Samsung with Schneider-Kreuznach engineering capabilities, designed a stunning lens for its new versatile travel camera, the WB700, which gets a 18x zoom lens equivalent to a 24-432mm. It can even reach higher focal lengths thanks to an "intelligent" digital zoom which could act as a 1.3x extender to get a final focal range of 24x. The lens is optically stabilized.

With artistic effects such as "soft focus" or "fish-eye", the WB700 will satisfy an amateur. In the meantime, the camera gets expert level shooting modes like PSAM modes and the post processing comfort of RAW format which will be of great help to offset the optical defects of the 18x zoom lens in a software that offers lens correction like Aperture 3 for instance. If HD movie recording is offered by the WB700, it seem to be only shooing 720p movies. Yet, an innovative noise canceling software has been designed to erase the sound of the lens motorization which is usually accidentally recorded on video sequences with compact cameras.


Announced in December 2010, as a pre CES 2011 event, the 18x Samsung WB700 will be available in April 2011. Till then, we'll have plenty of time to discover its futur competitors (Panasonic TZ, Fujilm Fxxx, Sony HX...) which should be announced in a few days during the CES 2011 which will open on January 6th 2011. The Samsung WB700 will be sold $299.


Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, announced today the launch of the new WB700, the ultra-slim camera with an impressive 24X zoom function, capable of delivering superb quality images whether your subject is near or far.

The camera features a 24mm ultra-wide Schneider KREUZNACH lens to capture the perfect wide shot, as well as an outstanding 24X zoom function, made up of an 18X optical zoom and 1.3X Smart Zoom. The WB700 delivers sharp images with incredible detail in close up thanks to the camera’s 16 Megapixel (MP) CCD sensor. The flexibility of the WB700’s lens and zoom functions means that you can capture a broad landscape in the same 16MP detail as a bubbling brook in the distance.


Steve Mitchell, General Manager, Samsung UK Digital Imaging, said: “We understand that many of our customers come to us for the very best and most up-to-date technology available, which is why we have chosen to bring all our innovation together in the WB700 for both the advanced and novice photographer, giving a balance of professional quality imaging and the kind of usability anyone can master. On top of the core excellence of the WB700’s 16MP 24mm lens with OIS and Schneider KREUZNACH super-zoom, we have added features that add surprise and delight to the photography experience, such as our new smart filters, the smart lens effect and zoom noise cancellation, adding value throughout the photography experience.”


High quality and fun shooting The WB700 also includes Samsung’s latest advances in HD video technology so users can capture high quality video footage as well as still images. It also features Smart Filter 2.0 - artistic filters in modessuch as ‘soft focus’, ‘half-tone dot’ and ‘cinema’ alongside traditional features such as ‘fish-eye’, ‘miniature’ and ‘sketch’, giving entertaining and professional finishes at the touch of a button.


Zoom Noise Reduction Samsung has also introduced new innovation to remove zoom noise from video content. Unlike camcorders, because of the long zoom capabilities of cameras such as the WB700, users reported that their videoswere being interrupted by the sound of the camera’s mechanical optical zoom sliding backwards and forwards. The WB700 uses an advanced noise reduction algorithm that actively cancels out the zoom noise, giving you uninterrupted clear sound to complement your clear High Definition movies. 


View the original article here