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Samsung SL30

 
Samsung SL30 front
 
  • 10MP - 1/2.3" Sensor
  • 2.5" Fixed Display
  • ISO 80 - 1600
  • 640 x 480 video
  • 38-114mm (F2.8-5.7) lens
  • 140g - 94 x 61 x 23mm
  • Introduced February 2009
  • Also referred to as ES15
  • Read full specs
  • Alternatives
  • Size Comparison
  • FAQ
Portability
95
Imaging
33
Features
14
Overall
25

Samsung SL30 summary

Samsung SL30 is Samsung's Small Sensor Compact camera first revealed on February of 2009. The camera comes with a 10MP, CCD 1/2.3" size sensor with a max resolution of 3648 x 2736. The camera is known as "ES15" in other markets.

The SL30 is rated #251 out of 261 in Small Sensor Compact cameras and over all #1244 out of 1465 for digital cameras in our list. You should check our Advanced camera search to get camera ratings based on your custom criteria.

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Below is a chart of different factors used in the rating system.

Samsung SL30 family

The Samsung SL30 comes with a history of related digital cameras. Down below, you can view all past and current models along with important features.

ModelVisualizeLensResolutionSensor SizeReleased
Samsung-ST150F front thumbnailSamsung ST150F
SL30 vs ST150F
25-125mm
F2.5-6.3
16MP1/2.3"2013
Samsung-SL820 front thumbnailSamsung SL820
SL30 vs SL820
28-140mm
F3.4-5.8
12MP1/2.3"2009
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Samsung-SL202 front thumbnailSamsung SL202
SL30 vs SL202
28-102mm
F2.8-5.7
10MP1/2.3"2009
Samsung-SL30 front thumbnailSamsung SL3038-114mm
F2.8-5.7
10MP1/2.3"2009
Samsung-SL102 front thumbnailSamsung SL102
SL30 vs SL102
35-105mm
F
10MP1/2.3"2009

Samsung SL30 Pros and Cons

Here is a shortlist of benefits and drawbacks of the Samsung SL30 based on factors which are generally considered important in a camera.

built in zoom lens (38-114mm 3.0 x zoom)
good minimum ISO (80)
has built in flash
includes face detect focus
display isn't selfie friendly
doesn't have HDMI support
doesn't have headphone jack
doesn't have mic jack
doesn't have Time Lapse recording
fixed lens (fixed lens mount)
lack of aperture priority mode
lack of image stabilization
lack of shutter priority mode
lacks phase detect auto focus
lacks RAW format
low quality video (640 x 480 pxls)
low resolution screen (230 k dot)
manual exposure not available
max zoom aperture not good (f5.7)
no external flash support
no manual focus
screen is fixed
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
small sensor size (1/2.3")
somewhat slow max aperture (f2.8)
tiny screen (2.5 inches)
wide angle not great (38mm)
Photography Glossary

Samsung SL30 Sensor features

The sensor specification in the Samsung SL30 is 6.08mm x 4.56mm (1/2.3"). The 28 mm² sensor has the capability to capture 3648 x 2736 pixels .

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The CCD sensor boasts 10 megapixels and gives a native ISO range of 80 - 1600. Sadly, RAW format is not saved so the user has less margin for error.

The image underneath displays the SL30's sensor size when compared to other common sizes. The SL30 sensor comes with a crop factor of 5.9 and is displayed in green.

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

Camera sensor aspect ratios

Samsung SL30 dimensions

Samsung SL30 weighs around 0.31 lb (140g or 4.94 oz) and the overall size of the camera is 94mm x 61mm x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9"). The weight of typical Small Sensor Compact camera is 174g so the Samsung SL30 is less heavy than other rivals.

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Underneath is a image of the Samsung SL30 beside a soft drink so you're able to have a sense of its size.

Samsung SL30 dimensions scale

The top view underneath will show the button layout on the SL30.

Samsung SL30 topview buttons dials

Samsung SL30 Lens features

The SL30 houses a built in lens with a focal range of 38-114mm making it a 3.0 x zoom which is not huge but it can be valuable in a few scenarios.

