Samsung is the kind of company that can easily afford what most manufacturers can only dream of. And it's not so much about large-scale events and large advertising campaigns, but about the opportunity to experiment. After all, not every bold experiment ultimately turns into a successful product, most remain niche and often do not receive continuation. This is probing the waters that costs money, a risk that few can afford. Galaxy Note was such an experiment, today we are looking at another one - Galaxy S4 Zoom.

This is another smartphone from the Galaxy S4 line. Having made a review of it, we will review the entire S4 line, I hope there will not be another S4 Boombox before the end of the year. This device is a symbiosis of a smartphone and a camera. This one, with a retractable lens and 10x optical zoom. Therefore, I'll start with ergonomics, and only then everything else.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is hardly a smartphone. How not to take it - it seems that you are holding a soap dish. Only the front side suggests that this is a phone, but if you turn the device a little in any direction, you notice that there are some growths behind. Samsung already makes not bad camera phones, for example, SGS4 is considered by many to be the best for today. But this was not enough for the manufacturer, obviously, Samsung wants to understand if there are those who are not able to abandon the soap dish in favor of regular smartphone, even if the Galaxy S 4, but would do it for a smartphone with a retractable lens. I think there are some, because stereotypes are a strong thing and people take soap dishes with them on holidays / walks. We need to understand how good the S4 Zoom is as a smartphone and as a camera.

I will not beat around the bush - the device is not convenient as a smartphone. Despite the small diagonal of the display, the S4 Zoom is thick and irregular in shape. If you managed to use the Galaxy Camera like a smartphone, then S4 Zoom will be a new stage for you - it is more compact and more autonomous. But as a traditional smartphone user, it is still unusual for me to hold the S4 Zoom in my hand. Weight and thickness (208g, 15.4mm at its thinnest point!) Is something I quickly get used to, but the bulging lens circle gets in the way of the smartphone's grip. And when you need to reach with your thumb to different corners of the display, there is generally a high probability of dropping the gadget.

The design of the device, as you would expect, is the same as in most smartphones of the Galaxy line of 2013. But here it is worth remembering two models: Galaxy S4 Active and Galaxy Camera. And one and the second have a case not made of glossy plastic, it would be very useful for the zoom, at least, it would not slip out of the hands so much.

The second point is carrying the S4 Zoom in your pocket. Again, this is unusual. It is large and heavy, compared to other smartphones, sticks out strongly in tight jeans and at the same time does not look like a regular smartphone. Over time, the jeans will wear from the lens, be sure. We conclude that using the device is much less convenient than other smartphones. That's the price to pay for a good camera.

Among the controls on the body there are both smartphones and cameras. Among the first: three keys under the display, sensors and front-camera above it, the lock and volume keys on the right, a microSD card slot on the left, a headphone jack and an infrared port on the top, and a microUSB connector on the bottom. Of the second: a two-position shutter button on the right, a tripod mount on the left and a cover for replacing the battery at the bottom.

But the most interesting thing is in the back. There is a large lens ring, a xenon flash and even a dummy key for changing optics. Of course, such a possibility is not provided here. There is a movable ring around the lens, it is responsible for optical zoom and camera launch when the phone is unlocked. If you turn it in a locked state, nothing will happen.

Back side photo

Now about the convenience of all these elements. There are no complaints about smartphones; the shutter button is convenient in any orientation, it is convenient to take pictures with it; The tripod connector is also a nice bonus, without it the S4 Zoom would look ridiculous. And so, you can shoot time lapse, and HDR, and smoothly zoom the frame; but the zoom ring is a much less convenient solution than zooming in / out using two buttons, as it is implemented in most cameras. Moreover, for this one could use the volume control key, which here, in the photo mode, adjusts the volume of the device. What for? To be fair, I note that the camera interface has two onscreen buttons + and - for zoom, they are quite convenient to use.

Camera

I'll start with the main thing in S4 Zoom - the camera. Because already on its capabilities it will depend on how useful the smartphone is and whether it is worth changing the convenience to such a camera on the back. The smartphone has a 16 MP sensor with a size of 6.17 x 4.55 mm (1 / 2.3). This is not a lot, for comparison, the Nokia 808 Pure View has a sensor size of 10.67 x 8.00 mm, so noise is noticeable at high ISOs. ... Comparing the S4 Zoom to the Galaxy Camera, the latter has 16x optical zoom, while the S4 Zoom has 10x.

But this is still more than in any available smartphone. Throw in optical stabilization and the optics more than cover the size of the sensor. Honestly, I often miss the zoom, which would not spoil the quality of the photo, as is the case with the usual digital, but here the effect is simply unrealistic.

The camera interface is also mature, it is very different from that even in advanced smartphones. There are priorities, shutter speeds, apertures, manual ISO (100-3200), aperture (though there are only two positions, they differ depending on the approximation), shutter speed (from 16 to 1/2000), metering and even white balance by kelvin. For lovers of everything automatic, there are as many as 27 modes!

We decided to do something cool and went with a smartphone to a photo studio, gave it to a photographer and asked to photograph the model. What happened, as well as other examples of photos - see examples. And you will see how the shooting took place in the video review.

Regular photos

Studio, no processing

Video, 1080p, with optical zoom

To summarize, the camera came out very good. I expected the worst result, because the size of the sensor is not very large, but 16 MP provides good detail, and the optical zoom provides an excellent picture in close-up. In daylight, the photos come out excellent, like for a smartphone, the noise is visible only in room light. The front camera has a 1.9 MP sensor - completely smartphone, although taken from good smartphone... She writes video in 720p.

