Samsung ST30

Register Hardware has run a review of 10 cheap, small compact cameras. The one that stands out to me is the tiny, cheap (£60) Samsung ST30.

Review excerpts follow:

The ST30 (82 x 52 x 17mm [smaller than a credit card, Ed.], 86g [small, old-school mobile phone, Ed.]) is delightfully dinky.

The 2.4in screen resolution is only 112k dots, so it looks decidedly low-res.

Samsung’s 4.1-12.3mm, f3.3-5.9 (35mm equivalent 28-84mm) 3x zoom lens takes surprisingly good macro shots, as well as proving to be a good all-rounder. It’s also quick off the draw at just under 2.5s from start to shoot. The autofocus response was also within respectable limits and coped well for low light and night shooting.

As a step up from a phonecam, the ST30 certainly hits the spot, with the low-res screen and Micro SD storage choices being the only things to grumble about. If you’re content with a 10.1Mp resolution, as a point and shoot snapper, the ST30 puts in a thoroughly respectable performance with good ISO choices, spot on exposures and an autofocus that gets it right just about every time.
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