Even the very presence of a camera in mobile phones, at first, caused skepticism. Perhaps any innovation, any experiment causes them. Now, hardly anyone will say that a camera that is always at hand is an excess (although no, someone will say yes). But do you need a mobile phone in a camera? Samsung tried to answer this question by releasing the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, having previously experimented with the Galaxy Camera. The latter, although it did not know how to make calls, had the same hardware as the Galaxy S3 (with the exception of the camera unit and the telephone module) with the resulting Android and the functions of a small tablet. Almost all the same can be done with the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, which has a filling close to the Galaxy S4 Mini. Only here the zoom is not 16, but 10x, it is much more elegant. Well, he knows how to call. Yesterday in the UK, sales of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom started, where they ask for the equivalent of 4500 hryvnia (18,000 rubles), which, of course, is a lot, but much less than the amount that would have to be paid for a Galaxy Camera.

Specifications Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom

Appearance and design

With iPhone 4s

Duals in the truest sense of the word are capable of causing this camera-smartphone! The front view is a standard Samsung Galaxy white. It's just that when he lies on the table, it seems that something has been planted under him. And if you look at what was put under it, it turns out that this is a lens.

And in general, rather a camera, a small compact Samsung soap box from the class, gradually, but thoroughly survived from the face of the earth by smartphones. Only very thin.

But, excuse me, is it possible to call the S4 Zoom thin? Bulging lens at the top, hand grip at the bottom…. Down below? Maybe on the left? Again, this depends on how you look.

For a camera, it is thin, for a smartphone of 2013, it is impermissible, and even unevenly thick. Well, for a hybrid, just right. When used for shooting, it does not attract any special attention: just a small camera. But when she starts ringing for no reason at all, you bring her to your head, and a lens sticks out at ear level, this is surprising.

Even in this age of converged gadgets. Well, that's okay, it surprises and stops. A person gets used to everything. Although, as a smartphone, it is not very convenient to hold it in your hand: both the grip and the lens interfere a little.

They, creating a thickness of 15 millimeters, will prevent the device from being comfortably placed in narrow pockets: you have to pay for an optical zoom! Although the smartphone still fits in the big pockets of men's jeans, unlike the Galaxy Camera, which is a third thicker. Gloss white, as in many other models, is quite practical.

And I am also glad that the battery is removable, it can be removed by removing the wall of the bottom edge, on which the microUSB connector is located. The SIM-card slot is also hidden under the same cover.

Above there is an audio jack for a headset, on the left (or below, if "camera-like") - a socket for screwing to a tripod and a slot for microSD memory cards.

Well, on the right (or on top) are the traditional power and volume buttons and an unconventional large camera activation key (where can we go without it!).

Although the camera can also be activated by simply rotating the lens, if the smartphone has an active screen. Oh yes, I almost forgot: there are no complaints about the assembly, nothing creaks anywhere, does not fall off and does not bend.

Display

From the camera's point of view, the display here is practically unique: 4.3 inches, with multitouch, made using qHD sAMOLED technology with its bright colors, and even with a resolution of 960x540 pixels. At the same time, the pixel density is 256 ppi, which is not surprising, however, it is enough that the grain is not noticeable. The viewing angles are wide, the colors practically do not change with any deviation. The measured brightness of the white field was 339 cd / m2, which is higher than the Galaxy S4 Mini and even the Galaxy S4, so the screen is really very bright.

Device name	Brightness of the white field, cd / m2	The brightness of the black field, cd / m2	Contrast
Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom	339	0	∞
Samsung Galaxy S4 Mini	288	0	∞
Huawei Ascend D2	310,52	0.30	1037:1
Sony Xperia ZL	394	0.66	596:1
Samsung Galaxy S4	320	0	∞
Sony Xperia T	421	0.28	1503:1
iPhone 4S	434	0.53	818:1

This is extremely important for the camera, since it is absolutely normal and common practice to shoot outdoors on a bright sunny day. Glare, however, interferes somewhat, but minimally. At the same time, black, like the above-mentioned brothers in the line, is really black, which gives rise to just excellent contrast. By default, the screen is distinguished by acid colors, which some like, some don't. It was in the "native" mode that we took measurements from the screen. But if you are tired of them, the smartphone allows you to change the display mode to more quiet ones, for example, "movie".

System, performance, autonomy

The hardware of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is close in performance to that of the Galaxy S4 Mini, only slightly weaker: the smartphone is based on a dual-core Samsung Exynos 4210 processor with a frequency of 1.5 GHz with a Mali-400 MP graphics coprocessor. RAM here, like the S4 Mini, is 1.5 gigabytes, the drive is 8 gigabytes, expandable with microSD cards. Accordingly, close, but slightly weaker, and indicators in synthetic tests: AnTuTu, for example, showed 10122 points against 11696 for the S4 Mini. The device runs Android 4.2.2 with a proprietary TouchWiz Nature UX interface. The set of functions is somewhat curtailed compared to the flagships (like the one mentioned, probably 10 times the S4 Mini).

So, there is no multi-window mode or gesture control. But there is an interesting application "Photo Recommendations" based on the Panoramio image database linked to Google maps. You go in and see, for example, what is interesting nearby. Or, at least, captured by other people and posted on the Internet. There is also an interesting program Paper Artist for editing pictures. In all other respects, the interface capabilities are almost identical to the Galaxy S4 Mini, to the review of which I am directing you. Here I will only add that the interface worked smoothly, like three-dimensional toys, in particular - Dead Trigger. The battery in the device is not only removable, but also quite capacious - 2330 mAh. Accordingly, it withstood more than a day without recharging in normal mode, and played video from the Internet for 8 hours 5 minutes. I can also assume that the versions for sale will differ in this indicator for the better.

All communications - GSM, Wi-Fi, Bluetooth, GPS - worked without problems, at a decent modern level. I didn't really like the speaker, which gives out wheezing at high volume, but when connected with acceptable headphones, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is a decent audio player.

Camera

Auto mode

So the main pride galaxy smartphone S4 Zoom - camera. And to be absolutely precise - optical zoom, as the name of the model unambiguously hints at. It is tenfold here. It's not as big as the 16x Galaxy Camera, but even that luxury has never dreamed of other smartphones. To get closer - everything is grown-up - the lens ring is used. It can also be twisted to focus in macro mode. A nice detail that should be adopted for conventional cameras is the presence of a protective glass on the lens. Of the obvious mistakes, I note the impossibility of launching the camera from standby mode. It's a shame: after all, the camera, which is always with you, should be launched at the first call, and in the case of the S4 Zoom, you will have to first activate the screen, and then the camera. However, this is done in order to protect the smartphone side of the device from accidental calls, so it is forgivable. Moreover, the camera starts up quickly. The characteristics of the camera are good for a smartphone, but in fact, these are the parameters of an ordinary soap dish. The sensor size is quite small, 1: 2.3 inches, so you should understand that at high ISO values \u200b\u200bthe images will be noisy. However, the lens is not the most light-sensitive in the world. The technical characteristics of the camera module are 4.3-43 mm, 1: 3.1-6.3 24 mm, while the Galaxy Camera has 4.1-86.1 mm, 1: 2.8-5.9 23 mm. The camera has an interface that is closer to compacts than to modules built into smartphones: a wheel appears on the screen, through which you can select a mode. In the case of manual modes (there are three of them here - completely manual, software and "color wizard") there is also a settings menu, also wheel-shaped.

