Samsung L310W Digital Camera [Review]

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Samsung L310W Digital Camera [Review]

Sudeep Naik, Feb 13, 2009 1300 hrs IST

Did this 13 megapixel ultra-compact camera impress us? Find out...

13MP, build, macro mode performance, advanced features like smile and blink detection

Overall image quality, noise suppression could have been better, ISO 3200 is of no use, expensive

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Performance

We used the L310W in a variety of conditions and with a lot of people who, unfortunately, did not allow us to publish their pictures here in the review.

I was really impressed with the build quality of the L310W. The screen is of good quality and has an above average resolution but washes out in bright outdoor light. The controls are well-set - all in their proper place, with good-quality materials for the buttons.

I had a lot of hopes from the 13 MP CCD, which, frankly, failed to deliver. Although in settings under ISO 400, the L310W showed above average color and skin tone reproduction. The images we shot indoors were of decent quality but a little darker than the scene. With ISO 800 and beyond, the images were of no use (check out the sample pictures). Advanced features like Smile and Blink detection work well, but not every time.

What I really liked about the L310W is its Macro mode. Images shot in this mode did appear a little dark, but I could live with that.

The movie mode on the camera offers users SVGA-resolution (800 x 592) MPEG-4 video and advanced editing controls. The quality of the clips is decent enough for spur-of-the-moment videos. An interesting feature is the camera's Successive Recording mode, where you can pause and resume filming of video clips without having to save the clips as individual files. Additionally, you can operate the camera's optical zoom while filming and engage a movie stabilizer to compensate for unwanted camera movement and motion blur.

Overall, the Samsung L310W let me down big time. I had expected a lot from this 13 MP camera. But as I said, manufacturers are only trying to cram in more pixels on the same size sensor but fail to realise how adversely it affects the image quality. I'd say a similar 8 MP camera (even from Samsung) can beat the hell out of this one.

Battery Life

The battery is a Samsung proprietary Li-ion that lasts for about 170 to 190 shots with minimal reviewing, and around 150 shot with a fair bit of use of the flash and reviewing of pictures as well. Of course, it's always better to have an extra battery, just in case.

Verdict

The Samsung L310W is available for about Rs. 18,000 with a one-year warranty. For that price, there clearly are much better options available in the market. The Sony T77 or the Canon IXUS 970 IS is a better option if an ultra-compact camera is what you are looking for. If you can live with something bigger, the SX110 IS is also a great choice.

I must add I am truly disappointed in the way the digicam industry is shaping up in India today. I strongly urge them to stop these misleading marketing tactics and focus on giving much better quality for the price that people are paying.

Test unit sourced from Integral PR