With a maximum resolution of 10.2 megapixels and a 3x optical zoom lens, the Samsung ES15 has identical specifications to its slightly slicker brother, the Samsung ES55. In fact, the only thing that separates these cameras is a different design and battery type: this Samsung ES15 digital camera is bulkier and uses disposable AA batteries, while the ES55 is comparatively tiny and comes with a rechargeable Li-Ion battery. Otherwise, both models sport the same feature set and offer an indistinguishable performance. Considering it costs $40 less than its identikit sibling, the ES15 is definitely the better buy. Well, unless you care about looks that is...
The ES15y’s control interface and menu layout are identical to the Samsung ES55, including the 2.7in LCD screen. It sticks to a traditional 4-way control pad, which remained responsive throughout testing. The menu is well presented with clearly labeled headings, although the layout does take some getting used to. Certain camera modes require you to do some hunting, which is not only frustrating but also unnecessary (itt’s not like the camera is chock-full of manual controls). That said, we were impressed by the inclusion of a Custom RGB mode in the menu, which is something few entry-level cameras provide.
The Samsung ES15 comes with all the same modes and features as its ES55 cousin. These include face detection, auto red-eye removal, a voice recorder, 12 scene modes, a slideshow function (complete with music and transitional effects), an inbuilt help guide, a VGA movie mode and a new automatic tool called Beauty Shot.
The Panasonic DMR-ES15 is compatible with all DVD discs and has quick-starting functionality that speeds up the start-up process. Note that disc rotating sounds, image distortion when searching and failure to play due to bad disks are normal. Also, check to make sure the batteries are fresh in your remote controls and reboot the machine before you begin to troubleshoot.
