“A fun packed gadget which can shoot like a pro” – It would be the best way to describe this camera. The Korea based Samsung Electronics had rolled out Galaxy GC100, codenamed “Galaxy Camera [EK-GC100ZWA]“ with much expectations. This is the first semi-professional camera to use Android 4.1 Jelly Bean OS. The whole system runs on a 1.4 GHz Quad core processor.
If the mobile phone cameras are excluded, this will be the first camera which could be connected to internet via 3G and WiFi. That means the photos taken by the device can be uploaded to cloud storage in real time. Also a photo backup via cloud storage is offered.
Starting with the camera specifications, the 21x optical zoom option will be the first thing noticed by the buyers. The lens with a focus length 4.1 – 86.1 mm can produce such output, the quality of which is equivalent to an image shot using a 35 mm film camera. The type of focusing used in the camera is TTL Auto focus with Center, Multi and Face Detection AF.
Samsung had used BSI CMOS image sensor (1/2.3″) to enhance the stability of the images even in low lights. One should say that Samsung had been conscious in the making of this device, because it stands in a place between the new generation smartphone/point and shoot cameras and basic level semi-professional cameras.
Samsung had included Multi, Spot, Center-weighted, Face Detection AE metering systems to this camera. Apart auto mode, they have added Program AE, Aperture Priority AE, Shutter Priority AE and Manual Exposure controls. The ISO ranges between 100 and 3200, excluding the auto setting.
The flash comes with a variety of options from which the user can select it work at different modes such as Auto, Auto & Red-eye reduction, Fill-in flash, Slow sync, Flash Off and Red-eye fix modes. The recharging time required is 4 seconds.
Galaxy camera allows its users to record videos at 1920×1080(30fps), 1280×720(60fps), 1280×720(30fps), 640×480(60fps), 640×480(30fps), 320×240(30fps) Slow Motion Video and WVGA 768×512(120fps).
It homes a 4.8 ” HD Super Clear touch display, which has a screen resolution of 1280×720 pixels. According to Samsung, Galaxy GC100 has Voice Control, Smart Content Manager & Paper Artist.
The different shoot modes offered by the camera are Auto, Smart (15 Modes) : Beauty face, Best photo, Continuous shot, Best face, Landscape, Macro, Action freeze, Rich tone, Panorama, Waterfall, Silhouette, Sunset, Night, Fireworks, Light trace, Expert Control (5 Modes) : P (Auto+), A (Aperture Priority), S (Speed Priority), Camcorder and M (Manual) and the shutter speed ranges between Auto : 1/8 – 1/2,000 sec and Manual : 16 – 1/2,000 sec.
The camera features a wide variety of applications, which could make today’s budding photographers a lot happier. Some of the inbuilt applications are Instagram, Paper Artist, Dropbox, Gallery, Photo wizard, Video Editor, AllShare Play, S-Suggest and S-Voice. Nevertheless to say, it contains a good collection of Google apps because of the Android OS; they are Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Latitude, Google Play Store, Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk, Google Local, Google Navigation, Google Downloads, Google Chrome browser, Google Play Books and Google Play Movies.
In the hardware side, the device supports Micro USB, three different external memory slots viz, Micro SDSC (up to 2GB), Micro SDHC (up to 32GB) and Micro SDXC (up to 64GB), a 3.5pi 4pole, Stereo Ear jack and a USB 2.0 port. The users can also connect the device to many other gadgets via Bluetooth 4, PC Sync (KIES, KIES Air), WiFi 802.11 a/b/g/n 2.4GHz/5GHz and 3G. It also supports HDMI connectivity. Also it has GPS support via A-GPS and GLOSS.
The dimensions are 70.8X128.7X19.1 mm and it weighs 300 gm. The system is priced at Rs. 23,500 and interested ones can buy the device online via Samsung’s site.
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