A couple of months ago my parents decided to finally buy a digital camera and sent out yours truly on a mission to find an easy to use, cheap digital camera. Emphasis on the cheap. The camera would be used mainly for indoor shots at family functions etc and so there would be no need for a camera capable of capturing a crystal clear image of say a leopard hunting prey on safari. This was to be a camera suitable for every day use
I'd like to think I know a little bit about digital cameras, but wasn't sure I'd be good at sticking to a budget as previously I had searched for the specs and then just paid the cost rather than having a price in mind. Having done my research
I opted for the Samsung L730 (Black, but also available in red or silver) - and both myself and my parents were very happy with the choice. This model retails for just under 100 on various online stores, then add the cost of enhancing the paltry 16mb internal memory to something a little meatier (1gb) and a padded case for when it is dropped - which it will be. Total cost, 120.
For this small amount we actually got a very decent camera. 7.2 megapixel CCD which is about average in todays camera market and a 3x optical and 5x digital zoom capability which are again more or less industry standard. Bear in mind the lens is not Carl-Zeiss quality like you get with the Cybershot range put the pictures we got out of it were more than acceptable quality for printing off standard-size photographs which is exactly what we needed.
The camera has a 2.5" LCD screen which get lighter and darker depending on the conditions. Again nothing ground breaking here but a good quality LCD screen is a must in my opinion and the Samsung delivers on this front. Aesthetically the camera is nothing special but it is small (95x59x21mm), sleek, light (132.6g - without battery) and well built with an aluminium case suitable for withstanding hard knocks. Other than price, it was a great choice because it is so easy to use. There is an intelligent dial on the top which allows you to easily switch between different functions. There is a clever "children" mode which allows blur-free pictures of moving objects. I have to say this does not work 100% of the time but the outcome is not bad for a camera in this price range. There is a built in red-eye fix which is always nice for family portraits and an "Advanced Shake Reduction" for taking pictures in low light without a flash that are not stupidly blurred beyond all recognition as with some cameras.
Given my parents are no professional photographers, the Samsung's AF and AE functions are perfect for ensuring good quality printable snaps. AF (Auto Focus) recognises faces in the picture and focuses on them and the AE (Auto Exposure) manages the light to ensure the highest possible image quality. These two features, coupled with the ease of use make this camera ideal for the amateur. I was very impressed with the results, blurring was absolutely minimal on some shots and non-existant on the majorty. I own a much more expensive camera and this digicam matched the picture quality a lot of the time. Samsung's digimax software is also easy to use even for the non technically minded.
One feature that my parents don't use that much is the video recording function. This is unfortunate as the quality is exceptional. It records at resolutions from 320x240 to 800x592 and the quality really is up there with any digital camera that I have used. This is some feat for a camera that retails at just under 100!
In terms of negatives, well there really aren't many that I can reasonably find. I mean the design isn't amazing with the battery door being a little flimsy. Also, the shutter speed is not as quick as other cameras on the market and the time it takes to turn the camera on and get it ready to take the shot is noticeably slower than other digicams.
The Samsung L series are popular for beginners for ease of use, features and price. I personally believe that you will not find a better quality pictures nor range of features elsewhere. To recap for under 100 you get 7 MP, 5x digi zoom, 3x opti zoom, superb video quality, auto focus, auto exposure, good night shots, excellent daylight shots and very easy to use. 100% recommended in its price range.
In the box: Warranty Camera strap Software CD Ac adaptor USB cable Rechargeable battery AV cable
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