Samsung S760 (Samsung S760)

Member Name: migrant

Product:	Samsung S760
Date:	05/09/08 (261 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: Compact, easy to use, good battery life

Disadvantages: Plasticky buttons

I decided to get a more modern digital camera after the sorrows of being an early adopter with a Ricoh and an HP, both of which devoured batteries. I wanted to get a compact camera so that it would be easier to carry about with me, and looked at a lot of reviews before I decided to go for the Samsung.

The S760 is a very compact little camera at 93 x 62 x 26mm and 123g weight, and looks and feels well made. It isn't covered with buttons like some cameras, which make you wonder how to hold them without triggering something. It has a circular button controller on the rear with 4 other buttons to navigate the menus (which are very clear and easy to read) and a rocker button for the zoom lens, while on the top of the camera there is a recessed power button, a thumbwheel for the various modes, and the shutter release.

The S760 has a 3X optical zoom and 3X digital. The lens retracts and covers itself when the camera is switched off. Focusing is quick and images are sharp. The pictures are bright and colourful. Flash photos are good but can sometimes seem a little dark suggesting the flash could be stronger. There is also a macro facility, which has a little LED light to assist focusing.

Unusually for a low priced camera the S760 has a manual mode which lets you set shutter speeds and aperture. You can also switch between multi and spot metering. Exposure compensation and white balance are also controllable. Additionally, it has digital image stabilization and a video capability (which I have not yet used).

The camera only has 11mb internal storage but it is compatible with the common (and cheap) SD (Secure Digital) cards, currently less than £5 for 2GB which will give a capacity of over 1000 images. I find it more convenient to put the card in my PC's card reader rather than use the supplied USB cable and software, which I have never touched so cannot comment on it.

The S760 only uses two AA batteries - Samsung recommends Ni-MH rechargeables or High Capacity Alkaline - avoid cheap Zinc Carbon batteries which will last for very few photos. Battery life with the right type of batteries is surprisingly good, over 200+ pictures from a fresh pair of batteries, though this will of course be less if you take a lot of flash images.

Highly recommended for a cheap camera, and it can be picked up for around £60 nowadays including 2GB SD card.

Summary: Unbeatable in its price range

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