Last update 05 November’09 – Review and Sample Photos @ CNET
Samsung HZ15W/WB550 announced on February 23, 2009 is a dual image stabilized 12.2 megapixel compact digital camera that features photo style selector, 10x optical zoom, HD movie recording, smart album, 3 inch LCD, ISO range from 80 to 3200, camera dimensions are 105 x 61.4 x 36.5 mm and it weighs 225g.
Loading ...
| Lowest Price
Review Index – (updated 05 November’09)
CNET
“OK so there are people who will really like the the camera’s lens and set of functions possibly enough to overlook it’s much less impressive photos quality and oddly layed out menu and control system. There are just better cameras out there which makes this camera a tough sell.”
Rating: 
DigitalCameraInfo
“What we really liked about the HZ15W was the manual control. It wasn’t quite perfect, but there are a lot of functions here that we appreciate seeing in a compact camera. The manual shooting mode offers the ability to set the shutter speed to any exposure length, and the aperture to either a maximum or minimum. Ideally, we want aperture control over the entire range, and aperture and shutter priority modes, which this camera lacks. The inclusion of any sort of manual exposure control is very welcome, though, as well as auto exposure bracketing.”
Owner Feedback
“I was at the beach last weekend and I took a picture of the clouds. With the 12 Megapixel resolution, I was able to zoom into the picture and see very good detail of people (who were in the distance). So even though you probably would not print a 30×40″ picture, you can zoom in and crop small details of your photograph. I have also found that using the in-camera crop feature, that I can edit out ‘bystanders’ in photos without having to resort to Photoshop Elements.”
Rating: 
“After loading the pictures onto my computer, and printing a couple out, the results were mostly good, but there were some things I was disappointed in. Mainly in the “detail” of outdoor photos taken at ISO 80. There seemed to be a lot of blown detail, that shouldn’t happen at a low ISO. Apparently Samsung has squeezed too may MP into the HZ15W’s small sensor. I took several of the same pictures with my TZ5. the TZ5 was never known for “fine detail”, but IMO it had maintained more detail than the Samsung. This was very surprising and disappointing to me. One thing the Samsung excelled out was color. I thought the colors were among the best of any P&S camera I own. I took a few minutes of video, and it was “good” when viewed on my wide screen monitor. Sound was fair at best.”
Rating: 
“For those starting out looking for a point-and-shoot camera that’s a jack of all trades, here’s, at the time of writing, the latest effort by Samsung. One of its biggest selling points is also something buyers should be wary of: More megapixels does NOT necessarily mean better image quality. There’s a reason why a Nikon D300 has 12MP and costs the better part of two thousand dollars, while this 12MP camera only costs around three hundred dollars… The sensor on a proper Digital SLR can resolve a great deal more detail than this Samsung could ever hope to achieve.”
Rating: 
]Similar Cameras
Press Release
23rd February 2009, 13:00 GMT – Samsung Digital Imaging, leaders in innovation and digital technology, is breaking new ground by including world-first technology in the advanced WB550/HZ15W and WB100 compact cameras.
The WB100 model, with a 5x optical zoom and 24mm ultra wide lens, breaks ground in the compact camera category by featuring the world’s first 3.0” hVGA AMOLED screen. The organic LED screen out performs conventional TFT LCD screens with better contrast and a brighter screen that really helps when shooting in both bright sunlight and dark conditions. The 460k pixel packed screen also shows fantastic detail when framing the shot and in playback.
The new WB550 also includes a world first 10x optical zoom and 24mm ultra wide angle Schneider lens (previously found only in the camera’s predecessor, the WB500) and cements Samsung’s position as an innovator in the new and important High-zoom category – compact cameras equipped with the sort of advanced zoom lens technology traditionally seen only in SLR cameras. This new technology gives people even greater control and helps them take better, professional standard photos; enhancing the entire photography experience, from shooting to sharing images with friends and family.
HD Movie Experience
The 12 mega pixel WB550 and WB100 also include HD movie capture so people can ‘Pause and Re-record’ high definition videos and super sharp movie-quality recordings in one movie clip – a Samsung patented function. The cameras also include ‘Smart Auto’ (Scene Recognition) technology: 11 optimized picture pre-settings such as Portrait, Night portrait, Macro and Macro Colour, to help people take the perfect shot regardless of the conditions.
Dual Image Stabilization
The WB550 and WB100 integrate Optical and Digital Image Stabilization into a Dual Image Stabilization function, providing outstanding quality photos without blur from handshake – even in low light conditions.
Full Manual Control
For the more advanced user who prefers to have more control over camera settings, the WB100 offers aperture priority, shutter priority, as well as full manual shooting modes. Samsung also includes its unique Advanced Picture Mode in the WB100. With Advanced Picture Mode, users can fine tune color tones in their saved images by adjusting the color temperature from 2,800-10,000K, in 100K increments, or by manually configuring the camera’s color space shift.
Face Detection
Samsung’s Perfect Portrait System is included within both the ultra-compact cameras alongside a host of other advanced features; “Face Detection” locates the subject’s face within the frame and automatically adjusts auto focus and auto exposure to ensure better composition and image quality for portraits; in “Blink Detection Mode” the cameras take a series of shots when closed eyes are detected so friends and family are always captured with their eyes open; in “Smile Mode” a picture is automatically taken when smiles are detected and, in “Beauty Shot” mode, facial skin is retouched for a brighter and smoother skin tone.
Frame Guide
The Frame Guide setting on the new WB550 and WB100 means you no longer need rely on the technological capabilities of strangers for perfect holiday snaps. When you use the setting, the camera take a ghost picture of your desired shot and displays a template when you pass the camera over to someone else – ensuring they take the picture you want them to take, with you perfectly placed in it.
Smart Album
The two advanced compact cameras also feature a new ‘Smart Album’ Digital Contents Management system; a contents management program within the camera that makes it quick and easy to store and manage your photo collection. The clever navigation program automatically organizes photos based on the date they were taken, their contents, colour or themes.
“Samsung is really strengthening our High Zoom and advanced compact range with the launch of the WB550 and WB100, providing world-first technology, unique and innovative features and advanced solutions for photographers of all levels” said Steve Mitchell, General Manager Marketing, Samsung Digital Imaging Division.
The WB550, available in Black and Dark Grey, is priced at £299 (TBC) and will be available from leading high street and online retailers from April 2009.
Samsung TL320 (WB100) Images