Screen

Now let's move on to the smartphone features and elements. Galaxy S4 Zoom is somewhere in between Galaxy Camera and. Compared to the first, the zoom itself is smaller - 10x instead of 16x. And compared to the Mini, the hardware is slightly weaker in the zoom. But in general, the smartphone is very credible, although it is far from the flagship models in terms of characteristics. Screen - Super AMOLED, 4.3 ″, resolution - 960x540 pixels. Quite standard, we have highlighted this more than once. Pen Tile is there, but, I confess, it does not bother. I even played it safe before writing this and took another look at the display. The pixel density is 256 ppi, the picture does not look grainy. As in others Samsung models with AMOLED displays, there is an opportunity to choose one of the color profiles.

Specifications and software

Let's move on to the inside of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom. The heart of the smartphone is a dual-core processor Samsung Exynos 4210, clocked at 1.5 GHz. Graphics - Mali 400MP. RAM - 1.5 GB, built-in - 8, expandable with Micro SD memory cards. These characteristics are enough to play even demanding games, such as Real Racing 3 and Dead Trigger, although in the latter, if you set the maximum graphics settings, sometimes fps drops occur, but RR3 is initially launched at almost the coolest graphics settings, there is reflection in the mirrors ... The feeling from the smartphone is extremely positive.

Operating system - Android 4.2.2 with Touch Wiz Nature UX installed on top of it. Perhaps, I will not write about this interface again, I will just leave this here:, (o) th .., and

The control processor is a dual-core Exynos 4210 chip with a clock speed of 1.5 GHz, and the Mali-400 MP processor is responsible for graphics processing.

The main feature of the entire Galaxy S4 Zoom is, of course, the zoom lens. No modern smartphone can boast 10x optical zoom. In a sense, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is out of competition so far. Zooming and focusing are carried out quite quickly and accurately. However, the lens does not have a high aperture ratio. At focal lengths of 24-240 mm, the aperture changes from F3.1 to F6.3. Samsung Galaxy Camera compares favorably with two more zoom ratio and brighter optics.

All shooting modes essentially migrated here from the Galaxy Camera. Manual mode allows you to set shutter speed, aperture, white balance, metering method and ISO. Burst shooting is available at 4 frames per second. There is also a function for gluing HDR images, shooting panoramas, macro mode, a tool for creating gif-animation, as well as a two-sided shot function using the main and front cameras.

Another disadvantage of the camera is the long startup time. Taking into account the extension of the lens, it takes about three seconds to turn on, which is quite a lot even by the standards of Android smartphones. As already mentioned, you can launch the camera using the application icon on the desktop or using the lens ring. However, you cannot quickly activate the photo module from standby mode.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is provided with 8 gigabytes of internal memory. This is quite small by modern standards, and considering that only 5 GB is available to the user. There is also a 16 GB version on sale. However, the cheapest way out of the situation will be to buy a more capacious microSD card - the device supports media up to 64 gigabytes.

Moreover, it supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n, as befits a self-respecting smartphone. In this case, no dances with a tambourine are required to transfer files. You can send pictures to Facebook or Instagram directly - however, for this you need to install the appropriate applications. Naturally, you can install not only the mentioned clients, but also Vkontakte, Flickr, Tumblr - whatever. Rather, everything that is compatible with Android 4.2.

Test shots, videos, battery life

You shouldn't expect miracles from the small matrix Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom. Compact cameras priced at $ 200-300 with the same sensor size can take an order of magnitude better pictures. Although the lens offers the possibility of 10x zooming, at the long end its aperture is too low, and using high ISO values ​​is fraught with a strong deterioration in image quality. All that remains is to rely on the manual shutter speed setting mode and a tripod. Many shots look frankly blurry, there is a noticeable decrease in sharpness at the edges of the frame. In addition, during testing, errors in exposure metering and determination of white balance appeared. In general, talk about the Galaxy S4 Zoom as a worthy replacement compact camera not necessary.

• Everything
• Characteristics
• Articles12
• Questions7

Even the very presence of a camera in mobile phones, at first, caused skepticism. Perhaps any innovation, any experiment causes them. Nowadays, hardly anyone will say that a camera that is always at hand is an overkill (although no, someone will say yes). But is there a need for a mobile phone in a camera? Samsung tried to answer this question with the release of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom Galaxy Camera

Even the very presence of a camera in mobile phones, at first, caused skepticism. Perhaps any innovation, any experiment causes them. Nowadays, hardly anyone will say that a camera that is always at hand is an overkill (although no, someone will say yes). But is there a need for a mobile phone in a camera? Samsung tried to answer this question by releasing the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, having previously experimented with the Galaxy Camera. The latter, although it did not know how to make calls, had the same hardware as the Galaxy S3 (with the exception of the camera unit and the telephone module) with the resulting Android and the functions of a small tablet. Almost all of the same can be done with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, which has a filling close to the Galaxy S4 Mini. Only here the zoom is not 16, but 10x, it is much more elegant. Well, he knows how to call. Yesterday in the UK, sales of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom started, where they ask for the equivalent of 4,500 hryvnia (18,000 rubles), which, of course, is a lot, but much less than the amount that would have to be paid for a Galaxy Camera.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom

Appearance and design

With iPhone 4s

Dual in the truest sense of the word is capable of causing this camera-smartphone! The front view is a standard Samsung Galaxy white. It's just that when he lies on the table, it seems that something has been planted under him. And if you look at what was put under it, it turns out that this is a lens.

And in general, rather a camera, a small compact Samsung soap box from the class, gradually, but thoroughly surviving from the face of the earth by smartphones. Only very thin.

But, excuse me, can you really call the S4 Zoom thin? Bulging lens at the top, hand grip at the bottom…. Down below? Maybe on the left? Again, this depends on how you look.

