Samsung announced 16.3MP Galaxy Camera with 1.4GHz Quad-Core Processor

At IFA 2012, Samsung has announced its first Android based compact digital camera, that equips with 16.3MP BSI CMOS Sensor and the Samsung Zoom Lens on front that provides 21x zoom (~480mm equivalent, a super zoom). Running on Android 4.1 – Jelly Bean, Galaxy Camera is supporting 4.8″ touch screen with all those features that make it really a smart camera. Backed up with 1.4GHz quad-core processor, the camera will be available in 3G and 4G variants along with Wi-Fi capability for network connections. Most of the hardware factors make this more like the Galaxy SIII, the latest flagship smartphone from Samsung. Of course there is no GSM voice calls or sms support however network connectivity will make the users able to share the pictures online from within the camera right after they shoot as well as VOIP/Internet voice calls may be supported.

The interesting and idiotic statement I noticed (perhaps many did) was that Samsung compared its dedicated compact camera with a smartphone camera. Why would a camera manufacturer will compare its product with just a camera module in smartphones? I am not sure what influenced Samsung to say that but I guess it was the Nokia’s 808 PureView achievement in photography. Anyway, have a look at the exact words from the press release (full press release is attached after the break)

The GALAXY Camera makes outstanding photography on the go. Users never again have to sacrifice picture quality if they want to edit and share their photos instantly. It easily outperforms any smartphone camera.

Detail Specifications of Galaxy Camera

Image Sensor

16.3 effective megapixel 1/2.3″ BSI CMOS

Lens

F2.8, 23 mm, 21x super long zoom

IS

OIS

Display

121.2 mm (4.8″), 308 ppi, HD Super Clear Touch Display

ISO

Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200

Network

4G, 3G (HSPA+ 21Mbps): 850 / 900 / 1900 / 2100 MHz

Processor

1.4GHz Quad-Core processor

OS

Android 4.1 (Jelly Bean)

Memory

8GB + memory slot : micro SDSC, micro SDHC, micro SDXC

Image

JPEG format  16M, 14M, 12M Wide, 10M, 5M, 3M, 2M Wide, 1M

Video

MP4 (Video: MPEG4, AVC/H.264, Audio: AAC)Full HD 1920×1080 30fpsSlow motion Movie 720×480 120fps

Video Output

HDMI 1.4

Value-added Features

Smart Pro : 10 modes (Macro, Rich Tone, Action Freeze, Waterfall Trace, Light Trace,

Beautiful Sunset, Blue Sky, Natural Green, Silhouette, Vivid Fireworks)

Share shot, Auto Cloud Back-up

Smart Content Manager, Photo Wizard, Movie Wizard

Voice Control, Slow Motion Video, S Planner, S Suggest

AllShare Play, Family Story, Drop box

Google™ Mobile Services

Google Search, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Latitude,
Google Play Store, Google Plus, YouTube, Google Talk,
Google Places, Google Navigation, Google Downloads, Google Chrome browser,
Google Play Books, Google Play Movies

GPS

A-GPS, GLONASS

Connectivity

WiFi a/b/g/n, WiFi HT40

GPS/GLONASS

Bluetooth® 4.0

Battery

1,650 mAh

Dimension (WxHxD)

128.7 x 70.8 x 19.1 mm

Weight

305g

[source Samsung]

