Samsung HZ15W

Samsung HZ15W is Samsung's Small Sensor Compact camera initially announced on February of 2009. It features a 12 MegaPixel, CCD 1/2.3" sized sensor and has a max resolution of 4000 x 3000. The camera is known as "WB550" in certain regions.

The HZ15W is placed #147 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras and overall #1051 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our database. You should look at our Advanced camera filter to see camera ratings based on your customized criteria.

The following is a graph of different factors used in the rating system.

The Samsung HZ15W comes with a history of related digital cameras. Below, you can take a look at all older and the latest models alongside main specifications.

You can see the HZ15W from different angles in the gallery here.

Below is a collection of benefits and drawbacks of the Samsung HZ15W based on factors that are typically considered important in a camera.

The size of the sensor in the Samsung HZ15W is 6.08mm x 4.56mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the ability to capture 4000 x 3000 pixels at aspect ratios of 16:9, 4:3 and 3:2. The camera has got Image Stabilization (Sensor-shift). In body stabilization is better than digital stabilization as the latter may produce cropping.

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The CCD sensor boasts 12 megapixels and includes a native ISO range of 80 - 3200. Sadly, RAW files are not saved so the user has less room to maneuver in post.

The image below shows the HZ15W's sensor dimensions when compared to other common sizes. The HZ15W sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.9 and is showcased in green.

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To get a sense of different aspect ratios, you should refer to the visual below.

Samsung HZ15W weighs around 0.55 pounds (249 grams / 8.78 oz) and the sizing of the camera is 105mm x 61mm x 37mm (4.1" x 2.4" x 1.5"). The weight of typical Small Sensor Compact camera is 174 grams so the Samsung HZ15W is more heavy when compared with its rivals.

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The following is a photo of the Samsung HZ15W beside a soft drink to help you have a sense of its scale.

The top view here will provide the button layout on the HZ15W.

The HZ15W features a fixed lens providing a focal range of 24-240mm making it a 10.0 x zoom which is not at all great nevertheless it would certainly be handy in certain scenarios.

At the widest 24mm, the lens provides an aperture of f3.3 which will be pretty slow and not very good in low light occasions and you might find it hard to capture good bokeh. You will probably also need to raise the ISO causing noisy pictures. For the tele end, 240mm comes with f5.8 which is very slow and you will need to use slow shutter speeds.

The HZ15W has the following connectivity:

• USB Yes
• HDMI Yes

Digital cameras which include NFC and Bluetooth support can easily be used wirelessly via smartphones. You can transfer photos and sometimes adjust settings without the hassle of connecting directly to the camera.

Many applications even allow a Liveview and hit the shutter in case you are not near the camera. If the camera features a HDMI out, it could be hooked up to an external monitor. Almost all cameras will allow you to recharge the battery pack with the USB socket.

The max video resolution in the Samsung HZ15W is 1280 x 720 and it can capture in Motion JPEG format. 720p is low by today's standards. You should aim for at least FUll HD resolution for video. The camera does not have a mic and headphone jack so you have got no control over your sound. It is perhaps a better idea to purchase another camera should you require decent sound in your video clips.

Samsung HZ15W does not include environment sealing so rainy conditions can ruin the camera.

The Samsung HZ15W features a 3 inch fixed screen boasting a resolution of 460 thousand dots.

Please note that the screen offers no touch support.

Photography Glossary

The View Finder specifications regarding Samsung HZ15W are below:

• ViewFinder None

In those bright outdoor situations which make the camera displays washed out and challenging to view, viewfinders can be very useful.

The max shutter speed is 1/2000s.

Samsung HZ15W has got only integrated flash without external flash support.

Samsung HZ15W has got just Contrast Based AF and lacks Phase Detect AF. Phase Detection focusing is more faster & exact when compared with Contrast Based focusing. The camera features Face detect making it valuable for portraits.

Samsung HZ15W has got manual focusing in case it is required for low light or you need to have more exact control on focusing.

The usual Small Sensor Compact camera battery life is 241. Fujifilm X30 features the maximum (470) battery life for this category of cameras.

Below is a number of Small Sensor Compact cameras with the strongest battery life:

ModelVisualizeBattery LifeRAWNFCBluetooth

Fujifilm X30
HZ15W vs Fujifilm X30470 yesnono

Casio EX-10
HZ15W vs EX-10455 yesnono

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Ricoh GR Digital IV
HZ15W vs GR Digital IV390 yesnono

Canon G12
HZ15W vs G12370 yesnono

Canon G16
HZ15W vs G16360 yesnono

The following bar chart shows a outline of the Samsung HZ15W for different forms of photography. To check out more, check out the specific section below.

The Samsung HZ15W receives a rating of 31 which is low, meaning that it is not good to use for portrait photos. Shooting portraits leans heavily to sensor size, support for RAW photos and potential to work with external lighting.

Getting a modest points total of 52, the Samsung HZ15W is relatively acceptable to use in street photography. A decent street photography camera provides a perfect balance of image quality and portability.

A low sports photography rating of 27 means the Samsung HZ15W is not good for taking pictures of sports. A camera should have fantastic focusing plus continuous shooting for sports photography.

Weight is super crucial when picking a travel camera. Overall, the Samsung HZ15W gets a reasonable 54 as a travel camera which is fairly suited to take with you on your holidays.

When you're planning to choose a digital camera for landscape photos, the most vital factor will be image quality. The Samsung HZ15W at it's low grade of 40 for a landscape camera is not good in the current marketplace.

A vlogging camera ought to posses a articulating display screen, mic input and if possible IBIS. Taking everything in to account, the Samsung HZ15W is not good for vlogging as it delivers a low score of 28.

If you are in the market for alternatives to the HZ15W, below is a range of the highest rated cameras which fall within the class of Small Sensor Compact.

The chart just below will give you a summary of the HZ15W vs it's highest rated competitors suggested earlier.

Following are additional cameras you might see as alternatives. To read through a thorough comparison, simply click the "compare" link.