For a camera - it is thin, for a smartphone of 2013 model - it is impermissible, and even unevenly thick. Well, for a hybrid, just right. When using it for shooting, it does not attract any special attention: just a small camera. But when she starts ringing for no reason at all, you bring her to your head, and a lens sticks out at ear level, this is surprising.

Even in this age of converged gadgets. Well, it's okay, it surprises and stops. A person gets used to everything. Although, as a smartphone, it is not very convenient to hold it in your hand: both the grip and the lens interfere a little.

They, creating a thickness of 15 millimeters, will prevent the device from being comfortably placed in narrow pockets: you have to pay for an optical zoom! Although the smartphone still fits in the big pockets of men's jeans, unlike the Galaxy Camera, which is a third thicker. Gloss white, as in many other models, is quite practical.

And I am also glad that the battery is removable, you can remove it by removing the wall of the bottom edge, on which the microUSB connector is located. The SIM-card slot is hidden under the same cover.

Above there is an audio jack for a headset, on the left (or below, if "camera-like") - a socket for screwing to a tripod and a slot for microSD memory cards.

Well, on the right (or on top) - the traditional power and volume control buttons and an unconventional large camera activation key (where can we go without it!).

Although the camera can also be activated by simply rotating the lens, if the smartphone has an active screen. Oh yes, I almost forgot: there are no complaints about the assembly, nothing creaks anywhere, does not fall off and does not bend.

Display

From the camera's point of view, the display here is practically unique: 4.3 inches, with multitouch, made using qHD sAMOLED technology with its bright colors, and even with a resolution of 960x540 pixels. At the same time, the pixel density is 256 ppi, which is not surprising, however, it is enough that the grain is not noticeable. Viewing angles are wide, colors practically do not change at any deviation. The measured brightness of the white field was 339 cd / m2, which is higher than the Galaxy S4 Mini and even the Galaxy S4, so the screen is really very bright.

Device name	Brightness of the white field, cd / m2	The brightness of the black field, cd / m2	Contrast
Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom	339	0	∞
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini	288	0	∞
Huawei Ascend D2	310,52	0.30	1037:1
Sony Xperia ZL	394	0.66	596:1
Samsung Galaxy S4	320	0	∞
Sony Xperia T	421	0.28	1503:1
iPhone 4S	434	0.53	818:1

And this is extremely important for the camera, since it is absolutely normal and common practice to shoot outdoors on a bright sunny day. Glare, however, interferes somewhat, but minimally. At the same time, the black color, like the above-mentioned brothers in the line, is really black, which gives rise to just excellent contrast. By default, the screen is distinguished by acid colors, which some people like, some do not. It was in the "native" mode that we took measurements from the screen. But if you are tired of them, the smartphone allows you to change the display mode to quieter ones, such as “movie”.

System, performance, autonomy

The hardware of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is close in performance to that of the Galaxy S4 Mini, only slightly weaker: the smartphone is based on a Samsung Exynos 4210 dual-core processor with a frequency of 1.5 GHz with a Mali-400 MP graphics coprocessor. RAM here, like the S4 Mini, 1.5 gigabytes, the drive - 8 gigabytes, expandable by microSD cards... Accordingly, close, but slightly weaker, and indicators in synthetic tests: AnTuTu, for example, showed 10122 points against 11696 for the S4 Mini. The device runs Android 4.2.2 with a proprietary TouchWiz Nature UX interface. The set of functions is somewhat curtailed compared to the flagships (like the one mentioned, probably already 10 times the S4 Mini).

So, there is no multi-window mode or gesture control. But there is an interesting application "Photo Recommendations", based on the google maps Panoramio image database. You go in and see, for example, what is interesting nearby. Or, at least, captured by other people and posted on the Internet. There is also an interesting program Paper Artist for editing pictures. In all other respects, the interface capabilities are almost identical to the Galaxy S4 Mini, to the review of which I am directing you. Here I will just add that the interface worked smoothly, like three-dimensional toys, in particular - Dead Trigger. The battery in the device is not only removable, but also quite capacious - 2330 mAh. Accordingly, it withstood more than a day without recharging in normal mode, and played video from the Internet for 8 hours and 5 minutes. I can also assume that the versions for sale will differ in this indicator for the better.

All communications - GSM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS - worked without problems, at a decent modern level. I didn't really like the speaker, which gives out wheezing at high volume, but when connected with acceptable headphones, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is a decent audio player.

Camera

Auto mode

So the main pride Galaxy smartphone S4 Zoom - camera. And to be absolutely precise - optical zoom, as the name of the model unambiguously hints at. It is tenfold here. It's not as big as the 16x Galaxy Camera, but even that luxury has never dreamed of other smartphones. To get closer - all in an adult way - the lens ring is used. It can also be twisted to focus in macro mode. One good detail that should be adopted for conventional cameras is the presence of a protective glass on the lens. Of the obvious mistakes, I note the impossibility of starting the camera from standby mode. It's a shame: after all, the camera, which is always with you, should be launched at the first call, and in the case of the S4 Zoom, you will have to first activate the screen, and then the camera. However, this is done in order to protect the smartphone side of the device from accidental calls, so it is forgivable. Moreover, the camera starts up quickly. The characteristics of the camera are good for a smartphone, but in fact, these are the parameters of an ordinary soap dish. The sensor size is quite small, 1: 2.3 inches, so it should be understood that at high ISO values ​​the images will be noisy. At the same time, the lens is not the most light-sensitive in the world. Specifications camera module 4.3-43 mm, 1: 3.1-6.3 24 mm, while the Galaxy Camera - 4.1-86.1 mm, 1: 2.8-5.9 23 mm. The camera has an interface closer to compacts than to modules built into smartphones: a wheel appears on the screen, through which you can select a mode. In the case of manual modes (there are three of them here - completely manual, software and "color wizard") there is also a settings menu, also wheel-shaped.

