Another Nail in the Coffin

samsungs4zoom.jpeg

16mp, 24-240mm f/3.1-6.3 lens, 4.3" touchscreen LCD, built-in flash, ISO 100-3200. And it's a complete Samsung S4 phone, as well (Android 4.2.2, 8GB internal memory, dual core processor, microSD slot, WiFi, Bluetooth, NFC, LTE, etc.). It's a little thick for a smartphone (0.6", 15.4mm), but not that thick. Nikon's "ultra slim" Coolpix S6300, the basically equivalent model to the S4 zoom, is 1.1" (26mm) thick. 

This new Samsung smartphonecamera will ship in the second half of the year.

I think the CIPA shipment numbers for compact cameras for the latter part of 2013 just ran down the hill looking for shelter. Definitely no reason for someone to buy a smartphone and a compact like the S6300 any more. This is only going to increase the number of camera makers trying the "large sensor compact solution," which, of course, isn't actually a solution. But it gives the engineers something to do and the marketing department something to apply their boilerplate to, I suppose. 

Hmm, I wonder if the Chicago Sun-Times will switch their reporters to Samsung phones now ;~)?   

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