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Jan. 6, 2008 – Samsung today unveiled the 8-megapixel i8, a member of its i-
series line of point-and-shoots that feature Samsung's portable media player (PMP) multimedia technology. Like the other offerings in the lineup, the i8 is part digital camera, part MP3 player, and part video player. The i8 features Face Detection, Digital Image Stabilization, and Auto Red Eye Fix. The camera will retail for $299 when it is released next month.
The i8 has 8 megapixels, up from its predecessor, the 7.2-megapixel i7, announced last January. Like the i7, users can upload videos and music to the digital camera in the following formats: MP3 or WAV for music and MPEG, AVI, MOV, WMV, or ASF for video. The included software coverts audio and movie files for playing and displaying on the i8. The camera includes a 2.5 mm headphone port.
Like the i7, the i8 has a 3x optical zoom lens, Digital Image Stabilization to help reduce blur from camera shake, and an ISO equivalent of 1600 for shooting in low light. The new Samsung digital camera features a 2.7-inch LCD, slightly smaller than the i7’s 3-inch screen. The i8 is pocket-sized at 3.5 x 2.3 x 0.8 inches, and has a shiny, silver surface.
In the Multi-Slide Show mode, users can select from preloaded music or upload their own MP3s and customize the slide shows with five transition options.
The i8’s Face Detection automatically focuses and exposes up to nine faces, and Auto Red Eye Fix mode helps reduce red-eyes in photos. An in-camera red-eye fix can also be applied post-capture.
The Movie mode records in SVGA (800 x 593) MPEG-4 video format. Optical zoom is enabled, and an image stabilizer helps reduce blur in movies. In addition, the Successive Recording mode allows users to pause and resume filming clips without saving each as an individual file.
As found in the i7, the World Tour Guide function provides travel information for 4,500 regions in 30 countries, including currencies, popular attractions, and maps. For beginners, the i8 has a Function Description mode, which offers brief explanations to each of the functions on the camera. In addition, the Photo Help Guide gives a guided tour explaining steps users can take to capture better photos.