There are also a lot of ready-made modes (as many as 27) and many more different settings, which, based on experience, few people use. The quality of the pictures is not bad, the detailing, as for a smartphone, is good, but on the whole it does not differ too much from the usual "soap dish" of the average level. If there were a larger matrix, all other things being equal, the results would be completely different. However, many flaws can be forgiven for the presence of a zoom camera: no smartphone will be able to shoot from such a distance, and thanks to the zoom it is much easier with the geometry of the pictures. Here are some shots taken with and without zoom.

No zoom

Zoom

No zoom

Zoom

No zoom

Zoom

Link to the gallery on "Torba" (pictures in original resolution).

Here are panoramic shots.

2 years ago 0

I took (white) as soon as I appeared in the branded Samsung. A wonderful extraordinary device. I have been using it for almost three years. It operates on 5. I don't remember any failures. There are 16MP camera functions, more than in Galaxy C6. A 10x zoom generally overwhelms all expectations (a little better than vision + then zoom in). Taking pictures magically. In the right hand, the ebb as a fotik to hold och conveniently. Unlike thin devices, it is more convenient to lift from the table.

2 years ago 0

Of course, the "camera" options - optical zoom and xenon flash. - Gorgeous AMOLED screen - juicy and bright. - Speed ​​of work - despite the 2-core processor, 1.5 gigabytes of RAM are doing their job - the device with the Samsung Exinos is faster than many modern state employees with 8-core rogue MediaTech "stones" ... - Expensive options, flagship signs - NFC, infrared port For driving household appliances

2 years ago 0

Smartphone and camera "in one bottle". Ridiculous price at the moment.

2 years ago 0

Experience of using more than a year. Super phone from 20 phones that were, including an apple. Very practical. The zoom helps out when traveling and at concerts gives a huge advantage. The SAR is just a very low 0.1 to 13 times lower than the apple's minimum. Bottom line. Best phone I've ever had.

2 years ago 0

I came to buy a camera, bought a camera phone) I didn’t regret anything. It was bought in the summer of 2013, immediately became friends, I really liked the camera if you understand its settings, you can take fairly high-quality photos, I liked the interaction with the TVs of the same company and the smart TV function, and the screen mirroning. I traveled a lot with him, went through fire and water, periodic falls from hands, getting wet in the rain (but he served very faithfully and well! He gave me thousands of high-quality photos and hundreds of videos))

2 years ago 0

Great sound quality, and impeccable video quality! Optical zoom Tripod connector

2 years ago 0

1. 16 MP camera in addition to optical stabilization, 10x optical zoom and powerful xenon flash = great photos and videos! 2. Fully functional Android 4.4.2 with a convenient thoughtful interface, in contrast to the same line of S5. 3. Productive hardware. 4. The plastic case is quite scratch resistant. 5. A year later, the battery keeps the charge like new.

2 years ago 0

Price Camera Screen Performance Battery

2 years ago 0

Cool camera, 10x zoom.

2 years ago 0

the only plus is the quality of the photos is excellent (with sufficient lighting)

2 years ago 0

The size and weight are too big. The battery is weak. How many did not observe - no one has seen this. Everyone is also interested in what kind of fotik ... After some penultimate update, the spontaneous exit and entry of the lens ... sometimes not a full entry .. almost all sticks out !!! When entering the gallery of photos, it often came out. Earlier often, the last time has ceased. The main drawback !!! - DUSTING LENS and protective glass from the inside. Until now, I have not found a method to clean it, I even blew it with a compressor. At a far zoom, the lens is dust spots in the photo, at a low magnification it is not visible. A zoom lens can pop out in your jeans pocket. It does not seem to break, but the sensations are not pleasant ... There were tiles falling on concrete, etc. .. The illumininka along the contour of the sensory board holds, and the chrome edge is chipped off. Range adjustment ring

2 years ago 0

Alas, the camera can delight only very unassuming users, for whom everything is overshadowed by the "cool lens". Alas, the camera is incredibly slow by the standards of devices such as S5 / 6, etc., and the zoom is only suitable for shooting architecture on a bright sunny day. He shoots everything else badly for two reasons:
- Firstly, due to the insignificant size of the matrix (1 / 2.3 inches, like any cheapest soap dish for 2000 rubles), which gets too little light when zooming ...
- Secondly, because of the HORRIBLE miscalculation of the designers (or rather, the programmers who wrote the software for the camera) - the optical stabilization in ZOOM 4 works ONLY in manual mode!
It's crazy - unless you exit the camera in manual mode and check the "start camera in last active mode" checkbox, and,

2 years ago 0

Downgrade of the screen in comparison with S3.
Dust in the lens after two years of use.

2 years ago 0

You need to buy an external battery. And the case with the lens cap can be scratched otherwise. Fatty, but worth it for the 10x zoom.

2 years ago 0

Too heavy, ergonomic is not very convenient, battery is rather weak (

2 years ago 0

Ergonomics
Battery
Fragility
Lack of 2 sim

2 years ago 0

1. Immediately after the purchase, a broken pixel was found.
2. Leakage of the retractable lens leads to dust clogging of the inside of the camera (even between the lenses!), Which deteriorates the picture. Cleaning is required in the SC.
3. Over time, the chrome plating begins to peel off from the bezel of the screen, which spoils appearance- the problem of almost all modern Samsung models.
4. When dropped, the display glass breaks easily, due to the fact that the bezel of the case is rather thin and practically does not protect the screen.
5. Sound quality is average.
6. On a standard headset, there are no multimedia keys for rewinding / selecting tracks. After a year of use, the internal mesh of the headphone speaker protection has come off. By the way, the black headset comes with a white headset, while all other accessories

2 years ago 0

The size
People think you're talking on the camera
Sometimes it glitches

2 years ago 0

the only drawback in my opinion is that it is fat.

