The other day, Samsung presented its latest, extremely unusual novelty - the Galaxy S4 Zoom, which combines powerful camera and quite a productive smartphone.
photo Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
The novelty has become the world's first communicator, in which the lens has a 10x optical zoom and there is an optical stabilization system. The camera uses a 16-megapixel backlit sensor. There is a xenon flash. On the front of the case is an additional camera with a 1.9 megapixel matrix for video calls.
There is a Zoom Ring on the lens, with which you can activate various functions and modes, for example, In-Call Photo Share, when you can take pictures and send pictures during a call. The Smart Mode feature allows you to choose from several modes to create professional photos.
smartphone side photo
Specifications Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
The hardware stuffing is quite impressive for a device of this class. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is based on a processor with two cores, clock frequency which is 1.5 GHz. The amount of RAM is 1.5 GB, the amount of memory for user information is 8 GB with the possibility of using microSD cards. The 4.3-inch sAMOLED display has a resolution of 540x960 pixels. There is a full set of standard sensors: proximity and illumination, accelerometer, magnetometer; Wi-Fi, Bluetooth modules, NFC chip, GPS/GLONASS module. Supports work in networks of the 4th generation.
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Smartphone review (video):
Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom price
In Russia, the smartphone will be offered at a price of 19,990 rubles. Sales of new items will begin in July this year.
Not so long ago, Samsung introduced a new hybrid smartphone and compact camera Galaxy Camera 2, and we, in turn, decided to deal with the capabilities of the latest Galaxy S4 zoom hybrid, including the problematic aspects of such a device that clearly need to be improved.
This device is probably already safely forgotten by everyone except Samsung, but it has been discussed many times, caused admiration and discontent. Well, we are interested in it not so much as a specific serial product, but as a concept, a possible direction of development. So we will study this hybrid of a camera and a smartphone in sufficient detail.
The rapid development of smartphones has gradually led to the fact that some of them began to replace many other electronic devices. When smartphone cameras reached a decent level, and compact cameras acquired touch displays, the “distance” between the compact and smartphone was literally reduced to a couple of steps: the camera could not call yet, and the smartphone did not yet have optical zoom. Samsung decided to take these two steps, fill the gap by releasing one all-in-one device. Let's try to figure out how successful this was.
Characteristics
| Main | |
| Matrix | BSI CMOS 1/2.3" (6.16×4.62 mm) |
| Permission | 16 million effective pixels, maximum resolution 4608×3456 |
| Image stabilizer | Eat |
| Flash | Xenon for photography, LED spot for video |
| Light sensitivity | ISO 100-3200 |
| Lens | f/3.1-6.3; 24-240 in 35mm equivalent; 10x zoom |
| Shutter speed modes | 16 - 1/2000 second |
| Min. focus distance | Approx. 2 cm (at wide-angle zoom position) |
| File Format | JPEG, MP4 |
| Video | 1920×1080 30 fps, approx. 17.1 Mbps MP4 |
| Memory | Cards microSD memory, microSDHC, microSDXC |
| Connectors | Micro-USB port (USB charging supported) |
| Power supply | Li-ion battery 2330 mAh |
| Dimensions, weight | 63.5×125.5×15.4 mm; 208 g |
Appearance
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The front view gives a basic idea of the lens and its characteristics. You can also see a xenon flash, a diode that serves as a spot for video shooting, and a speaker grille. The focal length range is 24-240mm in 35mm equivalent, and the aperture for extreme zoom positions is f/3.1-6.3. |
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From the display side, the camera is almost indistinguishable from the Samsung Galaxy S4. |
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On top are the power button, volume rocker and shutter button. |
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Below you can see a microSD card slot, a 1/4″ tripod socket, and a loop for a lanyard. |
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On the right side there is a Micro-USB connector, a microphone and a battery cover, under which, in addition to the battery, there is a Micro-SIM card slot. |
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On the left are a headphone jack (3.5 mm) and an infrared port. |
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Outside, the lens shutters are additionally covered with protective glass, so you can not be afraid to break them and damage the lens itself while actively using your smartphone. |
Interface and features of work
There are only two physical controls on the camera (related directly to the camera) - the shutter button and the zoom ring. They are duplicated on the display. All other controls are touch-sensitive, which is not very convenient. In general, the convenience of working with buttons largely depends on the orientation of the smartphone and the grip method.
When gripping with one hand, it is very difficult to shoot, because, despite the protrusion under the fingers, the device is rather slippery, and if you hold it with your thumb out of habit, there is a risk of pressing the touch buttons or the display, which often happened. In addition, there are certain problems with zooming, for which you need to use a second hand.
If you hold the camera with two hands, it is possible to accidentally press the power button, after which the camera will turn off and the frame will be missed.
Access to the camera is not easy. To enable it, you must first unlock your smartphone and then launch the camera app. For a relatively simple camera launch, the S4 zoom offers two options: either a long press on the shutter button, or turning the zoom ring, which brings up a menu for selecting shooting modes.
It takes a long time to turn on the camera. In general, this is not scary, but sometimes, in especially hasty moments (when time is running out, when the frame leaves), you want to say not too affectionate words.
There are several problems in manual mode. It is possible to adjust the shutter speed, but its values are so discrete that you have to constantly monitor the exposure meter and look for a compromise. In addition, the exposure meter, or rather the exposure compensation value, is displayed as a gray icon on a gray background, since you cannot directly change the exposure in manual mode, so you have to look at it. And only when over- or under-exposed by two or more steps, the icon turns red.
Things are even worse with the aperture, which in this case seems to be a neutral density filter. It has only two positions - roughly speaking, open and closed - which change depending on the focal length, the values \u200b\u200bof which are also discrete.
As a result of all this, “zeroing the exposure” is not so easy, and sometimes it is not possible at all.
During playback, the image can be enlarged by rotating the zoom ring. You can return from the gallery to shooting mode using the shutter button, holding it down for about a second.
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An interesting point: according to EXIF data, the maximum equivalent focal length is 172 (30.8) millimeters, and the minimum is 24 (4.3). Thus, we do not have a 10x zoom, but only a 7x. This, of course, is not so noticeable in practice, but leaves an unpleasant aftertaste, like underweight in a store. In addition, a 10x zoom promises us not just the inscription “10x” on the camera body, but also the inscription on the lens “4.3-43mm”, which should still tell the real parameters of the lens.
Image quality
Roughly evaluating the camera shots, without taking into account the zoom, they are very similar in quality to the Galaxy S4 shots.
| 1/30 c ISO 100 |
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| 1/60 c ISO 200 |
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| 1/125 c ISO 400 |
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| 1/250 c ISO 800 |
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| 1/500 s ISO 1600 |
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| 1/1000s ISO 3200 |
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At the minimum focal length, the resolution of the S4 zoom roughly corresponds to the resolution of the S4, which is already a little disappointing - after all, with a larger matrix, we wanted better quality. At medium focal lengths, the resolution is noticeably worse than at the minimum. The graph shows the dependence of resolution on ISO for two average focal lengths S4 zoom and for S4.
Noise handling is about the same as in S4, but in terms of resolution, the camera does a little worse.
| frame center | ||
| Focal length | f/3.1 | f/8.8 |
| 24 mm |  |
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| f/5.8 | f/16.4 | |
| 113 mm |  |
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| f/6.3 | f/17.8 | |
| 172 mm |  |
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| Frame edge | ||
| Focal length | f/3.1 | f/8.8 |
| 24 mm |  |
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| f/5.8 | f/16.4 | |
| 113 mm |  |
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| f/6.3 | f/17.8 | |
| 172 mm |  |
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The geometric distortions of the lens are quite weak, there is also no significant chromaticity. But the resolution drops quite quickly - both from the center to the edges, and with increasing focal length.
| Focal length | f/3.1 | f/8.8 |
| 24 mm |  |
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| f/5.8 | f/16.4 | |
| 113 mm |  |
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| f/6.3 | f/17.8 | |
| 172 mm |  |
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Video
Video recording can be attributed to strengths cameras. In places on the image you can see some ripples, but in general, the quality of shooting for a compact is very decent. The abundance of shooting modes cannot but rejoice.
| Video | Sound |
| 1920×1080, ≈30 fps, MPEG4 AVC [email protected], 16.9 Mbps | AAC LC, 256 kbps, stereo |
The sound quality is also very decent, but there is little point in recording sound, because during shooting, the sounds of zoom and especially autofocus interfere, which works too loudly and often.
