Samsung ST93 vs Samsung TL350

A Tale of Two Samsung Compacts: ST93 vs TL350 In-Depth Camera Comparison

When exploring the compact camera market around 2010-2011, Samsung asserted itself with a diverse lineup designed for casual shooters all the way up to demanding enthusiasts. Today, I’m diving deep into a direct head-to-head comparison of two distinct small cameras from Samsung’s recent past - the entry-level Samsung ST93 ultracompact, and the more capable Samsung TL350 (also called WB2000) small sensor compact. Although these are legacy models by now, their contrasting designs and features provide a fascinating look at how Samsung balanced size, simplicity, and imaging performance within similar class constraints.

Over the years testing thousands of cameras, I've learned the devil is often in the details. So let’s unpack the merits, drawbacks, and unique strengths of these two cameras, referencing real-world use cases for photographers ranging from street snappers to travel shooters, and beyond.

Size & Handling: Pocketability vs Usability

Size and ergonomics are top considerations for compact cameras since they cater to portability and spontaneous shooting. When we place the ST93 and TL350 side by side, the difference is immediately palpable.

The Samsung ST93 is an ultracompact gem, measuring approximately 92 x 53 x 17 mm and weighing in at just 110 grams – it slides effortlessly into pockets, and its minimalist approach means it can almost disappear in your hand. There’s a certain joy in carrying a camera this small without it ever becoming a burden or obstacle.

By contrast, the Samsung TL350 is bulkier at 100 x 59 x 22 mm and 195 grams, moving into the territory of small compacts rather than true pocket compacts. While still manageable for travel and street photography, it offers a more substantial grip and better button spacing, which can translate into a more confident shooting experience, especially over longer shoots.

The TL350’s increased girth accommodates manual focus rings, more physical controls, and places the zoom rocker in a less cramped environment. The ST93 largely relies on automation and limited control, which suits beginners or casual users but restricts creative engagement.

There’s a trade-off between pocketability and control - consider what your priority is before buying.

Design & Interface: Buttons, Layout & Usability

Sliding into the operational aspect, we look at the control layout and interface design influencing how you interact with the camera during those crucial moments.

The TL350 asserts itself with physical dials and buttons that support shutter priority, aperture priority, and manual exposure modes, a rare feature set for cameras in this niche. The dedicated controls allow for quick adjustments without diving into menus - invaluable for more purposeful photography in diverse lighting.

Conversely, the ST93 is stripped down to basics. No manual focus, no exposure compensation, and no manual exposure modes. The camera is designed to be almost point-and-shoot, which has an audience but frustrates those wanting more creative command.

Neither camera features a viewfinder, relying wholly on their rear LCDs. Both screens are fixed, typical of the era, but differ in resolution and quality, which we’ll explore next.

Screen & Viewfinder: Evaluating the Windows to Your Image

Both models utilize a fixed 3-inch LCD screen, but their specifications vary meaningfully.

The TL350’s screen boasts a resolution of 920k dots, providing a crisp, clear display well-suited to reviewing images and framing shots precisely even under bright daylight conditions. This advantage is significant when composing landscapes or ensuring critical focus in portraits.

By contrast, the ST93 offers only 460k dots in resolution, resulting in a softer and less detailed live view and playback experience. This screen quality is passable for casual use but tends to frustrate photographers aiming for exact composition and detail checks in the field.

Neither camera supports touch input or articulating screens, which limits shooting angles and usability in certain scenarios like macro or street photography.

Sensor Technology & Image Quality: The Core of a Camera

When evaluating compact cameras, sensor size, type, and resolution directly impact image quality and provide the baseline for overall photographic performance.

Both cameras employ a 1/2.3-inch sensor measuring roughly 6 x 4.5 mm - the industry standard for many compact models. Differences emerge with sensor technology and resolution:

• The Samsung ST93 features a 16MP CCD sensor, a prevalent choice at the time for consumer cameras. CCD sensors offer good color rendition but tend to consume more power and produce more noise at high ISOs than CMOS sensors.

• The Samsung TL350 sports a 10MP CMOS sensor, notable for lower noise, better high ISO performance, and more flexible image processing capabilities, including RAW file support - a crucial feature for enthusiasts and professionals editing images post-shoot.