2 years ago 0

Zoom lives its own life - I want to open, I want to close, despite the fact that the camera is not turned on. This mainly happens when using the Internet. many times the camera tried to open in the pocket when the screen was locked - because of this, a zoom gap appeared.
- the sensor categorically refuses to work when moisture gets on the screen (for example, I sweated on a hot day and put the bodies to my ear).
-after six months of use, dust got under safety glass cameras
-when several applications are running, the phone "dies"
-shiny varnish around the screen flew off by 20 percent
-

• Camera
• Charger with USB cable
• Li-Ion 2330 mAh battery
• Hand strap
• Instructions

Positioning

Samsung's first Android camera was called the Galaxy Camera and hit store shelves in November 2012. Its index was EK-GC100. The positioning of that device was not very clear, Samsung, as usual, rushed into a new niche in the market that had just appeared. Let me remind you that in the second half of 2012, many camera manufacturers presented their vision of Android cameras, for example, it was a device from Nikon. In my Galaxy Camera review, I wrote that “This is a first generation product that was launched in response to the sophistication of digital camera manufacturers such as Nikon. Samsung tried the product, came up with scenarios for use, and gave a certain flexibility in installing additional programs. And now we are ready to study which scenarios will be used in practice. And this approach works because people know better why they can use a camera. "

After seven months of Galaxy Camera sales, we can say that this market segment has taken place, but not at all as previously assumed. Sales of the Galaxy Camera, despite the high cost, turned out to be noticeable, which allowed the development of the second generation of devices - presumably a new segment of devices appeared, which is located at the interface between smartphones and digital cameras, which follows from the scenarios of their use. The majority of Galaxy Camera buyers are technology lovers who are eagerly looking for new types of devices and putting them into practice. A good friend of mine is a typical Galaxy Camera buyer - he buys most of technological innovations, many of them are taken out of the box, tried and sent to the shelf. He is interested in the process of learning new toys, and the Galaxy Camera at the same time made it possible to share photos in real time, without additional shamanism and transferring photos to a phone or computer.

What did Samsung find out about the use cases for the Android camera after the first generation, and what complaints did they hear? One of the main complaints was that despite the presence of a GSM-module, it was impossible to make calls on the camera. Suddenly, it turned out that many buyers of this camera use it when traveling, in particular, on vacation or in another country. That is, having the opportunity to publish pictures, people also wanted to call - from time to time. They were not at all embarrassed by how it might look from the outside. Perhaps this scenario could not have been predicted when creating the first generation.

Another criticism was the size of the Galaxy Camera - every second user said that it would be nice to hide the camera in his pocket. Many also spoke about the operating time, which was rather short due to the large diagonal of the screen and the motor in the camera lens.

But the main conclusion that Samsung took from the first generation of Android-camera is that the device, like the Galaxy Note once, is able to create its own niche. And this is not a device that is positioned as a camera, but secondarily as a smartphone or something like that. This is not directly a symbiosis of two types of devices - this is an additional device for certain buyers who are willing to buy it as an appendage to their existing smartphone with similar characteristics. The only obstacle for them was the price of such a product.

For me personally, it was an unpleasant discovery (but to some extent expected - sorry for the tautology) that few of the users of the first generation of Galaxy Camera noted that they were not satisfied with the quality of the images. For me, this was the main reason why I do not use the camera on a daily basis, it does not shoot. better than that the Galaxy S3 / S4, but of the advantages it offers only a good optical zoom.

The new Galaxy S4 Zoom index indicates that the positioning within Samsung has changed. Number 101 is the serial number of the camera, the previous one was the hundredth. True, there was an abbreviation GC (Galaxy Camera), now it has changed to SM-C101. Behind the letters SM is the word Smart, but here it does not mean smartphones or cameras at all, this is a new category of devices, which, in theory, will include other types, for example, something for a smart home. The letter C indicates that this is Camera. For example, the SM-R100 may be the first in the generation of 4G routers (this is just an example, I'm not sure if a model with such an index exists).

Another point is an attempt to position the camera as an appendage to the existing Galaxy line and specifically to the Galaxy S4 as its flagship. The presence in the name of the Galaxy S4 directly refers to this ultra-popular phone and this approach works. From a marketing standpoint, Samsung considers Zoom to be a smartphone. Having dealt with the name, let's see what categories Samsung is trying to bring this device to.

The focus on technology lovers remains, this is one of the main groups. But also the second emphasis is placed on young people who can choose this device as an additional or second. The third, notable, but not very large group is becoming "mobile photographers", those who cannot imagine their life without Instagram or similar services. I will add that the camera turns into a rather interesting tool for instant reporting, it outperforms regular phones exactly one - the presence of optical zoom. It can be unambiguously argued that due to a different price positioning, the second generation of Samsung's Android cameras will be sold in large volumes. This device has no direct competitors, since it was created in the paradigm additional camera(second device). For example, if you have a SLR camera, this device can act as an additional one for filming and publishing in social networks(instant publication). For some, the device may become additional to the smartphone to provide the same zoom or not waste battery power. The scenario of using the device in roaming is very interesting, when you buy a local SIM-card for navigation (there is no need to take your own out of the phone).

Other manufacturers continue to develop Android cameras based on their initial conditions - camera manufacturers are trying to improve their functionality at the expense of Android, phone manufacturers such as Nokia are trying to make their phones more attractive with cameras. Samsung is not afraid to create a niche product that can potentially be used as a replacement for both cameras and smartphones. Neither camera manufacturers nor smartphone manufacturers can take this step. Although the Galaxy Zoom example suggests that this is a new, big niche, and first of all, such cameras act as additional ones.