The speed of refocusing when zooming is low for a camcorder, but acceptable for a compact.
Multi-motion mode allows you to slow down or speed up the video by 8 times. Moreover, unlike, for example, the Samsung NX300, the user does not need to first select the shooting resolution acceptable for this mode. The following are examples of shooting in 8x speed up and slow down.
The presence of a tripod socket expands the capabilities of the camera in the field of video shooting. However, despite the good video quality and good stabilization, numerous shortcomings - discrete zoom, noisy autofocus, slow refocusing speed - impose significant restrictions on using the device as a video camera.
Outcome
As a result, we have a very dubious device: a smartphone with "10x" (and in fact - with 7x) zoom. Perhaps, it cannot even be proudly called a lens, since the quality of the pictures is almost the same as the pictures of the SGS4.
For an S4 smartphone, the zoom is too big and heavy. For the camera - too weak in all respects. And the price in the region of 20 thousand rubles finally places the device in the category of expensive toys. Now, more than six months after the start of sales, S4 zoom costs around 15 thousand, which is still too much for such fun. But, apparently, there is some demand for the S4 zoom, since at the official price of 15,990 rubles, prices on Yandex.Market range from 10,900 to 20,490 rubles.
The idea itself is interesting, but it is known that it is difficult to cross two good devices, resulting in a device at least 2 times better - it often happens that the result is something in between. So in this case, we have an under-telephone and under-photo camera in one case.
Summing up what has been written, we can conclude that the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom is, in fact, a stripped-down version of the Samsung Galaxy S4, supplemented, or rather, even burdened with an optical sevenfold zoom.
What would happen if...
Perhaps the idea of teaching the camera to call is not so bad. But the functions of a smartphone are not limited only to the telephone part, and in other areas of application of a smartphone, a camera is hardly convenient instead.
Probably, many people are not averse to carrying one device with them instead of two. But at the same time, such a device must satisfy several requirements at once and have no more than a couple of shortcomings in characteristics that can be sacrificed for the sake of such an undertaking.
What could the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom be turned into if we focus on a fairly narrow circle (and Samsung loves such experiments) of buyers who want to have a 2-in-1, and besides, they cannot spend a day without a camera (compact, of course ; with DSLRs it makes no sense to compare here)?
If we sacrifice the size of the device, then do it to the fullest. It is not necessary to turn a thin smartphone into a huge brick - modern compacts are not so big. You can try to cross a compact and a smartphone, focusing on the photo part, that is, mount a smartphone in a compact case - a smaller screen, move the touch buttons and add a couple of physical ones, increase the thickness and capacity of the battery. (It's time to remember the Galaxy Camera, which in the second modification should already have learned to call.) The zoom ring can be replaced with a lever, which, with a supposedly more comfortable grip, will allow you to shoot with one hand and at the same time reduce the height of the lens shaft. Moreover, if you do not rest on the size and weight, you can put good optics and a relatively large matrix.
And finally, if you combine a compact and a smartphone, then you just need to use the potential of the latter. Characteristics enough powerful smartphone will allow you to pull up the parameters of the camera well, but the most important advantage that you need to use in this case is the quick turn on of the camera, since the smartphone practically does not turn off completely. And the Galaxy S4 zoom camera takes longer to turn on than many current compacts.
Much of this wish list Samsung has tried to implement in the Galaxy Camera 2, although some problem areas seem to remain. And as for the telephone part, it’s hard to say even if it will be at all.
What Samsung will offer as the Galaxy S5 zoom is still unclear. And on this moment we still have the same wide gap between smartphone compacts and compact smartphones. On the other hand, such experiments should be treated precisely as experiments and niche products, and not as "gadgets for the general public." But with the Galaxy S4 zoom, of course, Samsung missed all targets at once.
Gallery
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Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is a new smartphone with 10x optical zoom and 16 MP camera. At the moment, this is the most powerful camera phone on the market among the mass models of major manufacturers. Essentially, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is a smaller and lighter version of the Galaxy Camera that can make calls and has additional features like infrared to control home electronics. What is important, the novelty is cheaper than its predecessor. Let's see how the Koreans managed to combine a camera and a phone in one device. Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru readers can be the first in the world to learn about the new Samsung product simultaneously with the global announcement.
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Now there is a new stage in the battle of camera phones. The fact is that consumers want versatility - to carry only a smartphone with them and at the same time get pictures of a quality comparable to “soap dishes”. Gradually, this becomes a reality as technology advances. Now the standard for a modern flagship is 13 megapixels. HTC decided to sacrifice megapixels (they are in the model HTC One only four) for the sake of improving night shooting, while Nokia, on the contrary, is preparing a new multi-pixel smartphone (41 megapixels, as in the 808 model). In general, everyone is trying to offer the consumer their own solution.
Samsung also decided not to limit itself to standard 8 and 13 megapixel modules (by the way, with the highest quality shooting on a par with Apple), but also brings to market the first smartphone with a powerful optical zoom. This is the Galaxy S4 Zoom, which is a cross between the Galaxy Camera and the Galaxy S4 Mini. The model is equipped with a 16 megapixel camera, 10x optical zoom and all the software attributes of Samsung cameras. In terms of a set of features, this new product has no equal, but, as you can see, it completely deceives the limitations modern technologies did not work - the device is quite massive.
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In terms of features, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is a simplified alternative to the Galaxy S4 Mini (less powerful processor, no Dual-SIM/LTE, etc.) with a larger battery, plus a simplified Galaxy Camera module (10x zoom instead of 21x). Interestingly, the model turned out to be relatively inexpensive.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom will appear in Russia in July for 19,990 rubles at the start. The price is exactly the same as on the Galaxy S4 Mini.
- Network: GSM/GPRS/EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, HSDPA
- Operating system: Android 4.2.2, Nature UX interface
- Processor: Dual-core Samsung Exynos 4210 @ 1.5 GHz
- Display: 4.3" qHD sAMOLED (960x540)
- Camera: 16 MP, 10X optical zoom, flash, 1080p video recording, 1.9 MP front camera
- Memory: 8 GB, 1.5 GB RAM, microSD card support (up to 64 GB)
- Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.0, infrared, microUSB 2.0, NFC
- Other: S Voice, S Translator, Samsung WatchON, Samsung Hub, Albus Story
- Battery: 2330 mAh, removable
- Dimensions, weight: 125.5 x 63.5 x 15.4 mm, 208 g
Design, ergonomics
Outwardly, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom resembles all the latest smartphones from the company (except for the Galaxy Active) - glossy plastic with a pattern texture, and a metal-like insert on the end. In form, the new smartphone is most similar to the Galaxy Camera, only in a smaller form due to the smaller screen. Let me remind you that the Galaxy Camera is made in a different design - matte plastic, rubberized grip and a dark insert - this design seems to me more successful. Galaxy S4 Zoom decided to simplify as a more affordable product, and at the same time emphasize its belonging to smartphones.
Initial Samsung price The Galaxy S4 Zoom is 20% lower than the starting price of the Galaxy Camera.
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The debate about Samsung's glossy plastic has been going on for a long time. On the one hand, it looks cheap and is not very pleasant to the touch. On the other hand, it is more maintainable and less thermally conductive. In general, the moment is ambiguous. The Galaxy S4 Zoom does not lie in the best way in the hand, due to the massiveness of the body, in particular, its large thickness. At the same time, it should be noted that the new product is significantly smaller and slightly lighter than the Galaxy Camera, there is progress.
