Samsung assures us the last Galaxy Camera was a rousing success. It was so successful, in fact, Samsung has opted to make a new version of the Android-powered camera. Note that this is the regular camera with Android, not the Android phone with a big camera (Galaxy Zoom) or the high-end camera with Android (Galaxy NX). The new Galaxy Camera 2 comes with a few upgraded camera specs and a newer version of Android on-board.

If you're still in the market for a standalone camera, the Galaxy Camera has reasonably good specs:

  • Image Sensor: 16.3 effective megapixel
  • Lens: 21x Optical Zoom Lens, 23 mm Wide Angle, F2.8(W) ~ 5.9(T) with OIS
  • Display: 4.8-inch HD Super Clear Touch LCD Screen
  • ISO: Auto, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, 3200
  • Video: MP4 (Video: MPEG4, AVC/H.264, Audio: AAC); Full HD 1920x1080 /30fps, 1280x720 /60fps, 1280x720 /30fps, 640x480 /60fps,
    640x480(30fps), 320x240(30fps); Multi Motion Video 768 x 512 (WVGA, x1/8, x1/4, x1/2, x2, x4, x8) /120fps
  • Processor: 1.6GHz Quad-Core Processor
  • OS: Android 4.3 (Jelly Bean)
  • Storage: 8GB Internal memory (User memory approximately 2.8GB) + microSD slot (up to 64GB)
  • RAM: 2GB
  • Connectivity: WiFi a/b/g/n, GPS/GLONASS, Bluetooth® 4.0, NFC
  • Battery: 2000mAh

Since this is a camera first and foremost, it's good to see the lens getting a solid update. It is now f/2.8 instead of f/4.1. The sensor resolution of 16MP and the 21x zoom are the same as the last-generation device, though. The Galaxy Camera 2 also adds NFC, which should make for easier image sharing. The battery is also a big step up from the old 1650mAh cell. Some of Samsung's specs are a little vague, like the quad-core ARM chip of undetermined origin and the "HD Super Clear Touch LCD." The last device was just "Super Clear Touch" – 720p. So perhaps this one is 1080p?

Samsung only includes 8GB of storage in the device, which leaves you with a scant 2.8GB of space, plus the microSD card slot. The Galaxy Camera 2 does come pre-loaded with Dropbox and 50GB of free space for 2 years. You're also looking at Android 4.3 with Samsung's usual array of S Features and Google services. There is no pricing or release timing, but Samsung is going to be showing the device off at CES next week.

[Samsung]