Samsung shooting for bigger market share

By John Mello on January 22, 2009 5:31 PM

Despite gloom and doom predictions about the global economy this year, Samsung believes it can grow its share of the world digital camera market. According to a report this week in The Nation, a business daily based in Thailand, Samsung Vice President Soo Bong Kim told the publication that the South Korean company wanted to make inroads this year against rivals Canon and Sony by boosting its worldwide market share in 2009 to 10 percent from nine percent. Canon's market share is 20 percent; Sony's, 17 percent.

While acknowledging digital camera sales missed their mark last year--predictions for the worldwide market were 145 million units; actual units shipped were 140 million--the Samsung executive told the daily that the company was optimistic about sales in the second half of this year. Sales in the the developed world are flat and will continue to be so, he conceded, but demand in the developing world continues to grow.

Kim's comments come just two weeks after Samsung raised the curtaiin on four new pocket cams at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. Here are the cameras debuted at the show.

The HZ10W is a 10-megapixel DSC with a 10x Schneider zoom (24-240mm equivalent) and 2.7-inch, 230,000 pixel LCD. It can shoot 720P HD video with H.264 capability and supports light sensitivity settings from ISO 80-3200, although only 3MP images can be grabbed at 3200. Both optical and digital image stabilization are incorporated into the camera, as well as face, smile and blink detection. The unit will reach retailers this month and sell for $299.99.

The TL100 is a 12.2MP pocketcam with a 3x optical zoom and 2.7-inch, 230,000 pixel LCD. Light sensitivity spans ISO 80-3200 (3MP maximum at 3200) and can shoot SVGA MPEG4 video at 800 x 592 @ 20 frames per second. It has digital image stabilization, as well as face, smile and blink detection. It also has Smart Auto. With it the camera will automatically choose an appropriate scene mode for a shot. The unit is expected to make it to store shelves this spring. Samsung has not made pricing information available for the snapper.

The SL420 has specs similar to the HZ10W. It has the same size sensor (10.2MP), LCD (2.7 inches) and light sensitivity (ISO 80-3200). It has a smaller zoom (5x), but supports MPEG4/VGA video, dual image stabilization and face, smile and blink recognition. The unit is scheduled for a spring release. No pricing information was released by Samsung.

'The company also announced an economy camera model, the SL102, a 10.2MP shooter with a 3x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD, ISO spectrum of 80-1600 and MPEG/VGA video. Digital image stabilization and face detection are also supported by the unit. A spring arrival is predicted for the camera. No pricing information has been released.