Samsung WB210, PL210 compact megazoom cameras announced

LAS VEGAS--There is no shortage of compact megazooms around, and here are two more from Samsung: the WB210 and PL210. These are in addition to the WB700 announced at the end of December.

WB210:

• 14 megapixels

• 12x 24-288mm lens (35mm equivalent)

• 3.5-inch touch-screen LCD
  

• 720p movie capture

• HDMI output

• $279.99, available in February
  

PL210:

• 14 megapixels

• 10x 27-270mm lens (35mm equivalent)

• 3-inch LCD
  

• Optical image stabilization

• 720p movie capture

• HDMI output

• $199.99, available in February
  

Editors' take: I'm not sure the world needed two more compact megazooms, but here they are regardless. The WB210 looks promising, but going by the information announced it's tough to say for certain. For example, the camera apparently has a superwide shot mode that shoots at an ultrawide-angle 21mm (35mm equivalent), but Samsung doesn't explain how it gets there as the actual lens is 24mm.