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Reviewed:
Dec 2008
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The TL34 HD (or NV100 HD as it is known in Europe) is the new flagship of Samsung's NV range, offering high resolution (14.7 MP), a wide zoom lens and a wealth of features. With its sleek design and touch-screen user interface it appears to be aimed at the gadget loving technophile, but looking at its spec sheet it's clearly got a lot to offer to more serious photographers as well. Unfortunately the image quality is poor (it may have almost 15 megapixels, but the output would be unimpressive for an 8MP camera) and it's frustratingly slow in use.
| Quick links: | Announcement | Review | Forum |
| Announced: | Jul 16, 2008 |
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Average rating:
4.25
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Opinion: Specs as listed at /reviews/specs/Samsung/samsung_nv100hd.asp are wrong :
Remote control = Yes
USB = USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/s)
HDMI = Yes
Camera can and does charges via USB (though you have to use the included USB cable which has a non-USB-standard socket on the camera body) which I find hugely useful.
Image quality is indeed on a par with 5megapixel cameras, the touchscreen is not as bad as the most recent comparison makes out as gestures are in fact quite easy to perform and work well.
Focus is pretty poor, actually improves sometimes when image stabilisation is turned off.
The grip is made for tiny hands, but with the lanyard over your wrist it feels safe enough.
Problems: The camera has powered on unintentionally only once in the last two weeks since I bought it and that was in my girlfriends handbag so who knows what items could have banged into the power button, it's never done it whilst in my possession.
Opinion: The touch screen is easy to use but not much different to use than the previous, multi button version on the NV15.
14.7 MP is over the top and we have been leaving it on 8MP. It does overexpose by 0.3 EV like previous models and the default level of sharpening is low. I dialed in -0.3 EV and bumped up the sharpness a notch. IQ is better than reviews, especially with the tweaked settings. It gets the finer points right, which not even a handful of other digicams can. Photos are natural and high resolution.
Higher ISO settings are too noisy but the OIS and Dual stabilization are better alternatives. The flash could be higher powered but flash usage is very good and far less harsh than I have ever seen. Especially at closer distances.
This camera is for producing real pictures in the real world. Not for pixel peeping, reviews or measure mongers.
Problems: None so far.
It and its predecessors do require a larger, looser fitting case than most smaller cameras. The case should not squeeze the camera or it will turn the play function on.
Opinion: Actually TL34HD was beyond my expectation because I didn't expect much on samsung compacts. Compared my panasonic FX55, there is pros and cons.
* Pros
Pleasant LCD quality
TL34HD's interface helps easy to select camera's function and it's responsive
Fast power-on and zooming time
Impressive auto white balance performance (much better than FX55)
Manual controls included, overall works well
Wide Autofocus range with touch AF system
Reasonable HD movie quality with good compression rate
* Cons
Slow continuous shooting
Poor Autofocus accuracy, especially in low light
Color noise in dark side can be problem even at low ISO, sometimes
Unimpressive image quality at high ISO ( Better than samsung's predecessors, but still not good )
Unimpressive battery life
Review interface is somewhat awkward
* Other things
Overall image quality is acceptible, actually better than FX55
but considered it's position and specification(premium compact, 14.7Mpx), IQ doesn't do it's job fully.
Default dynamic range is actually not so good, but it can be modified via some post-processing options.
Problems: There is a odd heating after taking some picture of the camera.
Opinion: I bought this camera because it was powerful enough and very quick and easy to use from the moment you take a photo to the moment you want to show your photos. The camera does allow you to select your iso speed and aperture in program mode to get the sort of picture you want. I do a lot of indoor family photography, and I need to be able to get the camera out, silently take a photo and then surprise people. This camera truly shows itself with an expensive shoe holder than then connects it to an HDMI connection to my Samsung TV. It then instantly plays the photos in a superb slide show because it has such a high resolution. I have yet to find a thinner sturdier camera than this that does all this in a snap. My other big camera just get dusted.
Problems: You have to know how to set the various extra features. But it you don't the auto setting is still very good. Touch screen is fiddly for fat thumbs.
Reviews and specs
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 | 22.3 megapixels 3.2" screen Full frame sensor |
