Samsung TL100 Review

The Samsung TL100 features a 12.2 effective megapixel 1/2.33" image sensor behind a Samsung-branded 3x optical zoom lens. The TL100's lens offers a 35 - 105mm equivalent focal range, a rather tight wide angle to a moderate telephoto. Maximum aperture varies from F3.0 to F5.6 across the zoom range. There's no optical viewfinder - nor is there really room for one in the TL100's slim body - with images instead being framed on a 2.7" LCD display with 230,000 dot resolution.

The TL100's ISO sensitivity ranges from 80 to 1,600, with the ability to extend this to a maximum of ISO 3,200 at a reduced three megapixel resolution. The Samsung TL100 offers contrast detection autofocusing, with a face detection function capable of detecting nine faces simultaneously. The TL100 also has both smile shot and blink detection functions, which can be used to prevent capture of a photo if somebody blinks, and to automatically trigger the shutter when your subject is smiling. The Samsung TL100 has eleven scene modes aimed at keeping things approachable for beginner photographers while still offering a degree of control over images, plus a Smart Auto mode which can automatically select the appropriate Scene mode for use.

The Samsung TL100 lacks any form of true mechanical image stabilization, offering only what Samsung terms "Digital Image Stabilization" - essentially combatting blur using the camera's firmware, automatically raising the camera's ISO sensitivity (and noise levels) as needed. The Samsung TL100 has the ability to record movies in MPEG-4 format, with a maximum resolution of 800 x 592 pixels at 20 frames per second. The TL100 stores its images on SD or MMC cards, and derives its power from a proprietary lithium-ion battery pack. Connectivity options include NTSC / PAL video, and USB 2.0 computer connectivity of unspecified speed.

The Samsung TL100 ships from Spring 2009, and expected pricing has not yet been disclosed.