Samsung releases Wi-Fi travel zooms for 2012

— -- Samsung announced two new Wi-Fi-equipped compact travel zoom cameras at CES today, one of which has a record-breaking 21x zoom range.

The WB850F tops the Samsung compact lineup for 2012. The camera is built around an f/2.8-5.9 Schneider-Kreuznach lens, boasting an impressive 21x zoom range: currently the longest zoom on a compact camera. The WB850F is also equipped with a 16-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor. According to Samsung, this sensor will allow users to capture video in 1080p HD, improve low-light performance, and allow for faster burst modes and shot-to-shot times.

The WB850F replaces last year's WB750. The WB850F adds a 3-inch AMOLED screen and GPS capability, but otherwise the two cameras have very similar spec sheets. The WB850F will be available this April, in black.

If you're on a budget, the WB150F might be a better choice. The camera has a somewhat uninspiring 14-megapixel CCD, but still features an 18x zoom. While not as powerful as the WB850F, it will be available sooner, for less money: The camera will retail for $229, available at the end of the month.

Both models come equipped with built-in SMART Wi-Fi, Samsung's second iteration of the technology. This time around, users will be able to easily sign in at public and password-protected Wi-Fi hotspots, thanks to a proprietary log-in browser. In addition to all the standard sharing services — Facebook, YouTube, Picasa, and email — SMART Wi-Fi cameras can upload photos to Microsoft Sky Drive cloud storage, or use the PC Auto Backup features to wirelessly transfer pictures to their computer. Android users will find SMART Wi-Fi cameras still have remote viewfinder support, and iOS users can expect an app as well.

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To read more about the latest CES camera announcements and get our hands-on impressions live from Vegas, check out DigitalCameraInfo.com. Reviewed.com is a division of USA TODAY.