The novelty is bulky. The minimum thickness is more than 15 mm, the weight is more than 200 g. For a smartphone, this is a bit too much. Holding the Galaxy S4 Zoom in your hand is hindered by the protrusion of the grip and the lens. In the area of the latter, the thickness is almost one and a half times greater, the presence of an optical zoom affects. And when shooting, the lens extends. Alas, but so far technology does not allow to implement it otherwise. As a result, outwardly, the new Samsung looks like a "soap box" and not like a smartphone.
Compared to the Galaxy Camera, the thickness of the Galaxy S 4 Zoom has been reduced by more than a third.
The SIM card slot is located under the battery cover (by the way, it is removable, so you can take a spare with you). The key difference between the Galaxy S4 Zoom and the Galaxy Camera is that the former can make calls. Thus, it is a full-fledged smartphone. As well as the player, remote control, camera and generally a universal gadget - this is the main advantage of the Galaxy S4 Zoom.
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Comparison with Samsung Galaxy S4:
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Comparison with Samsung Galaxy Camera:
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Comparison with Nokia 808 PureView:
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Hardware stuffing
The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is based on the Samsung Exynos 4210 dual-core processor with a frequency of 1.5 GHz, Mali-400 MP graphics.
One of the significant disadvantages of the Galaxy Camera is a low-powered battery of only 1650 mAh. The Koreans have corrected this shortcoming in the Galaxy S4 Zoom, the model has a 2330 mAh battery. As a result, the operating time of the device is more than a day, the video is played for more than 9 hours. For comparison, the Galaxy Camera had the same video played for less than 5 hours.
Compared to the Galaxy Camera, the battery life has almost doubled.
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In power saving mode:
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For communications here full order. Available bluetooth modules 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a/b/g/n, NFC and GPS. Support for LTE in the version for Russia is missing. As noted, there is an infrared port. In general, a standard set for the middle class. The reception quality is also at the usual good level for Samsung. But the speaker is not of the highest quality, it wheezes noticeably at maximum volume.
Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom has 8 GB of internal memory, of which about 5 GB is available to the user. For expansion, there is a microSD slot with support for cards up to 64 GB. For most users this will be enough. Volume random access memory is 1.5 GB, which is typical for mid-range Samsung models.
A detailed commentary on the screen quality was given by our display expert Mikhail Kuznetsov:
The Samsung GALAXY S 4 Zoom screen is a familiar 4.3-inch AMOLED panel with qHD (960x540) resolution and 256 ppi pixel density. Yes, these numbers may not be impressive anymore against the backdrop of modern madness with 440 ppi and above. However, the image quality is not affected much, and except for the smallest details, it is not too noticeable.
Do not be afraid of OLED technology - in this case, Samsung, as well as on other GALAXY models, prudently gave the opportunity to choose a color profile to your liking. There is also a typical AMOLED setting with "screaming" saturated colors, and there are also "calm" profiles.
The maximum measured brightness was 337 cd/m2 in the "Standard" profile and about 295 cd/m2 in the "Movie" profile (provided that "Adaptive brightness control" in the display settings is turned off). The headroom is quite high, this 4.3-inch panel is brighter than the screens of the GALAXY S3 or S4, which is a nice bonus in exchange for a lower resolution. At the same time, the image begins to "wash out" only under very bright light - in all other cases it is amazingly deep, thanks to the stunning native contrast ratio of the OLED display. Of course, some of the light is reflected off the screen, reducing the contrast, but the anti-glare properties are effective enough to hide these losses as much as possible. The viewing angles are very wide, and the colors shift slightly.
The gamma setting pleased us with stability, the average value in all screen modes is very close to the target 2.22. The brightness of all midtones is close to optimal, and the readability of bright and dark details is very good.
Accordingly, the DeltaE color deviation also drops from 12 to 6 units and lower on average, which can already be called a very decent quality of the factory settings. Profiles "Professional Photography" and "Film" are really successful in this respect.
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Color gamut is another controversial area of AMOLED, by default it is extremely wide and far exceeds the sRGB standard. On the one hand, this allows the colors to look more saturated, but at the same time, not so natural. The Dynamic, Standard, and oddly enough, Professional Photo profiles have a wide coverage that distorts colors in photos or videos. It is unlikely that photographers who use Adobe RGB relatively rarely will be happy with this situation. As a result, the “Film” profile turned out to be the most adequate again - the secondary colors here are very close to sRGB, and the primary ones are not so strongly oversaturated. The average DeltaE here is 4.48 points, a good result for a supposedly "wrong" AMOLED screen. Moreover, the brightness of the colors is consistent with each other, which makes the image in the Movie profile the most suitable for photos and videos to get natural colors.
In general, the Samsung GALAXY S4 Zoom screen turned out to be quite good. Clarity can cause the main complaints here - the PenTile matrix does not have the highest ppi, although, in my opinion, this has little effect on everyday use. The issue of color reproduction and other "horrors of AMOLED" is completely solved by switching color profiles. In general, in terms of contrast, few can argue with AMOLED, so I think most users will like the screen. Although someone may find LCD screens more familiar.
Camera
This is the most important thing in the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, which makes the model stand out from other smartphones. Optical zoom allows you to change the focal length of the lens optically, while digital zoom does it programmatically. In the second case, the increase noticeably spoils the picture, but in the first case it does not. Simply put, you can magnify an object in a frame ten times without losing quality. Agree, the opportunity is at least interesting. In practice, this allows you to naturally photograph animals, people, and distant details. Pleases in Galaxy Zoom and the resolution of the image - as in the Galaxy Camera, there is 16 megapixels, which gives good detail.
I will especially note software part, here Samsung offers all the features of the Galaxy Camera in a smartphone, which is very interesting. The most important thing is the abundance of shooting modes, this is an important point for inexperienced users (in fact, they will be the majority among Galaxy S4 Zoom buyers). A total of 26 modes are available:
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There is also a manual shooting mode with a change in exposure, ISO (by the way, up to 3200), etc. Of course, it has not gone away auto mode for the most undemanding users (according to statistics, more than half of them). Moreover, hints are available in Russian. The interface is already familiar, proprietary Samsung, it is quite convenient and functional, contains many settings.
By default, the Galaxy S4 Zoom uses 16:9 (12 MP) mode, here are examples of shooting in this mode:
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Optical zoom operation:
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Macro is especially good - here are a few examples in maximum quality (16 MP), photos clickable to the original:
When you look at these pictures, you do not immediately understand that they were taken on a smartphone, and some will not believe you.
For comparison with the Nokia 808 PureView, I used the 4:3 (16 MP) mode:
Left Nokia 808 PureView / Right Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
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As you can see, in terms of smartphones, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is doing great. And this is on the first firmware, in subsequent firmware, the quality of the shooting will be further improved. And thanks to the presence of an optical zoom, the model is completely unique. But if we compare it with traditional cameras, then everything is not so rosy here, you should not expect the level of full-fledged cameras from a smartphone, our photo expert Alexander Babulin comments:
In terms of photographic capabilities, this smartphone is, in fact, a smaller copy of the Samsung Galaxy Camera, a kind of pocket version with an optical zoom cropped slightly more than twice (4.3-43 mm versus 4.1-86.1 mm with very similar characteristics luminosity). On the one hand, this is a plus - the Galaxy Camera was distinguished by a curious and convenient control system through touch screen. On the other hand, it is rather a minus, because the photographic capabilities of this module are more than limited compared to traditional cameras.
