As of today, September 1, 2009, Samsung Digital Imaging Co. Ltd. has a new ultra-zoom bridge in its digital camera line-up. It's named WB5000 and it's a 24x mega-zoom actually, from what the maker says. The focal length ranges from 26 to 624mm, equivalent for a 35mm film camera.

The lens that boasts that incredible zoom is a Samsung-common Schneider-KREUZNACH, offering ease of shooting both close-up and wide angle and also a wide range for recording 720p HD video in H.624 format.

"Photographers of all skill levels are going to be drawn to the WB5000's features," said Choong Hyun Hwang, Vice President of Strategic Marketing at Samsung Digital Imaging Company. "The versatility of the lens gives any user, whether you’re a soccer mom on the sidelines or an enthusiast looking to create a stunning image, the ability to be prepared for just about any shooting scenario. Serious shooters will gravitate toward the WB5000's aperture and shutter priority modes as well as full manual control and RAW support. For the entry-level shooter, Samsung's Smart Auto takes simplicity to a new level, ensuring a great shot every time without having to be concerned about camera settings."

Besides the all-standard nowadays automatic settings that destroy whatever is left from an image, the WB5000 also features manual controls that allow you to set the white balance between 3,000K and 10,000K. It would have been the funniest thing ever if it had lacked WB settings, considering the name of the camera.

Just like every ultra-mega zoom out there, the viewfinder is nothing more than a shrunken LCD screen, so don't make any ideas of TTL optical. Word on the street says that it will ship somewhat later this month with a price somewhere around $550.


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