There are still a lot of ready-made modes (as many as 27) and many more different settings that, based on experience, few people use. The quality of the pictures is not bad, the detailing, as for a smartphone, is good, but on the whole it does not differ too much from the usual "soap dish" of the average level. If there were a larger matrix, all other things being equal, the results would be completely different. However, many flaws can be forgiven for the presence of a zoom camera: no smartphone can shoot from such a distance, and thanks to the zoom it is much easier with the geometry of the pictures. Here are some shots taken with and without zoom.

No zoom

With zoom

No zoom

With zoom

No zoom

With zoom

In the dry residue

Samsung has a very controversial and specific device. On the one hand, it can be considered another nail in the coffin of a dying class of inexpensive compact cameras. On the other hand, many potential users consider a huge lens sticking out of a smartphone as absurdity (subjectively) and a certain inconvenience (rightly). At the cost of this hybrid, although it cannot be attributed to the budget, but taking into account the "two in one" model, the price does not seem so high. And it is certainly lower than that of the much more dubious Galaxy Camera from the point of view of the buyer, which, although it has a 16x zoom, but the small size of the matrix significantly negates its advantages.

5 reasons to buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom:

• 10x camera zoom;
• hybrid "two devices in one";
• good contrast and bright display;
• good price;
• it is original and unexpected!

3 reasons not to buy the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom:

• You want a sleek smartphone;
• You don't need a zoom on your phone;
• You want flagship performance.

The control processor is a dual-core Exynos 4210 chip with a clock frequency of 1.5 GHz, and the Mali-400 MP processor is responsible for graphics processing.

The main feature of the entire Galaxy S4 Zoom is, of course, the zoom lens. No modern smartphone can boast a 10x optical zoom. In a sense, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is still out of competition. Zooming and focusing are carried out quite quickly and accurately. However, the lens does not have a high aperture ratio. At focal lengths of 24-240 mm, the aperture changes from F3.1 to F6.3. Samsung Galaxy Camera compares favorably with two more zoom ratio and brighter optics.

All shooting modes have essentially migrated here from the Galaxy Camera. Manual mode allows you to set shutter speed, aperture, white balance, metering method and ISO. Burst shooting is available at 4 frames per second. There is also a function for gluing HDR images, shooting panoramas, macro mode, a tool for creating gif-animation, as well as a two-sided shot function using the main and front cameras.

Another disadvantage of the camera is the long startup time. Taking into account the extension of the lens, it takes about three seconds to turn on, which is quite a lot even by the standards of Android smartphones. As already mentioned, you can launch the camera using the application icon on the desktop or using the lens ring. However, you cannot quickly activate the photo module from standby mode.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is provided with 8 gigabytes of internal memory. This is quite small by modern standards and considering that only 5 GB is available to the user. There is also a 16 GB version on sale. However, the cheapest way out of the situation will be to buy a more capacious microSD card - the device supports media up to 64 gigabytes.

Moreover, it supports Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n, as befits a self-respecting smartphone. In this case, no dances with a tambourine are required to transfer files. You can send pictures to Facebook or Instagram directly - however, you need to install the corresponding applications for this. Naturally, you can install not only the mentioned clients, but also Vkontakte, Flickr, Tumblr - whatever. Rather, everything that is compatible with Android 4.2.

Test shots, videos, battery life

You shouldn't expect miracles from the small matrix Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom. Compact cameras priced at $ 200-300 with the same sensor size can take orders of magnitude better. Although the lens allows 10x zooming, its aperture is too low at the long end, and using high ISO values \u200b\u200bis fraught with a significant deterioration in image quality. All that remains is to rely on the manual shutter speed setting and a tripod. Many shots look frankly blurry, there is a noticeable decrease in sharpness at the edges of the frame. In addition, during testing, errors in metering and determination of white balance appeared. In general, it is not necessary to speak of the Galaxy S4 Zoom as a worthy replacement for a compact camera.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is a new smartphone with 10x optical zoom and 16MP camera. At the moment, it is the most powerful camera phone on the market among the mainstream models of major manufacturers. In fact, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is a smaller and lighter version of the Galaxy Camera that can make calls and has additional features like IrDA for controlling home electronics. What is important, the new product is cheaper than its predecessor. Let's see how the Koreans managed to combine a camera and a phone in one device. Readers of Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru can be the first in the world to learn about the new Samsung product simultaneously with the global announcement.

Now a new stage of the battle of camera phones has been outlined. The fact is that consumers want versatility - they only carry a smartphone with them and at the same time get pictures of the same quality as “soap boxes”. This is gradually becoming a reality as technology advances. Now the standard for a modern flagship is 13 megapixels. HTC decided to sacrifice megapixels (in the model Htc one only four) for the sake of improving night shooting, while Nokia, on the contrary, is preparing a new multi-pixel smartphone (41 megapixel, like in the 808 model). In general, everyone is trying to offer the consumer their own solution.

Samsung also decided not to limit itself to standard 8 and 13 megapixel modules (by the way, with the highest quality shooting on a par with Apple), but is also bringing to the market the first smartphone with a powerful optical zoom. This is the Galaxy S4 Zoom, which is somewhere between the Galaxy Camera and the Galaxy S4 Mini. The model is equipped with a 16 megapixel camera, 10x optical zoom and all the software attributes of Samsung cameras. This novelty has no equal in terms of the range of possibilities, but, as it is easy to see, it was impossible to completely deceive the limitations of modern technologies - the device is quite massive.

In terms of capabilities, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is a simplified alternative to the Galaxy S4 Mini (less powerful processor, no Dual-SIM / LTE, etc.) with a larger battery, plus a simplified Galaxy Camera module (10x zoom instead of 21x). Interestingly, the model is relatively inexpensive.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom will appear in Russia in July for 19,990 rubles at the start. The price is exactly the same as on the Galaxy S4 Mini.