At it's widest 38mm, the lens offers an aperture of f2.8 making it fairly sluggish and not great in low light occasions and you will find it hard to capture a shallow depth of field. You might also need to raise your ISO giving you noisy files. With the long end, 114mm comes to f5.7 which is pretty slow and you may have to use slow shutter speeds.

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Samsung SL30 Connectivity

The SL30 has the following connectivity:

  • USB Yes

Digital cameras that feature NFC and / or Bluetooth support can easily be controlled wirelessly via smartphones. You can send pictures and in some cases adjust settings without connecting directly with the camera.

Several apps also give a Liveview and hit the shutter in case you are not near the camera. If the camera boasts a HDMI out, it could be hooked up to an external monitor. A good number of cameras enable you to recharge the battery pack using the USB socket.

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Samsung SL30 Video features

The max video quality in the Samsung SL30 is 640 x 480 and it can save in Motion JPEG format. 480p is terrible by today's standards. You really should shoot for at least 1080p quality for decent video. The body does not have a mic and / or headphone jack so you have got zero control over your audio. It is perhaps a better idea to find an alternative model should you want better audio in your video clips.

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Samsung SL30 Weather Sealing

There is no environment sealing in the Samsung SL30 so you have to be careful in wet or dusty conditions.

Samsung SL30 Display and Viewfinder

The Samsung SL30 comes with a 2.5" fixed display screen with a resolution of 230k dots.

Sadly the display screen is not a touch screen.

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The ViewFinder details regarding Samsung SL30 are below:

  • ViewFinder None

In those sunny outdoor conditions that make the camera displays washed out and tricky to view, viewfinders will be quite useful.

Samsung SL30 Shutter features

The highest shutter speed is 1/1500 seconds.

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Samsung SL30 Flash and Hot shoe features

Samsung SL30 includes just built in flash with no external flash support.

Samsung SL30 Autofocus features

Samsung SL30 includes only Contrast Detect Autofocus and does not have Phase Detect Autofocus. Phase Detection focusing is a lot snappier and exact than Contrast Detect focusing. The camera comes with Face detect making it useful for portraits.

Samsung SL30 has no manual focus. Manual focus is good for low light or you need more accurate depth of field control.

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Samsung SL30 Battery life

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

Following is a collection of Small Sensor Compact cameras having the best battery life:

Samsung SL30 for different styles of photography

The following bar chart displays a rundown of the Samsung SL30 for different styles of photography. To see more, browse to the specific section underneath.

Samsung SL30 Portrait photography factors

The Samsung SL30 has a points tally of 25 which is horrible, and means the camera is not really appropriate for portrait photography. Photographing portraits leans greatly towards sensor specs, support for RAW photos and flexibility to work with off-camera lighting.

Photography Glossary
provides face detect focusing
manual focus not available
no manual control
no external flash support
MP count low (10MP)
sensor size is small (1/2.3")
does not have RAW support

Samsung SL30 Street photography details

Having a reasonable points tally of 47, the Samsung SL30 is somewhat suited for street photography. A good street photography camera offers a good balance of picture quality plus portability.

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screen does not articulate
lack of image stabilization
sensor is tiny (1/2.3")
lacks RAW support

Samsung SL30 Sports photography factors

A horrible sports photography rating of 16 suggests the Samsung SL30 is not really appropriate for photographing sports. A camera needs to have very good tracking and continuous shooting for sports photography.

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no shutter priority
does not have image stabilization
low MP (10 megapixels)
very small sensor size (1/2.3")
doesn't have phase detect autofocus

Travel photography with Samsung SL30

Weight is really critical in getting a camera for travel. All round, the Samsung SL30 gets a decent 51 for a travel camera which makes it relatively suited for your travels.

