Review: Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom

Samsung has announced the launch of the Samsung Galaxy S4 zoom with LTE in Singapore.

The device, powered by Android 4.2 Jelly Bean, combines the stylish heritage of the latest Galaxy S4 smartphone with advanced photographic capabilities, said the South Korean tech giant in a press release.

Part of the Galaxy S4 family, it packs in a high-end compact camera and has 10x optical zoom, 16MP CMOS sensor, optical image stabilisation and Xenon flash.

Said Ms Irene Ng, vice-president of marketing at Samsung Asia: "As communication becomes increasingly multi-faceted, people are looking for devices which can complement their lifestyles, without having to worry about space capacity or the inconvenience of taking along multiple devices.

"The Galaxy S4 zoom with LTE is the ideal device, as it combines the industry-leading functionality and connectivity of the Galaxy S4 with the high-quality photographic experience you'd expect from a compact camera."

The device boasts a Zoom Ring, a simple and intuitive way to access the phone.

When a user is in the middle of a phone call, for example, and he sees something he wants to share, a quick twist of the Zoom Ring will activate the In-Call Photo Share feature, letting the user capture and send an image immediately via MMS to whoever he is talking to.

For easy camera navigation, the Zoom Ring can be used to activate the Quick Launch and Shortcut features, giving the user instant access to multiple camera modes, including Auto, Gallery and Smart Mode, with a simple twist.

The compact Galaxy S4 zoom with LTE's best-in-class 10x optical zoom and 16MP BSI CMOS sensor allows users to capture images from far away or up close and personal, in all light conditions, without the burden of heavy camera gear.

The built-in optical image stabiliser helps to reduce blur and stabilises images while zoomed in for high-quality photos and videos.

The device features Samsung's popular Smart Mode, so users can stop worrying about settings and start taking professional-quality artistic shots.

It also boasts many of the same features as the Galaxy S4, including Touchwiz, which lets users fully customise various aspects of the device, including the lock screen and notification bar, for a personal mobile experience.

It will be available in white from next Thursday at S$798 without contract at telecom operators, major consumer-electronics stores and Samsung Experience Stores.

myp@sph.com.sg

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