Samsung MV800 review

Whether image quality is up to scratch depends on your expectations. The huge 16-megapixel resolution is overkill for a compact camera, and inspecting photos up close revealed smudged textures, soft focus towards the corners and chromatic aberrations giving discoloration around high-contrast lines. These problems weren’t particularly noticeable once photos had been resized to fit a computer screen, though. Low-light shots without the flash looked grainy and smudged on close inspection but were good enough for Facebook-sized shots.

Image quality in bright light is the right side of acceptable – click to enlarge

Indoor videos were less forgiving, though, with smudged details and fizzing noise in shadows. Outdoor clips were much better, and the optical zoom worked smoothly and quietly. The 720p resolution is disappointing, though – we expect 1080p at this price.

Low light shots don’t stand up to scrutiny but at small sizes they do the job – click to enlarge

Image and video quality fall far short of the standards set by our favourite compact camera, the Canon Ixus 230 HS. However, for those who only ever post pictures to Facebook – and who take lots of self-portraits – the MV800’s hinged screen and plethora of fun shooting modes may hold more of an appeal. Picture quality is only a little better than from a good smartphone, but the 5x zoom lens gives it a distinct advantage over any phone-based camera. The only thing holding it back from a higher rating is the price. If and when the price falls to around £150, we’d be happy to recommend it.