The small matrix does not allow you to take pictures good quality at high ISOs, very strong chromatic noise pops up. And you will have to “lift up” the sensitivity - the lens does not have a high aperture ratio, at the long end you will have to use aperture 6.3, which will lead to a small amount of light entering the matrix. However, the very presence of optical zoom already favorably distinguishes the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom camera - not only due to the ability to shoot relatively distant objects close-up, but also due to the ability to get the correct frame geometry when shooting, for example, portraits. The Galaxy S4 Zoom also allows you to get atypically good background blur for smartphones.
Detailing for a smartphone is not bad, but this is the level of entry-level compact cameras, nothing more. The color reproduction is quite natural, the white balance is measured normally. The lens makes it possible to provide a good sharpness of the object in the focus area, and noticeably "soaps" along the edges of the frame. In general, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom camera module does not seem revolutionary to me - it is good for modern smartphones, most of which lack optical intelligence, but is inferior to the vast majority of specialized cameras.
In the near future, a large comparative test of cameras and smartphones will be published on Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru. Stay tuned!
Software, interface
Programmatically, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is typical for smartphones of this brand - here is the latest version of Android 4.2.2 and the TouchWiz Nature UX proprietary interface. The difference between the models is only in the feature set. In particular, the novelty does not have such features of more expensive devices as multi-window mode, smart scrolling, gesture control, etc.
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Most of the functions of TouchWiz are placed in the extended submenu of the notification center - 10 icons. From here, you can activate Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and more. The settings menu is divided into four horizontal tabs. The simple screen display mode has not gone anywhere if you do not need desktops.
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There is S Translator, which provides on-the-fly text translation, reading both voice and text (and capable of translating text into voice and vice versa). There is a recognition function directly from the camera. This is useful in foreign countries: just point the camera to find out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. mobile assistant provides instant translation of words, letters, messages and chats, and also supports voice input.
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With Group Play, you can share music, photos, and games without active Wi-Fi or cellular networks; communication is supported by the smartphone itself without outside help. Another interesting feature is voice assistant S Voice. This is especially useful in car mode: you can set a meeting, make a reminder, find out the weather, turn on the player, navigation, etc. You can even select a caller from the phone book with your voice, dictate a message and send. The application supports the Russian language, but if everything is fine with recognition, then electronic speech in Russian leaves much to be desired.
The Galaxy S4 Zoom has an infrared port on the top of the case and the WatchON app to control the equipment. Not only Samsung devices are supported, but also other brands. It's all working properly. But with one caveat - Russia is not supported by the TV program, which means that the functionality of WatchON for our country is limited only by the remote control. By the way, unlike the Galaxy S4, there is no pre-installed Flipboard. The latter also does not have the support of Russia, because of which, apparently, they decided to abandon it in the supply of the original software.
But of the smart functions, only one remained - intellectual expectation. This is when the screen is on while you are looking at it. Turn, pause and scroll from the Galaxy S4, unfortunately, is not here. Design aside, TouchWiz is by far the best third-party interface for Android.
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Opinion Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru
Our research shows that less than half of smartphone owners use camera settings, and only 17% of users potentially need optical zoom when the smartphone body is enlarged. The Galaxy S4 Zoom model is technologically interesting, but now the mass consumer is quite satisfied with traditional cameras.
Samsung's new product is aimed at a niche of users who want the versatility and quality of a camera in a smartphone at any cost. Moreover, the main compromise here is in size / weight, but not in price - the Galaxy S4 Zoom is cheaper than a bunch of similar separate devices, and its price is 20% lower than the initial price of the Galaxy Camera. At the same time, the shooting quality is ambiguous - it is higher than that of any smartphones, but lower than that of most cameras - in general, the situation with the Galaxy Camera is repeated.
As a versatile gadget, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is pretty good. In one device you get a full-fledged smartphone, good camera and many additional functions (player, remote control, etc.). The only question is how much you are willing to sacrifice the compactness of a smartphone for this and how much you need an increase in camera quality compared to conventional smartphones. What is important, in this case, the experiments are worth adequate money. The recommended price of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom at the start is 19,990 rubles, which is one third cheaper than modern flagships. So many will be able to try the new Korean camera phone.
As for competitors, they do not exist now and will definitely not be in the near future. Many see an alternative in the 41-megapixel Nokia 808 PureView (more precisely, in the future Windows phone smartphone based on it), but this is not the case - the main feature of the Galaxy S4 Zoom is optical zoom, which Nokia does not have. Accordingly, the devices are too different to be compared. Nevertheless, you could evaluate examples of shots from both of these models in this review.
In the bottom line, we have a massive (especially in terms of thickness and weight) smartphone with average characteristics, a simple design, but functional, relatively affordable and with an excellent camera. If you are looking for a versatile gadget and you need high-quality shooting, I recommend taking a closer look at this new product. The solution is unique and has no analogues at the moment, and therefore it can be very interesting for its audience. But be prepared to compromise.
@dryab, ryabinin(at)corp.mail.ru
Information about the make, model, and alternative names of a particular device, if any.
Design
Information about the dimensions and weight of the device, presented in different units of measurement. Used materials, suggested colors, certificates.
| Width Width information refers to the horizontal side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 63.5 mm (millimeters) 6.35 cm (centimeters) 0.21 ft 2.5in |
| Height Height information refers to the vertical side of the device in its standard orientation during use. | 125.5 mm (millimeters) 12.55 cm (centimeters) 0.41ft 4.94in |
| Thickness Information about the thickness of the device in different units of measurement. | 15.4 mm (millimeters) 1.54 cm (centimeters) 0.05 ft 0.61in |
| Weight Information about the weight of the device in different units of measurement. | 208 g (grams) 0.46 lbs 7.34oz |
| Volume Approximate volume of the device, calculated from dimensions provided by the manufacturer. Refers to devices with the shape of a rectangular parallelepiped. | 122.73 cm³ (cubic centimeters) 7.45 in³ (cubic inches) |
| Colors Information about the colors in which this device is offered for sale. | Black White |
| Housing materials The materials used to make the body of the device. | Plastic |
SIM card
The SIM card is used in mobile devices to store data that certifies the authenticity of mobile service subscribers.
Mobile networks
A mobile network is a radio system that allows multiple mobile devices to communicate with each other.
Mobile technologies and data rates
Communication between devices in mobile networks is carried out through technologies that provide different data transfer rates.
Operating system
The operating system is the system software that manages and coordinates the operation of the hardware components in the device.
SoC (System on a Chip)
System on a chip (SoC) includes all the most important hardware components of a mobile device in one chip.
| SoC (System on a Chip) System on a chip (SoC) integrates various hardware components such as processor, GPU, memory, peripherals, interfaces, etc., as well as the software necessary for their operation. | Pega-Dual+XMM6262 |
| Processor (CPU) The main function of the processor (CPU) of a mobile device is the interpretation and execution of instructions contained in software applications. | ARM Cortex-A9 |
| Number of processor cores The processor core executes program instructions. There are processors with one, two or more cores. Having more cores increases performance by allowing many instructions to be executed in parallel. | 2 |
| Processor clock speed The clock speed of a processor describes its speed in terms of cycles per second. It is measured in megahertz (MHz) or gigahertz (GHz). | 1500 MHz (megahertz) |
| Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) Graphics Processing Unit (GPU) handles calculations for various 2D/3D graphic applications. IN mobile devices it is used most often by games, consumer interface, video applications, etc. | ARM Mali-400 MP4 |
| Number of GPU cores Like the CPU, the GPU is made up of several working parts called cores. They handle the graphical calculations of different applications. | 4 |
| The amount of random access memory (RAM) Random access memory (RAM) used operating system and all installed applications. Data stored in RAM is lost when the device is turned off or restarted. | 1.5 GB (gigabytes) |
| Type of random access memory (RAM) Information about the type of random access memory (RAM) used by the device. | LPDDR2 |
Built-in memory
Each mobile device has a built-in (non-removable) memory with a fixed amount.
Memory cards
Memory cards are used in mobile devices to increase the storage capacity for storing data.
