I had long been looking for a smartphone with a very good camera for this have not always smart and compact camera have. The previous S4 Zoom was a first ray of hope, but could not really convince because of its chunky design and quite small display me. So I was looking forward to the K zoom.
Previously, I used the Galaxy Note 2. The camera was good and the large display for mobile surfing really great. Since I like to photograph, bothered me at note 2 following things: Fixed Focal Length to Wide, long shutter lag and poor flashlight (LED). All these things should be resolved with the acquisition of K Zoom and improved.
And now for the K Zoom:
1) Is the display (4.8 inch, 720p) enough for a smartphone / camera?
2.) Does that K Zoom in a normal pocket?
3.) Do you need the zoom lens?
4) Do I need a Xenon flash?
5.) How well succeed snapshots?
6) Are the 8 GB internal memory too short?
7) What can the camera still special?
8) What does the smartphone?
9) Can I Videos equal cut together with the K zoom edit /?
10) dust in the lens
to 1) Is the display (4.8 inch, 720p) enough for a smartphone / camera?
Definitely yes! My fear that the display reduction would bother me (from Note 2) to 4.8 inches were gone in the first 10 minutes with the K zoom. It offers the same resolution as the Note 2 (1280 x 720) and uses the screen just as good (4 x 4 icons on the Home screen). While surfing the Internet you control most of the optimized pages for smartphones. Here, there are no problems. Everything OK. The touch keyboard is easy to operate almost without errors. As seekers in photo operation of 4.8-inch screen is a giant! And more than the 720p resolution you do not need at this screen size. The human eye can see here already no individual pixels more. For even more resolution (pixel density) would be not only useless, but would only unnecessarily reduce the battery life. So also here everything was okay.
to 2.) Fits the K Zoom in a normal pocket?
Yes, it fits! Was that Note 2 just as pocket fit, so it's the K zoom all the more. It fits better in a pocket as the big score 2 and does not contribute particularly to and does not fall on.
to 3.) Do I need the zoom lens?
Yes absolutely! Almost all smartphones have built only a fixed lens at wide angle. Thus you get though everything is very close, but the presentation is in wide-angle mode is not always optimal: The margins are often distorted. Faces, just in the border area, act here very ugly. And you always have to stand very close to the subject. More distant objects are mapped very small. The zoom lens of the K zoom is better than me. It doesnt add too thick and you get in the middle focal length range very appealing portrait photographs out that you would never do with the mentioned wide-angle lenses of popular smartphones. Even distant objects can be picked up by the Zoom in full size and full resolution.
to 4.) Do I need a Xenon flash?
A xenon flash is many times brighter than ordinary LED lamp of popular smartphones. To use it not only in the dark. He also brings in the sunshine on the beach light in the faces of people who do not just stare at the sun (back light flash). This not an LED light! The xenon flash is next to good zoom lens quasi the second highlight of K Zoom.
to 5.) How well succeed snapshots?
The K Zoom is made for snapshots. If you have the shutter button (yes, there is a hardware button for it) pressed halfway and therefore the focus is set, the camera immediately triggers. A noticeable shutter lag, as with almost all other smartphones, I could not tell. Great. I can do with the K Zoom exactly spontaneous shots, as with my Nikon P300, which will now disappear into a drawer.
"Tip":
When time is of times really fast and not enough time for the Auto Focus: Just one of the zoom buttons (volume buttons) and by pressing the release button at the same time. The photo will be fired within 0.3 seconds.
Thus I have made great photos of children on a rotating carousel.
While everyone else around me had only vague or no pictures (because the autofocus in their cameras did not have time to provide hot), I had great shots. All sharp and well illuminated by the xenon flash.
Despite all fellow parents have not gone without good photos of their children home. My K Zoom has taken over the job. Even locally, the best images were selected and sent by email, WhatsApp or threema.
to 6) Are the 8 GB internal memory too short?
Yes, the 8 GB of internal memory is sufficient for a meaningful use as a digital camera from far. For the K zoom, as with digital cameras has common a slot for memory cards (micro SD). Such should also necessarily defining. Thus enough pictures and videos can be saved, it should be at least 16 GB. I myself have a 64 GB memory card in the K zoom. This provides plenty of space for photos, videos and my MP3 collection for music on the move.
The 8 GB internal memory should remain possibly to install apps reserved. Who plays with the idea, edit photos and videos on the K zoom and want to cut, should note the following: Almost all Apps can store the resulting files (edited photos or videos) only in the internal memory with the current operating system (Kitkat). You can then transfer these files while on the memory card, but once you need to place it in the internal memory.
