New Samsung WB5500 26x superzoom with RAW (DNG)

In addition to the launch of the Sony NEXxies, the backlit CMOS Canon SD4000 IS, the new Leica MF prime, and the development notice for a new Sony E-mount APS-C HD camcorder system, we had a new Samsung superzoom camera out this week that sort of fell through the cracks. It is the new Samsung WB5500, with a 26X (26-676mm eq) lens, and it does support RAW (DNG). Their most recent 20X+ superzoom was the 24X HZ25w (WB5000) announced in September 2009. It has yet to be announced in the US market, where it will probably get a HZ-series name.

The other features are within the range of expectations, 14mp 1/2.3", 3-inch LCD (230K) and EVF, PASM, 720p, LiIon, etc. The European starting price is 430 euro. This new model increases the total of new cameras in 2010 to 130 so far.

Samsung's naming scheme is confusing in so many different ways. In Europe, they call almost everything WB-something, so it is hard to figure out the sub-type of the camera just from the model name. In the US, they have more sub-type names (eg HZ-, TL-), but the models numbers within the sub-types are confused as well.

Further Reading
+ Photoscala
+ DC Views
+ AVing.net - camera shown at Korean Photo & Imaging trade-show
+ Optyczne.pl