Samsung NV7 OPS Review: 1. Introduction: Digital Photography Review

Samsung NV7 OPS Review, February 2007
Simon Joinson

Back in July Korean giant Samsung announced a new series of cameras, the NV (New Vision) range that finally, firmly put the 'cheap n cheerful' plastic camera image behind them with three new all-black, all-metal models packed with features and genuinely desirable designs. The unusually proportioned NV7 OPS sits at the top of the range and sports a 7MP CCD, 7x Schneider-branded zoom (38-270mm equiv.), CCD-shift stabilization and a surprisingly sophisticated feature set. It also shares (with the NV10 reviewed recently) Samsung's innovative new 'Smart Touch' user interface and control system, designed to replace pages and pages of menus with two strips of touch sensitive soft keys that offer direct access to almost all the camera's many features and options. The NV7 OPS offers a fairly unique feature set for a camera of this size, but previous Samsungs have failed to offer quite the image quality needed to propel them into the big league. Lets find out if the NV7 OPS is the camera to break the mould, starting as ever with the headline features:

7.4 megapixel CCD
38-270mm equiv. (7x) Schneider-KREUZNACH zoom
Program, Auto, Manual, Aperture & Shutter Priority and Scene exposure modes
ISO 100-1000
Advanced Shake Reduction DSP
In-camera special effects and editing of saved images
Auto Exposure Bracketing
1cm Super Macro mode
MPEG-4 VGA movie mode
43mm filter thread
Optional docking cradle and remote control

NV7 specifications

Street price	• US: $305 • UK: £250
Body Material	Metal
Sensor	• 1/2.5″ CCD • 7.2 million effective pixels • 7.4 million total pixels
Image sizes	• 3126 x 2345 • 2605 x 1954, • 2084 x 1563 • 1042 x 781
Movie clips	• 640x480, 320x240 (3X Optical zoom and Mute in Zooming) • 30 fps, 15 fps • With audio (recording time : memory capacity dependent) • Color Effect & WB selectable
File formats	• Still Image : JPEG (DCF) • Movie : AVI (MPEG-4) • Audio : WAV
Lens	• 38-270mm (equiv.), 7x optical • F2.8 ~ F3.7
Image stabilization	Yes (CCD Shift-type)
Conversion lenses	n/a
Digital zoom	up to 5x
Focus	• TTL auto focus • Manual focus
AF assist lamp	yes
Focus distance	• Normal : 80cm - infinity (Wide), 2.0m - infinity (Tele) • Macro : 10cm - 80cm(Wide), 60cm - 2.0m(Tele) • Auto Macro : 10cm - Infinity (Wide), 60cm - Infinity (Tele) • Super Macro : 1cm - 10cm (Wide only)
Metering	• Multi • Center weighted • Spot
ISO sensitivity	• Auto • ISO 100 • ISO 200 • ISO 400 • ISO 800 • ISO 1000
Exposure compensation	• +/- 2EV • in 1/3 EV steps
Exposure bracketing	yes
Shutter speed	• Auto : 2 ~ 1/2000 sec • Manual, S Mode : 15 ~ 1/2,000 sec. • Night : 8 ~ 1/2000 sec • Fireworks : 4 sec.
Aperture	F2.8 ~ F3.7
Modes	• Program AE • Shutter Priority AE • Aperture Priority AE • Manual Exposure • Effect • ASR • Scene
Scene modes	• Night • Portrait • Children • Landscape • Text • Close-up • Sunset • Dawn • Backlight • Fireworks • Beach & Snow
White balance	• Auto • Daylight • Cloudy • Fluorescent H, Fluorescent L • Tungsten • Custom
Self timer	• 2 or 10 sec • Double self timer 10 & 2 sec
Continuous shooting	• Single • Continuous • H. Continuous • AEB • Motion Capture(1M fix)
Image parameters	• Effect: Normal, B&W, Sepia, Red, Green, Blue, Negative, RGB Composite, Highlight, Frame • Sharpness: Soft, Normal, Vivid
Flash	• Built-in pop up flash • Auto, Auto & Red-eye reduction, Fill-in flash, Slow sync, Flash off, • Range 0.2m~3.0m(Wide), 0.2m~2.3m(Tele) • Recharging Time Approx. 5 sec.
Viewfinder	None
LCD monitor	• 2.5-inch TFT • 230,000 pixels
Connectivity	• Digital output connector : USB 2.0 • Audio : Mono • Video Out : Pal & NTSC (user selectable) • DC power input connector : 24pin Connector
Print compliance	• EXIF 2.2 • DPOF 1.1 • PictBridge 1.0
Storage	• MMC / SD card compatible • 19 MB internal memory
Power	• Rechargeable battery : SLB-0837 (860mAh) • Adaptor : SAC-45, SUC-C2 • Cradle : SCC-NV1 (Optional) • Optional remote control * Included battery may vary depending on sales region.
Weight (no batt)	245.2g (without battery and card)
Dimensions	• 106 X 62.3 X 20.9mm (4.2 X 2.5 X 0.8 in) • projecting part 35.7mm (1.4 in)

If you're new to digital photography you may wish to read the Digital Photography Glossary before diving into this article (it may help you understand some of the terms used).

Conclusion / Recommendation / Ratings are based on the opinion of the reviewer, you should read the ENTIRE review before coming to your own conclusions.

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This article is Copyright 2007 Simon Joinson / dpreview.com and the review in part or in whole may NOT be reproduced in any electronic or printed medium without prior permission from the author. For information on reproducing any part of this review (or any images) please contact: Phil Askey

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Samsung NV7 OPS Review, February 2007 Simon Joinson

NV7 specifications

Samsung NV7 OPS Review, February 2007
Simon Joinson