Samsung EK-GC100 Galaxy Camera

Huge optical zoom range ; Tablet and camera ; Lots of options for picture editing ; Direct upload of pictures ; Good display ; Integrated image stabilizer

Relatively heavy ; Expensive ; Manual setting of the camera is laborious ; Blurring hard to control at high zoom level, despite stabilizer ; Photos could be sharper ; Long boot time (when completely shut off)

The Galaxy Camera is the first device to combine a smartphone/tablet with a camera

For $500 to $600 you can currently get higher quality (in the photographic sense) cameras with interchangeable lenses, but you do not get any connectivity, a great OS and the ability to access hundred of thousand of applications.

The expert mode has the PASM modes and it’s not as daunting to use like in the case of super-zooms wherein you need to tinker with the D-pad and dials. Here, the virtual dials for ISO, EV, aperture and shutter are displayed next to each other. You...

Point and shoot camera with 21x optical zoom and optical image stabilization ; Wide-angle 23mm lens, 1/2.3" sensor, 16.3MP resolution ; Xenon flash ; 1080p HD video recording at 30fps; 720p High Framerate video recording at 60fps; 768x512 120fps...

Image quality leaves a lot to be desired ; Lens is not dust tight ; Big for a point-and-shoot ; Small 1,650mAh battery ; No video light

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is a rare breed of didgicam. This Android-powered connected camera is stuff typically shown off at tech exhibitions to wow the crowd and soon be forgotten by its maker. But the Galaxy Camera is the real deal - it's available...

Instantly backs up your photos to the cloud ; Beautiful touchscreen ; Simple to use ; Expandable with apps

Image quality is no better than a $200 camera ; Battery life's short for a camera ; Awkward manual shooting ; Constant notifications can be irritating

Other companies need to take this idea and run with it

Attractive design; 21X optical zoom; Good macro feature; Samsung sharing apps included

Bulky design; Can't rest thumb on back of camera; Lacks LTE support; Manual mode controls block screen; Requires data plan

Click to EnlargeConsidering all the photos and videos that are uploaded to social networks from smartphones, the Samsung Galaxy Camera EK-GC100 seems like a smart idea. You get a higher resolution than most camera phones, plus a 21x optical zoom and...

Incredibly fun to use ; Features galore ; The camera’s connectivity inventive and useful ; Manual mode is approachable ; Great Android interface ; Powerful hardware

The lens isn’t very sharp ; Slow image processor ; Not much point in using this for voice or video chat ; Somewhat heavy

The Galaxy Camera is a bold step into a new world of connected cameras and is the first true camera to also double as an impressive Android device. We just wish it were a better point-and-shoot camera for the price. As is, it’s a great, though bulky...

Gorgeous 4.8-inch display. Runs Instagram and other Android apps. Long 21x zoom range. Good high ISO performance. Always-on network connectivity

Expensive. Large. Touch-based control system is unusual and unwieldy for a camera. Slow 3G connectivity; no 4G. Short battery life

The Samsung Galaxy Camera combines the functions of a Android device and a dedicated camera quite well, letting you whisk your photos and videos to the Web instantly. But this first-gen design also shows room for improvement.

The Samsung Galaxy Camera is a first-generation product, and they inevitably carry a compromise. In this case, it’s a case of price and expectations: do you spend your money on a great camera, or on a good camera with the added benefit of social...