Samsung Galaxy K Zoom LTE: first impressions

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom is clearly smaller and handier than its predecessor, Galaxy S4 Zoom, and yet it still can boast with a decent lens with the brightness from f/3,1 to f/6.3 with a 10x zoom.

The camera is equipped with a 20.7-megapixel BSI CMOS matrix, with a size of 1/2.3 inches. In comparison with the predecessor, K Zoom lost a characteristically profiled hunch on the housing, which was a form of a grip, but thanks to that it is much more handier in usage: it fits in a pocket without any problems, which in the case of the predecessor was not that obvious.

The smartphone shrunk, lost its grip, but from the first sight we can see that it is more comfortable to take photos with it. The housing is not made from a shiny material anymore – the back of the housing has received a perforated pattern, which resembles Galaxy S5. Thanks to that it is easier to hold the phone firmly in hand.

Unfortunately, the housing is still made from a plastic, but it looks better than in the predecessor. The lacquer is opalescent, everything is assembled solidly, and the housing does not creak. Our device has signs of a brutal usage, but thanks to them I know, that the plastic body is, contrary to the appearance, durable and solid.

The lens has been well protected from any external factors. The glass of the lens is protected by a sliding-away diaphragm made from metal, which is protected by an additional glass, which – as I can see – my careless predecessor did not manage to scratch during tests. On the glass protecting the 4.8-inch Super AMOLED display, with 1280x720 pixel resolution I cannot see any defects either. The display does not leave much to be desired, though the specific colours representation might not appeal to everyone. In my opinion, colours are too bright – but this is of course a personal preference.

Phone’s efficiency looks good as well. It is powered by a hexa-core Exynos 5260 component – composed from quad-core Cortex-A7 1.3 GHz and dual-core Cortex-A15 1.7 GHz supported by 2 GB of RAM. This combination ensures an efficient work of Android 4.4, placing K Zoom in the middle of benchmarks’ ranks. In the software we can find most additions offered by Samsung, as well as a completely new camera’s interface.

It might not be as attractive as the previous model, but it looks more functional. The camera does not have a moving ring around the lens; unfortunately the mounting of the tripod has disappeared. Fortunately, the mechanical trigger of the shutter and the xenon flash with an additional AF diode has been left unchanged. A large amount of thematic software and applications for the camera have not been changed either. We can create from them a special, display widget on the desktop.

Samsung Galaxy K Zoom: First impressions video: GSMchoice.com, via YouTube

I would not have been myself if I have not tried the camera. Below you can find some sample photos. For more – I invite you to visit the reviews section in several days. There you will find a full review of this interesting and well-made – as I have already noticed – construction. Photos in full size can already be found on the phone’s page.