The upcoming Samsung EX1 will be the manufacturer’s flagship model in the advanced compact digital camera category.

Advanced compact digicams are aimed primarily at high-end users, with the ever-popular Panasonic Lumix LX3 perhaps being the best known of the bunch.

Samsung is putting a lot of stock in the EX1’s impressive 24mm ultra-wide angle Schneider Kreuznach lens with fast f/1.8 aperture and 3x optical zoom. The ultra-wide lens is perfect for anyone planning on shooting landscapes or large groups of people. The wide aperture also offers shallow depth-of-field and allows the photographer to blur the background whilst still focusing on the subject, which is especially handy for shooting in portrait mode.

The EX1 also features a high-performance 1/1.7-inch CCD sensor, which is larger than what you’d find in a standard digital camera. This produces better photos in low-light situations. When combined with Samsung’s DRIMeIII imaging processor, you can expect image quality to be high.

Then there is the 3-inch swivelling AMOLED screen, which allows you to shoot from just about any angle you can imagine. The use of AMOLED technology also reduces power consumption, meaning your battery will last longer.

As you’d expect, the EX1 comes with a range of shooting options, including aperture priority, shutter priority and manual shooting modes. You can also use the camera to record VGA quality video (unfortunately, not HD).

The Samsung EX1 digital camera will be released in parts of Asia in Q2 2010, with Australia expected to follow soon after that. Local pricing will be confirmed closer to that time.

Buy a cheap Samsung digital camera on sale in Australia

By Caroline Warnes