Samsung WB5000 review

The little bridge camera with the big zoom

The WB5000 is more than just another superzoom. It represents Samsung’s first foray into this area of the digital camera market, and looking over this model’s specifications it’s certainly not been held back on features. Styled to emulate the look of a miniaturised DSLR, the WB5000 is packed with technologies designed to make your shooting experience as simple or as technical as you desire.

Equipped with full and partially manual shooting modes, as well as a point-and-shoot Smart Auto option and a range of scene modes, this camera will appeal to photographers of all abilities. Movie enthusiasts are also catered for, with a 720p, 30fps HD movie mode that can be accessed instantaneously via the Rec. button, conveniently located by the thumb grip on the back of the camera. The WB5000 also sports a built-in pop-up flash that can be triggered manually by using the dedicated Flash button on the front of the camera. Oddly, unlike most models, it won’t spring into life automatically if the camera thinks it needs a little help when shooting in Smart Auto or some of the scene modes – instead, a warning flashes on the LCD, telling you to activate the flash by hand.

While this can be a little inconvenient if you’re in a hurry to take a shot, it does have the benefit of teaching you about the sort of lighting conditions in which flash might be required, and it also gives you the option as to whether you actually want to use it or not in the first place. Around the back, the camera’s 3” LCD takes centre stage, with an overhanging EVF (Electronic Viewfinder) offering an alternative means of framing your shots. Switching between the two is simple, thanks to a dedicated EVF button on the back of the camera.

The WB5000’s EVF isn’t the best – or indeed worst – we’ve used. Colours are a little off and the image displayed is distorted around the edges, with darker scenes being difficult to view, however it’s there for those times when the ambient light’s too bright to shoot with the more detailed, large LCD. Despite the WB5000 coming equipped with a previously mentioned 720p, 30fps HD movie recording mode, the camera lacks an HDMI port – a shame, particularly when you consider how many compact cameras now come with this feature, allowing you to hook your camera up to an HDTV for high-res image and movie playback.

On the upside, the WB5000 offers RAW file recording, which – coupled with full and partial manual controls – elevates this model above its point-and-shoot peers. This camera will still serve less experienced photographers well, with plenty of automatic and scene modes to cater for most photographic situations, but as your skills progress you have the option of venturing into the more technical shooting modes.

There’s also a manual focusing option to get your teeth into: select MF from the focus mode options and you’ll see a portion of the frame magnified on the rear LCD with a scale below it. Using the scroll wheel surrounding the four-way d-pad on the back of the camera, you simply move up or down the scale until the image is in focus. Once you’ve settled on a focal length, the magnified image zooms out to show you the entire scene so you can check your composition before taking your final shot. This method isn’t as easy as turning a focusing ring on a lens as you would on a DSLR, however it’s a fairly simple way to introduce the concept of focusing manually that works well. Investigating the WB5000’s menu system, you’ll find a few hidden gems that add to this camera’s appeal, not least its Photo Style Selector, which lets you customise the look of the images captured in-camera, saving time when editing later.

This camera has its foibles and although it isn’t groundbreaking in terms of new technology to the market, it is a likeable entry-level superzoom that will serve its owner well as they learn the basics, then grow with them as their knowledge expands.