Samsung WB2000 review

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Costing just under £300, the Samsung WB2000 isn't cheap for a compact but its image quality and brilliant 3-inch AMOLED display justify the price tag. High ISO performance unbeaten in its class and an ultra-reliable autofocus make the WB2000 a stunningly reliable all-rounder. Read full review

Overall

9/10

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By Cliff Smith
Reviewed 04 November 2010
Updated 08 November 2011

Price as reviewed

£229.95

$330 Buy now

	$330	Buy now

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Key Features

3-inch AMOLED monitor
5x Schneider Kreuznach f/2.4-5.8 zoom lens
1080p video recording
10-megapixel sensor
ISO up to 3200
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Samsung WB2000

Samsung, as I've noted before, is one of the most prolific digital camera manufacturers. Its range currently includes the GX20 digital APS-C SLR, the two models that currently comprise the NX compact system camera range, and no fewer than 26 compact cameras. Although that may sound like a lot, this is actually fairly restrained for Samsung; its compact camera range has often run to over 35 models.

The newest camera in that huge list is the WB2000 compact that I'm looking at today. The WB series is home to most of Samsung's high-end compacts, such as the excellent WB650 travel camera, the WB5000 super-zoom, and the WB1000 advanced compact, the predecessor of today's camera.

Like the WB1000 the WB2000 is a technically advanced camera aimed at experienced users, featuring a high quality Schneider Kreuznach f/2.4-5.8 5x zoom lens (equivalent to 24-120mm), a 10-megapixel back-illuminated high speed CMOS sensor, a 7.6cm (3.0 inch) VGA resolution AMOLED monitor, and a full range of manual exposure controls. In terms of competition the WB2000 is in the same category as the Canon S95 (£290) and the Panasonic LX5 (£330), although its closest rival is probably the Casio EX-FH100 (£245), which has similar high-speed shooting options. The WB2000 is quite expensive by comparison, currently selling for £290, although that price will probably drop fairly quickly as dealers offer discounts coming up to Christmas.

	$330	Buy now

Awards

Samsung WB2000 details

Build Quality: 9/10
Image Quality: 9/10
Value: 7/10
Overall: 9/10

Pros & Cons

Pros

Outstanding image quality
Good autofocus
Superb 3-inch preview LCD

Cons

A little expensive

Manufacturer

Samsung

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13 comments

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zubs

11:37 AM on 5 November, 2010

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I bought this camera for £245 from jessops online. Ended up returning it for a refund. Although it has some amazing features, the battery life is rubbish, have to charge the battery in the camera. Samsung Tech support is poor, picture output is very inconsistent. Outdoor pictures are brill, but any any other conditions its a mixed bag. Menus over complicated. Video is excellent, but the left mic is positioned where you would place your finger to hold it. Ended up buying a Lumix TZ10, and prefer the image quality and although the video is 720p, It's still very good.

Score:

Maxik

2:39 PM on 5 November, 2010

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Hi Zubs,

I'm planning to buy a camera but I'm torn between the TZ10 and the WB2000. Hi-Def video is important to me (so the WB2000 seems to score higher than the TZ10 based on image resolution and the fact the TZ10 limits your recordings to 15 minutes) - which camera do you feel is better for family videos overall.

Also - which camera do you feel gives better quality images in low light (Indoors at pubs etc)? The reviews on the TZ10 suggest it's not so good in low light as some other cameras so really not sure which camera is better for me overall.

When you had the bad images on the WB2000 - what issues did you experience. (Poor focus, pictures undersaturated?)

Sorry for all the questions - Just would really appreciate a users view from anyone who has used both cameras.

Redders

5:41 PM on 5 November, 2010

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I've had this camera about ten days and been very impressed. A couple of things, like 'smart range' (which, for the steady-handed, takes two shots at different exposures and combines them in camera (Ricoh style) for massively increased dynamic range)are burried too deeply in the menu. Also it seems to generally slightly overexpose shots. However I've tested it under all sorts of conditions and I'm pleased to say I agree with Cliff that this is a very good little camera. If's OK as a point and shoot, but if you take a little trouble and use its many options then it is capable of producing superb results. And most of the controls are easily accessed via the mode dial and function button.

