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WB250 as Smartphone extension? Yes!

Started Jul 7, 2013 | Discussions
Stephen Ingraham Senior Member • Posts: 1,948
WB250 as Smartphone extension? Yes!

Rich Tone (in camera HDR. Sent to S4 wirelessly. Processed in PicSay Pro on the phone. Uploaded to Google+ Photos.

Hi all. This is my first post on the Samsung forum. I ended up here because I replace my smartphone with a Samsung Galaxy S4...the first camera I have owned with what I would call an excellent camera. I got hooked on taking pics, processing them right on the phone (PicSay Pro mostly) and uploading them directly to Facebook and Google+. That made me wonder about a camera with an actual zoom that allow something like the same experience. The Galaxy Camera would have been an obvious choice, but 1) it is expensive, and 2) it is about due, I am thinking, for a refresh (Galaxy Camera 2). The WB250 was the right price and with what everyone agreed was excellent wifi connection to your smartphone, I figured the extra step of transferring the files to the Galaxy S4 for processing and upload was worth the savings in cost. Besides I have "grandfathered" unlimited data on my S4!

So I have had the camera a few days and I have taken, processed, and uploaded a lot of images.

The good:

1) easy to use with the phone! Wifi connects flawlessly and I can choose which photos to copy to the phone, right on the phone. Could not be easier or more elegant! Once on the phone I can process in PicSay Pro at close to full resolution (if I so desire) and either let Google+ auto backup to my account, or upload the edited images to through the Picasa app.
2) excellent smart modes. The best Rich Tone (HDR) mode I have yet seen. Very nice macro. 180 degree sweep panorama. You can easily do HDR, pano, and macro without a tripod. And, since the camera takes all three exposures before processing any of them...you can even shoot traditional bracketed exposure HDR sets without a tripod! Google+'s Auto Awesome then recognizes the sets and makes an HDR image automatically after you upload. Does a pretty good job too!
3) excellent 18x zoom. 24mm wide equivalent.
3) Intelligent Zoom (decreases pixel count over 18x to maintain image quality...this is, as near as I can find, a totally "unadvertised" feature of the camera).
4) Fits in a pants or vest pocket easily...bulges a shirt pocket but it goes in. That n pretty amazing for a camera with an 18x zoom!
5) hybrid touch control means most functions can be controlled EITHER by touch or by the buttons on the back. This is actually a very handy set up.

The bad:

1) no articulated LCD...and i really miss it, especially on macros. I find that I am shooting macros blind...and having pretty good luck, but I would still prefer a tip out LCD.
2) slow to switch modes when you turn the control wheel. Slow to load the touch interface on occasion.
3) 180 pano is fine...but the S4 does 360!

All it all it is everything I hoped and more. The ideal extension for my Smartphone. A truly "social" camera.

You can see some of the work I have done with it, and examples of the features I have talked about, at https://plus.google.com/photos/107297378329620440295/albums/5897651068970360193

 Stephen Ingraham's gear list:Stephen Ingraham's gear list
Nikon Coolpix P900 Sony RX10 III Sony RX10 IV Sony Cyber-shot DSC-HX90V Sony Alpha NEX-3N +4 more
nx200USER1 Senior Member • Posts: 1,097
Re: WB250 as Smartphone extension? Yes!

Stephen Ingraham wrote:
Besides I have "grandfathered" unlimited data on my S4!

That in itself is worth praise. Hang onto that, thats precious!

Lovely photo and looks like a wonderful place to be.

The connectivity you've described kinda makes me feel like im in draggin my knuckles on the floor. But reading your methods illuminates the convenience. Certainly sounds like your on a good thing.

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