How A Samsung Salesguy Tests Cameras

It sounds awesome but, in reality, it is awful. Here's how the brash Samsung sales guy does it:

"When I am in a show or a counter day I always ask the host to turn out the lights and let the audience determine who is the best low light provider. You know what I get back? the other manufacturers might not like it."

Oh ho! That's real life drama except that it is an absurd test in practice.

Why?

(1) Cameras will have various shutter settings, meaning that cameras will vary by 5x to 10x the amount of light they receive, simply depending on who was the most aggressive with slow shutter / sens up.

(2) Some cameras will have integrated IR. Worse, the integrated IR will not only impact the cameras with it, non IR cameras will be 'lit' up with ambient IR, further distorting the results.

(3) If computer monitors are left on (which are common on show or counter day floors), the light from their screens will still keep the room relatively bright and unevenly so, further warping results.

Of course, from just 'looking', it is very easy not to realize these factors are skewing the comparison.

Unfortunately, this is all too typical amongst field sales guys who mix high testosterone with limited technical knowledge into dangerous stunts.

Of course, this is not an exception. Recall the Arecont sale guy who boldly proclaimed at a local show how his camera does the 'work' of 15 other cameras.