The Samsung ES80 ($99.99 list) may not have all the bells and whistles found on more expensive cameras, but it manages to turn out good images at a modest price. It delivers sharp 12-megapixel images when used in good light, and its 5x zoom lens is an unusual feature for a camera in this class. This isn’t a perfect camera, as its LCD is lackluster, its low-light performance isn’t up to current standards, and it is slow to start up. But the ES80 offers a lot of performance for its price.

Design and Features
The ES80 is quite small, measuring just 2.3 by 3.8 by 0.8 inches (HWD) and weighing just 4.5 ounces. All of its controls, save the top-mounted Power button and shutter release, are located on the rear to the right of the LCD. Also located on the back, from top to bottom, are the zoom rocker, Menu and Mode buttons, a four-way toggle, and Play and Fn buttons. The control layout is very similar to that on the Editors' Choice Panasonic Lumix DMC-S3 ($129.99, 4 stars), which measures 2.3 by 3.9 by 0.8 inches.

The 2.4-inch LCD is one of the ES80’s weak points. It’s hard to see in bright light, and its low resolution makes it impossible to tell if your image is in focus. The camera’s settings must be adjusted via its menu system, which uses large text so that it’s easy to read. Because there is no Mode dial or dedicated Record button, you’ll need to hit the Mode button to switch between shooting stills and video, making quick changes between modes difficult.

The camera’s default shooting mode is Smart Auto, which only lets you control the focal length and force off the flash. Changing the camera to Program mode lets you adjust ISO sensitivity, select more options for flash settings, and change between normal focusing range and macro mode. You’ll also be able to choose from numerous Scene modes, which configure the camera’s settings to best capture images in specific situations, such as when you’re shooting fireworks, scenes at the beach, or portraits.

The ES80 uses a 5x optical zoom lens, which sets it apart from other cameras in this price range. The Canon PowerShot A800 ($89.99, 3 stars) only offers a 3.3x zoom range. More impressive is that the ES80’s lens covers a wide 27-135mm (35mm equivalent) field of view, something usually reserved for more expensive cameras. It is relatively slow, with an f/3.5-5.9 aperture range, but the camera does offer digital image stabilization to reduce blur from camera shake. It is available in black, red, and silver finishes.

Performance and Conclusions
We saw ho-hum performance from the ES80 on our speed tests. It took about 2.9 seconds to start up and shoot, required 1.7 seconds of recycle time between shots, and displayed a 0.4-second shutter lag. This is a fairly standard result for cameras in this price range. The General Electric J1470S ($119.99, 4 stars), needs about 2.8 seconds to start, measures 3.2 seconds on recycle time, and scores 0.4 second on the shutter lag test.

We use the Imatest software suite to measure the sharpness and noise levels of images a camera captures. The ES80 recorded 2,063 lines per picture height of center-weighted sharpness, which is good for a compact camera. It didn’t fare as well on the noise test, where it was only able to produce an image with less than 1.5 percent noise at up to ISO 400. Coupled with the relatively slow lens, this makes it difficult to snap photos without using the camera’s flash. Resolution and ISO performance are on par with the PowerShot A800, which recorded 2,127 lines of resolution and equaled the noise performance of the ES80.

The camera records 640-by-480 (VGA) video in AVI format, but the quality leaves a lot to be desired, as there is significant rolling shutter if you pan the camera up and down while shooting. The monaural microphone is prone to picking up the sound of the lens while zooming, although Samsung has included a mode that mutes the mic as you zoom. If HD video is a must for you, consider GE’s J1470S, which supports 720p recording.

A proprietary USB port is present for connection to a computer. A USB-to-AC power converter is also included, giving you the option of charging the ES80 via a computer or wall outlet. Unfortunately, there is no dedicated battery charger included, which prevents you from using the camera as a spare battery charges. The camera is compatible with SD and SDHC memory cards.

The Samsung ES80 is a solid camera for its price range. It takes sharp images and performs well in bright light, though you’ll have a hard time seeing the LCD in those conditions. It is slightly edged out in terms of image sharpness by the Canon PowerShot A800, which sells for $10 less, but only has a 3.3x zoom. The ES80’s 5x zoom doesn’t have the telephoto reach of the General Electric J1470S’s 32.9-230.3mm 7x lens, but gives you a significantly wider 27mm field of view on the short end. Its low-light performance is average, and the video function is a bit of a disappointment. If you don’t mind its $130 price, consider the Editors' Choice Panasonic Lumix S3, which delivers better low-light performance and HD video capture. But if you are limiting yourself to spending less than $100, you could do much worse than the Samsung ES80.

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