Screen
The screen of a mobile device is characterized by its technology, resolution, pixel density, diagonal length, color depth, etc.
| Type/technology One of the main characteristics of the screen is the technology by which it is made and on which the image quality of information directly depends. | Super AMOLED |
| Diagonal For mobile devices, the screen size is expressed in terms of its diagonal length, measured in inches. | 4.3in 109.22 mm (millimeters) 10.92 cm (centimeters) |
| Width Approximate Screen Width | 2.11in 53.55 mm (millimeters) 5.35 cm (centimeters) |
| Height Approximate Screen Height | 3.75in 95.19 mm (millimeters) 9.52 cm (centimeters) |
| Aspect Ratio The ratio of the dimensions of the long side of the screen to its short side | 1.778:1 16:9 |
| Permission Screen resolution indicates the number of pixels vertically and horizontally on the screen. Higher resolution means sharper image detail. | 540 x 960 pixels |
| Pixel Density Information about the number of pixels per centimeter or inch of the screen. Higher density allows information to be shown on the screen in clearer detail. | 256 ppi (pixels per inch) 100ppm (pixels per centimeter) |
| Color depth Screen color depth reflects the total number of bits used for the color components in a single pixel. Information about the maximum number of colors the screen can display. | 24 bit 16777216 flowers |
| Screen area Approximate percentage of screen space on the front of the device. | 64.17% (percentage) |
| Other characteristics Information about other functions and features of the screen. | capacitive Multitouch Scratch resistance |
| Corning Gorilla Glass 3 mDNIe technology - mobile Digital Natural Image engine technology |
Sensors
Different sensors perform different quantitative measurements and convert physical indicators into signals that are recognized by the mobile device.
Main camera
The main camera of a mobile device is usually located on the back of the case and is used for taking photos and videos.
| Sensor type | CMOS BSI (backside illumination) |
| Sensor size | 6.13 x 4.6 mm (millimeters) 0.3in |
| Pixel size | 1.33 µm (micrometers) 0.00133 mm (millimeters) |
| crop factor | 5.65 |
| ISO (light sensitivity) ISO values determine the light sensitivity level of the photosensor. A lower value means weaker light sensitivity and vice versa - higher values mean higher light sensitivity, i.e. better ability of the sensor to work in low light conditions. | 100 - 3200 |
| Diaphragm | f/3.1 - 6.3 |
| Excerpt The shutter speed (exposure time) indicates the amount of time the camera shutter is open during the shooting process. The longer it is open, the more light reaches the photosensor. Shutter speed is measured in seconds (eg 5, 2, 1) or fractions of a second (eg 1/2, 1/8, 1/8000). | 16 - 1/2000 |
| Focal length | 4.25 - 42.51 mm (millimeters) 24 - 240 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame) |
| Flash type The most common types of flashes in mobile devices cameras are LED and xenon flashes. LED flashes give a softer light and, unlike brighter xenon flashes, are also used for video shooting. | Xenon |
| Image Resolution One of the main characteristics of mobile device cameras is their resolution, which indicates the number of pixels in the horizontal and vertical direction of an image. | 4608 x 3456 pixels 15.93 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum supported resolution for video recording by the device. | 1920 x 1080 pixels 2.07 MP (megapixels) |
| Video - frame rate/frames per second. Information about the maximum number of frames per second (fps) supported by the device when shooting video at the maximum resolution. Some of the main standard speeds shooting and video playback is 24p, 25p, 30p, 60p. | 30 fps (frames per second) |
| Characteristics Information about other software and hardware features related to the main camera and improving its functionality. | autofocus Burst shooting optical zoom Optical Image Stabilization geo tags panoramic shooting HDR shooting |
Additional camera
Additional cameras are usually mounted above the screen of the device and are mainly used for video calls, gesture recognition, etc.
| Sensor type Digital cameras use photo sensors to take pictures. The sensor, as well as the optics, is one of the main factors in the quality of a camera in a mobile device. | CMOS (complementary metal-oxide semiconductor) |
| Sensor size Information about the size of the photosensor used in the device. Typically, cameras with a larger sensor and lower pixel density offer more high quality images despite the lower resolution. | 3 x 2.4 mm (millimeters) 0.15in |
| Pixel size The smaller pixel size of the photosensor allows more pixels to be used per unit area, thus increasing resolution. On the other hand, a smaller pixel size can have a negative impact on image quality when high levels light sensitivity (ISO). | 1.875 µm (micrometers) 0.001875 mm (millimeters) |
| crop factor The crop factor is the ratio between the size of a full-frame sensor (36 x 24mm, equivalent to a frame of standard 35mm film) and the size of the device's photosensor. The number shown is the diagonal ratio of the full-frame sensor (43.3 mm) and the photosensor specific device. | 11.26 |
| Diaphragm Aperture (f-number) is the size of the aperture opening that controls the amount of light reaching the photosensor. A lower f-number means the aperture is larger. | f/2.4 |
| Focal length Focal length is the distance in millimeters from the photosensor to the optical center of the lens. There is also an equivalent focal length that provides the same field of view with a full frame camera. | 1.85 mm (millimeters) 20.83 mm (millimeters) *(35 mm / full frame) |
| Image Resolution Maximum Resolution Information additional camera when shooting. In most cases, the resolution of the secondary camera is lower than that of the main camera. | 1600 x 1200 pixels 1.92 MP (megapixels) |
| Video resolution Information about the maximum resolution supported when shooting video with the optional camera. | 1280 x 720 pixels 0.92 MP (megapixels) |
Audio
Information about the type of speakers and audio technologies supported by the device.
Radio
The radio of the mobile device is a built-in FM receiver.
Location determination
Information about navigation and location technologies supported by the device.
WiFi
Wi-Fi is a technology that provides wireless communication for short distance data transmission between different devices.
Bluetooth
Bluetooth is a standard for secure wireless data transfer between different types of devices over short distances.
| Version There are several versions of Bluetooth, with each subsequent one improving communication speed, coverage, making it easier to discover and connect devices. Information about the Bluetooth version of the device. | 4.0 |
| Characteristics Bluetooth uses different profiles and protocols for faster data transfer, power savings, better device discovery, and more. Some of the profiles and protocols that the device supports are shown here. | A2DP (Advanced Audio Distribution Profile) AVRCP (Audio/Visual Remote Control Profile) DIP (Device ID Profile) HFP (Hands Free Profile) HID (Human Interface Profile) HSP (Headset Profile) LE (Low Energy) MAP (Message Access Profile) PAN (Personal Area Networking Profile) PBAP/PAB (Phone Book Access Profile) SAP/SIM/rSAP (SIM Access Profile) |
USB
USB (Universal Serial Bus) is an industry standard that allows different electronic devices to communicate.
HDMI
HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) is a digital audio/video interface that replaces older analog audio/video standards.
Headphone jack
This is an audio connector, which is also called an audio jack. The most widely used standard in mobile devices is the 3.5mm headphone jack.
Connecting devices
Information about other important connection technologies supported by the device.
Browser
A web browser is a software application for accessing and viewing information on the Internet.
| Browser Information about some of the key features and standards supported by the device's browser. | HTML HTML5 |
Audio file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support various audio file formats and codecs that store and encode/decode digital audio data, respectively.
Video file formats/codecs
Mobile devices support various video file formats and codecs, which store and encode/decode digital video data, respectively.
