Samsung EX2F advanced cam gets brighter lens, Wi-Fi
A followup to the f1.8 TL500, also known as the EX1, the EX2F gets a new 24mm f1.4 lens.
- More than two decades experience writing about PCs and accessories, and 15 years writing about cameras of all kinds.
While Samsung's been updating and expanding its interchangeable lens camera lineup, its enthusiast compact, the TL500, or EX1 depending where you live, hasn't been updated in more than two years. That changes today.
The EX2F looks for the most part the same as its predecessor, measuring 4.4x2.4x1.1 inches and retains a fast ultrawide-angle lens and a swivel 3-inch AMOLED display. However, the lens gets even faster now at f1.4 instead of f1.8. Plus, the 3.3x 24-79mm zoom lens only goes down to f2.7 with it zoomed in.
The TL500's 10-megapixel CCD sensor is gone, too, and in its place in the EX2F is 12-megapixel 1/1.7-inch type BSI CMOS allowing it to, among other things, record full HD movies at 30 frames per second; the TL500 captured VGA-resolution movies only.
The other big add is Wi-Fi, allowing you to do everything from direct uploads to Facebook and YouTube to back up to your computer to using your smartphone as a remote viewfinder. Unfortunately, some of this functionality is still crippled by Samsung's poor support of non-Samsung Galaxy devices. But if it ever gets its apps straightened out, Samsung's Wi-Fi setup and capabilities are the best you'll find on a compact camera.
Look for the Samsung EX2F to hit stores in August for about $550.