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flash built-in
doesn't have Time Lapse function
low resolution (10MP)
does not have selfie friendly display
wide angle not the best (38mm)
sluggish maximum aperture (f2.8)

Landscape photography with Samsung SL30

In case you're looking to choose a camera for landscape pictures, the most essential aspect will no doubt be image quality. The Samsung SL30 at it's horrible score of 22 as a landscape camera is not really appropriate amongst it's competition.

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focusing manually not possible
lens is fixed (fixed lens mount)
wide angle not the best (38mm)
sluggish maximum aperture (f2.8)
screen is small (2.5 inch)
manual mode not available
does not have image stabilization
sensor resolution low (10 megapixels)
sensor is small (1/2.3")
lacks RAW format
no Time Lapse mode

Samsung SL30 Vlogging factors

A camera for vlogging should have a moving display, microphone port and if possible IBIS. Taking everything into account, the Samsung SL30 is not really appropriate for vlogging as it receives a horrible rating of 25.

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features face detect autofocus
wide angle not good (38mm)
slow maximum aperture (f2.8)
does not have selfie friendly screen
lack of image stabilization
low video resolution (640 x 480 resolution)
lack of mic port

Samsung SL30 Alternatives

If you are shopping for alternatives to the SL30, here is a range of the top scored cameras which fall into the family of Small Sensor Compact.

The line chart followed below provides you an overview of the SL30 versus it's top ranked competitors listed earlier.

There are a bunch of cameras you might have a look at as alternate options. To browse through a extensive comparison, go to the "compare" link.

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Specifications

General Information
Manufacturer
Samsung
Model
Samsung SL30
Also called as
ES15
Category
Small Sensor Compact
Introduced
2009-02-17
Body design
Compact
Sensor Information
Sensor type
CCD
Sensor size
1/2.3"
Sensor dimensions
6.08 x 4.56mm
Sensor surface area
27.7mm²
Sensor resolution
10 megapixel
Anti aliasing filter
Peak resolution
3648 x 2736
RAW format
Highest native ISO
1600
Min native ISO
80
Autofocusing
Focus manually
Touch focus
Continuous autofocus
Autofocus single
Autofocus tracking
Autofocus selectice
Center weighted autofocus
Autofocus multi area
Live view autofocus
Face detect autofocus
Contract detect autofocus
Phase detect autofocus
Lens
Lens mount
fixed lens
Lens focal range
38-114mm (3.0x)
Max aperture
f/2.8-5.7
Macro focus distance
5cm
Crop factor
5.9
Screen
Display type
Fixed Type
Display sizing
2.5 inches
Resolution of display
230k dot
Selfie friendly
Liveview
Touch operation
Viewfinder Information
Viewfinder
None
DXO scores
DXO Overall score
not tested
DXO Color Depth score
not tested
DXO Dynamic range score
not tested
DXO Low light score
not tested
Features
Min shutter speed
8s
Max shutter speed
1/1500s
Shutter priority
Aperture priority
Manual exposure
Custom white balance
Image stabilization
Integrated flash
Flash range
4.60 m
Flash settings
Auto, On, Off, Auto & Red-Eye reduction, Slow Sync, Fill-in Flash, Flash Off, Red-Eye Fix
Hot shoe
Auto exposure bracketing
WB bracketing
Exposure
Multisegment exposure
Average exposure
Spot exposure
Partial exposure
AF area exposure
Center weighted exposure
Video features
Supported video resolutions
800 x 592 (20 fps), 640 x 480 (30, 15 fps), 320 x 240 (60, 30 fps)
Highest video resolution
640x480
Video file format
Motion JPEG
Mic input
Headphone input
Connectivity
Wireless
None
Bluetooth
NFC
HDMI
USB
USB 2.0 (480 Mbit/sec)
GPS
None
Physical
Environment seal
Water proof
Dust proof
Shock proof
Crush proof
Freeze proof
Weight
140g (0.31 lb)
Physical dimensions
94 x 61 x 23mm (3.7" x 2.4" x 0.9")
Other
Self timer
Yes
Time lapse shooting
Storage media
SD/MMC/SDHC card, Internal
Storage slots
1
Pricing at release
$93