DIGITAL PHOTOGRAPHY NEWS

Samsung Camera Releases New High-Performance Digimax L85 Featuring World's First High Definition Multimedia Interface

New Models Allows Users to View Crystal-Clear Images in Hi-Def

Orlando, FL (February 26, 2006) - The new Digimax L85, the latest addition to Samsung's Prestige line of digital cameras, is the world's first digital still camera to feature High Definition Multimedia Interface (HDMI). This revolutionary new feature allows L85 users to share their photos on a high definition television in their original quality. The eight-mega-pixel L85 also includes a world renowned Schneider Kreuznach 7.8?23.44mm lens with 5x optical zoom, a 2.5-inch LCD display (approximately 230K pixels) which provides the photographer with a wider viewing angle and a more vivid viewing display. The stylishly designed camera offers a comfortable grip, ergonomic design and a sleek black body with silver accents.

"At Samsung Camera we are committed to providing the consumer with the latest technology, such as the first HDMI in a digital still camera, at an affordable price," says Stewart Henderson, National Marketing Manager at Samsung Opto-Electronics America, Inc. "By combining our technology with Schneider optics users can now capture, and then display their photos with breathtaking clarity."

Multiple Manual Settings

For the more advanced photographer looking for additional control, the Digimax L85 provides multiple manual functions at the user's fingertips. The L85 features three kinds of manual exposure adjustment including Aperture Priority which allows more control of depth, Shutter Priority which allows better capture of fast motion and Manual adjustment which allows users to set the shutter and aperture themselves.

Continuous Shooting, Auto Exposure Bracketing, and Auto Focus Bracketing

Along with its many manual functions, the Digimax L85 also has Continuous Shooting mode for consecutive shots. This model also includes Auto Exposure Bracketing (AEB), allowing users to shoot a series of pictures with slightly different exposures to ensure perfect lighting and Auto Focus Bracketing to take several shots which focus on different elements of the frame to ensure that the perfect image is captured.

MPEG-4 Video (640x480 @ 30fps)

The L85 provides MPEG-4 video compression which allows recording times that are three-to-four times longer than the standard digital camera. It has the advanced capabilities to capture movie clips in VGA (640 x 480) at 30fps and several unique movie shooting functions, including a movie stabilizer function, continuous video recording, improved in-camera video editing and the ability to use the 3x optical zoom while recording. Movie stabilizer helps reduce camera shake by automatic detection and correction of lateral and vertical camera vibrations, while continuous video recording allows the shooter to pause and resume video recording at any time and merge multiple video files into one single file. Users can also save a selected part of a movie clip into a new file during playback and capture a still image during video playback.

11 Scene Modes

To accommodate any subject matter, the Digimax L85 also features 11 scene modes including Night Scene, Portrait, Children, Landscape, Close-up, Sunset, Dawn, Backlight, Fireworks, Beach & Snow and Text Recognition. The camera also provides various user-friendly functions such as My Set shot mode, which allows the user to save customized shooting settings. A unique feature, Text Recognition allows the user to shoot documents such as books, papers and magazines and then extract text from the image taken using the bundled "Digimax Reader" text recognition software. And, the L85 also includes several special effects functions including Color Effect, Highlight and Photo Frame.

Fast Startup and Shot-to-Shot Times

Faster in operational speed than its predecessors, the Digimax L85 boasts a speedier booting time and quicker shot-to-shot speed that reduces down time between pictures. Shooters can take pictures immediately after the power is turned on, and they can just keep snapping. The L85 also features an improved Graphic User Interface (GUI) that ensures faster and smoother menu navigation. Menu settings can be accessed quickly and with ease, by using the camera's Move and Set functions. Due to this camera's high-speed capabilities and a display that notifies the user of remaining battery power, users can be assured that with the Digimax L85 they will never miss a beat.

32MB Internal Memory, Voice Recording Feature

The Digimax L85 is equipped with 32 MB of built-in memory, a voice recording function and comes bundled with Samsung's exclusive "Digimax Reader" software.

Price & Availability

The Samsung Digimax L85 has an MSRP of $499.99 and will be available in April 2006.

Samsung Opto-Electronics America, Inc., Secaucus, N.J., is the U.S. subsidiary of Samsung Techwin Co., Ltd., Sungnam Kyungki-Do, Korea. Samsung Opto-Electronics markets a full line of auto focus cameras, zoom and digital cameras for the amateur as well as the professional under the Samsung brand name. CCTV monitors and lenses, motorized zoom lenses, binoculars, observation and security systems, and video presenters are other products in the family of photographic and optical equipment.