Small camera, big zoom: Explores
Samsung’s latest versatile compact
The latest compact to join Samsung
WB-series the WB750 doesn’t herald many changes in terms of many of its
specifications; however the improvements that have been made are particularly
significant. While the WB750’s 18x optical zoom remains the same as the older
model that it replaces (the WB700), the 24-432mm (35mm equivalent) focal range
that it provides makes it a perfect travel companion, as well as an ideal
camera for photographers who love having the flexibility of shooting anything
and everything, without having to lug around a bulky DSLR outfit and several
lenses.
What the WB750 does offer over its
predecessor is a newly-incorporated BSI CMOS sensor, as well as Full HD (1080p)
movie recording capability with stereo sound. The sensor sees a resolution drop
– 12.5-megapoxels compared to the WB700’s 14-megapixel CCD however high pixel
counts aren’t everything when it comes to image quality: often manufacturers
use such measures in order to improve a camera’s low-light performance. In the
case of the WB750, the less densely-populated sensor, coupled with the BSI
(Backside Illuminated) design, promises better noise control at high ISOs:
we’ll get to more on that real-world performance momentarily.
Outdoors
the WB750 performs very well, with the AF system being quick to find a positive
lock
Design-wise, outwardly the WB750 doesn’t
look all that different from its previous incarnation, albeit a little more
robust and less plastic-looking, with more refined controls and a comfortable,
rubber-coated front grip replacing the WB700’s somewhat less polished appearance.
The WB750’s top panel remains largely the
same, with a refreshed, lightly textures shutter button encircled by a zoom
lever occupying the right hand side. To the left, there’s a mode dial
proffering a decent range of exposure modes. For point and shooters, the
camera’s ‘intelligent’ Smart Auto mode takes all of the leg-work out of the
shooting process: aim the lens at your subject and the camera will attempt to
identify it, and the pick the right settings to suit the situation. If you’re
trying to take a shot in a specific situation and want to be certain that
you’ve got the right settings for the job, you can exercise a little more
control by choosing from one of twelve different scene modes. As you scroll
through the attractive, graphics-based menu you’re presented with colourful
icons that relate to each mode, along with a short explanation of what each one
does. There’s a de rigueur 3D shooting mode, as well as a pretty effective HDR
option, which blends two bracketed shots of the same subject to produce an
image with a widened dynamic range.
Alternative edge
A few quirky modes like the skin-smoothing
Beauty Shot and creative Magic Frame modes will appeal to Photoshop-shy
photographers who want to have a bit of fun with their images in-camera, while
Night and Backlight modes prove genuinely useful when used in the appropriate
situations. Also on the mode dial is an easy to use Panorama mode, which simply
requires you to compose your first frame, and then hold down the shutter
release while slowly panning across the scene you want to capture. The camera
will automatically fire off a ream of shots in quick succession and combine
them to create the finished article. The whole process takes a matter of
seconds to execute and a couple more for the WB750 to present the resulting
shot on-screen: much quicker than fiddling about in manual stitching programs
post-shoot, albeit with less control over the final image.
The
WB750 gives you the best of both worlds with high-quality digital photos and
Full HD video in incredible depth of colour and detail
Two further slots are occupied by the
camera’s Creative Movie Maker and Full HD movie modes, plus a Dual IS (Image
Stabilization) mode that employs both optical (OIS) and digital (DIS – boosts
the ISO) measures to help steady potentially shaky shots taken in low light
and/or with the lens at its longest focal length for example. Photographers
that like to dabble with altering some of the settings themselves can switch to
Program mode, or more advanced enthusiasts are created for with the Aperture
and Shutter Priority, or Manual modes. The method of operating in each of the
advanced modes is a little cumbersome due to the lack of external control dials
for altering settings; instead you have to pick your shutter speed and aperture
values via an on-scree graphical men. It’s a bit of a long-winded process,
however it’s still undeniably useful to have the option of manual control and
by including these modes, Samsung has widened the audience that the WB750 will
potentially appeal to.
A large portion of the back of the camera
is devoted to its bright 3-inch LCD. At 460,000 dots, the resolution is
respectable, if not mind-blowing. Colours and detail are good enough for most
everyday photographic situations, providing a pretty accurate live rendition of
the scene you’re shooting, as well as during playback. The controls are simply
styled and laid out, with a handy one-touch movie button nestled right next to
a lightly textured thumb grip. The four-way d-pad incorporated shortcuts to the
Display, SelfTimer, Macro/AF mode and Flash options, while a surrounding
scroll-wheel facilitates faster navigation through menus and images during
playback. Four small buttons arranged around the d-pad offer access to the main
menu system, playback and Fn (Function) options, plus a button to activate the
camera’s continuous shooting mode. The Fn button serves as a quick method of
modifying settings like image size, WB, ISO, Focus Area and Metering, to name a
select few. The number of options available on-screen varies according to the
exposure mode you’re using, with more for you to delve into when working with
any of the manual modes, and vice versa when shooting with the automatic ones:
a well thought-out feature that saves beginners from having to dredge through
options that hold no interest for them.
This
compact camera is able to record 1080p full HD @ 30 fps Movies with a maximum
recording time of 20 minutes
Outdoors and/or in good light in
particular, the WB750 performs very well, with the AF system being quick to
find a positive lock. Zooming from one end of the camera’s versatile 18x zoom
range is a smooth and relatively speedy process, while added extras like an
accurate AF Tracking mode and the previously mentioned Continuous Burst mode which
can capture images at an impressive rate of up to 10fps prove to be effective
when photographing distant/moving subjects and action-packed situations.
Generally, JPEGs taken straight out of the camera present faithful colours and
a good level of detail, while an array of Smart Filters including Miniature,
Vignetting, Soft Focus, Old Film, Retro (and more besides) are on hand if you
want to add some style to your shots, without the hassle of processing them
post-shoot.
Noise control is okay, if not outstanding.
It starts to appear around ISO 400, quickly
worsening as you boost the sensitivity further, along with softening of detail
and muting of colours. Shots taken at ISO 800 remain usable; however the upper
settings (ISO 1600-3200) are really best reserved for emergencies.
Verdict
On top of all of the attributes we’ve
mentioned in this review not least the very comprehensive set of automatic and
manual exposure modes Full HD movies with stereo sound and HDMI output are
further key features that add to the WB750’s appeal. Sadly, there is no RAW
mode available on the WB750, however the range of other interesting features
like 2D and 3D standard/Panoramic shooting, a long-exposure night-time mode and
Creative Movie Maker provide plenty of option to keep photographers busy as
their skills progress. The huge focal range offered by this camera’s big zoom
lens also makes it a more versatile option than most travel-zoom rivals,
although the lack of built-in GPS may be a deal-breaker for some. Nonetheless,
as a go-anywhere, everyday family camera or simple-to-use, versatile companion
for the budding enthusiast, the WB750 fits the bill perfectly.
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Specification
·
Price: $374
·
Megapixels: 12.5
·
Sensor: 1/2.3-inch BSI CMOS
·
LCD: 3-inch TFT, 460,00o-dots
·
ISO: Auto, ISO 100-3200
·
Video: Full HD, 1920 x 1080 (30 fps)
·
Memory cards: SD, SDHC, SDXC, 8.3MB internal
·
Weight: 193.4g
·
Dimensions: 105.3 x 59.4 x 24.9 mm
·
Web: www.samsung.com
·
Total: 8/10
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