I'm in a unique position to pass judgment here. As a college photography teacher I eventually get to handle and examine the results from nearly all the cameras out there. My students have everything from pro-level DSLRs to Casio point and shoots. They all come across my desk. My second camera is a Canon 5DmkII on which I shoot L series glass. That's right my second camera -- the TL-500 goes with me everywhere and I use it nearly every day; It's my first camera. I've been carrying a compact with me everywhere for years now, mostly Sonys. With the TL-500 I finally feel like my compact compromises nothing. I love this camera!
Seriously: I wouldn't trade my TL-500 for any of the entry level DSLRs fitted with their kit zoom lenses. I know my TL-500 will put them down. The lens on the TL-500 is superb. I've read complaints that it's only a 3X and that's not enough. You can't have everything and expect best-of-class quality at the same time. I believe the Samsung engineers decided to place maximum image quality at the top of their target list when they built this camera and they refused to compromise that. I am so grateful! I get worse CA from my $12000.00 Canon L series zoom than I get from the TL-500! It's only 10 megapixels. Believe me; 10 magnificent, clean, crisp, near-perfect megapixels is SO MUCH BETTER than 15 pixel-stuffed, soft, CA fringing, mucky megapixels.
The AMOLED tilt screen is beautiful. The controls on the camera were designed for a photographer. The +/- comp is finger ready where it should be not buried in a menu list. Overall build quality is excellent.
I shoot RAW and low ISO. I don't care how the camera preforms at ISO 1600. I don't care if it shoots video. I know it has a pop up flash that I've never used and never will use so I don't care about it.
I've been a photographer for over 35 years now. The TL-500 has brought back that feeling I used to get when I left the Hassleblad at home and just went out walking the streets Contax in hand. I love this camera!
Problems:
No Lens hood. Jog wheel on the back seems a little flimsy compared to other controls. Manual focus implementation is poor, but auto focus works well.
Samsung RAW converter software is poor -- don't use it. I convert the RAW files to DNG and run them through ACR.
Seriously: I wouldn't trade my TL-500 for any of the entry level DSLRs fitted with their kit zoom lenses. I know my TL-500 will put them down. The lens on the TL-500 is superb. I've read complaints that it's only a 3X and that's not enough. You can't have everything and expect best-of-class quality at the same time. I believe the Samsung engineers decided to place maximum image quality at the top of their target list when they built this camera and they refused to compromise that. I am so grateful! I get worse CA from my $12000.00 Canon L series zoom than I get from the TL-500! It's only 10 megapixels. Believe me; 10 magnificent, clean, crisp, near-perfect megapixels is SO MUCH BETTER than 15 pixel-stuffed, soft, CA fringing, mucky megapixels.
The AMOLED tilt screen is beautiful. The controls on the camera were designed for a photographer. The +/- comp is finger ready where it should be not buried in a menu list. Overall build quality is excellent.
I shoot RAW and low ISO. I don't care how the camera preforms at ISO 1600. I don't care if it shoots video. I know it has a pop up flash that I've never used and never will use so I don't care about it.
I've been a photographer for over 35 years now. The TL-500 has brought back that feeling I used to get when I left the Hassleblad at home and just went out walking the streets Contax in hand. I love this camera!
Problems:
No Lens hood. Jog wheel on the back seems a little flimsy compared to other controls. Manual focus implementation is poor, but auto focus works well.
Samsung RAW converter software is poor -- don't use it. I convert the RAW files to DNG and run them through ACR.