July 30, 2007 – Samsung today launched its new multimedia point-and-shoot, the 8.1-megapixel i85. As the third Samsung camera with PMP functionality, the i85 has music and video capabilities and bumps up the resolution and zoom. The Samsung i85 will retail for $349 when it is available in the fall.
The new Samsung i85 carries an 8.1-megapixel count, up from the 7.2-megapixel i70 and i7 models. The i85 also carries a longer NV zoom lens at 5x optical zoom versus the 3x optical zoom on earlier i-series cameras.
The i85 touts a 3-inch LCD screen. Although the new camera does not come with a rotating monitor like the i7, the i85 possesses Samsung’s face detection system that can auto focus and automatically expose up to nine faces in a given scene.
“At Samsung, we take great pride in setting new standards when it comes to technology as well as our ability to give consumers new ways to integrate their lifestyles with their electronics,” said Samsung Vice President Marketing Stewart Henderson of Opto-Electronics America in a company press release today. “Essentially a lifestyle accessory for the tech savvy, the i85 gives users the ability to shed the various gadgets that they would typically take with them on a daily basis, such as their MP3 players or video cameras, and simply carry one device,” he added.
The camera can be used as an all-around multi-media device. With the included Digital Converter software, users can convert MPEG, AVI, MOV, WMV, ASF files to view movies and listen to music using the included headphone jack. Users can also view subtitles, crop, and change image size with the bundled software.
With Samsung’s i-movie mode, users can watch video at SVGA resolution (800 x 592 pixel resolution) in MPEG-4 format. The i85 includes a Successive Recording mode that allows users to continuously record videos, with the ability to pause and resume as one seamless clip. The camera's optical zoom is functional during video capture.
Other features include Samsung’s Advanced Shake Reduction (ASR) that reduces blur due to hand shake. The camera has a maximum ISO of 1600 for low light shooting.
The camera comes with 14 preset scene modes. For the globe trotter, the i85 possesses a built-in World Tour Guide, a borrowed function from the L74 Wide camera, which stores travel information in the camera. In addition, the camera includes a Fun mode that combines four individual shots to create a single composite photo.
The Samsung i85 has 256 MB of built-in internal memory. It is compatible with SD and SDHC media.
Key Features:
8.1-megapixel
3-inch LCD
5x optical zoom
PMP function
World Tour Guide
Fun mode
Face Detection
