Samsumg Galaxy SmartCam... 16Mp

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom hands-on: 10x telephoto, 100x intrigue (video)

from Engadget by Sharif Sakr

It's easy enough to describe the Galaxy S4 Zoom, since it's essentially a Galaxy S4 Mini with a 10x zoom lens stuck on the back. But that sort of summary doesn't do it justice. When you hold the phone-slash-camera and look at the optically stabilized image captured by its 16-megapixel, point-and-shoot grade sensor, you begin to realize that -- at least for those who do a lot of snapping and sending -- this combo of components holds some serious power.

Just like the first Galaxy Camera, it's all about fun and immediacy: the ability to edit, organize and share decent-quality images using Android apps and cellular data connectivity. The key advantages are that the GS4 Zoom can work as a regular phone for voice calls, and that it's just about portable enough to be used that way, whereas the Galaxy Camera was a lot bulkier. With these gains, the smaller zoom (10x instead of 21x) and lower-res screen (qHD instead of 720p) don't overly faze us, so long as the final selling price takes it all into account. Ultimately, our only hesitation is the impending arrival of the so-called Nokia EOS, likely due on July 11th, which takes a totally upside-down approach to smartphone photography and is likely to be much more pocketable as a result. Those are two devices we can't wait to put head-to-head, especially in terms of image quality, but our hands-on gallery (and impending video) might help to tide you over in the meantime.

 Hands On with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom

Article Comments  3

Jun 20, 2013, 4:31 PM   by Rich Brome

Samsung has been blurring the lines between phone and camera lately. The Galaxy Camera was the start, but now the company has revealed more in-between steps. The Galaxy NX veers toward the camera end of the spectrum with its interchangeable lenses, while the Galaxy S4 Zoom is more phone-like. We take a quick look at the Galaxy S4 Zoom in this hands-on.

As smartphones increasingly gain decent camera functionality, the one feature separating camera-phones from real cameras is an optical zoom. The Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom aims to address that gap with its 10x optical zoom.

Galaxy S4 Zoom Hardware

		lens closed
lens open	lens at 1x	lens at 10x
lens at 10x	versus Galaxy S 4	versus Galaxy S 4
	shutter release	lens
tripod mount	battery	battery
bottom	top	bottom
memory card slot
Click a thumbnail above for a larger view.

The trade-off is the size. This is quite a large phone. That optical zoom juts out like it's just a lens bolted on to a normal phone, and that's pretty much what it is. Except that the phone is thick even without the lens, and the handgrip is simply massive (again, for a phone.) I technically could fit it into my Levis, but it looked and felt ridiculous, and it was clear that the sharp lens would wear a two-inch circular hole in my denim in short order.

Not only is the Galaxy S4 Zoom not pocketable, it's quite uncomfortable to hold as a phone. The lens is just so big and sharp, and the shape could only fit E.T.'s hand comfortably.

In a nutshell, in spite of how Samsung is pitching this, I would certainly call this a camera first, with a phone attached. You can make calls on it, but this is really only a good device for a very small population of people who need a decent camera - with large optical zoom - on them at all times, don't want to carry two devices, and can find a good way to carry this thing.

Once you accept the strange premise of this thing, it does an okay job at it.

The body is like the Galaxy S4 Mini, but the back is more plastic-y. Perhaps it feels like thicker plastic, but cheaper plastic. The side keys are small and have short travel, but work well enough. The home button doesn't stick out much, making it harder to find quickly.

The microSD memory card slot has its own slot next to the metal tripod mount (a nice touch.) The battery is hidden behind two tricky doors in a strange arrangement, but it is technically removable in the one we tried.

One nice touch is the spinning ring around the lens. Turning it serves as a quick shortcut directly to a variety of camera functions, and when in camera mode, controls the zoom lens. If you're in a call, it will trigger a function to take and send a photo to the person you're talking to, without interrupting the call.

On the prototype we tried, the lens ring felt sluggish, both in terms of hardware feel and software response. It was actually frustrating and tiresome to get the canera zoomed all the way to 10x. We hope that's tweaked before final release.

Galaxy S4 Zoom Interface

lens ring shortcuts	viewfinder	viewfinder
zoom at 1x	zoom indicator	zoom at 10x
mode selector	virtual mode dial	virtual mode dial
filters	scene modes	scene modes
menu	menu
Click a thumbnail above for a larger view.

As you might expect, it has all of the advanced camera functions from the Galaxy S 4, like Drama Shot. It also merges in the interface of the Galaxy Camera, and some of the features of that product as well. (It's a blend of both of those products in nearly every aspect of the hardware and software.) There are scene modes, plus an intelligent "auto" scene mode that will pick a scene mode for you based on the what the camera "sees".

Having a true 10x optical zoom is quite impressive. It's like a telescope in your phone, compared to a normal camera phone. The xenon flash is a nice plus. Some camera phones have this now, but it's rare; most just have an inferior LED flash.

The smartphone part is pretty standard for a mid-range Samsung Android phone. The screen is qHD (not quite HD) and measures 4.3 inches. That's decent, but not cutting-edge. It matches the screen on the Galaxy S4 Mini.

This is an interesting product. Based on size alone, I have to classify it as a very niche product. But if you're not turned off by the size and shape, it's worth a look.