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Samsung Digimax S730

Guide price: £99.00

Compact 7.2 megapixel Digital camera. Samsung's user-friendly point-and-shoot S730 digital camera represents the next generation of Samsung's most popular point-and-shoot digital still camera products. This powerful, compact camera combines Samsung's advanced image processing technology and quality optics with a straightforward, uncluttered user interface and stylish ergonomic design.
The S730 simplifies the picture-taking process to let photographers capture images without worrying about adjusting multiple settings. Samsung's ASR image stabilization system helps to reduce camera shake and image blur during longer exposures and in situations where holding the camera steady is impossible or a tripod is unavailable. When taking pictures outdoors, the S730 automatically detects environmental light conditions through the CCD and adjusts the brightness of the LCD display for optimal image viewing.

Thoughtful features like red-eye reduction allow users to focus on getting the images they want without having to worry about tedious exposure adjustments or editing. The conveniently located mode dial provides instant access to the camera's most commonly used settings, such as Auto, Program, manual, Movie, Scene, ASR, Night Scene, and Portrait. Individual dedicated modes for common-yet-difficult shooting situations including Close-Up (to capture all of the detail at a subject at a close focal range), Sunset (to take advantage of soft, waning light), and Backlight (to compensate for a dark subject lit from behind) are included.

The S730 features a built-in microphone, which allows a 10-second voice memo to be attached to any still image. Slide Show automatically scrolls through photos and displays them on a bright and vivid 2.5-inch TFT LCD screen. The camera's Movie mode lets users capture video in one of two resolutions, 320 x 240 and 640 x 480 at 15 frames per second in AVI (MJPEG) format. Just as in still-picture mode, the ASR image stabilization system can be engaged to compensate for unwanted camera movement and subject blur in movie mode.

For maximum versatility, the S730 can be powered by optional high-energy rechargeable Ni-MH batteries as well as available-everywhere AA alkaline cells, which is a surefire boon for travelers and other power users.

All of these features are contained in a sleek housing that measures a mere 3.9 inches (width) by 2.5 inches (height) by 1 inch (depth). The included USB 2.0 cable and CD-ROM containing Samsung's Digimax Master software (compatible with Windows 98/2000/ME/XP and Macintosh OS X 9.2 through 10.4) will get even beginning photographers up and shooting right out of the box.

The S730 contains 20MB of internal memory and can accept Secure Digital ((SD) flash memory cards up to 4GB.

Hilary's Conclusion: Not a 'looker' but it comes up with the goods in the form of great colourful photos! Very usefully uses standard easy to buy AA batteries and has a form of ''anti-shake'which is a 'must have' feature.