• Network: GSM / GPRS / EDGE: 850/900/1800/1900 MHz, HSDPA
• Operating system: Android 4.2.2, Nature UX interface
• Processor: dual-core Samsung Exynos 4210 with a frequency of 1.5 GHz
• Display: 4.3 "qHD sAMOLED (960x540)
• Camera: 16 MP, 10X optical zoom, flash, 1080p video recording, 1.9 MP front camera
• Memory: 8 GB, 1.5 GB RAM, microSD card support (up to 64 GB)
• Communications: Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n, Bluetooth 4.0, IrDA, microUSB 2.0, NFC
• Other: S Voice, S Translator, Samsung WatchON, Samsung Hub, Albus Story
• Battery: 2330 mAh, removable
• Dimensions, weight: 125.5 x 63.5 x 15.4 mm, 208 g

Price in Russia: 19,990 rubles, sales start in July

Design, ergonomics

Outwardly, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom resembles all the company's latest smartphones (except for the Galaxy Active) - glossy plastic with a patterned texture, and a metal insert at the end. In shape, the new smartphone is most similar to the Galaxy Camera, only in a reduced form due to the smaller screen. Let me remind you that Galaxy Camera is made in a different design - matte plastic, rubberized grip and dark insert - this design seems to me to be more successful. They decided to simplify the Galaxy S4 Zoom as a more affordable product, and at the same time emphasize its belonging to smartphones.

The starting price of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is 20% lower than the starting price of the Galaxy Camera.

Samsung's glossy plastic has been debated for a long time. On the one hand, it looks cheap and not very pleasant to the touch. On the other hand, it is more maintainable and less heat conductive. In general, the moment is ambiguous. The Galaxy S4 Zoom is not in the best way in the hand, the massiveness of the case affects, in particular, its large thickness. It should be noted that the new product is much smaller and slightly lighter than the Galaxy Camera, there is progress.

The novelty is bulky. The minimum thickness is more than 15 mm, the weight is more than 200 g. For a smartphone, this is too much. Holding the Galaxy S4 Zoom in your hand is hampered by the grip protrusion and lens. In the area of \u200b\u200bthe latter, the thickness is almost one and a half times greater, the presence of an optical zoom affects. Moreover, when shooting, the lens extends. Alas, so far technology does not allow to implement it otherwise. As a result, outwardly the novelty Samsung looks like a "soap dish", and not like a smartphone.

Compared to the Galaxy Camera, the Galaxy S 4 Zoom has been thinned by over a third.

The SIM-card slot is located under the battery cover (by the way, it is removable, so you can take a spare one with you). The key difference between the Galaxy S4 Zoom and the Galaxy Camera is that the former can make calls. Thus, it is a full-fledged smartphone. As well as a player, remote control, camera and generally a universal gadget - this is the main advantage of the Galaxy S4 Zoom.

Comparison with Samsung Galaxy S4:

Comparison with Samsung Galaxy Camera:

Comparison with Nokia 808 PureView:

Hardware filling

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is based on Samsung Exynos 4210 dual-core processor with a frequency of 1.5 GHz, Mali-400 MP graphics.

One of the significant drawbacks of the Galaxy Camera is the low-power battery of only 1650 mAh. The Koreans have corrected this flaw in the Galaxy S4 Zoom, the model has a 2330 mAh battery. As a result, the operating time of the device is more than a day, the video is played for more than 9 hours. For comparison, the Galaxy Camera played the same video for less than 5 hours.

Compared to the Galaxy Camera, the battery life has been almost doubled.

In power saving mode:

There is complete order in communications. There are Bluetooth 4.0, Wi-Fi 802.11 a / b / g / n, NFC and GPS modules. There is no LTE support in the Russian version. As noted, there is an infrared port. In general, a standard set for the middle class. The reception quality is also at the usual good level for Samsung. But the speaker is not of the highest quality, it is noticeably wheezing at maximum volume.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom has 8 GB of internal memory, of which about 5 GB is available to the user. For expansion, there is a microSD slot with support for cards up to 64 GB. For most users, this will be enough. The RAM is 1.5 GB, which is typical for mid-range Samsung models.

Our display expert Mikhail Kuznetsov gave a detailed comment on screen quality:

The Samsung GALAXY S 4 Zoom screen is a familiar 4.3-inch AMOLED panel with qHD (960x540) resolution and 256 ppi pixel density. Yes, these numbers may no longer be impressive against the backdrop of modern madness at 440 ppi and above. However, this does not affect image quality much, and except for the smallest details it is not very noticeable.

Do not be intimidated by OLED technology - in this case, Samsung, as well as on other GALAXY models, prudently gave the opportunity to choose a color profile to their liking. There is also a typical AMOLED setting with "flashy" saturated colors, and there are also "calm" profiles.

The maximum measured brightness was 337 cd / m2 in the "Standard" profile and about 295 cd / m2 in the "Film" profile (provided that the "Adaptive brightness control" in the display settings is turned off). Brightness headroom is quite high, this 4.3-inch panel is brighter than the GALAXY S3 or S4 screens, which is a nice bonus in exchange for a lower resolution. In this case, the image begins to "wash out" only under very bright light - in all other cases it is amazingly deep, thanks to the stunning native contrast of the OLED display. Of course, some of the light is reflected off the screen, reducing the contrast, but the anti-glare properties are effective enough to hide this loss as much as possible. The viewing angles are very wide and the colors shift slightly.

The gamma setting pleased us with stability, the average value in all screen modes is very close to the target 2.22. The brightness of all midtones is close to optimal and the readability of bright and dark details is very good.

Accordingly, the DeltaE color deviation falls on average from 12 to 6 units and below, which can already be called a very decent quality of the factory setting. Profiles "Professional photography" and "Film" are really successful in this respect.

Color gamut is another controversial place for AMOLED, which is extremely wide by default and far surpasses the sRGB standard. On the one hand, this allows the colors to appear more saturated, but at the same time, not as natural. The Dynamic, Standard and, oddly enough, Professional Photography profiles have a wide gamut that distorts colors in photos or videos. Photographers who rarely use Adobe RGB are unlikely to be happy with this situation. As a result, the “Film” profile turned out to be the most adequate again - the secondary colors here are very close to sRGB, and the primary ones are not so oversaturated. The average DeltaE here is 4.48 points, a good result for the supposedly "wrong" AMOLED screen. Moreover, the brightness of the colors is kept relative to each other, which makes the image in the "Film" profile the most suitable for photos and videos to obtain natural colors.

Generally, screen samsung The GALAXY S4 Zoom is pretty good. The main criticism here can be clarity - the PenTile matrix does not have the highest ppi, although, in my opinion, this has little effect on everyday use. The issue of color rendering and other "AMOLED horrors" is completely solved by switching color profiles. In general, in terms of contrast, few people can argue with AMOLED, so I think most users will like the screen. Although to some, perhaps, LCD screens will seem more familiar.

Camera

This is the most important thing about the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom, which sets the model apart from other smartphones. Optical zoom allows you to change the focal length of the lens optically, while digital does it programmatically. In the second case, the increase noticeably spoils the picture, but in the first case it does not. In simpler terms, you can enlarge the subject in the frame ten times without losing quality. Agree, the opportunity is at least interesting. In practice, this allows you to naturally photograph animals, people and distant details. Pleases in the Galaxy Zoom and the resolution of the picture - as in the Galaxy Camera, there is 16 megapixels, which gives good detail.

