Samsung S700 7.2MP 3x Optical/5x Digital Zoom Camera (Black)

This is a very solid camera for the price. I have taken some pretty excellent pictures, including some that I have blown up to 16 X 20. This camera gives more manual freedom than nearly any other in its class, it takes good pictures in the auto mode as well.

For the money, this is an excellent camera.

I use Duracell's Rechargeable 2650 mAh batteries with this camera and it works GREAT! It lasts about 500 pictures or so. I recommend the Powerex MH-C204W Worldwide 1-hr Conditioning Travel Charger for high mAh batteries b/c you can condition and rejuvenate the batteries after a number of charges. It also subjects aged batteries to a conditioning algorithm that first fully drains the batteries and then recharges them so that it'll perform as if new.

Anyhow, this camera is wonderful: 7.2 mp is plenty enough for me - I don't take pictures worth selling so the resolution is perfect for everyday memories. I love the macro feature for close-up photos and the auto focus feature (lightly tapping the snap button once before pressing it again to take the photo) is really helpful. I also use this for my real estate agent's listing pictures and it does very well indoors or a cloudy day. I think Samsung could do better with the video capturing however. The sound was choppy and skips if you zoom in/out while recording. But oh well, I think a camcorder should be its separate entity anyway. It's fairly light - the batteries make up most of it's weight. Transfering photos onto my computer is simple, fast and easy. I have a perfect pre-cut screen protector on it so no worries there. It didn't come with a case but I got a cheap, perfect-fit Case Logic case at Target for $3.99 w/a hidden slot for extra batteries and it fits in my coat pocket.

Pros:

The images from this camera are great.
It is small and lightweight and easily fits in a pocket.
Many editing features
Full movie mode with audio
Well priced
Many custom scene modes


Cons:
Definitely use nimh batteries with this - they will last a long time if you do - do not use alkaline with them.
No image stabilization but for this price it is still a great deal.

What a disappointment.

First, I'll note that the 8 megapixel version of this camera is selling for $129 on amazon as I write this.. and I wouldn't buy that one either, though it looks like the same camera with an upgraded chip... then again, it could be worse since their Megapixel ratings are misleading at best.

I felt samsung was probably a decent brand based on some of their other kinds of products, but no. I've had a lot of experience with photography over the years, am no amateur, but was looking for a competent, inexpensive snapshot camera which used SD cards and AA batteries, and in a pinch would take video at a decent resolution.

This ain't it, but I'm stuck with it.

The worst thing is that even though rated at 7.2 megapixels, its images are MUCH worse than the 3.2mp olympus I had previously. Even at the highest quality image settings you can see the grainy color pixelation artifacts even on the 2.4" screen of the camera!

The audio drops out unpredictably during the shooting of video, and the video itself is choppy, poor quality, and eats memory since it's MPEG2. Useless, and looks much worse than MPEG4 somehow.

And it wouldn't format the SD card I initially bought. A call to Samsung tech support gave me the news that they only guarantee it to work AT ALL with sandisk brand memory cards, so I had to eat the price of the card I had and order an expensive sandisk card.

The screen is viewable, and based on that I'd say the camera is worth about $30, but to a kid, not to anyone who wants to seriously save their pictures.

This was obviously designed from the ground up as a camera meant to sell for a tiny fraction of its fictitious "retail price", and I assume that's the case with the 800 model too. Beware.

[im not a kid i just didnt wanna go through all the stuff to review]
ok well i love my camera it takes exalent picture great quality and durable.. it does have some cons..

cons:

1.eats batteries like woah..might wanna try reachareable ones
2.sometime after using it for a while (on) when you go to take a picture it will shut and freeze on you..i think it is because the batteries are starting to get low and when i change the batteries it works fine..

pros:

1.picture quality is great(as long as you dont move much)[depending on setting]
2.cool setting to have fun with
3.can be in black and white,red,green,blue,sepia,and negative.
4.durable.. i dropped it a cople time and nothing happened.
5>GREAT VIDEO QUALITY..I WAS AMAZED AT HOW GREAT THE VIDEO IS.
6. audio playback
7. easy to use...

so i give this camera 2 thumbs up!!