Battery
Mobile device batteries differ from each other in their capacity and technology. They provide the electrical charge they need to function.
| Capacity The capacity of a battery indicates the maximum charge it can store, measured in milliamp-hours. | 2330 mAh (milliamp-hours) |
| Type The type of battery is determined by its structure and, more specifically, by the chemicals used. There are different types of batteries, with lithium-ion and lithium-ion polymer batteries being the most commonly used in mobile devices. | Li-Ion (Li-Ion) |
| Talk time 2G Talk time in 2G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 2G network. | 13 h (hours) 780 min (minutes) 0.5 days |
| 2G standby time The 2G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 2G network. | 570 h (hours) 34200 min (minutes) 23.8 days |
| 3G talk time Talk time in 3G is the period of time during which the battery is completely discharged during a continuous conversation in a 3G network. | 13 h (hours) 780 min (minutes) 0.5 days |
| 3G standby time The 3G standby time is the amount of time it takes for the battery to fully discharge when the device is in stand-by mode and connected to a 3G network. | 570 h (hours) 34200 min (minutes) 23.8 days |
| Characteristics Information about some additional features of the device's battery. | Removable |
Specific Absorption Rate (SAR)
SAR levels refer to the amount of electromagnetic radiation absorbed by the human body while using a mobile device.
| Head SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum number electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device next to the ear in a conversation position. In Europe, the maximum allowable SAR value for mobile devices is limited to 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard established by CENELEC in accordance with IEC standards following ICNIRP guidelines of 1998. | 0.144 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (EU) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The maximum allowed SAR value for mobile devices in Europe is 2 W/kg per 10 grams of human tissue. This standard has been established by CENELEC following the 1998 ICNIRP guidelines and IEC standards. | 0.202 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Head SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device near the ear. The maximum value used in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. Mobile devices in the US are controlled by the CTIA and the FCC conducts tests and sets their SAR values. | 0.346 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
| Body SAR (US) The SAR level indicates the maximum amount of electromagnetic radiation that the human body is exposed to when holding a mobile device at hip level. The highest acceptable SAR value in the US is 1.6 W/kg per gram of human tissue. This value is set by the FCC, and the CTIA controls whether mobile devices comply with this standard. | 1.047 W/kg (watt per kilogram) |
- Camera
- Charger with USB cable
- Li-Ion battery 2330 mAh
- Hand strap
- Instruction
Positioning
Samsung's first Android camera was called the Galaxy Camera and hit store shelves in November 2012. Her index was EK-GC100. The positioning of that device was not very clear, Samsung, as usual, rushed into a new niche in the market that had just appeared. Let me remind you that in the second half of 2012, many camera manufacturers presented their vision of Android cameras, for example, it was a device from Nikon. IN Galaxy review Camera I wrote that “this is a first generation product that was released as a response to the sophistication in this area of digital camera manufacturers such as Nikon. Samsung tried the product, came up with usage scenarios, gave some flexibility in installing additional programs. And now we are ready to study what scenarios will be involved in practice. And this approach works because people know better why they might use the camera.”
After seven months of Galaxy Camera sales, we can say that this market segment has taken place, but not at all in the way that was previously expected. Sales of the Galaxy Camera, despite the high cost, turned out to be noticeable, which allowed the development of the second generation of devices - presumably a new segment of devices has appeared, which is at the junction between smartphones and digital cameras, which follows from their application scenarios. The majority of Galaxy Camera buyers are technology lovers, those who eagerly seek out new types of devices and put them into practice. A good friend of mine is a typical example of a Galaxy Camera buyer - he buys most of the technological novelties, many of them are taken out of the box, tried and put on the shelf. He is interested in the very process of learning new toys, and Galaxy Camera at the same time made it possible to share photos in real time, without additional shamanism and transferring photos to a phone or computer.
What did Samsung find out about Android camera use cases after first-generation sales, and what complaints did they hear? One of the main complaints was that despite the presence of a GSM module, you cannot make calls using the camera. Unexpectedly, it turned out that many buyers of this camera use it while traveling, in particular, on vacation or in another country. That is, having the opportunity to publish pictures, people also wanted to call - from time to time. They were not at all embarrassed by how it might look from the outside. Perhaps this scenario could not have been predicted when creating the first generation.
Another gripe was the size of the Galaxy Camera - every second user said that it would be nice to hide the camera in a pocket. Many also spoke about the operating time, which was rather small due to the large diagonal of the screen and the motor in the camera lens.
But the main conclusion that Samsung made from the first generation of Android cameras is that the device, like Galaxy Note once, able to create its own niche. And this is not at all a device that is positioned as a camera, but secondarily as a smartphone or something like that. This is not directly a symbiosis of the two types of devices - this is an additional device for certain buyers who are willing to buy it as an add-on to their already existing smartphone with similar characteristics. The only obstacle for them was the price of such a product.
For me personally, it was an unpleasant discovery (but to some extent expected - sorry for the tautology) that few users of the first generation Galaxy Camera noted that they were not satisfied with the quality of the pictures. For me, this was the main reason why I do not use the camera on a daily basis, it shoots no better than the same Galaxy S3 / S4, and from the advantages it offers only a good optical zoom.
The new Galaxy S4 Zoom index indicates that the positioning within Samsung has changed. Number 101 is the serial number of the camera, the previous one was the hundredth. True, there was an abbreviation GC (Galaxy Camera), now it has changed to SM-C101. Behind the letters SM lies the word Smart, but here it does not mean smartphones or cameras at all, this is a new category of devices, which, in theory, will include other types, for example, something for a smart home. The letter C indicates that this is a Camera. For example, SM-R100 may be the first in a generation of 4G routers (this is just an example, not sure if a model with this index exists).
Another point is an attempt to position the camera as a makeweight to the existing Galaxy line and specifically to the Galaxy S4, as its flagship. The presence in the name Galaxy S4 directly refers to this super popular phone, and this approach works. From a marketing standpoint, Samsung considers Zoom to be a smartphone. With the name out of the way, let's see what categories Samsung is trying to put this device into.
The focus remains on technology lovers, this is one of the main groups. But also the second emphasis is on young people, who can choose this device as an additional or second one. The third, noticeable, but not very large group is "mobile photographers", those who cannot imagine their life without Instagram or similar services. I will add that the camera turns into a rather interesting tool for instant reporting, it outperforms regular phones exactly one - the presence of optical zoom. It can definitely be argued that due to a different price positioning, the second generation of Android cameras from Samsung will be sold in large volumes. This device has no direct competitors, since it was created in the paradigm of an additional camera (second device). For example, if you have a SLR camera, this device can act as an additional device for filming and publishing on social networks (instant publication). For some, the device can become additional to a smartphone in order to provide the same zoom or not waste battery power. The scenario of using the device in roaming is very interesting, when you purchase a local SIM-card for navigation (there is no need to remove your own from the phone).
Other manufacturers continue to develop Android cameras based on their own initial conditions- camera manufacturers are trying to improve their functionality at the expense of Android, phone manufacturers, for example, Nokia are trying to increase the attractiveness of their phones at the expense of cameras. Samsung is not afraid to create a niche product that could potentially be used as a replacement for both cameras and smartphones. Neither camera manufacturers nor smartphone manufacturers can take this step. Although the Galaxy Zoom example suggests that this is a new, big niche, and first of all, such cameras act as additional ones.
Design, dimensions, controls
The size of the device is 126 x 63.5 x 15.4 mm, weight - 208 grams. For comparison, the Galaxy Camera is 128.7 x 70.8 x 35mm, while the S4 Mini is 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9mm. Not as big as the previous camera, but not as small either. If desired, it can fit in a jeans pocket, but it will definitely not be convenient for you. With jacket pockets, everything is much simpler and better. The weight also differs not for the better from a regular smartphone, so it will be extremely difficult to consider it an everyday device for communication. Positioning as a smartphone is the idea of marketers who want to fight smartphones from other manufacturers with this device. It has nothing to do with real positioning at all.
From the point of view of the placement of control elements, this is an almost complete copy of a regular smartphone, especially if you look at the front panel - the screen, indicators, front camera - everything is as usual. Below - a mechanical button, and on the sides - two touch. But already on the left side you see a tripod connector, as well as a slot for a microSD card. There is also a strap hole.
On the top end there is a 3.5 mm slot for headphones, as well as an infrared port for controlling household devices. The bottom end is occupied by a microUSB connector, right there is a hinged cover, under it is a microSIM slot, as well as a removable battery mount.