I will especially note the software part, here Samsung offers all the possibilities of the Galaxy Camera in a smartphone, which is very interesting. The most important thing is the abundance of shooting modes, this is an important moment for inexperienced users (in fact, they will be the majority among the Galaxy S4 Zoom buyers). There are 26 modes in total:

There is also a manual shooting mode with a change in exposure, photosensitivity (by the way, up to 3200), etc. It is clear that the automatic mode has not gone anywhere for the most undemanding users (there are more than half of them, according to statistics). Moreover, tips in Russian are available. The interface is already familiar, branded Samsung, it is quite convenient and functional, contains many settings.

By default, the Galaxy S4 Zoom uses 16: 9 (12MP) mode, here are examples of shooting in this mode:

Optical zoom operation:

Macro is especially good - here are some examples in maximum quality (16 MP), clickable photos to the original:

When you look at these pictures, you do not immediately understand that they were taken with a smartphone, and some will not believe you.

For comparison with Nokia 808 PureView, I used 4: 3 mode (16 MP):

Left Nokia 808 PureView / Right Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom

As you can see, in terms of smartphones, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is doing great. And this is on the first firmware, in the next the quality of shooting will be even improved. And thanks to the optical zoom, the model is completely unique. But if we compare with traditional cameras, then not everything is so rosy here, you should not expect the level of full-fledged cameras from a smartphone - our photo expert Alexander Babulin comments:

In terms of photographic capabilities, this smartphone is, in fact, a reduced a copy of Samsung Galaxy Camera, a kind of pocket version with a slightly more than doubled optical zoom (4.3-43 mm versus 4.1-86.1 mm with very close aperture characteristics). On the one hand, this is a plus - the Galaxy Camera was distinguished by an interesting and convenient control system via the touch screen. On the other hand, it is rather a minus, because the photographic capabilities of this module are more than limited in comparison with traditional cameras.

The small matrix does not allow you to get good quality pictures at high ISO - very strong chromatic noise comes up. And you will have to "lift" the light sensitivity - the lens does not have a high aperture ratio, at the long end you will have to use a 6.3 aperture, which will result in a small amount of light entering the matrix. However, the very presence of optical zoom already favorably distinguishes the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom camera - not only due to the ability to shoot relatively distant objects in close-up, but also due to the ability to get the correct frame geometry when shooting, for example, portraits. Also Galaxy S4 Zoom allows you to get an atypically good background blur for smartphones.

Detailing for a smartphone is not bad, but this is the level of entry-level compact cameras, nothing more. Color reproduction is quite natural, white balance is measured normally. The lens allows you to ensure good sharpness of the object in the focus area, noticeably "soapy" at the edges of the frame. In general, the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom camera module does not seem revolutionary to me - it is good for modern smartphones, most of which lack an optical mind, but is inferior to the vast majority of specialized cameras.

In the near future, a large comparative test of cameras and smartphones will be published on Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru. Stay tuned!

Software, interface

Software Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom is typical for smartphones of this brand - here is the latest version of Android OS 4.2.2 and the proprietary TouchWiz Nature UX interface. The difference between the models is only in the feature set. In particular, the new product lacks such features of more expensive devices as multi-window mode, smart scrolling, gesture control, etc.

Most of TouchWiz's functions are moved to the extended submenu of the notification center - 10 icons. From here, you can activate Wi-Fi, GPS, Bluetooth, and more. The settings menu is split into four horizontal tabs. The simple screen display mode is still there if you don't need desktops.

There is S Translator, which provides translation of text “on the fly”, and reads both voice and text (and is able to throw text into voice and vice versa). There is a recognition function directly from the camera. This can be useful in foreign countries: just point the camera to find out the meaning of an unfamiliar word. The mobile assistant provides instant translation of words, letters, messages and chats, and also supports voice input.

With Group Play, you can share music, photos and games without active Wi-Fi or cellular networks; communication is supported by the smartphone itself without assistance. Another interesting feature is the S Voice voice assistant. This is especially useful in car mode: you can set up an appointment, make a reminder, check the weather, turn on the player, navigation, etc. You can even select a subscriber from the phone book by voice, dictate a message and send. The application supports the Russian language, but if everything is fine with the recognition, then the electronic speech in Russian leaves much to be desired.

Galaxy S4 Zoom has an infrared port on the top of the case and a WatchON application for controlling equipment. Not only Samsung devices are supported, but also other brands. It all works properly. But with one caveat - Russia is not supported by the TV program, which means that the WatchON functionality for our country is limited only by the remote control. By the way, unlike the Galaxy S4, there is no Flipboard pre-installed. The latter also lacks support from Russia, which is why, apparently, they decided to abandon it in the supply of the original software.

But of the smart functions, only one remains - intelligent expectation. This is when the screen is on while you are looking at it. Unfortunately, there are no rotations, pauses and scrolling from the Galaxy S4. Design aside, TouchWiz is by far the best third-party interface for Android.

Opinion Hi-Tech.Mail.Ru

Our research shows that fewer than half of smartphone owners use camera settings, and only 17% of users potentially need optical zoom when enlarging the body of a smartphone. The Galaxy S4 Zoom is technologically interesting, but now traditional cameras are enough for the mass consumer.

The new Samsung product is targeted at the niche of users who want the versatility and quality of a smartphone camera at any cost. And the main compromise here is in size / weight, but not in price - the Galaxy S4 Zoom is cheaper than a bunch of similar separate devices, and the price for it is 20% lower than the initial price of the Galaxy Camera. At the same time, the shooting quality is ambiguous - it is higher than that of any smartphones, but lower than that of most cameras - in general, the situation with the Galaxy Camera is repeated.

As a versatile gadget, the Galaxy S4 Zoom is pretty good. In one device, you get a full-fledged smartphone, a good camera and many additional functions (player, remote control, etc.). The only question is how much you are willing to sacrifice for the sake of this compactness of the smartphone and how much you need an increase in the quality of the camera compared to conventional smartphones. What is important, in this case, the experiments cost adequate money. The recommended price of the Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom at the start is 19,990 rubles, which is a third cheaper than modern flagships. So many people will be able to try the new Korean camera phone.

As for the competitors, they are not there now and will definitely not be in the near future. Many people see an alternative in the 41-megapixel Nokia 808 PureView (more precisely, in the future Windows Phone smartphone based on it), but this is not so - the main feature of the Galaxy S4 Zoom is the optical zoom, which Nokia does not have. Accordingly, the devices are too different to be compared. Nevertheless, you could appreciate examples of pictures from both of these models in this review.

The bottom line is a massive (especially in thickness and weight) smartphone with average characteristics, simple design, but functional, relatively affordable and with an excellent camera. If you are looking for a versatile gadget and you need high-quality shooting, I recommend taking a closer look at this new product. The solution is unique and has no analogues at the moment, and therefore it can be very interesting for its audience. But be prepared to compromise.

