Product Summary
Very good
The good: 24mm ultra-wide-angle lens with 10x optical zoom; effective optical image stabilizer; clever playback and editing mode; decent image quality. 7.4
out of 10View score
The bad: Inconsistent focusing in low-light environments; slight lag when taking pictures in high ISO sensitivities; limited manual exposure settings.
The bottom line: The WB500 is a good camera that delivers quality shots, but unfortunately its lackluster performance may not go down well with some photographers.
Read full review of the Samsung WB500 »
Average User Rating
from 2 users
Spectacular
9
out of 10CNET Asia Review
When Samsung introduced the NV24HD last year, the shooter's 24mm lens blew us away. We predicted then that the ultra-wide-angle trend would be a hit with consumers, and we were right--Panasonic's Lumix DMC-LX3 proved to be a success and the Korean cheabol is riding on this wave with its new WB500. This shooter was first seen at Photokina last September, and made its debut at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas earlier this year.
To sweeten the deal and differentiate itself from its competition, Samsung has melded other useful functions such as a 10x optical zoom into the point-and-shoot. While it offers a variety of creative and exposure functions, we can't help but feel handicapped by the limited manual mode and the slight lag which presents itself when we taking high ISO or long exposure shots.
Note that the WB500 is known as the HZ10W in some countries such as the US.
We found the positioning of the flash too near to the handgrip, and there were occasions when we accidentally covered it while shooting. This was probably due to the large lens barrel which takes up most of the camera front. A nice way to resolve this issue would be to make the flash unit pop up from the top, like with the NV24HD.
The WB500 is no slim shooter, and we don't fault it. The robust chassis has to house more lens elements as well as components necessary for the operation of this high-end point-and-shoot. Even so, the camera was well-balanced and we didn't have any difficulty shooting handheld with it for long periods.
The rear layout is simple with few buttons to clutter the rear estate. Functions are mapped to the four-way directional pad which surrounds the Menu button. The command lever on the thumbrest allows easy access to change exposure (or ISO or white balance) settings by rocking it left or right. The charger port beside the thumbrest is well protected with a cover that is easy to open.
The WB500 doesn't come with a dedicated battery charger, so depending on which camp you are in, it can be either a good or bad thing. The upside to this is that the travel charger is less bulky to bring around. The downside is, unfortunately, if you don't have a spare battery, you are tethered to the electrical point when the cell runs low on power.
Tags: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Camera, battery charger, handheld, Panasonic
To sweeten the deal and differentiate itself from its competition, Samsung has melded other useful functions such as a 10x optical zoom into the point-and-shoot. While it offers a variety of creative and exposure functions, we can't help but feel handicapped by the limited manual mode and the slight lag which presents itself when we taking high ISO or long exposure shots.
Note that the WB500 is known as the HZ10W in some countries such as the US.
Design
In the looks department, it appears that Samsung has taken a leaf out of Panasonic's book, and styled the WB500 similar to the Lumix DMC-TZ15 (which will be replaced by the upcoming ZS3). On the front of the Samsung is a large lens barrel flanked by an onboard flash and AF illuminator.)
We found the positioning of the flash too near to the handgrip, and there were occasions when we accidentally covered it while shooting. This was probably due to the large lens barrel which takes up most of the camera front. A nice way to resolve this issue would be to make the flash unit pop up from the top, like with the NV24HD.
The WB500 is no slim shooter, and we don't fault it. The robust chassis has to house more lens elements as well as components necessary for the operation of this high-end point-and-shoot. Even so, the camera was well-balanced and we didn't have any difficulty shooting handheld with it for long periods.
The rear layout is simple with few buttons to clutter the rear estate. Functions are mapped to the four-way directional pad which surrounds the Menu button. The command lever on the thumbrest allows easy access to change exposure (or ISO or white balance) settings by rocking it left or right. The charger port beside the thumbrest is well protected with a cover that is easy to open.
The WB500 doesn't come with a dedicated battery charger, so depending on which camp you are in, it can be either a good or bad thing. The upside to this is that the travel charger is less bulky to bring around. The downside is, unfortunately, if you don't have a spare battery, you are tethered to the electrical point when the cell runs low on power.
Tags: Samsung Electronics Co. Ltd., Camera, battery charger, handheld, Panasonic
Rate It Now
User Reviews
A great camera with high zoom and wide angle
Apr 7, 2009Rating: 9 out of 10 (Spectacular)
Pros: 24mm wide angle, 10x optical zoom, good quality picture even in dim lighting, great HD movie recording
Cons: No scene recognition, limited manual function
Opinion:
For a compact camera, WB500 is definitely a camera that i'd been looking for. It takes great photos even in dim lighting. The size is just about right (not too bulky) and light enough. The 24mm wide angle lets me take fantastic pictures with deep perspective. And 10X optical zoom is just great.
Most of all, i luv the HD movie recording. The quality is superb and it allows zooming in/out. Now i dont need to buy another camcorder.
Overall, a great camera for travelling especially if u r lazy to carry bulky DSLR and its lenses.
WHAT WILL MAKE THIS WORK?
Sep 24, 2008Rating: 9 out of 10 (Spectacular)
Pros: As good as any other high end point and shoot
Cons: screen size. . .maybe
Opinion:
I have a Samsung s730 and it blew away my entry level panasonic, better and easier to take pics, but I saw the Lumix dmc-tz5, awesome, but guess what? with the exception of the high resolution video and zoom the Samsung s730 gives a better video resolution for resolution, better, low light, better lower fps and everything. I am thinking this Samsung HZ1 will be awesome ESPECIALLY IF IT WILL RECORD VIDEO UNTIL THE MEMORY IS DONE!!!! WITH NO FILE SIZE LIMIT!!!!!
User Discussion
realwayexpress:
I'm considering purchasing one or the other. Whilst the Fuji comes with impressive image quality ( according to write ...
