Samsung Galaxy K Zoom Review: Focusing the Optical Camera

Samsung S5’s camera version, Galaxy K Zoom is available in Indian market now through Amazon.in for Rs.29,999. The optical zoom camera variant of Samsung S5 is the second handset among the camera highlighted versions from Samsung as we’ve already seen Samsung S4’s camera variant handset, Galaxy S4 Zoom in the past.

If we take a look at the specifications of Galaxy K Zoom, they are a little less compared to the original Galaxy S5’s specifications. The processor is limited to 1.3GHz – 1.7GHz with 6 cores. The 5.1 inch screen is reduced to 4.8 inch long with minimized ppi making the display look little blunt, yet good. K Zoom supports only single SIM(GSM) which is unnatural compared to the Samsung flagship handsets. The only features that K Zoom dominates the classical Samsung Galaxy series phone is the camera.

Let’s take a look at the dominating feature, the optical camera of this handset and see if it is worth buying for 30k rupees.

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Camera Controls

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom smartphone hands-on

The 20.7MP rear camera is equipped with a 10x optical zoom lens that works in sync with the screen controls well. You can use pinch zoom or one-touch zoom to focus on the subject in the picture and the optical lens adjusts back and forth accordingly while shooting.

Low Light Sensors

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom smartphone hands-on

The Galaxy K Zoom optical camera is equipped with BSI CMOS sensor that gives you brightest images in the low light, and the ISP chip on board makes details more shaper.

Xenon Flash

Another noticeable feature on K Zoom is that the Xenon flash. The conventional LED flash cannot give you better images in low lights but a Xenon flash can do. You can take a look at the variance of the LED and Xenon flash from the following image:

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Pro Suggest Feature

The pro suggest feature suggests smart modes and films automatically. For example when you are shooting a sunset, the pro suggest feature gives you some best recommendations of smart modes like Silhouette, twilight, violet, fiery, beautiful and so on.

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Optical Zoom

Digital zoom cannot ever compete with optical zoom. This is why photographers are always after lenses. Digital zoom can only enhance the image by doubling pixels where as optical zoom enhances it originally.

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Advanced Controls

Unlike the smart phone cameras in the market Galaxy K Zoom allows users to change the exposure, shutter speed, aperture of the optical lens manually.

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General Features

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom also have the general features of the camera today’s smart phone cameras are equipped with.

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Pros:

  1. Optical camera gives better detail and control of the subject.
  2. Samsung Galaxy K Zoom saves a pocket as there is no need to carry a digital camera(with lens) and a smart phone separately.

Cons:

  1. There is need to take care of Galaxy K Zoom with water where as Samsung Galaxy S5 is water proof and can be used under water with no fear of getting damaged.
  2. Looks heavier than Samsung galaxy S5 spoiling the slim talk of the device.
  3. Xenon flash drains the battery quickly. You should save the battery by turning off your Wi-Fi, data connection for a long time shootout with flash. You may want to set your phone to flight mode even some times.
Samsung’s experiments of combining of digital camera and a smart phone shows the company’s futuristic ideology. Nokia have already came up with Symbian version of Nokia Pure 808 and a windows version of Nokia Lumia 1020 with powerful cameras but couldn’t make it in the market except for photography lovers. It may take some time for this ‘transformer’ devices to get into people lives. Till then they have to look forward for ‘Optimus Prime’s’ message from space.

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