@dryab, ryabinin (at) corp.mail.ru

Nowadays, devices are in vogue that are capable of doing something that you don't necessarily expect from them. Tablets turning into laptops, desktop computers turning into tablets, smartphones turning into tablets again - or are they just smartphones with which it is not clear - is it still a phone or is it already a tablet? Samsung has already played the game "try to make something unusual out of a smartphone" once, and as a result, a line of giant "shades" Galaxy Note was born - and the result exceeded all expectations, the "shovels" turned out to be so successful that all manufacturers rushed to race construct similar devices.

Last year, the Koreans tried their hand at creating another experimental product - a hybrid of a smartphone (or rather, again, a very compact tablet - it was impossible to call on this device) and a camera. The Galaxy Camera, unlike the Galaxy Note, did not explode the market. However, the very idea of \u200b\u200ba camera with which you can quickly and conveniently upload pictures and videos directly to the Internet was obviously recognized as correct - and the modest successes were attributed to an insufficiently perfect implementation of the test model.

So Samsung did not abandon this type of device and this year decided to expand and deepen it - to try to develop the idea in two directions at once. On the one hand, the Koreans introduced a mirrorless camera on Android (Galaxy NX), and on the other, a much more compact device, which, unlike the Galaxy Camera, can already pass for a smartphone with a strong focus on photography. At least the Galaxy S4 Zoom, which we'll talk about today, can already be called.

⇡ Design

You can call, but you hardly want to do it. Due to the massive blotch of a mechanized zoom lens, the smartphone is very weighty - more than 200 grams. And the thickness of the case is quite decent: the official specifications say 15.4 mm, but it is quite obvious that this figure is crafty. Together with the lens, the thickness will pull a good inch with more, and this is harsh for laptops today, not like for a smartphone.

In general, the Galaxy S4 Zoom not only drags out the pocket, but also bulges it pretty much. So the device does not dispose to carry it with you all the time, as the only phone. Understand correctly, this can be done. But if there is a choice - to take a regular Galaxy S4 or Galaxy S4 Zoom with you, then there is nothing to even think about, this choice is completely obvious.

Galaxy S4 Zoom vs. Full Size Galaxy S4

Because the Galaxy S4 is better in your pocket and in your hand - and at the same time it has much more serious capabilities in terms of comfortable web surfing, text communication, watching movies, games and all that other stuff, for which, in fact, smartphones are needed.

If we consider the device as a camera, then it is much more convenient: massive shapes make it easy to hold the Galaxy S4 Zoom in a “photographic” grip; a full-fledged two-head release button is better than any micro-button in any smartphone - not to mention the fact that in most modern devices it is not made at all. The ring on the lens is not a fake one - it can be used to cycle through the modes or control the "zoom". There is even a tripod thread, something that smartphones can't even dream of.

One problem: the display frame, although thicker than the Galaxy S4, is still unnecessarily thin. In addition, there are touch buttons under the display (or to the right of it, if you hold the device like a camera). So you have to be very careful with the Galaxy S4 Zoom - otherwise there is a great chance of grabbing onto something touch. On-screen buttons could fix things, but Samsung decided to stick to the standard controls for the Galaxy line - the solution is not the most successful, sometimes it is worth being more flexible.

The body of the S4 Zoom, like all members of the Galaxy S4 family, is completely made of glossy plastic and adorned with an unobtrusive pale mesh texture. Judging by the reinforced concrete stubbornness of the case, there is probably a metal frame inside.

⇡ Specifications

• Camera
• Charger with USB cable
• Li-Ion 2330 mAh battery
• Hand strap
• Instruction manual

Positioning

Samsung's first Android camera was called the Galaxy Camera and hit store shelves in November 2012. Its index was EK-GC100. The positioning of that device was not very clear, Samsung, as usual, rushed into a new niche in the market that had just appeared. Let me remind you that in the second half of 2012, many camera manufacturers presented their vision of Android cameras, for example, it was a device from Nikon. IN galaxy review Camera I wrote that “this is a first generation product that was released in response to the sophistication in this area of \u200b\u200bdigital camera manufacturers such as Nikon. Samsung tried the product, came up with scenarios of use, and gave some flexibility in installing additional programs. And now we are ready to study which scenarios will be used in practice. And this approach works because people know better why they can use a camera. "

After seven months of Galaxy Camera sales, we can say that this market segment has taken place, but not at all as previously assumed. Sales of Galaxy Camera, despite the high cost, turned out to be noticeable, which allowed the development of the second generation of devices - presumably a new segment of devices appeared, which is located at the interface between smartphones and digital cameras, which follows from the scenarios of their use. Most Galaxy Camera buyers are technology buffs, those who are eagerly looking for new types of devices and putting them into practice. A good friend of mine is a typical example of a Galaxy Camera buyer - he buys most of the technological innovations, many of them are taken out of the box, tried and sent to the shelf. He is interested in the process of learning new toys, and at the same time Galaxy Camera made it possible to share photos in real time, without additional shamanism and transferring photos to a phone or computer.

What did Samsung find out about the use cases for the Android camera after the first generation, and what complaints did they hear? One of the main complaints was that despite the presence of a GSM-module, you cannot make calls on the camera. Suddenly, it turned out that many buyers of this camera use it when traveling, in particular, on vacation or in another country. That is, having the opportunity to publish pictures, people also wanted to call - from time to time. They were not at all embarrassed by how it might look from the outside. Perhaps this scenario could not have been predicted when creating the first generation.

Another criticism was the size of the Galaxy Camera - every second user said that it would be nice to hide the camera in his pocket. Many also spoke about the operating time, which was rather short due to the large diagonal of the screen and the motor in the camera lens.

But the main conclusion that Samsung took from the first generation of Android camera is that the device, like the Galaxy Note once, is able to create its own niche. And this is not a device that is positioned as a camera, but secondarily as a smartphone or something like that. This is not a direct symbiosis of two types of devices - this is an additional device for certain buyers who are willing to buy it as an appendix to their existing smartphone with similar characteristics. The only obstacle for them was the price of such a product.

For me personally, it was an unpleasant discovery (but to some extent expected - sorry for the tautology) that few of the users of the first generation of Galaxy Camera noted that they were not satisfied with the quality of the images. For me, this was the main reason why I don't use the camera on a daily basis, it shoots no better than the Galaxy S3 / S4, and only offers a good optical zoom.

The new Galaxy S4 Zoom index indicates that the positioning inside Samsung has changed. Number 101 is the serial number of the camera, the previous one was the hundredth. True, there was an abbreviation GC (Galaxy Camera), now it has changed to SM-C101. Behind the letters SM is the word Smart, but here it does not mean smartphones or cameras at all, this is a new category of devices, which, in theory, will include other types, for example, something for a smart home. The letter C indicates that this is Camera. For example, the SM-R100 may be the first in the generation of 4G routers (this is just an example, I'm not sure if a model with such an index exists).

