The general interest in photography has increased phenomenally as the cameras of smartphones have improved, yet while the latest high-end handsets can take a mean shot, they’re still streets behind your professional DSLRs. Samsung has attempted to bridge the gap between the professional shooters of Nikon and Canon and the point-and-shoot culture our mobile devices are immersed in, by offering up the Samsung Galaxy Camera, and having announced the device some months ago, it looks as though it’ll begin retailing in the United Kingdom later this week.
Running on Android Jelly Bean, it offers smartphone users a familiar interface through which to take professional shots, and although it is by no means a world-beater, the quality of images produced far outweigh what any handset could produce. In a market where some companies are simply upping the number of megapixels or making slight alterations to the overall camera performance with each new smartphone iteration, it’s good to see one company make a stand and attempt to innovate.
Nokia did something vaguely similar with the 808 PureView, but rather than trying to pack in a cellular chip and offering an overwhelmingly camera orientated smartphone, the Korean company has kept things nice and simple, and instead created a new category of smart-camera.
It remains to be seen whether the very much smartphone-camera hybrid catches on, but with everything one could need in terms of taking, editing and sharing images on the likes of Instagram, Twitter, Facebook, or Flickr, the Samsung Galaxy Camera is a very intriguing concept. With a 16-megapixel 1/2.3" sensor and f/2.8 21x optical zoom lens, it’s a bit of a beast, and if you want a simple-to-operate camera without paying several thousand dollars, the Samsung Galaxy Camera could well be your perfect gadget.
Speaking of price, camera shop Jessops is pricing the Galaxy Camera at £399.99, which, for the benefit of our U.S. readers, equates to around $640. That’s not official Samsung pricing, mind, so should we heard any differently from the horse’s mouth’ we’ll be sure to let you guys know straight away. If you’re looking to get your paws on the snapper before November 8th, Samsung will begin selling it early from its flagship outlet at Westfield, Stratford, on November 7th.
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