Samsung's pocket 18x travel superzoom — 12MP CCD, 24-432mm equiv stabilised zoom, 3.0in LCD
The Samsung WB690 was a compact travel superzoom in Samsung's early-2010s WB range, which stretched from pocket zooms up to bridge cameras. It packed an unusually long zoom into a pocketable body and was sold primarily through European retail channels, making it a reasonably common UK second-hand find today.
It built a 12-megapixel 1/2.33-inch CCD into a body with an 18x optical zoom spanning 24-432mm equivalent, backed by 4x digital zoom and an image stabiliser to keep the long end usable. A 3.0-inch LCD handled composition and review, and maximum resolution reached 4320x3240 pixels. The 24mm wide end is notably wider than most compacts of its class.
An 18x range from genuine wide-angle to long telephoto in one pocket camera makes the WB690 a one-lens travel and holiday tool, with enough reach for distant subjects and casual wildlife. The small CCD sensor limits low-light quality, so it performs best in daylight, and long-telephoto shots benefit from bracing despite the stabilisation.
Superzoom compacts put heavy wear on their lens mechanisms: extend the zoom through its full 18x travel and listen for grinding or hesitation, and check the stabiliser works by comparing telephoto shots. Confirm the proprietary battery charges and a charger is included, inspect the LCD for bruising, and test flash and all mode-dial positions before buying.