Another point is an attempt to position the camera as an appendage to the existing Galaxy line and specifically to the Galaxy S4 as its flagship. The presence in the name of the Galaxy S4 directly refers to this ultra-popular phone and this approach works. From a marketing standpoint, Samsung considers Zoom to be a smartphone. Having dealt with the name, let's see what categories Samsung is trying to bring this device into.

The focus on technology lovers remains, this is one of the main groups. But also the second emphasis is made on young people who can choose this device as an additional or second. The third, notable, but not very large group is becoming "mobile photographers", those who cannot imagine their life without Instagram or similar services. I will add that the camera turns into a rather interesting tool for instant reporting, it outperforms ordinary phones in exactly one thing - the presence of an optical zoom. It can be unambiguously argued that due to a different price positioning, the second generation of Samsung's Android cameras will be sold in large volumes. This device has no direct competitors, since it was created in the paradigm of an additional camera (second device). For example, in the presence of a SLR camera, this unit can act as an additional one for filming and publishing on social networks (instant publication). For some, the device can become additional to the smartphone to provide the same zoom or not waste battery power. The scenario of using the device in roaming is very interesting, when you buy a local SIM-card for navigation (there is no need to take your own out of the phone).

Other manufacturers continue to develop Android cameras based on their initial conditions - camera manufacturers are trying to improve their functionality at the expense of Android, phone manufacturers such as Nokia are trying to make their phones more attractive with cameras. Samsung is not afraid to create a niche product that can potentially be used as a replacement for both cameras and smartphones. Neither camera manufacturers nor smartphone manufacturers can take this step. Although the Galaxy Zoom example suggests that this is a new, large niche, and first of all, such cameras act as additional ones.

Design, dimensions, controls

The device measures 126 x 63.5 x 15.4 mm and weighs 208 grams. For comparison, the Galaxy Camera measures 128.7 x 70.8 x 35 mm, while the S4 Mini measures 124.6 x 61.3 x 8.9 mm. Not as big as the previous camera, but not that small either. It can fit in a jeans pocket if you wish, but it will definitely not be convenient for you. With jacket pockets, everything is much easier and better. Weight also differs not for the better from a regular smartphone, so it will be extremely difficult to consider it an everyday communication device. Positioning as a smartphone is the idea of \u200b\u200bmarketers who want to fight smartphones from other manufacturers with this device. It has nothing to do with real positioning at all.

In terms of the placement of control elements, this is almost a complete copy of a regular smartphone, especially if you look at the front panel - the screen, indicators, front camera - everything is as usual. At the bottom there is a mechanical button, and on the sides there are two touch buttons. But already on the left side you can see a tripod connector as well as a microSD card slot. There is also a strap hole.

At the top there is a 3.5 mm headphone slot, as well as an infrared port for controlling household devices. The bottom end is occupied by the microUSB slot, right there is a hinged cover, under it is a slot for microSIM, as well as a removable battery mount.

On the right side (the same top side when shooting in camera mode) there is an on / off button, a volume rocker and a separate camera shutter.

The back side is reserved for the lens, which protrudes strongly from the body, there is also an LED flash and IR illumination.

The quality of the plastic does not give rise to any complaints, the same can be said about the assembly - there have been no complaints about Samsung devices for these parameters for a long time.

Display

The diagonal of the screen is 4.3 inches, with a resolution of 540x960 pixels (256 dots per inch) this is not at all a gigantic diagonal today. On the other hand, the presence of the Super AMOLED screen is advantageous, as it fades less in the sun, and it also wins over the Galaxy Camera.

The picture quality is good, although, of course, it clearly loses in terms of color and brightness to the Galaxy S4, but this device is lower in class and costs much less. In my opinion, in its segment it is quite acceptable and does not look outdated. Photos on the screen look good, including when viewed in the photo album mode.

The capacitive screen has an excellent sensor, multitouch is supported - however, these are already so expected, familiar characteristics that one can forget about them.

The menu has an option "Optimize display". This is the most interesting setting, as the device analyzes the level of illumination around and, depending on the conditions, sets the contrast, brightness, plus adjusts the colors on the screen. It turns out that white looks white in almost all conditions. Another Adobe RGB setting, but it has almost no effect on the image display quality, the latter does not change noticeably compared to other settings (I was unable to notice this).

Battery

The phone has a 2330 mAh Li-Ion battery (2100 mAh in the Galaxy S3 for comparison). We are used to the fact that the power consumption of modern smartphones is enormous, and this device wins only in comparison with more voracious counterparts with faster processors, large screens, and so on. Basically, when used only as a camera with the included 3G-module, the device can work for a couple of days and take three hundred photos. If you actively use the smartphone component - making calls, writing messages, chatting on social networks, then by the evening of the first day the device will ask for recharging. This is slightly more than the current flagships, but still not that good, especially for a hybrid device. If this is an addition to your smartphone, then the runtime is acceptable, if this is the main device, then it is clearly low - although it does not stand out from what other manufacturers or Samsung have on the market.

USB, Bluetooth, communication capabilities

Bluetooth... Bluetooth version 4.0 (LE). When transferring files to other devices that support this technology, Wi-Fi 802.11 n is used, and the theoretical transfer speed is about 24 Mbps. Testing the transfer of a 1 GB file showed a maximum speed of about 12 Mbps within three meters between devices.

The model supports various profiles, in particular, Headset, Handsfree, Serial Port, Dial Up Networking, File Transfer, Object Push, Basic Printing, SIM Access, A2DP. Working with headsets does not raise any questions, everything is routine.

USB connection... In Android 4, for some reason, they abandoned the USB Mass Storage mode, leaving only MTP (there is also a PTP mode).

USB version - 2, data transfer rate - about 25 Mb / s.

When connected to a PC, the simultaneous operation of USB and Bluetooth is unacceptable, the device requires to turn off Bluetooth regardless of the current state (whether there is a connection and transmission or not), this is extremely inconvenient. When connected via USB, the device is charged.

The microUSB connector also supports the MHL standard, which means that using a special cable (available from electronics stores), you can connect your phone to a TV (to the HDMI output). In fact, the standard describes the ability to connect via microUSB to HDMI. This solution looks preferable to a separate miniHDMI connector on the case.

For GSM networks, EDGE class 12 is provided.

Wi-Fi... The standard 802.11 a / b / g / n is supported, the wizard is similar to that for Bluetooth. You can remember the selected networks, automatically connect to them. It is possible to set up a connection to the router in one touch, for this you need to press a button on the router, and also activate a similar button in the device menu (WPA SecureEasySetup). Of the additional options, it is worth noting the setup wizard, it appears when the signal is weak or disappearing. You can also configure Wi-Fi to work on a schedule.