I currently have installed about 60 apps and still plenty of 3GB internal memory.
Information for people who want to edit videos on the K Zoom: for 8 minutes FullHD video the result file is about 1 GB of memory. At 8 minutes you get so about the video snippets someday summarized on vacation. How to do this, I will explain in item 9).
to 7) What can the camera still special?
In addition to the zoom and Xenon flash camera can do much more. There are numerous scene modes that make it even inexperienced users can shoot good photos in different situations. But even the experts do not come up short: Besides some manual modes there is a function that can not be found even in good compact and standard SLR so:
The K zoom offers the possibility of the focal point and the measuring point for exposure to determine separately and move freely in the whole picture on your fingertips. Especially with strong contrasts, as in backlight (eg bright sky against dark meadow) an ingenious function. The compared with the bright sky dark meadow This significantly lightened and it playing children come because of this possibility in a better light (or are not visible at all in comparison to other smartphones).
to 8) What does the smartphone?
And also the smart phone itself does not disappoint. I can not tell the difference to my Note 2 in terms of performance. Everything runs smoothly. Comes as no surprise, because it tinkers the same processor as the Galaxy Note 3 Neo 2GB of memory. The fear that the smaller battery (compared to grade 2) not hold out long enough, was scattered. On the contrary: I have the same use in the evening about 20% points more than in the remaining battery capacity rating. 2
to 9.) Can I Videos equal cut together with the K zoom edit /?
Honestly, for a real meaningful video editing you need a big screen, so the home PC. But hand on heart, who has the time for such complex video editing? Most unfortunately, not Dad's family. Therefore: I've had enough, if I may, the individual video snippets prune (cut) when required and can merge all video snippets of events into a single video clip.
The Wing Clip / shortening is called in the jargon trimming. This may consist of the K zoom of house. Just press in the gallery and hold a video, top right the three points and then select Studio. There tap "Video Trimmer". Here you can select start and end points freely. The edited video clip will be saved under a new name. Since it is a system program, it will be memorized directly to the SD card (advantage).
Multiple clips to a video clip together: For Samsung offers even an app that can be operated beautifully. But the result can not save in FullHD you. Real angry. But there are alternatives. I've tested a lot of apps, but may end up just two recommend:
My favorite: the "video connector" from Sony. The app currently costs 2.84 euros and comes with no advertising from. Who has understood after selecting the clip the wheel for the order can be easily summed up his video snippets of the day / week / month at a clip.
Alternative: "Video Merger / Editor Free" of dmpro. Free but unfortunately with advertising. Tip: Ins menu of the program you come by a long press on the softkey to the left of the home button.
Note: Both programs save the result file (ready-Video) for the restriction in Kitkat (OS) from the internal memory. To free up this memory again, her best moves equal immediately after creation of the assembled clips denselbigen on your SD card. That goes with the factory installed program "My Documents".
Personally, I adjust my videos with the internal video trimmer and add together the individual video snippets with the video connector of Sony. Then I move the clip created by the "My Documents" on the SD card. It's quick and simple.
to 10) dust in the lens (update 10/05/2015)
In some Internet forums is to read about it and unfortunately my K Zoom was now also affected: dust in the lens!
The extension end part of the lens (tube) does not seem to be dustproof. And so it was that on the image and video recordings at once dark spots could be seen. Why? It had accumulated dust on the inside of the lens K Zoom.
Can you see if on the lens of their own K Zoom Dust has accumulated?
Yes! How it works:
Starts camera app and drive the zoom to about 3x. Then you take a bright flashlight and a look into the lens. Not considered the front lens (the protective glass) but the second, further back lens. This second lens moves when zooming into the housing. If there is dust present (as with my K Zoom), this is noticeable on the recording (dark spots). These spots are best seen in the photographs, if you take a picture with full zoom against a white wall as a test.
Repair (free on the Samsung warranty) unfortunately has lasted about 3 weeks.
Since my K Zoom currently working again with no dust problem, I leave the assessment at 5 stars. However, should again visible dust accumulate in the lens, which impairs the quality of the recordings, I will have to adjust my rating.
In summary: I am still quite enthusiastic about the K zoom. The next few days and weeks will show what it all can afford so. Therefore, I will adjust my review constantly.
If you find my review well and anything else want to inspire me to update these continuously, then clicks but please left bottom to be "Was this review helpful to you?" to "Yes". I then thank with more text, information and tips for K Zoom!
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