Samsung PL70 review
Not without its flaws, but high image quality and 720p HD video are an impressive combination at this price
Specifications
1/2.3in 12.0-megapixel sensor, 5.0x zoom (28-140mm equivalent), 149g
The PL70 is a tad chunkier than average but its brushed aluminium front fascia looks elegant. It’s just as impressive around the back, with a 3in LCD screen and a mode dial for quick access to its various shooting modes. A Function button provides quick access to key photographic controls, with other settings stowed away behind the Menu button.
Optical image stabilisation is included but we found it to be less effective than rival systems, only managing a 60 per cent success rate at the full zoom extension and a 1/15-second shutter speed (over 90 per cent is common). Combining it with electronic stabilisation improved the success rate to 80 per cent but crippled performance and made various other settings inaccessible. Otherwise, performance was generally decent, but the flash took up to eight seconds to recharge and fire again. Continuous shooting was fast at 1fps, but the screen was blank while shooting.
It’s great to see 720p HD video at this price, and even better when it’s recorded in the memory-saving AVC format with stereo AAC sound. However, it was let down slightly by fixed focus throughout the length of clips and problems with noise when shooting in low light.
The 12-megapixel, 1/2.3in sensor posed serious problems in terms of image noise in photos too. However, Samsung’s digital processing handled it better than usual. Fine details had a syrupy texture but otherwise photos looked impressively clean, particularly in high-contrast lines. The lens performed well, too, producing sharp focus across the frame, and we failed to find a bad photo among our test shots.
The PL70 has a lot in common with Panasonic’s FP8: 12-megapixel photos, 720p videos, optical stabilisation and a wide-angle lens. The FP8 costs £30 less, has a longer battery life, superior video quality and more effective optical stabilisation. The PL70 has a bigger, better screen and superior image quality. Either is equally deserving of your money, but bear in mind that Fujifilm’s fantastic F200EXR costs just a few pounds more.
Basic Specifications | |
---|---|
Rating | **** |
CCD effective megapixels | 12.0 megapixels |
CCD size | 1/2.3in |
Viewfinder | none |
Viewfinder magnification, coverage | N/A |
LCD screen size | 3.0in |
LCD screen resolution | 230,000 pixels |
Articulated screen | No |
Live view | Yes |
Optical zoom | 5.0x |
Zoom 35mm equivalent | 28-140mm |
Image stabilisation | optical, lens based |
Maximum image resolution | 4,000×3,000 |
Maximum movie resolution | 1280×720 |
Movie frame rate at max quality | 30fps |
File formats | JPEG; MP4 (AVC) |
Physical | |
Memory slot | SDHC |
Mermory supplied | 76MB internal |
Battery type | Li-ion |
Battery Life (tested) | 280 shots |
Connectivity | USB, AV, HDMI (via optional adapter) |
HDMI output resolution | 1080i |
Body material | aluminium |
Lens mount | N/A |
Focal length multiplier | 5.6x |
Kit lens model name | N/A |
Accessories | USB and AV cables |
Weight | 149g |
Size | 60x96x24mm |
Buying Information | |
Warranty | one year RTB |
Price | £157 |
Supplier | http://www.dabs.com |
Details | www.samsungcamera.co.uk |
Camera Controls | |
Exposure modes | auto |
Shutter speed | 8 to 1/2,000 seconds |
Aperture range | f/3.4 to f/5.8 |
ISO range (at full resolution) | 80 to 1600 |
Exposure compensation | +/-2 EV |
White balance | auto, 5 presets, manual |
Additional image controls | contrast, saturation, sharpness |
Manual focus | No |
Closest macro focus | 5cm |
Auto-focus modes | multi, centre, face detect |
Metering modes | multi, centre-weighted, centre, face detect |
Flash | auto, forced, suppressed, slow synchro, red-eye reduction |
Drive modes | single, continuous, self-timer, motion timer |