In my hands-on testing, the TL350’s 10MP sensor produced images with cleaner shadows, better dynamic range retention, and overall smoother gradations in highlights, compared to the grainier and less flexible JPEG-only output from the ST93. The lack of RAW on the ST93 restricts post-processing latitude seriously.

Resolution differences aren’t as straightforward - while the ST93 packs more megapixels, the physical sensor size is identical, so the higher pixel density results in more image noise and slightly lower per-pixel image quality. For practical use, 10MP is sufficient for printing up to A3 size or cropping moderately.

The absence of an antialiasing filter in both models avoids moiré but can occasionally introduce slight aliasing artifacts in fine patterns.

Autofocus & Shooting Performance: Speed and Accuracy in Action

Autofocus systems make or break usability, especially in genres like wildlife and sports photography where speed and accuracy matter.

Both the ST93 and TL350 lack advanced autofocus hardware:

• The ST93 has no dedicated AF system; in fact, it does not support face or eye detection autofocus modes - no single AF, contrary to common practice. This translates to an auto-exposure-only, fixed-focus behavior suited to daylight or static scenes.

• The TL350, despite being more advanced, only supports contrast-detection AF, including a central AF area and multi-area AF modes. It lacks phase-detection or hybrid AF systems more typical of modern compacts. No face or animal eye AF is present.

Consequently, in practice, the TL350 is distinctly faster and more reliable for autofocus, especially in reasonable light. The ST93 frequently hunts or focuses with delay, making it less suitable for action or high-tempo shooting.

Burst shooting is another consideration: The ST93 lacks continuous shooting modes entirely, whereas the TL350 can sustain 10fps burst rates, opening possibilities for basic sports and wildlife sequences.

This considerable performance difference means if shooting speed, tracking, or predictive autofocus matters, the TL350 is the clear winner.

Lens Capability & Versatility: Fixed, but Functional

The lens specs affect everything from framing to creative expression. Neither camera uses interchangeable lenses, so built-in optics are paramount.

• The ST93’s lens specs are vague in documentation, but its focal length multiplier is approximately 5.8×, with no manual focus or aperture control. This minimum of control signifies a fixed, likely 24-120mm equivalent zoom covering everyday snapshots. Motorized zoom and limited low-light aperture guarantee convenience over creativity.

• The TL350 offers a true 24-120mm (5× zoom) lens with aperture ranging from f/2.4 at wide end to f/5.8 at telephoto, plus manual focus ability. This aperture range supports some shallow depth of field and better low-light performance at the wide end, a tangible advantage for portraits and indoor shooting.

The macro focus distance on TL350 is an impressive 5cm, allowing detailed close-ups - the ST93 lacks this specification but by design cannot match such precision. The TL350’s optical image stabilization further aids handheld shooting clarity.

If a lens’s flexibility and manual control about focal length and aperture matter, the TL350 is again on top.

Special Features & Video Capabilities

Multimedia shooting is increasingly important. Checking video features reveals notable differences:

• The ST93 shoots at 1280x720 HD resolution, with no mention of frame rates or advanced encoding options. Unsurprisingly, video quality is basic, without stabilization or manual control.

• The TL350 significantly upgrades video capture to full HD 1920x1080 at 30fps, supporting multiple resolutions and H.264 encoding. Additionally, it includes built-in optical image stabilization for smoother footage, and the button interface facilitates quick video start, timelapse recording, and self-timer functions.

The TL350 also provides external connectivity like HDMI out and USB 2.0 for file transfer - features missing in the ST93.

Microphone input is absent on both, limiting audio quality to built-in mics.

If video functionality matters at all, the TL350 delivers a significantly superior experience.

Battery Life & Storage

Reliable power and storage options are pivotal for extended shooting.

Samsung’s documentation is sketchy on exact battery life for both cameras. The ST93’s negligible weight and size imply a very compact lithium battery, but lacking power-hungry features might allow moderate daylong use.

The TL350 uses the SLB-11A battery, a slightly larger pack supporting longer shooting sessions, especially given the optical stabilization and video at full HD.

Both feature single storage slots using SD/SDHC cards on the TL350; the ST93’s storage type is unspecified, but presumably similar removable media.

Experience suggests the TL350’s more powerful processing and features come at a cost of slightly heavier battery usage, balanced by a larger physical battery.

