The Samsung S860 is a low priced camera that is can produce clear images with vibrant colors, however results can be uneven and unsatisfactory. Obtaining decent results, may require that you take some time to explore the camera's capabilities.
Ideally, when set in auto mode, a camera should provide reliable results with a minimum amount of fuss and adjustment. At this, the Samsung receives low marks. In auto mode, I found that the camera's autofocus sometimes has issues. It is very annoying to focus on the subject, lock on, and press the shutter button, only to have the camera fail to fire. This seems to happen more often than average with the S860. The results are a little better, using `Multi AF' instead of `Center AF', but in this mode the camera can have problems with selecting the proper subject or focus area. ISO is automatically set by the camera according to the lighting conditions. Unfortunately, in low light situations, ISO is often set too low, resulting in blurry images. Also annoying, is that the flash function defaults to red eye reduction mode. So if you were in autoflash, or flash off mode when you turned the camera off, it will reset to red eye reduction the next time it is turned on. Being in red eye mode is not the best place to be, if you want to take a photo quickly.
Auto mode may be suitable for outdoor situations with good lighting, but the best option for normal use is probably `P' (Program) mode. ISO, white balance, sharpness and image quality can be adjusted in this mode. The flash setting when the camera comes on is the same as when it was last turned off. The focusing issues remain, but adjusting the ISO does improve the results. However, when ISO is set to 800 or above, the camera takes 4 or 5 seconds to save the file to memory, and the noise in the images often increases significantly.
In Manual mode your options are limited. While a standard range of shutter speeds is available, only two aperture settings F2.8 and F8.4 can be selected. The camera has many other modes and features, including macro and face detection. The camera is capable of producing movies that are of acceptable quality, and you can get about half an hour of recording time on a 4GB card.
The mode selection dial located on the top of the camera is too loose, and prone to being accidentally rotated (a small piece of adhesive tape is my simple solution). Being familiar with Canon and Fuji cameras, I found the design and operation of the menu and settings not especially convenient to navigate. The 2.4" LCD is clear, and has good visibility in a bright light, though it is very prone to smudging. Useful information like battery level, memory level, ISO, flash setting, metering mode and face recognition function can be displayed.
As with many other cameras, the zoom function is controlled by a toggling button, located at the top right corner, on the rear of the camera. If the zoom control was located by the shutter button, it would be much easier to operate the camera using one hand. It can be done, but is a bit awkward attempting this with the S860. The wrist strap could really use a locking ring. It is a very small thing that could go a long way, if it keeps you from dropping your camera even once.
The camera has a USB connection, but is not recognized by a PC. Rather than loading in Samsung's software, you can use a card reader to download images. The S860 uses AA batteries. Setting the camera in powersaver mode helps to increase battery life, but carrying spares is highly recommended. Because it uses AA batteries, the camera isn't super thin, but having a readily available power source can be very convenient. There is a quick start pamphlet, but no printed manual included. Samsung has a manual in PDF format available at their website.
This is not a glowing review, but I already have several SLR's and point and shoots, and the S860 has enough good points, for me to decide to keep it as a walk around camera. Even at the most basic mode, performance could definitely be better, but you do get a lot of features at a low price level. As with any camera, it really depends on what is important to you, and how you like the results. Feel is important as well, so getting one in your hands and trying it out, is always recommended.