On the right side (the same side is the top when shooting in camera mode) there is an on / off button, a paired volume key and a separate camera shutter.
The rear side is reserved for the lens, which strongly protrudes from the body, there is also an LED flash and IR illumination.
The quality of the plastic does not cause any complaints, the same can be said about the assembly - there are no claims to Samsung devices for these parameters for a long time.
Display
The screen diagonal is 4.3 inches, with a resolution of 540x960 pixels (256 dots per inch) this is not a gigantic diagonal at all by today's standards. On the other hand, the presence of a Super AMOLED screen is advantageous, since it fades less in the sun, including wins over the Galaxy Camera.
The picture quality is good, although, of course, it clearly loses in terms of color and brightness to the Galaxy S4, but this device is lower in class and costs much less. In my opinion, in its segment, it is quite acceptable and does not look outdated. Photos on the screen look good, including when viewed in photo album mode.
The capacitive screen has an excellent sensor, multi-touch is supported - however, these are already so expected, familiar characteristics that you can not even remember about them.
In the menu there is an option "Optimize display". This is the most interesting setting, as the device analyzes the level of illumination around and, depending on the conditions, sets the contrast, brightness, plus adjusts the colors on the screen. It turns out that White color looks white in almost all conditions. Another Adobe RGB setting, but it has almost no effect on the image display quality, the latter does not noticeably change compared to other settings (I could not notice this).
Battery
The phone has a 2330 mAh Li-Ion battery (2100 mAh in the Galaxy S3 for comparison). We are accustomed to the fact that the power consumption of modern smartphones is huge, and this device wins only in comparison with more voracious counterparts with faster processors, big screens etc. In principle, when used only as a camera with the 3G module turned on, the device is able to work for a couple of days and take three hundred photos. If you actively use the smartphone component - call, write messages, communicate on social networks, then by the evening of the first day the device will ask for recharging. That's a little more than current flagships, but still not that great, especially for a hybrid device. If this is an addition to your smartphone, then the operating time is acceptable, if this is the main device, then it is clearly low - although it does not stand out from what other manufacturers or Samsung have on the market.
USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities
Bluetooth. Bluetooth version 4.0 (LE). When transferring files to other devices that support this technology, Wi-Fi 802.11 n is used, and the theoretical transfer speed is about 24 Mbps. Checking the transfer of 1 GB of a file showed a maximum speed of about 12 Mbps within three meters between devices.
The model supports various profiles, in particular, Headset, Handsfree, Serial Port, Dial Up Networking, File Transfer, Object Push, Basic Printing, SIM Access, A2DP. Working with headsets does not raise any questions, everything is ordinary.
USB connection. In Android 4, for some reason, they abandoned USB mode Mass Storage, left only MTP (there is also a PTP mode).
USB version - 2, data transfer rate - about 25 Mb / s.
When connected to a PC, simultaneous USB operation and Bluetooth, the device requires you to turn off Bluetooth, regardless of the current state (whether there is a connection and transmission, or not), this is extremely inconvenient. When connected via USB, the device is charged.
The microUSB connector also supports the MHL standard, which means that using a special cable (available from electronics stores) you can connect your phone to a TV (to the HDMI output). In fact, the standard describes the ability to connect via microUSB to HDMI. This solution looks more preferable than a separate miniHDMI-connector on the case.
For GSM networks, EDGE class 12 is provided.
WiFi. 802.11 a/b/g/n is supported, the wizard is similar to that of Bluetooth. You can remember the selected networks, automatically connect to them. It is possible to set up a connection to the router with one touch, for this you need to press a key on the router, and also activate a similar button in the device's menu (WPA SecureEasySetup). Of the additional options, it is worth noting the setup wizard, it appears when the signal is weak or disappears. You can also set up Wi-Fi operation Scheduled.
WiFi Direct . A protocol that aims to replace Bluetooth or compete with its third version (it also uses Wi-Fi version n to transmit large files). On the menu WiFi settings select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone starts looking for devices around. Choose desired device, activate the connection on it, and voila. Now in file manager You can view files on another device and also transfer them. Another option is to simply find the devices connected to your router and transfer the necessary files to them, this can be done from the gallery or other sections of the phone. The main thing is that the device supports Wi-Fi Direct.
NFC. The device has NFC technology, it can be used with various additional applications.
S Beam. A technology that allows you to transfer a file of several gigabytes to another phone in a few minutes. In fact, we see in S Beam a combination of two technologies - NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. The first technology is used to bring and authorize phones, but the second is used to transfer the files themselves. Creatively redesigned way Wi-Fi usage Direct is much easier than using a connection on two machines, selecting files, and so on.
IR port. Required to use the phone as a remote control for various household appliances. Automatically configured for almost any model of equipment.
Memory, memory cards
The phone has 16 GB of internal memory, initially about 12 GB is available to the user. Memory cards up to 64 GB are also supported.
The amount of RAM is 1.5 GB, after downloading about 750 MB is free. This is sufficient for all applications.
Hardware platform
This device uses the Exynos 4212 processor, the processor is dual-core and has a maximum frequency of 1.5 GHz (ARM v7), the Mali-400 graphics co-processor. Not the fastest or most productive solution, but it is quite enough in this device. Below you can see the results of synthetic tests if you like to measure everything in virtual parrots.
TouchWiz software features
This device almost completely repeats the capabilities of the Galaxy S4 in standard features, adjusted for other hardware capabilities. There is no point in talking about these features again, you can read about them in the Galaxy S4 review.
Detailed analysis of camera features
The focal length of the lens is 4.3-43mm (4.1-86.1mm for the Galaxy Camera). Aperture from 3.1 to 6.3. 10x optical zoom (in the previous model x21). Unfortunately, since the Zoom model is lower class, we decided not to change the matrix in it - this is a 1/2.3-inch BSI matrix. So the main complaint about the Galaxy Camera has not changed in any way here - in a device where one of the main characteristics is the camera, everything is spoiled by a rather cheap matrix, which does not allow you to get the advantages that the lens gives. This is on the one hand, on the other hand, the quality of the Galaxy Camera images target audience satisfied, which also, apparently, determined the choice of such a sensor.
Looking ahead, I note that the camera shoots at the level of the Galaxy Camera, no breakthrough has occurred, however, there is no noticeable deterioration in quality. You actually get the same photos, only the zoom has become ten times.
The ISO value is from 100 to 3200. Interestingly, in most cases, the device tends to set small ISO values, and rightly so. I also want to note separately that the device works out the white balance well, which is unexpected for such a camera.
For most users of the device, it makes no sense to manually set the ISO value, in most cases, the automation works out everything correctly. The working ISO remains 800, then the blurring of the picture is clearly visible.
And this is how the optical zoom function works, it is interesting in most situations, except for certain scenarios. First and foremost, the maximum zoom cannot be used with smart modes, then the result becomes unpredictable. Second, you can zoom by rotating the lens ring, or by pressing the buttons on the screen. With the help of buttons, it is easier and faster to do this, the mechanics are more a tribute to fashion than a real necessity. I was surprised that you can't activate the zoom with the volume control button, although this would be expected.
On the pictures you can see how the device zooms the picture, there are pictures with different zoom steps, from the original to the maximum. Some pictures are simply shown at maximum zoom. Perhaps this is the main feature that distinguishes this mobile device from others.
Voice control
In the camera, you can activate voice control, then with the help of commands you can take pictures, zoom in on the picture, turn on the “Retouch” mode and turn it off. The number of teams is small, but it is possible that such control will be useful to someone, especially when you want to take a photo of yourself against the backdrop of a city, and there is not a single living soul around. This is just another additional feature, not the main one at all.
