The TL350 is Freaking Awesome

Got to tell you my TL350 story then:

Photography is my profession. For over 30 years I've struggled with the idea of having a camera with me everywhere I go. It used to be a folding Retina IIC (still have it), but my commitment was poor since there was so much to do after the photo was taken (processing). When digital arrived I made the transition (Canon DSLRs now) and I looked again at the option of having a camera with me always. The cameras were smaller and the processing burden was lighter.

I started going through various compact and P&S pocket cameras (Sony, Panasonic, Canon, etc.). I'd keep one for 6 months and then it would haul me up short and p*ss me off and another niece/nephew got a slightly used camera. Last go around I decided to research carefully and I listed the missing features that caused my previous pocket cameras to disappoint. I really had to have:

1. 24mm (35mm equivalent) on the wide end. 28mm just sucks way too often.

2. Why can't I have raw files? I hate repairing camera JPEGs and crippling 8 bits.
3. At least P and A modes with EC available.
4. Collapsing lens and shirt pocket size.
5. Respectable lens performance.
6. $300 to $400.

None of my other cameras had put all those together. Then I discovered the TL350! Could it be? I couldn't find one. No one had it. 3 million people in St. Louis and there wasn't one TL350 in a store to look at. Took the chance and bought a new one off ebay. I fell in love with it. About ten days later I noticed something odd. When zoomed to the long end the lens went soft on the right side much more than on the left. Careful testing determined that as the lens was zoomed out it either went off-center or literally tilted slightly off axis. Stopped down on a sunny day and DOF covered it. It took me two weeks from it's arrival to find and verify the error.

No retuning it to the ebay vendor so I called Samsung. 90 days of service hell ensued. The first time it went in they had it back in the UPS driver's truck in 3 hours along with a page from the instruction manual on "how to take clear pictures." When it went back again I included a photo of the TL350 mounted on my studio Gitzo tripod -- they weren't going to fix it. Finally they agreed to replace it but new TL350s were not available, I'd have to take a refurbished one. When that didn't arrive I finally lost all patience. It wasn't easy, but I eventually got email addresses for about 10 top executives at their Ridgeway NJ office. I wrote a polite but firm letter and sent it to all 10. I got a hit. I got an apology and an assurance that I would be immediately taken care of.

Four days later a brand new TL500/EX1 arrived at my door. I was at first disappointed. It was too big, but it did meet all of my other requirements. So the next day I took it out for a test run. I was so impressed with the results that when it was stolen 14 months later I quickly bought another one. I will probably also buy and EX2, but I'm considering picking up still another EX1 as insurance.

The new Sony RX100 sounds exciting but 28mm just sucks.

I often remember the TL350 and every so often I consider trying to pick up another one, but I'm spoiled now with the TL500/EX1.

Joe