Samsung's slim 2008 style compact — 10.2MP CCD, 3x 35-105mm, 2.7in LCD, sold as SL201 in the US
The Samsung L201 was a slim style compact announced in July 2008 as part of the L-series, housed in a metal body just 20mm thick. In the United States the identical camera was sold as the SL201, so both names appear on the used market. It is a different, later camera from the L200 announced earlier the same year.
It packs a 10.2-megapixel 1/2.33in CCD and a 3x optical zoom giving a 35-105mm equivalent range, framed on a 2.7in LCD. Sensitivity reaches ISO 1600, digital image stabilisation and face detection with a self-portrait mode are built in, and Motion JPEG movies record at VGA 30fps with the ability to pause and zoom during recording. A 5x digital zoom extends total reach to 15x.
This is a pocket camera for everyday snapshots: thin enough for a coat pocket, simple in operation and styled for the fashion end of the 2008 line-up. Stabilisation is digital-only, so it is less forgiving at the telephoto end or in dim rooms than optically stabilised rivals of the same era.
Being an ultra-slim compact, check the action of the extending lens barrel and the condition of the 2.7in screen, which dominates the back and picks up scratches. It uses a proprietary rechargeable battery, so confirm a working battery and the correct Samsung charger are included, as boxed spares are drying up. CCD-era colour is the main draw; test at high ISO for sensor deterioration.