Design, dimensions, controls

The device measures 126 x 63.5 x 15.4 mm and weighs 208 grams. For comparison, the size of the Galaxy Camera is 128.7 x 70.8 x 35 mm, while the size of the S4 Mini smartphone is 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm. Not as big as the previous camera, but not as small either. If desired, it can fit in a jeans pocket, but it will definitely not be convenient for you. With jacket pockets, everything is much easier and better. Weight also differs not for the better from a regular smartphone, so it will be extremely difficult to consider it an everyday communication device. Positioning as a smartphone is an idea of ​​marketers who want to fight smartphones from other manufacturers with this device. It has nothing to do with real positioning at all.

In terms of placement of control elements, this is almost a complete copy of a regular smartphone, especially if you look at the front panel - the screen, indicators, front camera - everything is as usual. At the bottom there is a mechanical button, and on the sides there are two touch buttons. But already on the left side you can see the tripod connector as well as the microSD card slot. There is also a strap hole.

At the top there is a 3.5 mm headphone slot and an infrared port for controlling household devices. The bottom end is occupied by the microUSB slot, right there is a hinged cover, under it is a slot for microSIM, as well as a removable battery mount.

On the right side (the same side is the top when shooting in camera mode) there is an on / off button, a volume rocker and a separate camera shutter.

The back side is set aside for the lens, which protrudes strongly from the body, there is also an LED flash and IR illumination.

The quality of the plastic does not give rise to any complaints, the same can be said about the assembly - there have been no complaints about Samsung devices for these parameters for a long time.

Display

The diagonal of the screen is 4.3 inches, with a resolution of 540x960 pixels (256 dots per inch) this is not at all a gigantic diagonal at the present time. On the other hand, the presence of the Super AMOLED screen is advantageous, since it fades less in the sun, and it also wins over the Galaxy Camera.

The picture quality is good, although, of course, it clearly loses in terms of color and brightness to the Galaxy S4, but this device is lower in the class and costs much less. In my opinion, in its segment it is quite acceptable and does not look outdated. Photos on the screen look good, including when viewed in the photo album mode.

The capacitive screen has an excellent sensor, multitouch is supported - however, these are already so expected, familiar characteristics that you can forget about them.

The menu has an option "Optimize display". This is the most interesting setting, since the device analyzes the level of illumination around and, depending on the conditions, sets the contrast, brightness, plus adjusts the colors on the screen. It turns out that white looks white in almost all conditions. Another Adobe RGB setting, but it has almost no effect on the image display quality, the latter does not change noticeably compared to other settings (I was not able to notice this).

Battery

The phone has a 2330 mAh Li-Ion battery (2100 mAh in the Galaxy S3 for comparison). We are accustomed to the fact that the power consumption of modern smartphones is huge, and this device wins only in comparison with more gluttonous counterparts with faster processors, large screens, and so on. Basically, when used only as a camera with the included 3G-module, the device is able to work for a couple of days and take three hundred photos. If you actively use the smartphone component - making calls, writing messages, chatting on social networks, then by the evening of the first day the device will ask for recharging. That's slightly more than current flagships, but still not that good, especially for a hybrid device. If this is an addition to your smartphone, then the battery life is acceptable, if this is the main device, then it is clearly low - although it does not stand out from what other manufacturers or Samsung have on the market.

USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities

Bluetooth. Bluetooth version 4.0 (LE). When transferring files to other devices that support this technology, Wi-Fi 802.11 n is used, and the theoretical transfer speed is about 24 Mbps. Testing the transfer of a 1 GB file showed a maximum speed of about 12 Mbps within three meters between devices.

The model supports various profiles, in particular, Headset, Handsfree, Serial Port, Dial Up Networking, File Transfer, Object Push, Basic Printing, SIM Access, A2DP. Working with headsets does not raise any questions, everything is commonplace.

USB connection... In Android 4, for some reason, they abandoned the USB Mass Storage mode, leaving only MTP (there is also a PTP mode).

The USB version is 2, the data transfer rate is about 25 Mb / s.

When connected to a PC, the simultaneous operation of USB and Bluetooth is unacceptable, the device requires turning off Bluetooth regardless of the current state (whether there is a connection and transmission or not), this is extremely inconvenient. When connected via USB, the device recharges.

The microUSB connector also supports the MHL standard, which means that using a special cable (available from electronics stores), you can connect your phone to a TV (to the HDMI output). In fact, the standard describes the ability to connect via microUSB to HDMI. This solution looks preferable to a separate miniHDMI connector on the case.

For GSM networks, EDGE class 12 is provided.

Wi-Fi... The standard 802.11 a / b / g / n is supported, the wizard is similar to that for Bluetooth. You can remember the selected networks, automatically connect to them. It is possible to set up a one-touch connection to the router, for this you need to press a button on the router, and also activate a similar button in the device menu (WPA SecureEasySetup). Of the additional options, it is worth noting the setup wizard, it appears when the signal is weak or disappearing. You can also customize Wi-Fi operation Scheduled.

Wi-Fi Direct... A protocol that aims to replace Bluetooth or compete with its third version (it also uses Wi-Fi version n to transfer large files). In the Wi-Fi settings menu, select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone starts looking for devices around. We select the desired device, activate the connection on it, and voila. Now in file manager you can view the files on another device, as well as transfer them. Another option is to simply find the devices connected to your router and transfer the necessary files to them, this can be done from the gallery or other sections of the phone. The main thing is that the device supports Wi-Fi Direct.

NFC... The device has NFC technology, it can be used with various additional applications.

