Capturing Thailand's delights with a tap and click

The kingdom of Thailand was the backdrop of an imagination born into reality. Known for its exceptional beauty, which is mirrored in its rich cultural heritage, Thailand fits the Samsung experience. I had the privilege of witnessing the launch of its latest camera, and gained first-hand knowledge of the innovative design and functions of Samsung’s smart and stylish cameras, all while taking in the fascinating sights of Bangkok.

This journey revealed Samsung’s ST550, a gadget that incorporates the world’s first dual LCD screen on a digital camera. During our welcome dinner, Mr. Jeong-Wook Kim, VP for marketing communications, shared the company’s vision to introduce cutting-edge features to meet consumer needs. Samsung began developing film cameras in 1979 and had led the growth of the digital imaging market through its advanced technology. He further explained how the brand leads the digital camera’s evolution by these fundamentals, which are highlighted by innovative design, groundbreaking technology, and ease of use.

The unveiling of the ST550 camera defines the next step in the evolution of the digital camera. This latest addition to its camera portfolio gives consumers a whole new approach to personal photography. It marks an important milestone for Samsung, reinforcing its position by setting a new benchmark for digital camera technology. 

Samsung reinvents my visit to Bangkok

On our second day, we were ushered to the Grand Palace, one of the city’s major landmarks. Taken away from the confines of the typical seminar room setting, we were given a hands-on feel of the ST550. This approach allowed us to discover the gadget and, at the same time, capture the amazing scenery of the complex. Together with Jim Paredes, Pam Pastor and Gibbs Cadiz, each armed with the ST550, we had a chance to actually learn and put into use the camera’s features. Aside from toying with the gadget, we were informed that our creative expressions would be in competition with our Asian media counterparts. We multi-tasked to study the camera and at the same time take part in a photo contest.

We carried the compact camera and headed towards the upper terrace where four main monuments are found: a reliquary in the shape of a golden chedi; the Mondop, a repository for Buddhist sacred scriptures; a miniature Angkor Wat crafted by Rama IV; and the Royal Pantheon in which statues of past sovereigns of the ruling Chakri dynasty are enshrined. Scattered around the terrace are statues of mythical beings. In here, the dual LCD screens on the front and back are put into use. This feature provided us the easiest way to take the perfect self-portrait. On the front of the camera is a 1.5” LCD that shows how the picture will look from the viewpoint of one that’s both subject and photographer. The dual LCD screen offers twice the fun of any camera and allows us to take photographs we simply couldn’t take before. By tapping the front LCD, it turns on and automatically goes into self-portrait mode, ensuring that I was exactly framed the way I wanted. The four of us picked several self-portraits, placing lotus flowers and statues in the background to spice up our images.

Our next stop was the The Phra Maha Monthian group. This area consists of three main buildings, namely the audience hall of Amarindra Winitchai, the Paisal Taksin Hall and the Chakraphat Phiman Hall. I was marveling at the audience hall that was built in 1785 during the reign of King Rama I. In this hall, a number of state ceremonies, such as that commemorating the birthday of the king, are held. The topiary bushes that decorates the entrance caught Jim’s attention and he decided to make use of the shutter info feature. This feature ensures that everyone is in bright smiles before it clicks. When using shutter info, the front LCD will display a “smiley face” when the photographer has the shutter button pushed halfway down, giving the subject a signal that you’re ready to take the photo. Being in the land of smiles, the shutter info definitely put into test the smile on our faces.

Another hall that our team visited is the Chakri Maha Prasat, built by King Chulalongkorn (King Rama V). This was completed in 1882, the same year as the centenary celebration of Bangkok. The Chakri group consists of the central throne hall, which now serves many purposes such as holding receptions for foreign ambassadors and for state banquets in honour of visiting heads of state. The commanding architecture was perfect for checking out the 27mm wide-angle lens with 4.6x optical zoom. It allows a wider shooting range from a shorter distance, delivering greater flexibility than traditional 35mm lenses. We were able to capture the grandeur of the palace without having to back up to get the shot. Equipped with a true-color filtered 12.2 mega-pixel CCD and boasting a powerful 4.6x optical zoom, the camera captured the intricately decorated walls in sharp detail.

The last stop was the Borom Phiman Mansion, whose facade overwhelmed us. We decided on a photo concept of posing like rock stars with attitude. Another smart mark of the camera is the self-timer. The front LCD shows a preview of the shot as well as a numeric visual countdown, alerting everyone to exactly when the photo will be snapped. And since our photo demands a perfect portrait of the group, we all decided to use what we all thought was the best characteristic of the camera: the beauty shot function. It removes all the imperfection on our faces such as wrinkles, blemishes and even moles, and it has two editing options to even out the skin tone and complexion.

After spending a day seeing the awesome sights in the temples, we were treated to a delightful dinner cruise. The Chao Phraya River is another way to appreciate the city with its well-lit temples, colonial edifices and modern architecture all seamlessly blending with the city scenery. The cool evening breeze of the kingdom accompanied the two-hour ride. We watched river life go by with a sumptuous Thai feast. This memorable night on board was sensational for twilight photo opportunities as we passed the magnificent Temple of Dawn (Wat Arun) and the Grand Palace. It was also great vantage point to relax and unwind after a full day.

However, our energies were not really in low gear yet. On the last night, the awarding ceremony of the photo contest kept everyone eagerly anticipating the results of the challenges. Four amazing features of the ST550, the self portrait, shutter smile, self-timer and panoramic shot, served as categories for the photo award. I am proud to say that three of our photos landed as finalists and eventually won the shutter info category. This award gave everyone the brightest smile that night.

As we ended our exploration of Bangkok armed with the ST550, we fully experienced the camera’s features while capturing the sights of this culture-rich city.