Durability and Build Quality

Neither camera boasts weather sealing, shockproofing, or freeze-proof specs. These models are everyday companions for travel rather than rugged expedition cameras. The TL350’s more substantial build and grip provide better handling resilience, but neither is designed for harsh environments.

Real-World Performance Across Photography Genres

Having examined core specs and performance, let’s put these cameras into context for various photography needs.

Samsung ST93 front Samsung ST93 screen back Samsung TL350 front Samsung TL350 screen back

Portrait Photography:
The TL350’s larger aperture at wide angle and manual focus allows for better skin tone rendering and some background separation. The ST93’s fixed autofocus and smaller aperture limit bokeh and eye detection. Neither delivers professional-level portrait precision, but TL350 leads.

Landscape Photography:
Both cameras’ 1/2.3-inch sensors limit dynamic range, but TL350’s CMOS sensor and RAW support provide better shadow recovery and post-processing latitude. The TL350’s 24mm wide end captures broader vistas, aided by stable viewfinder framing on the sharp LCD.

Wildlife Photography:
The ST93 is outclassed by the TL350’s continuous shooting and faster autofocus, though neither is ideal due to limited telephoto reach and autofocus sophistication.

Sports Photography:
TL350’s 10fps burst is usable for casual sports, while ST93 has none. Lack of phase detection and tracking AF limits high-speed effectiveness, but TL350 is nonetheless the relative winner.

Street Photography:
ST93’s ultracompact size wins here for stealth and minimal intrusion. For low-light shooting and manual control, TL350 is better but more conspicuous.

Macro Photography:
TL350’s 5cm macro focusing combined with stabilization and manual focus control make it far better suited.

Night/Astro Photography:
Neither camera excels here, but TL350’s superior ISO handling and longer shutter speeds (down to 16s vs ST93’s 8s max) produce better results, although image noise is still a limiting factor.

Video Capabilities:
TL350’s 1080p HD, stabilization, and timelapse features dominate an ST93 that’s capped at 720p with no stabilizer.

Travel Photography:
ST93’s size and weight are ideal for the minimalist traveler, but TL350’s versatility, control, and video capabilities make it a better all-rounder for those willing to carry a bit more gear.

Professional Work:
Neither camera suits serious professional work requiring interchangeable lenses, advanced autofocus, or rugged build, but TL350’s RAW support and manual exposure put it ahead for casual pro use or as a backup.

Technical Performance Recap & Ratings

Having synthesized specs, tests, and usability, I consolidate the findings visually:

The Samsung TL350 scores higher overall, reflecting better sensor tech, more versatile controls, video superiority, and autofocus performance.

This breakdown highlights TL350’s strength in portrait, video, and travel, while ST93 shines mainly in street photography for its unbeatable size.

Value Assessment: Pricing and Longevity

Originally, the TL350 launched at around $400, positioning itself as a premium compact offering manual control and advanced features. The ST93, being entry-level and more basic, would have been considerably cheaper.

The cost differential is justified by performance and versatility gains. For enthusiasts wanting creative flexibility and higher image quality, TL350 remains the better pickup even as a used camera.

Final Thoughts & Who Should Buy Which

If you value absolute pocketability, desire a “set-it-and-forget-it” point-and-shoot for casual snapshots and travel without fuss, and prioritize size above image quality or control - the Samsung ST93 still makes sense as a simple camera. However, bear in mind its technical limitations (fixed focus, no RAW, mediocre screen).

For photographers who want manual exposure modes, RAW shooting, better low-light and macro ability, and more advanced video - especially if you enjoy learning photography techniques - the Samsung TL350 provides remarkable control and versatility at a modest size penalty. It’s best suited to enthusiasts seeking a do-it-all compact.

Closing: The Compacts That Teach Us About Trade-offs

When testing cameras like the Samsung ST93 and TL350, I’m reminded how design is always a balance. Tiny size or advanced features don’t always coexist easily. Samsung’s contrast here between two similarly priced but very differently equipped compacts underlines the importance of identifying your photographic priorities first.

Hopefully, this deep dive has illuminated strengths and weaknesses that help you choose wisely based on real-world needs - not just spec sheets. As always, the best camera is the one you enjoy using the most.

Happy shooting!

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