Press Release

BERLIN, Germany – August 29, 2012 – Samsung Electronics Co., Ltd, a global leader in digital media and digital convergence technologies, has today announced the launch of the GALAXY Camera. Developed to fit the changing ways we communicate, the GALAXY Camera combines high performance photography with the latest Android™ 4.1 platform, so called Jelly Bean, and wireless network connectivity, creating a brand new type of device. Samsung GALAXY Camera fits perfectly for those who wish to shoot, edit and share high quality photographs and video easily and spontaneously from anywhere, at any time.
“The GALAXY Camera opens a new visual communication era and shifts a paradigm in communication. With the growth of social networks and the prevalence of smartphones and tablets, people today communicate faster than words. As we increasingly articulate our experiences through pictures and videos the GALAXY Camera has been created to lead the way in this new era of visual communication. Communication becomes more vivid and lively with high-quality images and instant sharing anywhere, anytime,” said JK Shin, President of IT & Mobile Communications Division at Samsung Electronics.
Andy Rubin, Senior Vice President of Mobile and Digital Content at Google, congratulated the Samsung team on their launch. “When we first started work on Android, we envisioned building a smart camera that would take digital photography to the next level. The GALAXY Camera is an innovative product that speaks to the openness and flexibility of the Android platform.”
The GALAXY Camera makes outstanding photography on the go. Users never again have to sacrifice picture quality if they want to edit and share their photos instantly. It easily outperforms any smartphone camera. The GALAXY Camera, boasting a 21x super long zoom lens and a super-bright 16M BSI CMOS sensor, delivers pictures in brilliant quality. The device also features ‘Smart Pro’ technology, a series of modes that make professional-looking photography easy for anyone to achieve. What truly revolutionizes this photography experience is Android™ 4.1 Jelly Bean and wireless connectivity, which opens up the device to applications for photo-editing, sharing, and much more. Users will experience all of GALAXY Camera’s great features on a market-leading HD Super Clear LCD.  With stunning clarity, incredible ease-of-use and unparalleled connectivity, the GALAXY Camera is the next step in imaging innovation.
Shoot stunning quality images
The GALAXY Camera’s ‘Smart Pro’ feature makes it easy to recreate advanced photographic setups in just a few simple steps for stunning artistic results. Using the easy-to-navigate menu system, users can choose from a series of preset scenario options which will automatically adjust the camera’s settings in order to capture the perfect photo. For example, the ‘Rich Tone’ setting delivers images with greater intensity – particularly effective for reducing overexposure in bright surroundings, while the ‘Light Trace’ setting automatically controls shutter speed for atmospheric night scenes full of light trails.
The GALAXY Camera’s 21x super long zoom can be controlled by either button or touchscreen, rendering long-distance pictures in a quality that users will be proud to share, while OIS ensures that images stay clear and crisp. The camera’s 16 Megapixel 1/2.3” BSI CMOS sensor captures images in brilliant color and resolution, while the 23mm aperture lens delivers impressive wide-angle shots incomparable to smartphone pictures.
Enjoy your photos and video on a world-leading display
The GALAXY Camera boasts large and vivid enough camera display – a 4.8”(121.2mm) HD Super Clear LCD screen, which makes it a pleasure to shoot, share and edit images from the palm of the hand. Another advantage of smartphone technology is the Voice Control option which allows the user to control a number of functions such as ‘Zoom in’ and ‘Shoot’ through voice. All these features are housed in a beautifully designed, ergonomic body with the GALAXY Camera’s minimal, organic design complementing its easy-to-use professional features.
Edit and perfect images on your device 
The GALAXY Camera includes a comprehensive set of 35 powerful photo editing features through the ‘Photo Wizard’, allowing users to make professional quality edits on the go. The new features take advantage of the ultrafast quad-core processor and HD Super Clear LCD, giving access to a feature like Auto Face Calibration so edits can be made in precise detail and with ease. The ‘Movie Wizard’ also allows users to create and edit expert-quality videos easily from the touch screen.
The GALAXY Camera also features ‘Smart Content Manager’, an innovative on-device organization tool which intelligently creates folders, tags faces, and even suggests which pictures to delete when they don’t come out as desired. Thanks to the combination of wireless connectivity and Android™ 4.1 Jelly Bean OS, the internet capabilities of the GALAXY Camera are equal to those of the latest smartphone so that users can get even more enjoyment out of their device. In addition to the pre-installed applications from Samsung, users can browse the web and enjoy any applications from Google Play or Samsung Apps stores. If users are not sure which app to download, ‘S Suggest’ will help them recommend a new photo editing app or fun game to download.
Share your images anywhere, anytime
The camera’s convenient ‘Auto Cloud Backup’ feature will automatically save precious photos into the cloud via Samsung’s AllShare the instant they are taken. The GALAXY Camera also allows users to share photos at the same time as they shoot them with ‘Share Shot.’ As well as sharing to social networks and cloud services, users can also connect to a range of GALAXY devices including the GALAXY SIII and GALAXY Note II for effortless and automatic sharing of pictures across the GALAXY family. The new device enables connection to 3G or 4G, allowing photo sharing and browsing anywhere. The GALAXY Camera also functions on Wi-Fi with Dual Band and Channel Bonding for extra speed. Connectivity is supported by a quad-core processor that enables fast web-browsing and multi-tasking, as well as high-speed image processing without a significant impact on battery life.
The GALAXY Camera comes in two connectivity options: a 3G and Wi-Fi version or a 4G and Wi-Fi version.
Samsung GALAXY Camera will be on display at the Samsung booth #20 at IFA 2012, Aug 31 through Sep 5.
Full details, video content and product images are available at
Samsung’s IFA 2012 microsite: http://www.samsungifa2012.com  or mobile site:m.samsungifa2012.com
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