Smart shooting modes
One of the features of the Galaxy Camera was smart modes, in which it is enough to select a scene and get the result when shooting. A sort of presets that even a beginner can get good pictures in different conditions. In Zoom, the number of such modes was expanded, plus they added Favorites (the last used modes), and also made a separate mode in which the camera automatically assumes what exactly you want to photograph and slips the desired mode.
best photo – a series of pictures from which you can choose the best photo.
Continuous Shooting– shooting at 4 frames per second.
best face– with group photos, you can choose the most successful facial expression for each person (out of five photos) and get the final photo in which each person will be presented the way you want.
Scenery– Enhance landscape photography by brightening blues and greens.
macro photography does not need comments.
Freeze– Shooting fast moving objects.
Saturated tones(in fact, this is HDR) - photos are glued together from pairs, they turn out to be very saturated.
Panorama– up to 8 photos can be combined into a panorama.
Silhouette– shooting silhouettes lit from behind.
Sunset- increases color saturation.
Night– also combines shots, a kind of HDR.
fireworks– also long exposure, use of a tripod is recommended.
paths of light- long exposure and beautiful trails of light, such as the flow of cars on the road.
Retouch– automatic skin improvement, masking flaws in portraits.
Food- photos of food, as the name implies.
Photo with sound– you can add up to 9 seconds of audio to the picture, the function first appeared on the Galaxy S4, now it applies to all Samsung devices.
Eraser- the ability to erase an object that flashed in the frame, for example, a person who was passing by. In real life, not a very applicable scenario.
Motion photo- collects all stages of movement in one photo.
Animation- big gif file with animation glued from several frames.
double sided photo- an analogue of the same function on S4, but with a difference - there the photo is obtained instantly, immediately first you shoot on the main camera, and then on the front one - the result is glued into one file.
Compare photos from Galaxy Camera and Galaxy S4
I'm sure the photos speak for themselves, so let's compare them. Here are the shots on the Galaxy Camera and Zoom - I think in most cases you will see that they are comparable.
| samsung zoom | Samsung Galaxy Camera |
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With the Galaxy S4, everything is also about the same - in the absence of an optical zoom, the flagship loses, but otherwise the devices are, by and large, about the same, despite the better optics in Zoom.
| samsung zoom | Samsung Galaxy S4 |
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You can also look at other pictures, I think that they will describe the capabilities of the camera in different modes as fully as possible.
Video Recording - Shooting Examples
From the point of view of video recording, this device is typical for soap dishes. With a maximum video resolution of 1920x1080 pixels, the frequency is 30 frames per second. At the same time, at a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, it increases to 60 frames. There is a slow motion (no sound), a frequency of 120 frames, a resolution of 768x512 pixels. It can be applied to record various sports activities, fast movement you want to view. In a word, typical camera features, no special features.
Impression
The cost of the Galaxy S4 Zoom will be 19,900 rubles, which is quite comparable to the price of the Galaxy S4 Mini, of which this device is a variant. At the same time, the price of the Galaxy Camera in November last year started at 29,990 rubles. Given the comparable quality of the camera, we can say that there has been a reassessment of values and the positioning of the device has changed - which we spoke about in detail at the beginning of the review.
Samsung is trying to create a new niche in the market, before the eyes of the company's marketers - the success of Note, which came as a surprise to everyone. The Note category has undergone several changes, the same is waiting for the concept of Android cameras, we have the second device in the line, which has become smaller, lasts longer and at the same time can make calls. I am sure that many jokes will be born from the fact that on the street people will see a person talking on a camera.
Can the Galaxy S4 Zoom serve as a replacement for a conventional camera, even if it costs 10-15 thousand rubles? Definitely not, since its characteristics are much weaker in the photo part. It wins with the ability to instantly send a picture to the network, but this is hard to surprise now - most Samsung cameras and not only acquire NFC and Wi-Fi, with one touch you can upload a picture to your smartphone and upload a photo from it anywhere. In my opinion, such a bundle is more advantageous, as it allows you to buy any camera based on your budget and preferences for image quality. In this aspect, Zoom is a compromise solution, and that's what I don't like about it. I take a lot of pictures with my smartphone, it's no secret that it's a Galaxy S4 (for more than a month it's been annoying the lack of a software update that fixes the phone to reboot when the camera is called). Mobile photography (I don’t like this word, but it seems to have caught on) is familiar to me in practice, since I peep at different scenes in my life every day and post them on Instagram. The quality of the Galaxy S4 camera is enough for this, and even more than. In Zoom, the macro mode is better implemented (autofocus works rather, the quality itself is comparable), there is an optical zoom - but this is clearly not enough for me to carry another device.
In my opinion, Samsung is probing this segment, S4 Zoom is work on the Galaxy Camera bugs, but something tells me that large Android cameras will also be developed. And here everything depends on the technical implementation of the optics, the sensor. I would love to buy an Android mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses. Such devices are the future. But Zoom is clearly a niche product that will be in demand by geeks and a number of other audiences, they will love it dearly. But it is impossible to make this device mass-produced until Samsung solves one small problem - they do not make a photo part at the level of similarly priced solutions. So far, the company is not ready to take such a step, which means that nothing threatens the camera market (especially since Samsung takes a strong first place in soap dishes, flooding the market with inexpensive models).
| Specifications | ||
| network | LTE | 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz 3G (HSPA+ 21Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz 4G (LTE Cat 3 100/50Mbps) : up to 6 different band sets(Dependent on market) |
| 3G | 2.5G (GSM/ GPRS/ EDGE): 850 / 900 / 1800 / 1900 MHz 3G (HSPA+ 21Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz | |
| display | 4.3 inch qHD sAMOLED (960x540) screen | |
| AP | 1.5GHz Dual-Core Processor *The selection of AP will be differed by markets | |
| OS | Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean) | |
| camera | Main (Rear): 16 Mega pixel with x10 Optical Zoom and enhanced SMART Modes, OIS 24-240mm, F3.1-F6.3 Sub (Front): 1.9 Mega pixel camera | |
| ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 Continuous Shot: 4fps MAX with AF Format: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WBMP, BMP, AGIF Xenon Flash, SMART Mode, Expert Mode(P/S/M/ C), My Mode | ||
| video | Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, VC-1, VP8, WMV7/8, Sorenson Spark Recording & Playback: Full HD (1920x1080 30p) | |
| Audio | Codec: MP3, AMR-NB/WB, AAC/AAC+/eAAC+, WMA, Vorbis(OGG), FLAC, apt-X | |
| Camera Features | SMART Mode(25): Smart mode suggest, Beauty face, Best photo, Continuous shot, Best face, Kids shot, Landscape, Dawn, Snow, Macro, Food, Party/Indoor, Action freeze, Rich tone (HDR), Panorama, Waterfall, Animated photo, Drama, Eraser, Sound & Shot, Silhouette, Sunset, Night, Fireworks, Light trace | |
| Additional Features | Samsung Link, Samsung ChatON | |
| S Voice, S Translator | ||
| Group Play: Share Music(MP3), Share Picture(JPEG, GIF), Share Document(PDF, PPT), Play Games | ||
| Story Album, Trip Advisor, Paper Artist | ||
| Google Mobile Services | Chrome Downloads, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search, Google Settings, Google Plus, Google Local, Google Play Store, Google Messenger, Google Navigation, Youtube, Google Talk, Voice Search, Google Play Movie & TV, Google Play books, Google Play Music, Google Play Magazine | |
| Connectivity | WiFi a/b/g/n 5GHz NFC, Bluetooth® 4.0 (LE) A-GPS + GLONASS | |
| sensor | Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Proximity, Gyro, RGB Light | |
| Memory | 8GB Internal memory (User memory approximately 5GB) + microSD slot (up to 64GB) 1.5GB RAM *User memory space may be less than the total memory space due to system files. User memory may differ by region, carrier, and supporting language, and may change after software upgrade. | |
| Dimension | 125.5 x 63.5 x 15.4mm, 208g (with standard battery) | |
| Battery | 2,330mAh | |
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