Review on 📷 Samsung WB350F 16.2MP CMOS Smart WiFi & NFC Digital Camera: 21x Optical Zoom, 3.0" Touch Screen LCD, 1080p HD Video (Red) by Gene Rosado

First of all - ***UPDATE THE FIRMWARE**** to the latest version Samsung has made some improvements to the picture quality. This rating is based on the latest data as of 01/14/2015. When I received the camera it needed an update. Also, make sure to use a fast microSD card to reduce image capture time. Picture quality. Keep in mind that this is a small 2.3 backlit sensor. You can't compare this to a full frame camera or even a crop sensor camera. But back to the picture quality. I have owned many compact cameras, even the 'not so compact' Canon SV-50, so the comparison to other 2.3 CCD cameras was a surprise after reading some of the negative reviews. Low light is actually handled very well with little noise up to about ISO 800. The shots compare well with my SV50 in terms of grain and color. Those "pixel watchers" who criticize the image quality of this camera should tell me where you can get the camera with the best specs and image quality in this price range. This is a travel camera for when I don't want to carry around my Olympus M4:3 system with all its lenses. Build Quality - Some reviewers said it feels like a toy. For real?. This camera feels very solid, in fact it's a bit larger than I expected. Not huge but still pocketable (for guys with regular pants, you don't need skinny pants here LOL). Buttons, screen, lens, flash, everything fits together, the camera is light. The rubberized thumb rest feels comfortable. It would be nice if they moved it to the front of the body. But since I cover all my cameras with camouflage, it wouldn't matter anyway. The dial at the top is in an odd place, and I could see how it can switch as you move the camera in your hand (note: this hasn't happened to me before, but just wanted to point out that it actually hasn't) . breach of contract). Lens - I'm still amazed that they fit lenses like this in such a small package. Of course, this was only possible thanks to a small sensor. f2.8 to f5.9 are really good, also Samsung claims that the built-in image stabilizer gives 3 to 4 stops of benefit and I have no reason to doubt that claim. Pictures taken indoors without a flash and with a steady hand come out sharp and clear even in low light. I really think this camera performs better in low light than my SV50. Towards the end of the zoom, the camera seems to soften a bit, but I'm still testing everything. When shooting 21x (86mm) zoom shots with a small body, every slight movement affects every type of camera. Learn to use your surroundings, lean against a tree, place posts or signs to avoid falling. Or a better option is to use a tripod if the shot is more critical (read: family photo). Zoom speed is a bit slow but workable. The video quality is excellent for this type of camera, the microphone is monaural but records well. It's prone to wind noise, so you might need some sort of wind blocking device. Some reviews pointed out the slow-motion mode. I haven't found this to be true, but I'm still trying to see if it's buried deep in the menu somewhere. Remote Viewer Software - I'm an Android geek so I can't speak for I-Phone or I-Something. This worked every time I tried. Pairing was quick and mirroring on my phone is just a little behind. This feature is used for family photos or whenever I need the remote control. You can control the zoom and photo size, turn the flash on and off (if it's installed), and release the shutter. You can also use the same software to download photos directly from your camera to your phone. You don't have to be in an area of wireless coverage, the camera sets up network ad-hock style (which was important to me). Applications and WIFI Implementation - Wi-Fi works, but the UI is a bit clunky. As far as I can tell there is no way to see the networks you have saved in the camera. It's also nearly impossible to tell if the radio is on or connected to the network. But it works and I had no trouble connecting it to my home network. The Dropbox process is very strange, but it works. You have to log in every time you want to share and it doesn't remember your login or password. The Facebook app isn't working for me yet, every time I log in the camera tells me an error has occurred. Facebook then tells me that an attempt was made to log in from an unknown browser. I haven't tried any other apps and honestly I don't care as I would share pretty much anything through my phone or computer. I don't care about applications (hence the 4 star rating), but you have to be aware that the implementation wasn't very successful. If these parameters are important to you, then you should check out the Galaxy Camera (1 or 2) that runs Android and has the same sensor and lens. Battery Life - I'm still about to wait until I have a few more charge cycles. (I have a journey ahead of me, the camera will get a good workout) SD Card - Yes, THIS CAMERA ACCEPT MICRO SD CARDS. I don't see anything special, but for some people this can be a deal breaker. I already have a library of full-size microSD and SD cards, so I don't really care. Software - I will not cover all available filters and options. I'm more of a camera geek and rarely use camera effects, but there are some interesting creative avenues to explore. Internal integration with Facebook, Dropbox, and YouTube is a bit clunky, but it works. --- SUMMARY --- Good -- Excellent image quality for a small sensor camera, f2.8 in a small camera lens, wide zoom range, image stabilization works well, build quality is excellent, lots of filters and built-in features, excellent video quality.