Samsung ST95 Review

Samsung ST95 Overview

Posted: 01/19/2011

The Samsung ST95 is an ultracompact digital camera, based around a 1/2.3"-type CCD image sensor with 16 megapixel resolution. The ST95's sensor sits behind a Samsung-branded 5x optical zoom lens, whose actual focal lengths range from 4.7 to 23.5mm. That equates to approximately the same field of view as a 26mm to 130mm lens on a 35mm camera -- a useful wide angle to a moderate telephoto. Maximum aperture varies from f/3.3 to f/5.9, across the zoom range.

We don't yet know whether the Samsung ST95 includes any form of optical image stabilization, or if it instead relies on software techniques to counter the effects of blur from camera shake. We do know that the Samsung ST95 forgoes any optical or electronic viewfinder, providing only a 3.0-inch wide aspect LCD display of unspecified resolution on which to frame and review your shots. This also serves as an input device, thanks to a touch panel overlay and a newly developed Smart Touch 3.0 user interface.

The Samsung ST95 include the company's Smart Auto 2.0 mode, which selects from a subset of 16 different scene modes automatically. Other features include a Smart Filter 2.0 function that offers special effects for both still and movie capture, such as Vignetting or Fish-eye, and H.264 720p movie recording, although we don't currently know the frame rate used. The ST95 also includes some form of PC imaging software in its internal memory, although we don't know precisely what this entails, nor whether the space can be used for storing images instead.

The Samsung ST95 ships in the US market from February 2011, priced at around US$200.