Samsung WB850F

Samsung WB850F

Samsung's latest travel zoom packs an absolutely massive 21x optical zoom into a pocket-ready frame. It's the longest zoom ratio we've seen on any compact camera; that distinction changes a few times a year, but we'll let the WB850F enjoy its moment in the spotlight. But that's not the only trick up this camera's (extended) sleeve. It's equipped with Samsung's new SMART WiFi system, opening it up for on-the-go photo sharing, cloud saves, automatic PC backups, and a bunch of other “connected” features. We spent a few minutes with the WB850F at CES 2012. Read on for our first impressions of the world's longest-zooming compact. When you’re busy cramming a 21x zoom range into a camera that fits into a jacket pocket, aesthetics are probably an afterthought. At least that’s the impression we get from looking at the WB850F. It’s not busted ugly or anything, but “plain,” “unremarkable,” and “average” are the first three words that we could come up with on the showroom floor. It’s in the same vein as last year’s WB750, which was a big improvement on the HZ35W that came before it, but it doesn’t pop off the display rack like Nikon and Sony’s travel zooms.