Samsung WB800F Smart mode: Rich Tones

This setting looks a lot like what some cameras call HDR or High-Dynamic-Range.  The camera captures multiple images, using various exposures, to create a final image where both shadows and highlights have proper exposure. This final image is usually enhanced even further for dramatic effect. I like to post process my images even further for ultra vivid (unreal) effect.

preliminary images (more to come)

Samsung WB800F Smart mode: Continuous Shot

Hold the shutter down in the Continuous Shot Smart mode, and you get 5 images in less than 1 second. Then you can choose the one you think is best. I tried it on this crab.

These little guys were zipping in and out of their holes at great speed. They would come out for a snack, but if you just took a heavy breath in their area, they scampered back into their hole. If you look closely at each image, you will notice the movement of his small claw (probably munching on home fries).



Samsung WB800F Smart mode: Macro

The Crab Orb Spider, a cute little guy, but a bit tricky to photograph. Since the spider is so small, there is always more background than spider for the camera to use for autofocus, and the web is always blowing in the breeze:

1. I usually focus on an object the same distance from the lens as the spider
2. lock in the focus (half press shudder)
3. go back to the spider in viewfinder
4. depress shudder fully

It took me at least 15 tries to get this picture.

 

Samsung WB800F Smart mode: Panorama

Many digital cameras and smart phones have a panorama setting. With the 23mm wide angle lens already a part of the WB800F, the need for panoramic scenes is not as compelling as on those cameras with a lesser wide angle option. Here is how the WB800F deals with panoramas.

(remember, click on each image for larger view)

Samsung WB800F Smart mode

 

 The WB800F  "Smart" mode is often called "scene" mode on other cameras. The subcategories in Smart mode are collections of camera adjustments that help in creating the best image under certain focus and lighting conditions.

The WB800F smart modes or scenes include:

• Beauty Face
• Continuous Shot
• Landscape
• Macro
• Action Freeze
• Rich Tones
• Panorama
• Waterfall
• Silhouette
• Sunset
• Low Light Shot
• Fireworks
• Light Trace



Samsung WB800F A-S-M mode:

Aperture Priority - by setting the aperture to F8.0 I noticed a significant improvement in the sharpness, especially using the macro focus. The ISO stayed at AUTO, although I did drop the EV down 2/3. The camera selected shutter speed varied due to the differences in shadow level.

F 8.6 

 F 8.6 

 F 4.33

 F 6

  F 6.2

  F 6

  F 8

Shutter Priority - slow speed captured early morning light, while fast speed stopped water drops.

Exposure time: 1/6 sec

Exposure time: 1/2000 sec

I did not use full Manual for any pictures as of yet.

Samsung WB800F Program mode:

  

I get to do a little adjusting this time. 

By activating the "Fn" (function?) in the Program (P) mode one can change:

Exposure Value   I use this one a lot for flowers and plants

ISO                    100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200

White Balance     Auto Modes don't always get this right

Focus                 Auto, manual, macro

Metering             Multi, Spot, Center-weighted

Here are 5 images with some adjustment before the exposure. 

Samsung WB800F Auto mode:

 

This means I let the camera do everything except zoom and focus (you can tap on the screen where you would like the lens to focus). I walked around the neighborhood for about an hour, zoomed in and out , tried a macro or two, and generally had fun (bummer, no alligators). Results are not too bad.

OK, here are the top 5 in the "Auto mode" category.  

I will probably not use this mode (Auto) for close-ups and flowers. I will probably want to adjust exposure when objects are very bright or intensely white.

Some other attempts:

The duck picture is actually a 2x digital zoom. Click on it to enlarge it, not too bad.

I am dying to manipulate this one, but the rule was "straight from the camera".

Samsung WB800F Copy photos from camera (to PC)

So far I have discovered all these ways to copy/move images from the camera:

• connect via USB cable
• copy from SD card
• Samsung Auto Backup (WiFi)
• Email  (WiFi)
• Social Network or Cloud
• Send to Picasa   (WiFi)
• Send to Facebook        (WiFi)
• Send to SkyDrive         (WiFi)
• You Tube           (WiFi)
• AllShare Play
• MobileLink
• Connect to iPhone        (WiFi)
• Connect to iPad (WiFi)

Samsung WB800F First photo:

This is my first photo using the WB800F .It is a homage to my aging collection of "not as smart" digital cameras. I intended to use the "auto" setting without any adjustment, but because I didn't spend any time controlling the light, I was forced to adjust the brightness -in the camera- after the (auto) photo was taken to reduce the harsh shadows.  Generally I am happy with the image.

This picture was transferred to the PC via WiFi, using Samsung Auto Backup, and then, added to the blog from the PC. There are many ways to move images from the camera. More on that later.

Samsung WB800F

I bought my first "smart" camera, the Samsung WB 800F.

Wikipedia defines a smart camera:

A smart camera or "intelligent camera" is a vision system which, in addition to image capture circuitry, is capable of extracting application-specific information from the captured images…
I am going to consider a "smart camera" as one that can do image manipulation before, during, and after the picture is taken - a real photograph maker.

The idea here is the camera is a visual development system that can take pictures in a lot of different ways and edit them all within the camera. This camera does a lot of things, all within its case and I plan to try them all. 

Some noticeable features of the WB 800F camera 

• 21 times zoom
• ability to connect via Wi-Fi
• touch screen

Some of the existing smart phones are really good as cameras, but they just don't have the same optics, yet. For example a 21x zoom, something I seem to need all the time, and the ability to shoot in low light situations are not quite there with smart phones. These needs sent me to find a camera small in size, with decent image quality, and tons of features to explore. I am keeping an open mind with this experiment. I have long ago lost interest in hauling around  a wagon full of lenses and accessories to get that one shot, and I want all the features that the constant software changes (apps) a smart phones offers. We shall see if the current crop of smart cameras does everything on my list.

I am aware that Samsung offers an Android (Internet ready) phone already, but it is a bit expensive and image quality received mediocre reviews, plus one has to subscribe to a phone service.

My plan is to document every feature of this camera with photos demonstrating each setting. We shall see how this works out.

Unboxing the Samsung WB800 F

These are pictures of the camera before I took it out of the box.

 

This is the camera out-of-the-box