Samsung Galaxy Camera update means more modes, less lag

There's an update about for Samsung's Android-powered Galaxy Camera, and it'll bring more shooting modes as well as improved performance, Android Central reports.

The update to Android Jelly Bean 4.1.2 is only available as a ROM you can flash manually (as well as at your own risk, it must be said) through the ODIN software, so it's not 100 per cent official yet. There are no reports of anyone seeing it as a regular over-the-air update, but it's coming, so let's have a butcher's at what's new.

The update will give your Galaxy Camera four new smart-shooting options. Dawn helps for those snaps of sunrise, making the blue more intense, while Snow -- particularly handy at the moment -- brings out the white in shots, improving your pics of snowmen and snowball fights. Food emphasises the vivid colours of whatever you're munching, and Party/Indoor limits blur for your party shots.

Another option lets the Galaxy Camera be used with Samsung's Remote Viewfinder app on another device, so you can use a phone like the Galaxy S3 to activate the shutter on it, which is pretty handy.

Performance has also been given a tweak, with lag a thing of the past. Android Central reports the touch controls are considerably more responsive, with smoother animations. The Weather app will be found in the app drawer after the update, rather than the home screen widget as before.

The Galaxy Camera recently came tops in our test versus the iPhone 5, Nokia Lumia 920, Nexus 4, and Galaxy S3, so it definitely has some serious image-capturing skills. It particularly impressed in the macro, zoom, and outdoor departments.

It went on sale in November, equipped with apps from Google Play, along with 3G and Wi-Fi. It also packs a ridiculous 21x optical zoom, for getting up close and personal with your subjects.

Have you seen the update in an official capacity yet? What do you make of it? Let me know in the comments, or over on our Facebook page.