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Samsung NV24HD

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Features

Encased within the NV24HD is a 24mm lens which makes this shooter one of the widest we've tested. Compared to the conventional digicam which has only a 35mm lens, the extra view we got on the Samsung point-and-shoot was a refreshing change. Although Samsung is leading the wide-angle war with this 24mm compact, Panasonic is offering more choices, with three of its cameras (namely the Lumix DMC-FX36, FX520 and TZ15) sporting 25mm lenses.

We guess it's the slim design that is hindering the zoom range of the NV24HD. It zooms from 24mm to 86.5mm (35mm equivalent) which, if you're looking for a camera to take portraits or sceneries, should suffice. But for avid shutterbugs, the 3.6x zoom may not be enough and the Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ15 with 10x optical zoom may fit the bill better.

The other selling point of the NV24HD is its ability to capture 720p HD-quality videos. For those in the know, the pixel dimension for a 720p video is 1,280 x 720, which is about twice as large as clips captured on conventional cameras. Also, audio is recorded in stereo instead of mono, and this will give a better aural experience to go with the high-def recording. The maximum recording time is 25 minutes (with stereo sound) and we guess for a clip this long, you'll need at least a 4GB flash card.

By purchasing an optional HDMI cradle and plugging it to a compatible Samsung HDTV, the Korean firm claims that you can use the TV remote to control the playback of the pictures or video from the camera.

We like the Photo Style selector which is the dial on the top left side of the camera. By rotating it, the color cast on the image changes from Normal to Vivid (more vibrant colors), Retro (slighty washed out hues with yellow cast), Forest (enhanced green) and Cool (enhanced blue), among others. This is a quick way to apply some creativity to your shots and we certainly did have fun with it and liked the results.

Unlike normal TFT LCD, the screen found on the NV24HD is Samsung's self-developed AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic LED). It promises a better refresh rate, brighter display and improved viewing angles. Indeed, even when the camera was held to the side of our eyes or above our heads, we could still see the frame clearly. However, it can be slightly larger--the 2.5-inch LCD is a bit small compared with other shooters which tout 2.7- or 3-inch screen.

Advanced photographers will be glad to know that Samsung has included a full manual mode for the NV24HD. Selection of shutter speed and aperture settings is done via the Smart Touch interface, which comprises two rows of buttons along the right side and bottom of the screen. By sliding your finger across it, you can select different shutter speeds and apertures. In other modes, the innovative interface also allows you to navigate the camera's menu. Although it took us a while to get used to the interface, it was quite intuitive once we got the hang of it.

The shooter comes with 16MB of internal memory, which is good for only approximately seven shots at optimum settings. But you can expand the storage space via an SD or SDHC card which is recommended if you are going to capture HD videos as it takes up a hefty bit of memory.

 
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