Wi-Fi Direct... A protocol that aims to replace Bluetooth or compete with its third version (it also uses Wi-Fi version n to transfer large files). In the Wi-Fi settings menu, select the Wi-Fi Direct section, the phone starts looking for devices around. We select the desired device, activate the connection on it, and voila. You can now view files on another device in the file manager, as well as transfer them. Another option is to simply find the devices connected to your router and transfer the necessary files to them, this can be done from the gallery or other sections of the phone. The main thing is that the device supports Wi-Fi Direct.

NFC... The handset has NFC technology, which can be used with various additional applications.

S Beam... A technology that allows you to transfer a file of several gigabytes to another phone in a few minutes. In fact, we see in the S Beam a combination of two technologies - NFC and Wi-Fi Direct. The first technology is used to bring up and authorize phones, but the second is used to transfer the files themselves. A creatively redesigned way of using Wi-Fi Direct is much easier than using a dual-device connection, file selection, and so on.

Infrared port... It is necessary to use the phone as a control panel for various household appliances. Automatically adjusts for almost any vehicle model.

Memory, memory cards

The phone has 16 GB of internal memory, initially about 12 GB is available to the user. Memory cards up to 64 GB are also supported.

The amount of RAM is 1.5 GB, after downloading it is free about 750 MB. This is sufficient for all applications.

Hardware platform

This device uses an Exynos 4212 processor, a dual-core processor with a maximum frequency of 1.5 GHz (ARM v7), a Mali-400 graphics coprocessor. Not the fastest or most productive solution, but it is quite enough in this device. Below you can see the results of synthetic tests if you like to measure everything in virtual parrots.

TouchWiz software features

This device almost completely repeats the capabilities of the Galaxy S4 in standard functions, adjusted for other hardware capabilities. There is no point in talking about these features again, you can read about them in the Galaxy S4 review.

Samsung Galaxy S4 Zoom
Display	4.3 inches, 960x540, Super AMOLED
Touch screen	Capacitive, with the ability to work with gloves
Air gap	Not
Oleophobic coating	there is
Polarizing filter	there is
CPU	Samsung Exynos 4212: two ARM Cortex-A9 (ARMv7) cores, 1.5 GHz; technological process 32 nm HKMG
Graphics controller	ARM Mali-400 MP4, 400 MHz
RAM	1.5 GB LPDDR2
Flash memory	8 GB (5 GB available) + microSD
Connectors	1 x Micro-USB 2.0 (MHL) 1 x 3.5mm headset jack 1 x MicroSD 1 x Micro-SIM
cellular	Intel XMM6262 2G modem: GSM / GPRS / EDGE 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G: HSPA + (21 Mbps) 850/900/1900/2100 MHz 4G: not supported in the Russian version Micro-SIM
Wi-Fi	802.11a / b / g / n, 2.4 / 5 GHz
Bluetooth	4.0
NFC	there is
Infrared port	there is
Navigation	GPS, A-GPS, GLONASS
Sensors	Light Sensor, Proximity Sensor, Accelerometer / Gyroscope, Hall Sensor (Digital Compass)
Main camera	15.9MP (4608x3456) back-illuminated 1 / 2.33-inch sensor 10x optical zoom, optical stabilization, autofocus, xenon flash
Front-camera	1.9 megapixels
Nutrition	Removable battery 8.6 W * h (2330 mAh, 3.7 V)
The size	125.5x63.5 mm
Weight	208 g
operating system	Google android 4.2.2 (Jelly Bean), TouchWiz 5.0 (Nature UX)

Detailed analysis of camera capabilities

The focal length of the lens is 4.3-43 mm (4.1-86.1 mm for the Galaxy Camera). Aperture 3.1 to 6.3. 10x optical zoom (x21 in the previous model). Unfortunately, since the Zoom model is lower in class, they decided not to change the matrix in it - this is a BSI 1 / 2.3 inch matrix. So the main complaint about the Galaxy Camera has not changed in any way here - in a device where the camera becomes one of the main characteristics, everything is spoiled by a rather cheap matrix, which does not allow getting the advantages that the lens gives. On the one hand, on the other hand, the quality of the Galaxy Camera images suited the target audience, which, apparently, also determined the choice of such a sensor.

Looking ahead, I note that the camera shoots at the level of the Galaxy Camera, no breakthrough has occurred, however, there is no noticeable deterioration in quality. You actually get the same photos, only the zoom is 10x.

The ISO value is from 100 to 3200. It is interesting that in most cases the device tends to set low ISO values, and rightly so. I would also like to note separately that the device works out the white balance well, which is unexpected for such a camera.

For most users of the device, there is no point in manually setting the ISO value, in most cases the automation works out everything correctly. The working ISO remains 800, then blurring of the picture is clearly noticeable.

And this is how the optical zoom function works, it is interesting in most situations, except for certain scenarios. First and foremost, the maximum zoom cannot be used with smart modes, then the result becomes unpredictable. Second, you can zoom in by rotating the lens ring, or by pressing the buttons on the screen. With the help of buttons it is easier and faster to do this, mechanics are more a tribute to fashion than a real necessity. I was surprised that you cannot activate the zoom with the volume button, although this would be expected.

In the pictures you can see how the device zooms the picture, the pictures are given with different zoom steps, from the original to the maximum. Some shots are simply shown with maximum zoom. This is perhaps the main feature that makes it stand out mobile device among the others.

Voice control

In the camera, you can activate voice control, then with the help of commands it will be possible to take pictures, zoom the picture, turn on the "Retouch" mode and turn it off. The number of teams is small, but it is possible that such a control will be useful to someone, especially when you want to film yourself against the backdrop of a city, and there is not a single living soul around. This is just another additional feature, not at all basic.

Smart shooting modes

One of the features of the Galaxy Camera was smart modes, in which you just need to select a scene and get the result when shooting. These are presets that allow even a beginner to get good pictures in different conditions. In Zoom, the number of such modes was expanded, plus, they added Favorites (the last modes used), and also made a separate mode in which the camera automatically assumes what exactly you want to photograph and slips the desired mode.

Best photo - a series of shots from which you can choose the best photo.

Continuous shooting - shooting at a speed of 4 frames per second.

Best face - for group photos, you can choose the most successful facial expression for each person (out of five photos) and get a final photo in which each person will be presented the way you want.

Landscape - Enhances landscape photography by making blues and greens brighter.

Macro photography needs no comments.

Freeze - shooting fast moving objects.

Saturated tones (in fact, this is HDR) - photos are glued together from pairs, they turn out to be very saturated.

Panorama - up to 8 photos can be combined into a panorama.

Silhouette - shooting backlit silhouettes.

Sunset - increases color saturation.

Night - also merges pictures, a kind of HDR.

Fireworks - also long exposure, use of a tripod is recommended.

Paths of light - long exposure and beautiful paths of light, for example, the flow of cars on the road.

Retouch - automatic skin improvement, masking of flaws in portraits.

Food - photos of food, as the name implies.

