When people hear the word “Samsung,” many automatically associate the brand with one well-known product: smartphones.
This isn’t a surprise, as the tech giant is a competitor of Apple, one of the largest tech companies in the world. According to a recent market research report from Newzoo, Samsung remains the number one smartphone brand globally. The tech firm from South Korea has a global smartphone market share of 26.2 percent. One of the fastest growing models by active use is the Samsung Galaxy A50.
If you were looking for a point-and-shoot camera, such as a DSLR camera, you’d probably think that Samsung doesn’t make this device. After all, the tech giant offers smartphones equipped with a digital camera. Why would they bother making point-and-shoot ones?
There was, however, a time when the multinational firm ventured into the digital camera world. You hear this right —the company back then was making and selling Samsung cameras.
Does Samsung Still Make Cameras?
Although Samsung is clearly dominating the smartphone market, this isn’t the case with the standalone camera market. Back in 2017, the company winded down its Samsung digital camera operations. An anonymous official from the company stated that Samsung no longer produces and offers digital cameras.
The Reason Behind the Downfall of Samsung’s DSLR Camera Lineup
The demise of Samsung’s camera operation wasn’t primarily because of stiff competition. It was partly due to the success of their mobile phone business. The rise of smartphones equipped with high-tech cameras has destroyed the compact and low-end compact camera market — a market that Samsung enjoyed a decent amount of success.
Sadly, the cameras made by Samsung did not fare quite well when it entered the mirrorless market back in 2010 with the NX10. This was the first in a series of decent, but unfortunately unremarkable, models that failed to attract consumers looking to purchase a digital camera system. This is despite the fact that the tech giant offering a decent Samsung camera lens range.
Long story short, Samsung won’t be making the traditional cameras anytime soon.
What are Some of the Best Samsung Cameras?
Although Samsung won’t be producing standalone cameras, you can find the brand’s previous models on the market. If you’re a big fan of the tech firm and want to try out their point and shoot cameras, consider checking out the following models:
Samsung NX1
The NX1, at first glance, looks like a Samsung DSLR camera — except it’s not. It’s one of the biggest mirrorless cameras on the digital camera market. Camera users might look at this as a negative, but this Samsung camera fills the hand with a solid feel and terrific ergonomics that speak of build and quality.
The Samsung NX1 comes with modern DSLR controls, making the learning curve for pro photographers nearly non-existent. You won’t find this Samsung camera model any different from the other DSLRs if you’ve used a PASM dial in the past. The buttons on the top left part of the device have a bit of DSLR DNA, as they’re shortcuts for autofocus modes, white balance, metering and changing ISO. There’s also a left dial that chooses the drive mode.
Overall, the NX1 is a camera that gives photographers the DSLR experience without the quirky retro interfaces, but with all the benefits of a mirrorless camera.
Samsung NX3300
Cameras equipped with wide angle lenses allow the photographer to capture more of a scene in a shot. Samsung NX3300 is that kind of camera.
The NX3300 is ideal for photographers interested in landscape, interior and architectural photography. If these are right up your alley, consider buying this particular Samsung camera model.
The NX3300 is a slight update to the NX3000 in terms of firmware and design. The two models look almost identical on the outside, with the same control layout, shape and dimensions. Both have the same three-inch LCD that can flip 180 degrees, ISO ranging from 100 to 25,600, APS-C sized CMOS image sensor and 20.3 megapixels.
What sets the NX3300 apart, however, is the 20-50 millimeter F3.5-5.6 ED II Samsung camera lens, which is great for shooting at distances. Overall, this particular camera model is a fairly lightweight camera that offers superb value and produces high-quality photos.
Samsung ST150F
If you are on a budget and want a camera that’s easy to carry, the ST150F can get the job done. This Samsung camera has a 16.1-megapixel CCD sensor. Although this feature isn’t super impressive, the camera can still capture sharp photos in a wide range of settings due to its ISO range of 100 to 12,800.
The lens comes with a wide 35mm-equivalent focal length of 25mm. It also has a built-in 5x zoom. This allows you to reach up to 125mm if you’re planning to take close-up shots.
This Samsung digital camera also has built-in Wi-Fi. This feature allows you to print pictures wirelessly and share them easily. Samsung’s Smart Camera App, which is available on both Android and iOS, seamlessly pairs with the ST150F.
Samsung WB2200F
Craving for closer shots? Give the WB2200F a try. This Samsung camera model has a wide angle 20mm lens, which translates to a longer zoom ratio. What’s more, it has a 1/2.3-inch sensor (similar to many compact cameras out there). This means that the WB2200F can cover a 20-1,200mm range.
The WB2200F is a lightweight camera, weighing approximately 1.3 pounds. It also has dual grips that allow you to easily shoot both horizontally and vertically. This lets you capture nearly any shot you want.
Where Can I Buy a Samsung Camera?
You can still find and purchase various Samsung camera models on the web, even if the tech giant has stopped manufacturing and selling them. You can start your search on eBay and see how much these cameras are worth. Alternatively, you can check Best Buy and Amazon for the available models.
If you want a Samsung camera today, you’ll need to buy a smartphone from the tech giant. They no longer produce the compact and traditional point-and-shoot cameras used by professional photographers.
Given how successful the multinational company is in the smartphone market, people won’t expect the tech firm to release new standalone camera models anytime soon.
