Last update (07 April’10):
– Review by PCW.uk
Samsung WB500 (aka HZ10W) is a 10 megapixel point-and-shoot camera features 10x optical zoom (35mm film equivalent : 24~240 mm), Dual Image Stablization, and a 2.7″ (6.9cm) QVGA (230,000 pixel) LCD Screen. The camera measures 105 x 61.4 x 36.5 mm and weighs 219g.

Overall Rating:





Samsung WB500/HZ10W Reviews
PCW.uk reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“If you are on a tight budget but would like more scope from a compact camera the WB500 is well worth a look.”
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T3 compares the Samsung WB500 to the Canon SX210 IS and writes;
“Canon: Outclassing its plucky rival for features and performance in the ring, the only stumbles were down to plastic-y build, lack of decent grip, plus it’s expensive. Samsung: Outgunned perhaps, yet a decent feature set for the price suggests great value for anyone on a budget wanting a broader zoom range than the average compact, plus HD video. Overall Winner: Canon”
Rating: N/A
PCAuthority reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“If you’re looking for a super-zoom for as little as possible, the WB500 is superb value. It probably doesn’t quite have the looks, slim lines or gadget factor to make the ideal camera, but you’re getting a lot for your money..”
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TrustedReviews reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“The new Samsung WB500 is an extremely impressive camera for the price. It looks good, has superb build quality, a huge list of features, and its performance measures up to cameras costing £100 more. It does have one or two foibles, but when it comes down to value for money it’s hard to beat.”
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CNET.au reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“Image quality has always been an issue plaguing Samsung’s compact cameras, but we saw improvements in the WB500. Maybe it’s the new image-processing chip or better sensor, but we are glad that the camera produces better pictures..”
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PCWorld.ca reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“Samsung performs well for a camera in its class, making it a no-brainer to take decent photos with Smart Auto. It’s easy to use, with minimal setup required, and the 10x optical zoom provides a marked performance improvement over a 5x.”
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Pocket-Lint reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“In terms of image performance, it’s the colours delivered by the Samsung WB550 even when left on its default settings that jump off the review screen, being mostly warm and well saturated.”
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ePhotozine reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“this camera gives some seriously good images. They’re sharp, well exposed and have a good colour rendition… If you’re in the market for a compact that has a decent resolution, good zoom and above all gives excellent image quality, then get this camera. Just don’t go to a night time rally.”
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LetsGoDigital reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“if you settle for an average image quality, excellent operation, fine color reproduction and a large optical zoom range, you will certainly have fun with this mega zoom camera.”
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PhotographyBlog reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“Overall then the Samsung WB550 rewards users with a better performance than expected, even if we weren’t quite satisfied with the flash and very obvious pixel fringing.”
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RegHardware reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“Performance is good if not outstanding and the inclusion of HD video is a bonus, although it’s a shame Samsung makes it hard to view on a HD Ready set. If you you’re looking for a budget compact that will deliver decent results and aren’t too bothered about size, then the WB500 is certainly worth taking a look at.”
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GoodGearGuide reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“The Samsung WB500 is an interesting and versatile compact digital camera that comes packed with advanced features. Its wide-angle lens and 10x optical zoom make up for its various shortcomings.”
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Cameras.uk reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“The Samsung WB500 has plenty going for it. I like the idea of offering a long lens in a smaller body. Picture quality is very good indeed. You also have access to a basic manual exposure mode and High Definition movies.”
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PhotoReview.au reviews the Samsung WB500/HZ10W and writes;
“HD video quality wasn’t quite as crisp-looking and lacked the dynamic range of the video we shot with the Panasonic FT1 but we found no evidence of zoom noise in the clips we recorded. For VGA and QVGA capture, the quality was much as you’d expect and the accompanying audio quality was unspectacular.”
Rating:
Good, not great! | Rating:
I was waiting for the Panasonic TZ7/ZS3 to be released. I was going on vacation before that so I decided to buy the Samsung HZ10W instead. After taking test shots and movies for 2 days, I decided to return it and wait for the TZ7/ZS3.
PROS:
– Nice features: 10x Zoom lens, 24mm Wide angle, HD video (with zoom), Good stereo sound, H.264 video format
– Price
– Size
CONS:
– Poor Image quality at 100%. Detail of images is smoothed away during processing. OK for 4×6 prints though.
– Loud zoom motor sound during video.
– Uneven lighting from flash.
– Slow refresh rate on camera screen while framing photo.
Samsung WB500/HZ10W User Reviews
Samsung WB500/HZ10W Sample Photos
– – Samsung WB500/HZ10W Sample Photos @ LetsGoDigital
– Samsung WB500/HZ10W Sample Photos: 1 – 2 – 3 @ ePhotozine
– Samsung WB500/HZ10W Sample Photos @ LetsGoDigital
– Samsung WB500/HZ10W Sample Photos @ PhotographyBlog
– Samsung WB500/HZ10W Sample Photos @ RegHardaware
– Samsung WB500/HZ10W Sample Photos @ Cameras.uk
Samsung WB500/HZ10W User Manual (PDF)
Click to view or right click and select Save Target As..(Firefox) or Save link as.. (IE) to download
– Download Samsung WB500/HZ10W Instruction manual in English (PDF – 4.65MB)
Samsung WB500/HZ10W Specifications
Optical Zoom
10x
Camera Resolution
10.2 MP
LCD screen size
2.7 in
Digital Zoom
5x
Video capture
Yes
Interchangeable Lens?
No
Focal Range Telephoto (cm)
200 – infinity
Macro Focus Range Telephoto (cm)
100 – 200
Aperture Priority?
Yes
Flash Range Telephoto (cm)
50 – 270 (ISO AUTO)
Flash Functions
Auto Flash, Fill-in Flash, Flash Off, Red-eye Reduction Flash , Slow Sync
ISO Speeds
800, 1600, 3200, 80, Auto , 100, 200, 400
Max Shutter Speed
1/1500 second
Min Shutter Speed
1/8 second
Shutter Priority?
Yes
White balance
Custom, Auto, Cloudy, Daylight, Fluorescent, Tungsten
Fixed Image Resolutions
3072×2304, 2592×1944, 3648×2736, 1024×768, 2048×1536
Image stabilization (Optical)?
Yes
Viewfinder
Without Viewfinder
Tripod Mount?
Yes
Continuous Shot?
Yes
Self timer?
Yes
Remote Control?
Yes
Internal memory
30 MB
Focal Range Wide (cm)
50 – infinity
Macro Focus Range Wide (cm)
5 – 50
Flash Range Wide (cm)
30 – 470
Digital video format
MPEG
Video resolutions
1280×720, 320×240, 640×480
Video speed (fps)
30
Available Colours
Black
Length (mm)
36.5
Width (mm)
105.0
Height (mm)
61.4
Weight (g)
219
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