Overview

The Samsung Digimax Pro815 is a dSLR like ultra zoom camera with impressive features. While its 8 megapixel CCD image sensor is fairly common these days, the Samsung Digimax Pro815 not only features the world’s longest built in zoom lens with a 15x times optical zoom, but also the world’s largest camera LCD display with 3.5 inches. In addition to this massive display, the Pro815 is also equipped with a second display on the top of the camera that allows you to shoot from your waist, as well as an electronic eye level viewfinder. While the Pro815 offers automatic shooting modes for the inexperienced photographer, it clearly caters to the more experienced photographers, with its manual exposure modes and manual focus and zoom rings, as well as the RAW and TIFF recording modes. Stable photos that lack image blurred are achieved by the Digimax Pro815 high ISO sensitivity and fast shutter speeds.

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Available Reviews

• Samsung Digimax Pro815 camera test at Trusted Reviews
• Samsung Digimax Pro 815 review at CNet
• Samsung Digimax Pro815 camera test at Photography Review
• Samsung Pro815 review at dpreview

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Specifications

Resolution: 8 megapixels
Focal Length: 28~420 mm, 35mm equivalent
Optical Zoom: 15x
Exposure Modes: Program AE, Shutter Priority AE, Aperture Priority AE or Manual Exposure
Macro Mode: 3cm
Movie Mode: 640×480 at 25 fps
Shutter Speed: 30 - 1/4.000 sec.
LCD Display: 3.5 inch
Storage Media: CompactFlash card
Battery: battery pack
Dimensions (H x W x D): 5.3 x 3.4 x 3.1in. / 135.5 x 87 x 78.6mm
Weight: 30.7oz. / 870.5g

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Press Release

The Digimax PRO815 camera leads the way for a new range of Samsung cameras.

Adeal’s launch of the Samsung Digimax PRO815 8 mega-pixel high-end digital camera comes with the world’s longest (15X) optical zoom (it also has a 4x digital zoom) is specifically targeting enthusiast photographers.

The Digimax PRO815 offers unrivalled features and performance and at the time of this release there isn’t another camera to use as a comparison. This marks the pinnacle of Samsung Camera’s camera range for 2005/2006.
The Digimax PRO815 is equipped with a 15X optical zoom with a focal length of 28 - 420 mm (35 mm equivalent), So the user can shoot from wide angle to telephoto with one lens. Usually with SLR systems different lenses are needed to switch from wide-angle to ultra high zoom pictures. This requires purchasing and carrying lots of equipment and missing some shots while changing lenses. The Pro815 has four low-dispersion glass lenses specially manufactured to minimize chromatic aberration that can occur when wide-angle and ultra high zoom are built into the same lens. In addition the lens has 2 aspherical lenses for the correction of spherical aberration and lateral colours through the zoom range from wide to tele. The world-renowned Schneider-KREUZNACH lens offers outstanding reliability and combined with the high-sensitivity CCD the Pro815 provides the best image quality possible in its class.

Everything in real detail with a 3.5” TMR LCD
One of the main features of the Digimax PRO815 is the world’s largest 3.5” TFT LCD used in a digital camera. Conventional high-end compacts or SLR cameras use a relatively small 1.8’ to 2.0” LCD monitors and with many SLR’s the screen does not show the shot at the time of taking the picture. With the Digimax PRO815 the user can view the image about to be taken through its large TFT LCD. The real benefit of this large monitor is better picture composition. There is also a 1.44” mini colour TFT LCD on the top of the camera for taking ‘waist-level’ images and a 0.44” EVF TTL electronic viewfinder.

Shoot more pictures for longer
The Digimax PRO815 comes with the world’s largest-capacity 7.4v 1900mAh lithium-ion battery. A large-capacity battery is a must as it allows the user to take more pictures. A fully charged battery will allow the user to shoot up to 500 images at full resolution (based on CIPA standard) before recharging is required. Lithium-Ion batteries can also be topped-up at any time without any memory effect.

