The Samsung ES55 is a compact point and shoot with a nice brushed metal finish at the front but somewhat dull at the back. The controls buttons aren’t of the same quality as the front. The OK button is so tiny that you have to use your fingernails at times to press it. The screen bulges out of the body otherwise it would’ve been a much more compact camera. The user interface has a very high resolution and the fonts and menus are very impressive. When you go into the mode selection and camera settings, it’s even more apparent. It’s one of the most comprehensive user interfaces of all the cameras we've seen. Every menu and setting has a description at the bottom of the screen. Controls like these might impress those who are used to computers and gadgets in general with lots of complicated menus. Anyone buying a camera for the first time might not really like this overwhelming number of settings. The preview and zooming function allows instant cropping and trimming of the photographs which is a neat little feature that can be found on some other cameras as well. The camera also has a Photo Help guide feature which teaches users how to use the camera and its features. A simple listing of tasks is available with the steps to do the task. These tasks can also be used as a tutorial with step-by-step instructions.

The Samsung ES55 is a compact point and shoot with a nice brushed metal finish at the front but somewhat dull at the back. The controls buttons aren’t of the...