Electronics firm launches digicam range

It may be more known for its cellular telephones, television sets and other home appliances but South Korean electronics giant Samsung wants to be known in the Philippines for its digital cameras and camera recorders starting this year. Samsung Electronics last Thursday unveiled over 20 digital imaging models as it aims to snag a piece of the local market dominated by Japanese manufacturers. Some might think that Samsung is joining the market late in the game since established digital camera manufacturers have been in the business for decades but Samsung Philippines president and chief executive Spencer Shim remains bullish about the market. "Samsung is well positioned to succeed. Consumers are familiar with Samsung and have demonstrated their preference for our brand," he said. "This gives us a solid foundation. We are confident of securing a top three spot in the business by 2010," Mr. Shim told reporters. He said the company aims to leverage its brand equity in mobile phones and home appliances to grow its digital imaging business in the country. "We will invest in expanding our channels and embark on an aggressive and integrated communications campaign," he said. Mr. Shim said Samsung aims to close the gap between them and their competitors by coming up with a full range of stylish and feature-packed digital cameras. "Our range of products also cater to the needs of different consumer segments from our 10-mega pixel NV24HD camera designed for trend seekers, to our compact L100 digital cameras offering value, and reliability at the entry level," he said. The NV24HD was one of the units launched last week. It is considered the world’s smallest 24-millimeter, ultra-wide angle digital camera. It has a wide angle Schneider-KREUZNACH lens that offers a wider shooting range within a short distance. The camera that retails for under P27,000 has a built-in movie stabilizer and 3.6x optical zoom that enables users to capture scenes at a distance without compromising image quality. The compact L100 camera with 8.1 mega pixels features a high quality, 3x optical zoom Samsung NV lens and a 2.5-inch LCD screen. The screen automatically brightens or dims depending on the current lighting situation. It is available in black, silver, light blue, pink and brick red and retails at P12,990. Samsung also launched its i8 digital cameras which enable users to enjoy movies, videos and even their favorite music on the go. The camera has eight mega pixels, 2.7-inch display and a 2.5 millimeter headphone port. A unique feature is the "World Tour Guide" which provides users with pre-loaded travel information covering 4,500 regions in 30 countries. Owners can use this feature to help plan their trips or find their way on the road. The Samsung i8 digital cameras with a recommended retail price of P15,990 come in black, silver, light blue and pink. Before the end of the year, Samsung will introduce locally its camera recorder, the Samsung VP-HMX20C that has a built-in flash memory of eight gigabytes — one of the largest among camcorders. The big flash memory enables users to store many files without having to delete old files to make room for new ones. "The digital imaging industry is undergoing a momentous transformation. As technology advances in leaps and bounds, digital cameras are shrinking in size but increasing their pixel capacities," said Mr. Shim said. "Rising demand for film camera replacement in the region’s developing markets and for camera upgrades in developed ones have presented Samsung with an unprecedented opportunity to expand our presence in digital imaging," he ended. - BusinessWorld