Samsung NV11

Reviewed August 2007

Characteristics

The NV11 uses a 1/1.8 inch, 10.3 million pixel CCD, of which 10.1 million pixels are effective. Seven image sizes are available to capture photos, one of them, 9M, is compatible with standard print sizes, and another, 7M W, is a wide format compatible with HDTV:

Three levels of JPEG compression are available at all image sizes:

• Super Fine: the highest image quality.
• Fine: an average compression.
• Normal: the strongest compression, which allows capturing a greater number of images, but with a lower image quality.

The NV11's CCD has sensitivities that start at 100 ISO, and when the Program or ASM modes are used, sensitivity can be set manually to 80, 100, 200, 400, 800 or 1600 ISO. In all other modes, the camera has control of the sensitivity, increasing it as necessary to compensate for the brightness of the ambient light. One exception is the M.Capture continuous mode (see further) which, when used while the camera is set to P or ASM modes limits the sensitivity settings to Auto ISO, 400, 800 or 1600 ISO.

The NV11 is equipped with a Schneider-Kreuznach 5X Varioplan zoom that has a focal length range of 7.8 to 39 mm, equivalent to a 38 to 190 mm zoom on a 35 mm camera. The lens apertures start at f2.8 at the wide angle end, and f4.4 at the telephoto end, closing down to f7.3 and f11 respectively.

In addition, the NV11 also provides a 5X digital zoom that takes over where the optical zoom ends, creating a combined zoom effect of 25X. The NV11's digital zoom is a cropping zoom that captures a progressively smaller area in the middle of the full size image as the magnification of the digital zoom is increased, and then interpolates the cropped image to the currently selected image size.

The NV11 has a shutter speed range that covers from 1/2000 second down to 1 second when the camera is set to the Auto mode or most of the Scene modes. But, when used in the Shutter Priority, Manual, or Night Scene modes the range covers from 1/1500 second down to 15 seconds.

Control over the settings of the NV11 is via the Smart Buttons that line two sides of its monitor. Brushing any of the Smart Buttons displays the name of the settings associated with, for example ISO, or White Balance (see the Ergonomics section of the review), and when pressed, opens a list of available settings that are then selected with the Smart Buttons of the other row. The settings available to the user can be divided into three groups: the settings that are assigned to the vertical row of buttons on the right of the monitor, those assigned to the Smart Buttons below the monitor, and the functions assigned to the secondary row accessed by pressing the Smart Button associated with the icon.

The number of options displayed on the monitor varies according to the capture mode in use, the Auto mode having the fewest, while the Program and ASM modes have the most. Please note that the settings are normally shown superimposed on the image coming from the lens. For purposes of legibility, the settings are shown here on a black frame. The options presented in a column on the right are:

• Mode (Only when the camera is set to SCENE or to ASM): serves to select one of the Scene modes (see the Ergonomics section of the review for more information) or select the Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority or Manual mode.
• Colour (only with the Auto mode): serves to adjust the colour tone by shifting colours towards warm or cool.
• White Balance (only available with the Program, ASM or Movie modes) serves to adjust the white balance: Auto, Daylight, Cloudy, Fluorescent H (daylight type), Fluorescent L (white), Tungsten (incandescent) or Custom (set under ambient lighting using a white surface).
• Brightness (only with the Auto mode): serves to adjust the brightness of the captured image towards lighter or darker.
• Photo Frame (Only with the Special Effects mode): serves to select one of 9 frames prior to capturing the image.
• ISO (only available with the Program or Manual modes): Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, or 1000 ISO.

• Exposure Compensation (only available with the Program, A, S, or Movie modes): serves to compensate the exposure over a range of ±2 EV in 1/3 EV increments. With the camera set to the Manual Mode, the shutter speed and Aperture selections are available instead.
• Motion GIF (Only with the Special Effects mode): allows creating a GIF animation composed of a series of images with an image size of 400 x 300 pixels or 320 x 240 pixels, that are played back at either 2 or 5 frames per second.
• Composite Shooting (Only with the Special Effects mode): serves to capture a series of images that will be combined in one frame.

The functions and settings assigned to the Smart Button row below the monitor are equally extensive, also vary according to the mode — some modes have no settings — and once again, the greatest number of options are found with the advanced modes:

• Focus Mode allows selecting how the auto focus operates in all but the Scene modes:
  • Normal: lets the camera focus from 80 cm (31.2 inches) to infinity.
  • Macro (only available when the camera is set to Program, Special Effect, ASM or Movie modes): allows the camera to focus on a subject from 10 to 80 cm (1.56 to 31.2 inches) when the zoom is at the wide angle end, and 50 to 80 cm (19.5 to 31.2 inches) when the zoom is at the telephoto end.
  • Auto Macro (only available when the camera is set to Auto or ASR modes): allows the auto focus to freely move from the normal focus range to the macro range as necessary.
  • Super Macro: allows the camera to focus on a subject that is between 1 and 10 cm.
  • Manual Focus serves to focus the camera manually by brushing across the lower Smart Buttons. The focus can be adjusted from 1 cm to infinity.

• Flash Mode: offers settings of Forced Off, Slow Sync, Fill-in, Red-eye Reduction and Auto when the NV11 is set to Program, or Special Effects modes. With the Auto mode the choices are limited to Forced Off and Red-eye Reduction, while with the ASM modes these are Fill-in and Forced Off. The flash cannot be used when the camera is set to ASR, Continuous shot, or the Movie mode or any of the Scene modes with the exception of Night, Portrait and Children.
• Size: serves to select the image size (see top of the page). When set to the Movie mode the options offer a choice of frame size: 604 x 480 pixels or 320 x 240 pixels.

