Samsung NV5

...requires a larger lens, and Samsung has decided to give the camera a retro touch with the size and style of the lens. Whilst the zoom may be the strongest selling point, it is also its main weakness - since it makes it difficult to put it into a pocket without the lens causing a large bulge. Ultimately, it depends whether you want a more portable camera versus the zoom capabilities. On the other hand, that large lens tends to give the camera a very ...
...materials used in construction. The camera body itself is made of metal, with a matt black coating, and feels well constructed.

To change mode, there is a dial with various settings. Auto mode is where everything from the aperture to the focus is automatically adjusted for the best photo, and works very well. When using this mode I have had no problems with objects being out of focus or overexposure of the images. For this, you can ... more

This particular camera sits in the middle of the NV series by Samsung, though the NV3 and NV7 are more well known then this particular model. However, I happen to think that this particular model is perhaps undeservingly overlooked.

The resolution is 7.2MP, so it can certainly match a large selection of cameras on offer in the same price bracket for quality. You can adjust that to a lower setting if you do not want to use up too much memory per photo. That said, even on a lower setting, it still produces quite respectable photos, with sharp images and colours looking realistic and clear. As for the memory, the internal memory is only 19MB, so you will need either an SD card or a MMC card - either format is supported. The card has to be formatted by the camera before use, but the instructions are clear on how to do this. Access time to the memory card is quite quick; from switching on to taking a photograph can be done in less then 15 seconds, and you can take the next photo within a similar amount of time.

The most noticeable thing about this particular camera when you first pick it up is the size of the zoom lens - since unlike most other cameras of the same price bracket, this has a 7x optical zoom. Obviously, a bigger zoom requires a larger lens, and Samsung has decided to give the camera a retro touch with the size and style of the lens. Whilst the zoom may be the strongest selling point, it is also its main weakness - since it makes it difficult to put it into a pocket without the lens causing a large bulge. Ultimately, it depends whether you want a more portable camera versus the zoom capabilities. On the other hand, that large lens tends to give the camera a very sturdy appearance, which is reflected in the quality of the materials used in construction. The camera body itself is made of metal, with a matt black coating, and feels well constructed.

To change mode, there is a dial with various settings. Auto mode is where everything from the aperture to the focus is automatically adjusted for the best photo, and works very well. When using this mode I have had no problems with objects being out of focus or overexposure of the images. For this, you can use the optical and digital zoom. Sometimes, the camera does not quite get the focus right initially, but to help get the focus right, you aim the camera at the target, and press the button halfway. This lets the camera adjust for lighting conditions and focal length.
ASR mode is advanced shake reduction, and is very useful if you are using the maximum optical zoom (the digital zoom is disabled for this mode) at reducing blurring due to shaking. However, it does require more processing by the camera, so the time between shots will be longer. On the other hand, it proves quite effective - I have used this mode at full zoom, and the image showed no problems with blurring. There is a movie mode, which I have not used and so cannot comment on, but the zoom is disabled completely for this mode. This takes clips at 640x480 or 320x240, and either at 30 or 15 frames per second. There is ASM, which stands for Aperture, Shutter and Manual. Here, you can adjust the aperture settings, or the length of time the shutter is open for, or both - but the rest of the functions (focussing etc.) are automatically done for you.
There is a P mode (for Professional) - this applies to those who are quite experienced photographers, as everything can be adjusted by the user if they so want. Finally, there are the usual effect modes which feature those modes that are rarely used. If you need an explanation of how all these modes work, they are explained very well in the instruction manual, which is quite thorough.

Battery life is rated at 75 minutes, or long enough to take about 150 images, but obviously this is highly dependant on whether you use the flash heavily, on the image quality (higher quality means more processing and so a shorter battery life etc.) and so on. This camera uses a rechargable Li-ion battery, which recharges either via a USB cable or a plug. One neat trick is that the plug adapter fits over the standard connection of the USB connection, cutting down on the number of adapters needed. Recharge time (for a fully discharged battery) will be around 2.5 hours, using either the plug or USB connection.

Another notable feature about the way you use this camera refers to the 'smart buttons' on the back of the unit. These run along the bottom and right hand side of the screen, and you brush your finger across the surface of the buttons to scroll the menu options, or press the button in line with the menu option to select it. Initially, it can take a little bit of time to get used to, and it can be quite sensitive, but once you have got used to using it, it is quite a useful feature.

As for the screen itself, it is a 2.5 inch LCD unit, which is a very clear and sharp display. It is relatively easy to scroll along and view pictures you have just taken, though deleting them can prove more difficult. This is because some of the menu options are a little unclear, though normally the menu system is not over complicated.

So, let's assume that you want to show off the latest photos; what now? Firstly, you need to install the drivers for the camera, then you connect it in via a USB adapter cable. Switch the camera on, and let it connect with the computer; it registers as an external storage device. Then, drag and drop or copy the pictures across, and that is it. 

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