Customer Reviews

Samsung Digimax S730 7.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom (Silver)

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(11)

 

 

This is actually a very good camera contrary to the other reviews, especially for its price. The problem is batteries - you can't use just any battery with this camera. Regular alkalines and cheaper rechargeables will not do the trick. Sony 2500 mAh AA Rechargeable Nimh Batteries, 4-pack should be sufficient. When I was using alkalines the camera would freeze when open, as others have said, and suddenly drop to low battery when the battery isn't really low. The problem is regular batteries don't have enough kick for this camera so it will show that the battery is full until it actually tries to use some power. The manual itself states that 2500 mAh batteries are suggested, although it should say they are *required*, on the front of the box, in big bold letters.

As for the camera itself, it may not be a professional's camera, but it would definitely work for the common family. Max image res is 3072x2304. It can take 640x480 video at a good framerate, but you'll definitely want a rather high capacity SD card if you wish to do that regularly. There's an abundance of modes and settings to play with.

Great camera, especially for the price (worth twice as much), but don't forget good batteries and an SD card.

I had to leave a review for this, to warn others... I bought this at Wal-Mart, for $120, and it messed up, on the third day. I took the kids to the local Fair, and the camera froze, while still open... wouldn't close, wouldn't take pics. It has since done this, several times, and always right when I want to get the perfect shot. I have to take the batteries out, over and over, and push on the zoom part of it, and, eventually, it retracts, and will work, again... The screen also goes black, and the camera makes weird sounds. This is a well-taken-care-of camera, too, so it's not being dropped, or mishandled (except to get the darn zoom back into the camera!!). Another thing: the battery life is truly terrible... Be prepared to change them, VERY frequently, even though it will show you the symbols for full battery life... Suddenly it will tell you 'Low Battery' and it will die... I gave this 2 stars because it does take good pictures... when it finally works. It's slow, though. You're ready to snap, and it won't actually take until several seconds later, when everyone is blinking, or turning their head, by then.

I love cameras, and I thought this would be a good one, but I wish I'd bought another Fuji Finepix. That was my first digital camera (4.0 megapixel), and I should have bought their Fuji Finepix 8.0 megapixel, to replace it. My Fuji worked GREAT, for over 2 years. This Samsung sucked, right from the get-go, and I'm more than disappointed that I spent my money on crap. Please don't make the same mistake... I recommend the Fuji.

I purchased this camera as a Christmas gift for my daughters. I had probelms with it right out of the box. We put in two new AA batteries and were able to take 2 pictures before the camera stated Low Battery. I then put in a set of Rechargeable batteries and got the same results. At one point we shut down the camera and then turned it back on. The Battery indicator showed 3 bars. We took one picture and the camera shut down stating Low Battery. The camera did not even close the lens. I contacted Samsung Customer Service at the number listed on their Web Site. I stated that I had sent them 2 emails and had not received a response. No comment from Customer Service on this. Then I stated what the problem was and told them that I had performed various tests with the batteries as well as changing the cameras settings for the different type of power. I was told that I would have to send the cameras in for service and it would take 14 days. I told them that this was unacceptable as the cmaeras never worked and now I have to pay for shipping and wait 14 days for the them to get it repaired. He stated that there was nothing he could do.
My opinion is to look for another manufacturer since Samsung has some serious quality issues with their cameras. By the way the other camera is a Samsung S630 having the same problem.

I have had this camera for almost a year. I have not experienced the freezing the other reviewers discussed. However, it does not mean I have not had problems. I wouldn't call it freezing, but if my camera has been off for a while and I try to take a picture, it takes forever for the first shot. Then I am good to go for quite a while. Sometimes the pictures seem washed out or the auto adjust feature doesn't always adjust 100% or even 90% where it should be. I would not buy another one, but I have no plan on getting rid of mine anytime soon.

I have just about the same problems as all of the previous reviews.
I finally called Samsung and am sending the camera back to be fixed or replaced.
My biggest problem was the camera just never coming ON when I pushed the power button. Sometimes if I opened the battery cover and then shut it the camera would come on. Okay, that is NOT how it should be!!! So the straw that broke the camels back was today when the lens stayed stuck out and the camera was not coming on...even with batteries removed, the lens was still stuck out!!!
Had enough of it. Will see what happens when they receive it back and supposedly fix it.
It takes GREAT photos WHEN it works. But that is about it. If it works flawlessly when returned I will be very happy with it.

I read a lot of feedback about this camera and was nervous. I followed the advice of getting a big memory card and good rechargeable batteries and i have to say that I am very happy with this camera...so far. Good buy for the price indeed. Has a lot of very nice features. I would definitely recommend.

UPDATE: Bought in August. 2/13/09: This camera works great still! Have not had one problem with it in all this time. Still recommend highly. I truly did not need a huge card btw, I have used my 8GB card highest quality pics about 2000, 2GB highest quality about 500 and even a 128 MB card highest quality about 70 pics. So you really don't need that big of a card. You DO need a good amount of rechargeable batteries 2500mAh is recommended.
Excellent buy!

1 year update: Still works great!! Been taking a lot of movies and night pictures, also sunsets and sunrises. Still works perfect! Super highly recommend!!

First, I should state that I'm hard on my cameras. I'm currently using my fourth camera in 2 years. So I expect them to last, maybe not the water that one encountered, but last just the same.

I received this one as a gift in January. It is now April. I've owned it 4 months longer than I would have wished. At first it seemed fine. I was willing to live with the fact that it needs a lot of time to save photos. You can't just click away, but nurture and be patient with it while it thinks. I missed some great opportunities, but I was willing to live with it.

Then came the fact that it wastes so many batteries. I'm a slightly heavy user, but I expect the batteries to last a week or let me take more than 30 pictures. But no. Sometimes you could trick it by turning the camera off, then on, then take a photo. But I can only get one out if it.

I almost always got the little red hand on every photo...even those that weren't so bad, and this was annoying. Also the scene options are very limited.

I am going back to being a faithful Kodak EasyShare person. Everyone has a preference, but I'd strongly recommend avoiding Samsung cameras after my experiance.

I picked up the camera about 2.5 hours ago and already it's doing the freezing other people mention. The sales person said I could easily take 600+ pictures before the battery died and it's been less than 100. It's really hard to figure out how to take a decent picture. It's either way too bright and you can't see anything or it's way too dark and you can't see anything.

Sorry but I couldn't recommend this to anyone. I'm hoping to find a better camera when I return this one.

Good solid camera. Soft key feature is nice and actually easy to use. Pocket size with solid metal case. Takes very clear photos. I see no down side for the averge user. Has to be one of the best buys avaailable.

Seriously do not waste your $$ on this product! I received the blue one for Christmas and was very pleased at first. It looks great and takes good pics. Two days later the problems began. I had only taken about 10 photos and it started freezing on me. I'd try to take a pic and it would freeze and shut off with the lens still out. Battery was already showing low but then I'd shut it off and turn it back on and have full battery. Take one pic try to take another and it would freeze again. Finally on the third day after taking maybe 12 pics. It completely froze with the lens out and wouldn't do ANYTHING! Needless to say it went back to the store. I think this is a real lemon of a camera as I have now seen other reviews with similar problems. I replaced mine with a sony cyber-shot W55 in blue and I'm much happier!