• Continuous Shot offers 5 options:
  • Single: captures one image each time the shutter release is pressed.
  • Continuous: captures shots continuously as long as there is memory space. The capture rate depends on the shutter speed and the image size and quality settings.
  • High Speed: captures 3 images at 2.5 images per second while the shutter release is pressed.
  • M. Capture: serves to capture 20 images at the 1M image size (1024 x 768 pixels) at a rate of 7 images per second while the shutter release is held down.
  • AEB: (Auto Exposure Bracketing) captures three images, the first with the metered exposure, the next underexposed by -0.5 EV and the third overexposed by +0.5 EV.
• Metering (only available when the camera is set to Program, Special Effect, ASM or Movie modes) offers a choice of metering patterns: Multi, Centre-weighted, or Spot.
• Sharpness (only available when the camera is set to Program, Special Effect, or ASM modes): provides control over the image sharpness (Soft, Normal or Vivid).

Pressing the Smart Button labelled with pushes up the existing row of icons on the lower part of the screen and replaces it with another row:

• Effect serves to change images' colours as they are being saved (only available with Program, Special Effect, Manual, or Movie modes): Black and White, Sepia, Blue tone, Red tone, Green tone, Negative or Custom, which allows the user to adjust RGB values (this last option is limited to the Special Effects mode).

• Quality: serves to set the compression level (see above). With the NV11 set to the Movie mode, this option is replaced by the frame rate, either 30 fps or 15 fps.
• Self-timer/Remote Control: serves to activate the self-timer or the optional infrared remote control. Options available are a 10-second or 2-second delay, a double self-timer that captures one photo after 10-seconds and a second after 2 more seconds, and the activation of the Remote control with a 2-second delay.

• Voice Recording/Voice Memo: makes it possible to add a 10-second memo to an image immediately after capture, or use the NV11 as a digital voice recorder which will capture sound in WAV format for as long as 10 hours.
• Setup: is the access to the basic settings of the NV11 (see the Interface and Software section of the review for a list of the options of the Setup menu).

The last Smart Button is labelled with and serves to return to the previous level of options.

With the NV11 set to Playback, activated by pressing the button, options are superimposed on the right side of the image:

• Slide Show: makes it possible to review captured images, selecting one of three transition effects, the on-screen time of images, and whether or not the show loops back to the beginning or ends after the last photo.

• Protect: serves to tag images so they cannot be erased accidentally. Images can be selected for protection one at a time, or all at once.
• Delete: serves to erase unwanted images either one at a time, or all at once.
• DPOF: serves to choose images that will be printed. The number of copies to make of each image, the print size, or the creation of a print index can be set.

Edit: opens another set of options, this time presented horizontally at the bottom of the screen, offering the following options:

• Rotate: allows rotating an image in 90° increments to the left or right. or by 180°.
• Resize: serves to re-record an image at a lesser resolution. The option can also be used to resize an image that will be displayed when the camera is powered on.
• Trim: serves to capture part of an image that has been zoomed into as a new image.
• Effect: serves to apply a digital filter to an image already stored in memory (Black and White, Sepia, Blue tone, Red tone, Green tone, or Negative).

• Motion GIF: serves to select images that can then be combined to create an animated sequence at either 2 or 5 frames per second and with an image size of 400 x 300 pixels or 320 x 240 pixels.
• Red-eye Fix: automatically fixes the red-effect in a picture that has it.

• Playback Mode: serves to see images by album (images must have been previously organized into albums — see below) or by date, so that only images captured on the same date are played back.
• Album or Date: serves to select a specific album or date.
• Slide Show: starts the automatic playback of images. The lower part of the monitor shows icons for options that serve to select a transition effect, the on-screen time, select background music and decide whether the slide show loops back to the beginning or ends with the last image.

• Add to Album: this option is only shown when the Album playback mode has been selected. Using an index view of images in memory, it is possible to classify images into Myself, Family, Friends or Events albums.

In this mode, pressing the EDIT button simply offers the choice of rotating the image.

When the camera is connected to a PictBridge compatible printer the camera displays a choice for the USB connection, Computer or Printer. When Printer is selected, three options appear aligned to the three top Smart Buttons on the right side of the monitor:

• Settings offers two choices:
  • Easy Printing mode: uses the default settings.
  • Custom Printing mode: displays a series of icons aligned on the lower part of the monitor, above each of the Smart Buttons.
• Print: starts printing.
• Reset: resets all DPOF print settings.

With the Custom Printing mode selected from the top right Smart Button, the settings displayed on the lower part of the monitor are:

• Images: select All or One.
• Print Size: 6 x 4 or Auto.
• Layout: Index, Full, or Auto.
• Type: Fast Photo, Photo, or Auto.
• Quality: Auto.
• Date: On, Off, or Auto.
• Text (imprints the date on the image): On Pic, Off, or Auto.

The Samsung NV11 is powered by a compact rechargeable Lithium-ion battery (SLB-1137D) which is inserted into a compartment underneath the camera, next to the memory card slot.

The NV11 is sold without a memory card, but the camera is equipped with a 20 MB internal memory and is compatible with SD (Secure Digital) cards up to 2 GB, SDHC (Secure Digital High Capacity) up to 4 GB, and MMC (Plus) cards.

The chart below provides approximate capacities for the 20 MB internal memory, and an optional 1 GB SD card:

The NV11 only has a single external connection, also located underneath the camera, but without a cover door. The connection offers 3 functions, each dictated by the cable used:

• USB Port, compatible 2.0 High Speed, to connect the camera to a computer or a PictBridge/DPOF compatible printer.
• A/V (Audio/Video) Out, compatible with either NTSC or PAL, allowing the camera to be connected to a television.
• Charger connection to recharge the battery directly in the camera using the supplied charger (SAC-45), which is connected to the USB cable in the North American version.