I absolutely love my TL500.
I wanted a camera that the same manual functionalities as a DSLR but the size of a compact, which is exactly what this is! Although it's a little on the heavier side, it's still a great alternative.
The camera has both manual (PSAM) and automatic settings like Samsung's scene selector, or smart setting. The camera also has a f/1.4-2.4 lens which means it has the capacity to take super fast photos. With it's dual stabilizer setting, you can take great photos in darker places without using flash.

The camera also has a swivel screen, which lets you take photos at awkward angles, or take self-portraits. It also has a wide angle lens to fit all your friends in. The screen is also made with AMOLED technology, which allows you to see it perfectly, even under bright lights.

The setting I have the must fun with is the "smile capture" setting, which takes the photo when it detects a smile. It's much easier than using a timer for those family portraits.

I love this camera.