Photo with sound - up to 9 seconds of sound can be recorded to a picture, the function first appeared on the Galaxy S4, now it applies to all Samsung devices.

Eraser - the ability to erase an object that flashed in the frame, for example, a person who passed by. Not a very applicable scenario in real life.

Motion photo - collects all stages of movement in one photo.

Animation - a large GIF file with animation glued from several frames.

Double sided photography - an analogue of the same function on the S4, but with a difference - there the photo is obtained instantly, then you first shoot with the main camera, and then with the front camera - the result is glued into one file.

Photo Comparison with Galaxy Camera and Galaxy S4

I'm sure the photos speak for themselves, so let's compare them. Here are the shots with Galaxy Camera and Zoom - I think in most cases you will see that they are comparable.

Samsung Zoom	Samsung Galaxy Camera

With the Galaxy S4, everything is also about the same - in the absence of optical zoom, the flagship loses, but otherwise the devices are, by and large, about the same, despite the best optics in Zoom.

Samsung Zoom	Samsung Galaxy S4

You can also look at other pictures, I think that they will fully describe the capabilities of the camera in different modes.

Video recording - shooting examples

From the point of view of video recording, this device is somewhat typical for a soap dish. With the maximum video resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, the frequency is 30 frames per second. At the same time, at a resolution of 1280x720 pixels, it increases to 60 frames. There is slow motion (no sound), 120 frames, resolution 768x512 pixels. It can be used to record various sporting events, fast movements that you want to watch. In short, typical camera capabilities, no peculiarities.

Impressions

The cost of the Galaxy S4 Zoom will be 19,900 rubles, which is quite comparable to the price of the Galaxy S4 Mini, of which this device is. At the same time, the price of the Galaxy Camera in November last year started at 29,990 rubles. Given the comparable quality of the camera, we can say that there has been a revaluation of values \u200b\u200band the positioning of the device has changed - which we talked about in detail at the beginning of the review.

Samsung is trying to create a new niche in the market, before the eyes of the company's marketers - the success of the Note, which was unexpected for everyone. The Note category has undergone several changes, the same awaits the concept of Android cameras, we have before us the second device in the line, which has become smaller, works longer and at the same time can make calls. I am sure that many jokes will be born from the fact that on the street people will see a person talking on the camera.

Can the Galaxy S4 Zoom serve as a replacement for a regular camera, even if it costs 10-15 thousand rubles? Definitely not, since its characteristics are much weaker in the photographic part. It wins with the ability to instantly send a picture to the network, but now it's hard to surprise - most cameras from Samsung and not only acquire NFC and Wi-Fi, you can upload a picture to your smartphone with one touch and upload a photo anywhere from it. In my opinion, such a bundle is more advantageous, since it allows you to buy any camera, based on your budget and preferences in the quality of images. In this aspect, Zoom is a compromise solution, and that's why I don't like it. I take a lot of pictures on my smartphone, it's no secret that this is a Galaxy S4 (for more than a month now I have been pissed off by the lack of a software update that fixes the phone restarting when the camera is called). Mobile photography (I don’t like this word, but it seems to have stuck) is familiar to me in practice, since every day I spy on different scenes in life and post them on Instagram. The quality of the Galaxy S4 camera is enough for this for the eyes, and even more than. In Zoom, the macro mode is better implemented (autofocus works or rather, the quality itself is comparable), there is an optical zoom - but this is clearly not enough for me to wear another device.

In my opinion, Samsung is probing this segment, S4 Zoom is a work on Galaxy Camera bugs, but something tells me that big Android cameras will also be developed. And here everything rests on the technical implementation of the optics, sensor. I would love to buy an Android mirrorless camera with interchangeable lenses. The future belongs to such devices. But Zoom is clearly a niche product that will be in demand by geeks and a number of other audiences, they will love it dearly. But it is impossible to make this device mass-produced until Samsung solves one small problem - they make a photo part at the level of solutions similar in price. So far, the company is not ready to take such a step, which means that nothing threatens the camera market (especially since Samsung takes a solid first place in soap cameras, flooding the market with inexpensive models).

Specifications
Network	LTE	2.5G (GSM / GPRS / EDGE): 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G (HSPA + 21Mbps): 850/900/1900/2100 MHz 4G (LTE Cat 3 100 / 50Mbps): up to 6 different band sets (Dependent on market)
	3G	2.5G (GSM / GPRS / EDGE): 850/900/1800/1900 MHz 3G (HSPA + 21Mbps): 850/900/1900/2100 MHz
Display	4.3 inch qHD sAMOLED (960x540) screen
AP	1.5GHz Dual-Core Processor * The selection of AP will be differed by markets
OS	Android 4.2 (Jelly Bean)
Camera	Main (Rear): 16 Mega pixel with x10 Optical Zoom and enhanced SMART Modes, OIS 24-240mm, F3.1-F6.3 Sub (Front): 1.9 Mega pixel camera
	ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200 Continuous Shot: 4fps MAX with AF Format: JPEG, PNG, GIF, WBMP, BMP, AGIF Xenon Flash, SMART Mode, Expert Mode (P / S / M / C), My Mode
Video	Codec: MPEG4, H.264, H.263, VC-1, VP8, WMV7 / 8, Sorenson Spark Recording & Playback: Full HD (1920x1080 30p)
Audio	Codec: MP3, AMR-NB / WB, AAC / AAC + / eAAC +, WMA, Vorbis (OGG), FLAC, apt-X
Camera Features	SMART Mode (25): Smart mode suggest, Beauty face, Best photo, Continuous shot, Best face, Kids shot, Landscape, Dawn, Snow, Macro, Food, Party / Indoor, Action freeze, Rich tone (HDR), Panorama, Waterfall, Animated photo, Drama, Eraser, Sound & Shot, Silhouette, Sunset, Night, Fireworks, Light trace
Additional Features	Samsung Link, Samsung ChatON
	S Voice, S Translator
	Group Play: Share Music (MP3), Share Picture (JPEG, GIF), Share Document (PDF, PPT), Play Games
	Story Album, Trip Advisor, Paper Artist
Google Mobile Services	Chrome, Downloads, Google Maps, Gmail, Google Search, Google Settings, Google Plus, Google Local, Google Play Store, Google Messenger, Google Navigation, Youtube, Google Talk, Voice Search, Google Play Movie & TV, Google Play books, Google Play Music, Google Play Magazine
Connectivity	WiFi a / b / g / n 5GHz NFC, Bluetooth® 4.0 (LE) A-GPS + GLONASS
Sensor	Accelerometer, Geomagnetic, Proximity, Gyro, RGB Light
Memory	8GB Internal memory (User memory approximately 5GB) + microSD slot (up to 64GB) 1.5GB RAM * User memory space may be less than the total memory space due to system files. User memory may differ by region, carrier, and supporting language, and may change after software upgrade.
Dimension	125.5 x 63.5 x 15.4 mm, 208g (with standard battery)
Battery	2,330mAh

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