Samsung may believe that mirrorless cameras are the future of photography, but its latest announcements are a clear sign that it's not ready to put aside its other line-ups just yet. At the 2013 International CES (CES 2013) on Monday, the company unveiled five new point-and-shoot cameras.
First off, the WB series of long-zoom cameras saw the biggest update, with the addition of three new models: the WB250F/WB200F, the WB800F, and the WB30F. The cameras feature 18x, 21x, and 10x optical zoom respectively.
The Dual View series, intended to make for easy self-portraits, will receive one upgrade with the DV150F, a 16.2-megapixel camera with 5x optical zoom.
Finally, the Style Feature line-up makes room for the ST150F. This camera has fewer features than the previously mentioned ones, but nonetheless comes equipped with 5x optical zoom and a 16.2 megapixel lens.
All five cameras feature the Smart Camera capabilities that Samsung is really trying to push. Designed to let users edit and share photos easily, the Smart Camera app is available on both Android and iOS.
"Samsung firmly believes that the future of photography lies in connectivity and with this next phase in Samsung's Smart Camera offering, we have sought to deliver an incredible connected photography experience with the enhanced capabilities and usability of wireless features," said Myoung Sup Han, senior VP and head of the Digital Imaging Business. "Whether a light and portable long-zoom camera, or a sharp and stylish dual LCD model, the new cameras introducing this technology deliver the combination of image quality and connectivity that today's consumer needs."
Before CES began, Samsung continued its push into mirrorless cameras with the revelation of the NX 300. The camera boasts 20.3-megapixels, the ability to capture 3D images as well as video, and the improved capacity to take nearly 9 photos a second.
Sitting between point-and-shoot compact cameras and digital single-reflex cameras (DSLRs), mirrorless units remove the through-the-lens optical viewfinder found in DSLRs and replace it with a digital one. Unlike with a point-and-shoot, however, the lenses on these mirrorless sets are interchangeable. According to a Wall Street Journal report last May, Samsung increasingly considers these cameras as the future of the industry, and will be gradually cutting its production of compacts.