S Beam... A technology that allows you to transfer a file of several gigabytes to another phone in a few minutes. In fact, we see in the S Beam a combination of two technologies - NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. The first technology is used to bring up and authorize phones, while the second is used to transfer the files themselves. A creatively redesigned way of using Wi-Fi Direct is much easier than using a dual-device connection, file selection, and so on.

Infrared port... Required to use the phone as a remote control for various household appliances. Automatically adjusts for almost any vehicle model.

Memory, memory cards

The phone has 16 GB of internal memory, initially about 12 GB is available to the user. Memory cards up to 64 GB are also supported.

Volume random access memory equals 1.5 GB, after downloading about 750 MB free. This is sufficient for all applications.

Hardware platform

This device uses an Exynos 4212 processor, a dual-core processor and a maximum frequency of 1.5 GHz (ARM v7), a Mali-400 graphics coprocessor. Not the fastest or most productive solution, but it is quite enough in this device. Below you can see the results of synthetic tests if you like to measure everything in virtual parrots.

TouchWiz software features

This device almost completely repeats the capabilities of the Galaxy S4 in standard functions, adjusted for other hardware capabilities. There is no point in talking about these features again, you can read about them in the Galaxy S4 review.

Detailed analysis of camera capabilities

The focal length of the lens is 4.3-43 mm (4.1-86.1 mm for the Galaxy Camera). Aperture from 3.1 to 6.3. 10x optical zoom (x21 in the previous model). Unfortunately, since the Zoom model is of a lower class, they decided not to change the matrix in it - this is a BSI 1 / 2.3-inch matrix. So the main gripe about the Galaxy Camera has not changed in any way here - in a device where the camera becomes one of the main characteristics, everything is spoiled by a rather cheap matrix, which does not allow you to get the advantages that the lens gives. This is on the one hand, on the other, the quality of the Galaxy Camera images target audience satisfied, which also, apparently, determined the choice of such a sensor.

Looking ahead, I note that the camera shoots at the level of the Galaxy Camera, no breakthrough has occurred, however, and there is no noticeable deterioration in quality. You actually get the same photos, only the zoom is 10x.

The ISO value is from 100 to 3200. It is interesting that in most cases the device tends to set low ISO values, and rightly so. I would also like to note separately that the device works out the white balance well, which is unexpected for such a camera.

For most users of the device, there is no point in manually setting the ISO value; in most cases, the automation works out everything correctly. The working ISO remains at 800, then blurring of the picture is clearly noticeable.

And this is how the optical zoom function works, it is interesting in most situations, except for certain scenarios. First and foremost, the maximum zoom cannot be used with smart modes, then the result becomes unpredictable. Second, you can zoom in by rotating the lens ring, or by pressing the buttons on the screen. With the help of buttons it is easier and faster to do this, the mechanics are more a tribute to fashion than a real necessity. I was surprised that you cannot activate the zoom with the volume control button, although that would be expected.

In the pictures you can see how the device zooms the picture, the pictures are given with different zoom steps, from the original to the maximum. Some shots are simply shown at maximum zoom. Perhaps this is the main function that distinguishes this mobile device from others.

Voice control

In the camera, you can activate voice control, then with the help of commands you can take pictures, zoom the picture, turn on the "Retouch" mode and turn it off. The number of teams is small, but it is possible that such control will be useful to someone, especially when you want to film yourself beloved against the background of a city, and there is not a single living soul around. This is just another additional feature, not at all the main one.

Smart shooting modes

One of the features of the Galaxy Camera was smart modes, in which you just select a scene and get the result when shooting. These are presets that allow even a beginner to get good pictures in different conditions. Zoom has expanded the number of such modes, plus, added Favorites (the last modes used), and also made separate mode, in which the camera automatically assumes what exactly you want to photograph, and slips the desired mode.

Best photo - a series of pictures from which you can choose the best photo.

Continuous shooting- shooting at a speed of 4 frames per second.

Best face- for group photos, you can choose the most successful facial expression for each person (out of five photos) and get a final photo in which each person will be presented the way you want.

Scenery- Enhances landscape photography by making blues and greens brighter.

Macro photography does not need any comments.

Freeze- shooting fast moving objects.

Saturated tones(in fact, this is HDR) - photos are glued together from pairs, they turn out to be very saturated.

Panorama- up to 8 photos can be combined into a panorama.

Silhouette- Shooting backlit silhouettes.

Sunset- increases color saturation.

Night- also merges pictures, a kind of HDR.

Fireworks- also long exposure, use of a tripod is recommended.

Paths of light- long exposure and beautiful paths of light, for example, the flow of cars on the road.

Retouch- automatic skin improvement, masking of flaws in portraits.

Food- photographs of food, as the name implies.

Photo with sound- you can record up to 9 seconds of sound to a picture, the function first appeared on the Galaxy S4, now it applies to all devices from Samsung.

Eraser- the ability to erase an object that flashed in the frame, for example, a person who passed by. Not a very applicable scenario in real life.

Motion photo- collects all stages of movement in one photo.

Animation- a large GIF file with animation glued from several frames.

Double sided photography- an analogue of the same function on the S4, but with a difference - there the photo is obtained instantly, then you first shoot with the main camera, and then with the front camera - the result is glued into one file.

Photo Comparison with Galaxy Camera and Galaxy S4

I'm sure the photos speak for themselves, so let's compare them. I will give the pictures on Galaxy Camera and Zoom - I think in most cases you will see that they are comparable.

Samsung Zoom	Samsung Galaxy Camera

With the Galaxy S4, everything is also about the same - in the absence of an optical zoom, the flagship loses, but otherwise the devices are, by and large, about the same, despite the best optics in Zoom.

