Samsung intros slimline L77 compact camera

Samsung's gone into full bragging mode with its newly announced L77 digital camera, claiming the sure-to-be-shortly-held title of "world's thinnest" camera that has both a 7 megapixel sensor and a 7x optical zoom. It appears that a thickness of 0.8 inches was enough to snag that honor, with the camera's other dimensions equally pocketable, measuring 3.7 inches in length and 2.2 inches in height. Apart from its size, the camera appears to be decent but fairly unremarkable, with a 2.5-inch LCD, 30 fps VGA video recording, ISO settings up to 1600, and Samsung's trademark "Advanced Shake Reduction" system, along with the usual array of pre-set camera modes. While there doesn't appear to be any word on price just yet, the camera will apparently be available sometime this April.

[Rex @ Feb 9th 2007 3:50PM]

I was just wondering... since LED lights are good at not consuming so much energy, would there be any way to incorporate an LED flash or LED screen into new cameras?

[mike_p_weber @ Feb 9th 2007 4:18PM]

Casio has a thinner camera - so this isn't the world's thinnest.

[Justin @ Feb 9th 2007 5:02PM]

Please give me a link to a Casio camera that has a 7x zoom and is under an inch thick...we're waiting...

Didn't think so...lets work on our reading skills before posting next time. You just made me go through the Casio website to see if they had released some high-zoom ultra-compact I had missed.

[jayarbee @ Feb 9th 2007 4:28PM]

Whether the title is "sure-to-be-shortly-held" or not, it really is an accomplishment to fit a 7x optical zoom into a camera barely 3/4" thick. Less than two years ago, I bought a 6x optical zoom equipped Panasonic LZ-1 that was well more than twice that thick, and it was the thinnest available at the time with so much optical zooming power.

[resource @ Feb 9th 2007 5:55PM]

Relax Justin,

Casio has a camera with 7X OPTICAL zoom thinner than an inch.

It's called the Exilim ex v7
http://www.casio.com/products/Cameras/Exilim_Hi-Zoom/

I don't know which is thinner, but I'm glad 7X Optical Zoom is becoming "common" on thin cameras.

[eshaq786 @ Feb 9th 2007 9:04PM]

Casio has a thinner ones. Both the Casio S600 and S770 are 0.68 and 0.7 thick respectively. I have the S600 myself and trust me it is very thin. Heres your proof. http://exilim.casio.com/

[Justin @ Feb 10th 2007 1:08PM]

Wow, you guys truly are dense. Of course Casio has thinner cameras, as do a number of other manufacturers. None of those have a 7x zoom. Do any even have over a 3x zoom? That is the feature that makes this camera something interest. Please read it more carefully. And next time you post a link how about actually posting to the actual product that is thinner not just a corporate home page.

And Resource, I will try to relax, I am sorry. I am aware of the ex v7, which is thin, at 25.1mm (.988 inches). I am not taking aay from that product or its merits. But I thought we were talking about The Thinnest, not just thin. The V7 is about 20% thicker than this new one. That is what makes it an achievement.

[Justin @ Feb 10th 2007 1:09PM]

And I apparently need a spell-checker for my comments.

[resource @ Feb 10th 2007 2:55PM]

Don't get so caught up on the Worlds THINNEST title.

The Casio is 7X Optical Zoom at a supposed .82" at its thinnest point and .988 and its thickest while the Samsung is .80".

Let's see which gets the better reviews.

Because .02" is not a whole lot of thickness.

[Fellwalker @ Feb 11th 2007 5:27AM]

In my view they have missed a trick. Whilst I would dearly love to have a 7x zoom, I am more interested in a 28mm equivalent at the wide angle end. Samsung's is 38 - 266mm which means you miss out on landscapes or buildings. It also means you NEED a tripod at teh zoom end.

[Washington DC Photographer @ Nov 13th 2007 6:38PM]

Man, this looks like a great camera! I can't wait to get one myself as a point and shoot!