Likes

- Big LCD screens - Mode dial with GUI - Big movie files with lots of options - ISO up to 1600 at full res - Lots of picture effects - 45 MB of internal memory

Dislikes

- Black buttons blend with body - LCD grease collection - Confusing menu setup - Not easy to use

Conclusion
The pre-production model I handled on the show floor was quite primitive. It really is just a few steps beyond a clay and popsicle stick-type model. Samsung must be finalizing the hardware because the S1050 often froze, had spelling errors in the menu system, and many of the features just didn’t work. To be fair, I will draw my conclusions more from concepts than the camera’s actual performance at CES.

The Samsung S1050 and S850 are nice-looking cameras, but difficult to figure out. The tiny controls were colored the same as the camera body, and the engraved icons were too small to see easily. When I wasn’t squinting and poking at buttons, I was trudging through miles and miles of menus found in different places; this non-intuitive setup could be difficult for point-and-shooters.

Still, the cameras have a lot to offer if you can dig it out. Manual controls, 5x zoom, big LCD screens, lots of internal memory, and plenty of picture effects separate the Samsung S1050 and S850 from the crowd. And if the face detection technology and all the other promised specs come through, these cameras will be first-rate.

We look forward to reviewing these in a few months. Samsung announced that they would be released in the first half of 2007. Judging from the state of the pre-production models, I think it’s safe to say that Samsung will be releasing these closer to June than February.

Pre-production highlights: ”Potrait” in the scene mode menu, “fUN” in the effects menu, ASR mode froze camera, self-timer froze camera, face detection froze the camera, Wise Shot wasn’t to be found, manual focus didn’t work, custom white balance couldn’t be set, Fireworks scene mode reads “Fire Works” in the menu, aperture menu went wild when zoomed in on subjects, no way to create print orders, self-timer froze the camera, and an absence of manual focus.