With a flip-out touchscreen and a variety of fun and creative features, the 16.15-million-pixel Samsung MV800 handles a little differently to other compact cameras. Richard Sibley puts it to the test

Product Overview

Overall rating:

Samsung MV800

Star rating:


Samsung MV800 review


Price as reviewed:


Build and Handling

With its slim design, the MV800 fits easily into a pocket, while the metal front panel adds a reassuring stability. However, the first thing I noticed was that the camera has just two control buttons and that the rear 3in widescreen is articulated. This allows the screen to rotate through 180°, making it ideal for taking self-portraits.

In fact, the MV800 hides a shutter button on the rear of the camera, which is revealed when the screen is facing forward. This is makes it even easier to take self-portraits while holding the camera and is a very neat idea.

The reason for the lack of buttons elsewhere is that the camera uses a touchscreen. Although I find these useful for quick access to certain features, I’m still not convinced by cameras that rely solely on them for complete control.

Instead of physical buttons the camera has large touch-sensitive on-screen ‘buttons’. While the virtual buttons are easy to press, I would still prefer a small dial on the front of the camera for scrolling through settings, as there is a noticeable lag when using a finger to scroll through the touchscreen menu.

If you are used to using touchscreens, then the MV800 is straightforward to use. However, photographers more used to the controls of a DSLR will probably find it frustrating.


  1. 1. Features
  2. 2. Build and Handling
  3. 3. Image Quality
  4. 4. Verdict
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