Samsung Zoom	Samsung Galaxy S4

You can also look at other pictures, I think that they will fully describe the capabilities of the camera in different modes.

Video recording - shooting examples

From the point of view of video recording, this device is somewhat typical for a soap dish. With a maximum video resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, the frequency is 30 frames per second. At the same time, at a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, it increases to 60 frames. There is slow motion (no sound), 120 frames, resolution 768x512 pixels. It can be used to record various sporting events, fast movements that you want to watch. In short, typical camera capabilities, no peculiarities.

Impression

The cost of the Galaxy S4 Zoom will be 19,900 rubles, which is quite comparable to the price of the Galaxy S4 Mini, of which this device is. At the same time, the price of the Galaxy Camera in November last year started at 29,990 rubles. Considering the comparable quality of the camera, we can say that there has been a reassessment of values ​​and the positioning of the device has changed - which we talked about in detail at the beginning of the review.

Samsung is trying to create a new niche in the market, before the eyes of the company's marketers - the success of the Note, which was unexpected for everyone. The Note category has undergone several changes, the same awaits the concept of Android cameras, before us is the second device in the line, which has become smaller, works longer and at the same time knows how to make calls. I am sure that a lot of jokes will be born from the fact that on the street people will see a person talking on the camera.

Can the Galaxy S4 Zoom serve as a replacement for a regular camera, even if it costs 10-15 thousand rubles? Definitely not, since its characteristics are much weaker precisely in the photographic part. He wins the opportunity to instantly send a picture to the network, but this is now difficult to surprise - most cameras from Samsung and not only acquire NFC and Wi-Fi, with one touch the picture can be downloaded to your smartphone and from it you can upload the photo anywhere. In my opinion, such a bundle is more advantageous, since it allows you to buy any camera, based on your budget and preferences in the quality of images. In this aspect, Zoom is a compromise solution, and that's why I don't like it. I take a lot of pictures on my smartphone, it's no secret that this is a Galaxy S4 (for more than a month, it has pissed off the lack of a software update that would fix the phone to restart when the camera was called). Mobile photography (I don’t like this word, but it seems to have stuck) is familiar to me in practice, since every day I spy on different scenes in my life and post them on Instagram. The quality of the Galaxy S4 camera is enough for this by the eyes, and even more than. In Zoom, the macro mode is better implemented (autofocus works, or rather, the quality itself is comparable), there is an optical zoom - but this is clearly not enough for me to wear another device.

In my opinion, Samsung is testing this segment, the S4 Zoom is a work on Galaxy Camera bugs, but something tells me that big Android cameras will also be developed. And here everything rests on the technical implementation of the optics, the sensor. I would love to buy an Android mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses. The future belongs to such devices. But Zoom is clearly a niche product that will be in demand by geeks and a number of other audiences, they will love it dearly. But it is impossible to make this device mass-produced until Samsung solves one small problem - they make a photo part at the level of solutions similar in price. So far, the company is not ready to take such a step, which means that nothing threatens the camera market (especially since Samsung takes a solid first place in soap cameras, flooding the market with inexpensive models).

Specifications
Network	LTE	2.5G (GSM / GPRS / EDGE): 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G (HSPA + 21Mbps): 850/900/1900/2100 MHz 4G (LTE Cat 3 100 / 50Mbps): up to 6 different band sets (Dependent on market)
	3G	2.5G (GSM / GPRS / EDGE): 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G (HSPA + 21Mbps): 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
Display	4.3 inch qHD sAMOLED (960x540) screen
AP	1.5GHz Dual-Core Processor * The selection of AP will be differed by markets
OS	Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
Camera	Main (Rear): 16 Mega pixel with x10 Optical Zoom and enhanced SMART Modes, OIS 24-240mm, F3.1-F6.3 Sub (Front): 1.9 Mega pixel camera
	ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 Continuous Shot: 4fps MAX with AF Format: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WBMP, BMP, AGIF Xenon Flash, SMART Mode, Expert Mode (P / S / M / C), My Mode
Video	Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, VC-1, VP8, WMV7 / 8, Sorenson Spark Recording & Playback: Full HD (1920x1080 30p)
Audio	Codec: MP3, AMR-NB / WB, AAC / AAC + / eAAC +, WMA, Vorbis (OGG), FLAC, apt-X
Camera Features	SMART Mode (25): Smart mode suggest, Beauty face, Best photo, Continuous shot, Best face, Kids shot, Landscape, Dawn, Snow, Macro, Food, Party / Indoor, Action freeze, Rich tone (HDR), Panorama, Waterfall, Animated photo, Drama, Eraser, Sound & Shot, Silhouette, Sunset, Night, Fireworks, Light trace
Additional Features	Samsung Link, Samsung ChatON
	S Voice, S Translator
	Group Play: Share Music (MP3), Share Picture (JPEG, GIF), Share Document (PDF, PPT), Play Games
	Story Album, Trip Advisor, Paper Artist
Google Mobile Services	Chrome, Downloads, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search, Google Settings, Google Plus, Google Local, Google play Store, Google Messenger, Google Navigation, Youtube, Google Talk, Voice Search, Google Play Movie & TV, Google Play books, Google Play Music, Google Play Magazine
Connectivity	WiFi a / b / g / n 5GHz NFC, Bluetooth® 4.0 (LE) A-GPS + GLONASS
Sensor	Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Proximity, Gyro, RGB Light
Memory	8GB Internal memory (User memory approximately 5GB) + microSD slot (up to 64GB) 1.5GB RAM * User memory space may be less than the total memory space due to system files. User memory may differ by region, carrier, and supporting language, and may change after software upgrade.
Dimension	125.5 x 63.5 x 15.4 mm, 208g (with standard battery)
Battery	2,330mAh

Related links

Eldar Murtazin ()