When I saw the photo JVC posted: http://www.pbase.com/john_cooper/image/155247644, I got intrigued. I had a look at the EXIF data and noted it was a Samsung phone. I think it is the new one (Samsung 5) which means that John and BEC are back into their old habit of robbing banks to finance their lifestyle. Don't fall for the ruse that they won the lottery. My hangarmate Bloke (also part English, I might add) got one of the Samsung devices (from the Note series) and was raving about the picture quality. As John noted, you have to ask the question about why we lug around SLRs and nice compact cameras. I asked myself the question as well.

Step one was to send an email to John and request a copy of his original file. He was kind enough, gentleman that he is, to send it along. I was really curious to have a very close look at it in all its pristine glory. Well, let me tell you, it is quite a nice photo for a number of reasons. First, it is very sharp. If you zoom into the skinny minute marks on the dial, they are only a couple pixels wide. Second, there seems to be no fringing going on. That may be due to the lack of sharp light/dark transitions. Third, the white balance seems to be very good. Fourth, it is a 16 megapixel image! Holy cats, that is a potload of pixels! These are all very positive attributes for this device. One other thing, it does have an autofocus. It is not like our old Brownie cameras from the 50s where everything was a compromise.

Now, I ask you to think about the question:"What is the world's best camera?" The very first thing that you should say is, "For what application?" Once you are thinking in that mode, the value of this Samsung device can be easily seen.

A few comments about the Samsung are worthwhile here. It has a 7mm focal length, an equivalent focal length of about 40 mm with a 35mm sensor. It has an f2 lens. It has 16 megapixels. It has an autofocus feature. The sensor is about 4x5.5mm. I don't have any idea about actual performance, but I would guess that white balance is not so good in many cases and, because of the tiny sensor, I would bet that the high ISO performance isn't very good. So what is it good for? I think If I had the kind of money John must have, I would like the device because in good light you get a decent snap shot. Just think back 40 years to your first SLR. I bet you had a 50mm lens on it. I did. I remember how to use that camera, and the Samsung will work about the same way.

Now, if you want good high ISO performance and the ability to choose an appropriate lens, this is not the way to go. Your various digital SLRs will run rings around it in any other application besides nice bright light and slow moving subjects.

I enjoyed thinking through this. What do you guys think?