will be hitting the stores in early August. While there's no IS (major sucker), the rest of the camera is really good stuff. It may also have a similar high performance ISO mechanism that was also used in the Fuji F10. I'm not saying that this is a great camera by any means, but it should be better than the 8 MP non-IS offerings right now.

[Balrog]

Actually, yeah, Rex, I did do that after posting the message wanted to see if there had been any updates on it (only news I'd seen before that was once on dpReview..)
It does look like a pretty impressive camera ... the lens specs I've seen are f2.2 to f4.4, 28-420mm equiv, on a 2/3" 8MP sensor - which should give it significantly better noise characteristics than the current crop of 5MP superzooms. However, it looks like it's going to pretty much NEED a tripod at long focal lengths, what with the much slower non-stabilized lens.
Still, purely features-wise, it's quite a beast .. dual LCDs, one 1.44" and one 3.5"; three rings around the lens for zoom, focus and EV comp.; dual jog dials; ISO800 (though i wonder how usable it'll be .. ); etc...
Looks like samsung is pitching this as an SLR replacement .. it'll be interesting to see how it sells ...

[Rex914]

If anything, it'll probably provoke Sony to stop resting on its laurels and produce a comparable replacement to its ailing F828.

[DarkDTSHD]

I would have to agree with some of the others. The 815, while it has some very attractive features, is still a "hybrid PnS" camera. A BIG PnS camera!! I mean isn't one of the major reasons why you would be opting for a PnS is for the "compactness" of the camera? The convenience of being able to slip the camera into your jacket pocket?

If you wanted a camera with the ability of the 815 (or the upcomng Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30) why not simply buy a DSLR? They are infinitely more flexible. With a myriad of interchangeable lens to choose from. Filters even. Better internals. Imagine that!!

But, I suppose the Sammie 815 and the Panasonic FZ30, are targeted towards that niche crowd of buyers who want similar features and performance found with a DSLR but know for sure they won't be buying half a dozen lens. Or plan to carry that 2 ton camera bag with all that gear.

For me I'd rather go with a good DSLR instead of a "hybrid PnS" like the 815. My 2 cents...

[texinus]

I would have to agree with some of the others. The 815, while it has some very attractive features, is still a "hybrid PnS" camera. A BIG PnS camera!! I mean isn't one of the major reasons why you would be opting for a PnS is for the "compactness" of the camera? The convenience of being able to slip the camera into your jacket pocket?

If you wanted a camera with the ability of the 815 (or the upcomng Panasonic Lumix DMC-FZ30) why not simply buy a DSLR? They are infinitely more flexible. With a myriad of interchangeable lens to choose from. Filters even. Better internals. Imagine that!!

But, I suppose the Sammie 815 and the Panasonic FZ30, are targeted towards that niche crowd of buyers who want similar features and performance found with a DSLR but know for sure they won't be buying half a dozen lens. Or plan to carry that 2 ton camera bag with all that gear.

For me I'd rather go with a good DSLR instead of a "hybrid PnS" like the 815. My 2 cents...

Because to get a stabilized lens with apertures like the FZ30 or the 815 ones would cost thousands of dollars.