Steady shooting even in tele-zoom
The Digimax PRO815 has a High Speed mode that enables steady shooting even in tele-zoom. When High Speed mode is selected, the Digimax PRO815 automatically increases the ISO sensitivity up to the maximum ISO 800. The actual setting will be dependant on the appropriate exposure for the available light and the lens focal length. Different setting can be expected for an in-door basketball game and an outdoor daytime motor race. The Digimax PRO815 uses an exclusive low-noise processing algorithm to ensure superb image quality with low noise even at ISO 800. In High Speed mode a faster shutter speed enables sharp shooting of fast moving targets.

Fast, fast, fast
The Digimax PRO815 achieves the fastest response times in its class. Its start-up (boot) time has been reduced to 1.0 second and the shot-to-shot speed has been reduced to 1.3 seconds. It delivers fast auto focusing with a speed of lower than 1.0 second even in tele-zoom mode. This is achieved by utilising a passive AF sensor. The shutter release lag of 0.05 seconds means the user can capture even the fastest action.
The Digimax PRO815 offers high-speed continuous shooting at 2.5 frames per second. Normal continuous shooting that lets the user view the image taken on the LCD while shooting. The ultra high speed continuous shooting allows the user to shoot up to ten 1Megapixel -sized images per second. With the high speed USB 2.0 connection images can be transferred from camera to a PC quickly.
The Digimax PRO815 offers comprehensive manual photography features that should meet all the needs of aspiring photographers. Manual exposure (Aperture/Shutter/Manual) and manual focus control features are included as standard. Three rings surrounding the lens control manual zoom, manual focusing and EV compensation, providing the user with direct control of manual operations. The dual jog system, which is used to control aperture and shutter speed, also delivers precision in manual operation. The camera has various focusing modes including AF Lock, Continuous AF and Select Area AF. The camera supports Adobe RGB colour space as well as an 8 MP non-compressed RAW file, making it the perfect choice for enthusiast image output.

Fantastic image feedback on a massive display
The Display mode of the Digimax PRO815 utilizes the large 230k pixel hi-resolution 3.5” TFT LCD monitor on the rear of the camera. This 3.5” LCD is a world’s first on a digital camera. The size of this monitor also allows for a 25-thumbnail display instead of the normal 9-thumbnail screen. This allows the user a better search area when looking for a particular image. The camera also offers a histogram display for checking and adjusting exposure and a grid display for easier image composition. Some of the exclusive features are Review Shot mode, that lets the user set the optimal image composition while viewing an image just taken, together with the technical details; and a display mode that allows the user to just display an image in the centre of the screen and place the icons and other screen information at the edges of the screen.

Flash photography
The Digimax PRO815 is equipped with a built-in flash powerful enough to let the user obtain a perfectly exposed picture even in very dark environments. The built-in flash allows for shooting distances up to 7.7 metres (wide settings) but will also work in low level daylight and compensate the daylight ± 2EV depending on the surrounding exposure environment.

Record great movies too
The Digimax PRO815 also supports video recording using AVI (MPEG-4) in VGA 640 x 480 screen size with stereo sound. Voice memo on images are in WAV format.

Accessories
First, a lens hood, essential for outdoor photography, is included and can be reversed to make it easier to carry when the camera is not being used. A lens adapter for general-purpose filter mounting and lens cap for lens protection are also included.
Samsung offers an optional external flash, model: SEF-42A, with a Guide No. of 42. This flash offers the creative photographer vertical bounce and horizontal swivel and the sophisticated circuitry couples perfectly with the PRO815. An optional external remote control can operate the camera from distances up to 5 metres and will operate the camera from the side or from the front.
The new Digimax PRO815 is a brilliant achievement from Samsung Camera and is based on the technology it has refined through it’s compact digital camera development. The launch of the Digimax PRO815 by Samsung Camera will add a truly enthusiasts camera to its already strong and popular compact camera range.
(source: Samsung Australia)