The Samsung AF Zoom 105S comes from a time when point-and-shoot cameras were everywhere—but not all of them were equally good. Samsung wasn't a big name in the camera world in the '90s, but with models like this, they were definitely in the game.
This camera has a classic design, is quite solid, and is equipped with everything you could have wanted from a good compact camera back then (and still does today). The 38-105mm zoom lens covers many everyday situations, and for those who like to get close, the integrated super macro mode is a really nice bonus.
Load the film, open the lid, aim, and shoot—it was that simple. The camera does everything itself: The film advances automatically, focuses using infrared autofocus, and when things get dark, the flash kicks in with red-eye reduction.
Technical data
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Production period: around the mid-90s
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Lens: Samsung Zoom 38–105mm f/5.0–12.7
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Autofocus: Infrared – including Super Macro
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Film type: 35mm color or black and white film
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Flash: built-in, with automatic and fill-in mode
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Power: 2x CR123A lithium batteries
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Viewfinder: optical, zooms with the lens
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Display: LCD on top of the camera
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Panorama switch available
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Weight: approx. 300 g without batteries
In use
When you first hold the camera in your hand, it feels pleasantly robust. It's neither bulky nor ultra-compact—just right for your jacket pocket. It's incredibly easy to use. The small display at the top shows what's going on: flash on, film loaded, and how many pictures are left.
When taking photos, everything works smoothly. The autofocus is usually accurate, but it sometimes gets sluggish in very low light. The super macro mode is actually quite useful – flowers, textures, and details of objects come out well.
The image quality? Absolutely fine. For an automatic camera of this class, it delivers clean results with natural colors and decent basic sharpness.
Conclusion
It's a reliable tool for 35mm photography—with a few nice extras that set it apart from other compact cameras of its time. If you're looking for a simple, portable camera (and have CR123A batteries on hand), you can't go wrong with this one.