8:33 PM on 5 November, 2010

Hi Maxik, The Samsung 1080p is very good, but I was looking for overall image quality. But even at 720p, the Lumix is very good and has excellent stereo sound recording. The samsung has too many settings for different setting, and in reality most people will never user some of the functions.TZ10 recording in europe is up to 29mins 59 secs. The camera is easier for my wife to take pics of the kids and has the extras for me, I love the results in all conditions. Regarding images, focus, blurring was present on some shots(which I never even had with my 7yr old Canon Ixus).colours can look undersaturated and cold(Other reviews have also said the same) and battery life is pathetic. But it's down to personal taste. Being a Canon user, I feel at ease with the TZ10, with good support from Panasonic. Sadly Samsung have a bad rep for product support, I experienced this when I called their tech support twice to ask about the max SD/SDHC card support(they didn't have much of a clue) Although a 16SDHC worked fine.

2:21 PM on 6 November, 2010

Hi Zubs - Thanks for that - it's very much appreciated.

I think the Lumix will be the one for me, especially now I know it can record for up to 30 mins.

rj74210

9:11 PM on 7 November, 2010

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I live in the US and have the American equivalent to the WB2000, the TL350.

I am extremely impressed by the quality of the video: the 1080 video blows away videos made with my Panasonic ZS3/TZ7 which records in 720p. There's simply no comparison. I also like the fact that one can pause video recording (without creating an additional file) and resume recording with a simple push of the OK button.

The numerous user settings make this a very capable camera, and I have found that the colo(u)rs are quite accurate unless one uses the "vivid" setting which, if truth be told, is quite useful for fall foliage!

The rapid and simple access to common user settings is especially welcome: there is a specific button push for ISO, for example. It's true that in an ideal camera, I'd like to have the possibility to set the EV just as easily, but finding the EV setting is nonetheless sufficiently quick for me.

There is no perfect digital camera; the Panasonic TZ7, which has an excellent long zoom, is too noisy (grainy) even at relatively low ISOs, and the video is only 720p; the Canon S95 doesn't do 1080 video, nor do any of the other pocketable cameras available. My best advice is for you to choose the camera that best suits your wants and needs, and then to accept that it is the best one for you, regardless of its quirks and perceived shortcoming. Learn the interface thoroughly, so that it becomes second nature to select the appropriate settings. The resulting images will be quite comparable, whichever 10MP camera you get.

I'm learning my Samsung's interface and am quite pleased with the images and videos that I'm getting out of it. BTW I'm running it with a 16GB Class 6 card, and everything works perfectly.

Gordon1

9:20 PM on 12 November, 2010

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I'm so confused right now as to which camera to get! Right, have shortlisted:

Samsung WB2000

Samsung WB600 (not sure I need GPS of the WB650, the WB600 is also SO delightfully cheap at the moment)

Sony WX5 (probably most like-for-like the WB2000 except lack of manual controls)

Sony HX5 (very keen on this one except noise reduction is super aggressive according to some reviews)

Panasonic TZ8 (Don't need the GPS of the TZ10, pic quality seems excellent up to 400).

As w previous reviews, it's hard to decide between this compact, and the other listed models some of which are bulkier travel superzooms. I'm giving myself £250 or so max, which rules out the like of the S95, EX1, LX5. I'm starting to think of a CMOS sensor as a 'must have', which then probably rules out the TZ8 (arguably best IQ of the list) and the WB600 (just incredible value and still very good IQ).

I like the sound of the wizardry Sony's got inside the WX5, but am not sure how much real-world value it has (there seems to be only a few reviews of the WX5 at the moment, and of those none of them quite match up to Sony's own blurb of "DSLR quality" IQ wise, surprisingly enough).

I'm off to Budapest in a couple of weeks and see myself doing great sweeping sweep- panoramas of the Danube (hence the preference for a CMOS type sensor), including night-time shots. Anybody got any input or comments on the above?

TomMacFarlane

7:57 PM on 13 November, 2010

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I bought this camera the week it came out and am totally delighted with it.

The movie mode is the best I've seen in a small compact, but the cherry on the icing on the cake is to get RAW mode, which I now use most of the time.

The Silkypix software is a quirky program, but it does do the business.

I agree the battery life is a let down - as is the need to re-charge in camera - but I would expect to buy a spare in any case.

The big let-down is not the camera: so far there's no HD lead to connect to the TV, and this camera's movie mode demands nothing else.

ColinFry

12:59 PM on 3 December, 2010

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In regards to the battery life, I bought a charger and two batteries on E-bay for $20. I also bought a 6 foot HDMI cable for less than $10. I love this camera for all its features

rocketron

11:51 PM on 4 February, 2011

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I think the thing that sets this camera apart from the rest for me is the Small size and video features

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