Taking photos with a compact digital camera is great, until it's time to transfer photos off of the camera to a computer. Then the process of sharing photos can begin. Samsung looks to circumvent the intermediate steps and make photo syncing and sharing effortless with three new Wi-Fi enabled cameras.
The Samsung WB850F leads the pack, with a 16 megapixel CMOS image sensor behind a 21X zoom Schneider lens (that's a whopping 23mm to 483mm equivalent). Besides built-in Wi-Fi, the WB850F sports GPS for geotagging and a 3 inch AMOLED rear screen. Stills can be captured simultaneously while recording 1080p HD video.
Next in line is the WB150F, which looks similar to the 850 but loses GPS capability and drops down to a 14 megapixel CCD image sensor. This model features a formidable 18X zoom Schneider lens (24mm to 432mm equivalent) along with the same 3 inch AMOLED display. Video can be captured at 1080p HD resolution using the WB150F as well.
Last but not least, the ST200F has a 10X (27mm to 270mm equivalent) lens along with a 16 megapixel image sensor providing 720p HD video recording. The key to these new models is Wi-Fi connectivity, which makes it possible to simply and easily transfer or share photos directly from the cameras on any accessible Wi-Fi network. Additional features such as Optical Image Stabilization and Live Panorama add versatility.
The Samsung WB150F will be the first available in January for $229, with the ST200F launching in February for the same price. Look for the WB850F in April selling for a suggested retail of $379. The previously revealed Samsung DV300F is expected in March, and will feature Wi-Fi connectivity along with a front-facing display for self-portraits at $199.