Samsung ST80 Wi-Fi Compact Camera and PL90 with USB Connector

It's a busy time for camera announcements! With new products unveiled by several manufacturers this week, what better time could there be to present Samsung's two new entry-level compacts, due for release in September? The PL90 (£130) stands out from the crowd with its built-in UBS connector—similar to those seen in pocket camcorders—and the ST80 (£250 TBC) has on-board Wi-Fi.

Samsung PL90

The PL90 is an entry-level compact camera that's due to sell for around £130. At that price, you can't expect miracles. It has a 12-Megapixel CCD sensor, a 2.7-inch screen, a slim design (18 mm thick) and a 4x zoom, which is all pretty bog-standard stuff. It's a nice surprise to see a wide-angle starting at 29 mm. However, with a maximum aperture in telephoto of just f/6.5 and no lens stabilisation, you'll have to be sure to take the sunshine with you wherever you go.

One original feature we're very pleased to see in the PL90 is a flip-out USB connector. You therefore won't have to worry about cables or card readers to transfer your snaps, as you can hook the camera up directly to a PC.

Given its budget price tag, the PL90 offers a decent range of standard features and has a pleasant-looking design.

Samsung ST80

We were a bit taken aback by the ST80 at first, as its spec looks no better than the PL90, even though it costs nearly twice as much. It has a zoom of just 3x (35-105 mm), a 14-Megapixel CCD sensor and there's no stabilisation, which is very unusual for a £250 compact.

Plus, its design looks plain, possibly even a little out-dated compared with the super-slim, two-tone casing of the PL90.

However, the ST80 is counting on its other qualities to win over consumers, including a 3-inch touch-sensitive screen (but unfortunately with just 230,000 dots), and an automatic image enhancement function for optimal cropping and rotation.

Its star feature is undoubtedly built-in Wi-Fi connectivity for emailing pictures or uploading photos directly to websites such as Facebook, Picasa and YouTube, as well as the Samsung Imaging site. What's more, a free three month subscription to Boingo is included for quick and easy connection to wireless hotpots wherever you're out and about.

DLNA compatibility also means the ST80 can be synchronised with compatible TV sets or digital photo frames ... so long as the DLNA connection works reliably enough ...

Obviously, integrating new connectivity options and extra functions into a camera is no bad thing. Nevertheless, we're not entirely convinced the ST80 has what it takes to compete with rivals like the Panasonic FS10, with its stabilised wide-angle 4x zoom lens and price tag of around £120. You will, however, have to make do with physical buttons and use a computer to share your photos. The choice is yours ...

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