Samsung is big in smart technology and user-friendly features and the WB5000 takes full advantage of this. It features Face Detection, a tool that automatically detects a face in the frame and adjusts focus and exposure for optimal portraiture. Face Recognition prioritises a familiar faces over unfamiliar ones when selecting the focus frame and metering area; and there are other intelligent auto settings like the Blink Detection and Smile Mode that help the user take the perfect conventional portrait.
An interesting combination of features, but delivers mixed results
Another aid to portraiture is the Beauty Shot Mode that uses in-camera effects to soften signs of age and skin imperfections. During tests, I was pleasantly surprised by the results, with Beauty Shot delivering smooth and bright portraits that truly enhanced skin appearance. The WB5000 also has a sophisticated file management system, Smart Album, which organises images according to date, colour, subject and file type for easy and rational browsing.
The video mode of the WB5000 is pretty comprehensive presenting three different resolution choices according to the final destination use of the footage: HD at 1280 x 720 pixels for TV viewing and 640 x 480 and 320 x 240 for Internet uploading. Frame rate in HD mode is 30 fps but you also have a 15fps or a 60 fps option. More importantly the WB5000 allows the full use of its optical zoom while shooting, enabling more resourceful and adaptable filmmaking. Stereo audio recording is an additional benefit that makes the sound reproduction of this camera really a lot fuller and more nuanced than the mono option featured in most compacts.
Another simple but effective device is the red button giving you direct access to video capture in very much the same way a camcorder start/stop button would. The WB5000 also includes a HDMI port to connect the camera to an HDTV. The WB5000 uses a rechargeable Li-ion battery that has a very decent life span of around 300 shots per charge and SD/SDHC memory cards for storage, but if you run out of space and need to take just a few extra shots you can save them directly onto the 40MB internal memory.
Verdict
In typical Samsung style, the WB5000 is packed with intelligent user-friendly features and impressive specifications. Unfortunately, the image quality and general performance of this new model are disappointing. Samsung is trying to appeal to both complete beginners and more seasoned photographers by putting together a mix of clever technology and manual control, but in this case the final product does not measure up to the competition.
If you need an all-rounder with a broader than average superzoom this could be a sensible camera choice, but if you are at all serious about photography, the WB5000 simply won’t do. Personally, I’d love to see Samsung being less prolific in camera releases and pay more attention to what cameras are ultimately all about: pictures. ®
Catherine Monfils is a professional photographer specialising in portraiture, lifestyle and fashion.
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Samsung WB5000
COMMENTS
High Zoom? Shoot the moon
A great test of a high zoom/telephoto is to take a shot or two of the moon.
I do this a lot on my Nikon D90, manual mode, ISO Lo1, Shutter around 1/160, Aperture F/11 with my crappy 300mm tamiya lens. Of course these will change with different camera bodies/lenses but its a good base to work with. A good tripod is a necessity.
Because its only 300mm, I have to crop the photo down from 12mp to around 1024x768, then its framed nicely.
But I didn't catch whether this camera had a manual settings mode or not.
The test is whether the camera can discern the craters sharply on a well crescented or gibbous moon. Its a good test of the sharpness achievable in the middle of the shot and so is the peak sharpness obtainable. I found it also shows up badly compressed JPGs more than a daytime scenery shot.
Perhaps in future (or in an addendum) you could publish shots of the moon on high-zoom review cameras?
Many thanks
That's extremely helpful Mr (or Ms) Anonymous. Thanks for taking the time.
Hot shoe Flash
I agree about the hot shoe, I have the LX3, lovely camera with a pop up flash and hot shoe. It is probably me, but I find the built in flash a little erratic. Solved it with a "Yongnuo" (Chinese, Ebay) remote that sits on the hot shoe and I have a baby Nikon SB30 flash which I can get off axis for some more creative shots
Minority report
"Face Recognition prioritises a familiar faces over unfamiliar ones"
How does it remember familiar faces?
Nah.
The amount artifacts and noise just makes the picture looks like it's from a cheap CCTV camera.
