No comments about Samsung SC-X205L MPEG4 Sports Camcorder with 512MB Memory & 10x Optical Zoom.

5 comments about Samsung SC-X300 Flash Memory Divx Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom.

1. Well thought out, picture quality is good and the entire device is incredibly small and convenient. Being able to charge from USB is also very handy and the best part is you don't have to mess with tape or disc media.
   
   It's definitely a consumer rather than professional product but for home use, it's a great little device at a reasonable price.



2. I bought this camcorder as it had better reviews than SC-X300L but this has really disappointed me. Video is barely acceptable in bright daylight but low light and indoor footage is really bad. Video quality is comparable to my cellphone (samsung t629) video and its miles away from DVD quality. I would say closer to youtube quality. It does not have still camera option but when you use it as a webcam it can take still pictures and you can take still pics from the video using their software, again the product description is misleading. I have a problem when it says it is DIVX because samsung came up with their own divx format which is not compatible with other popular divx codecs. It is already a mess in the codec world and do you really have to throw in another one to mess with the consumers. I have a divx dvd player and it does not play the video files made with X-300. MP3 and voice recorder features are better so may be samsung should really market it as an mp3 player and not as a camcorder.
   
   When you zoom in and out then it is recording the sqeeking sound of the moving part which is annoying specially when you are recording in a quite surroundings.



3. Bad video quality and equally bad battery life...Battery started having problems in less than a week. Video quality is very poor..
   Not recommended for a purchase.



4. Hi, I'm a California Teacher that uses this camcorder to make educational videos for the web, teacher trainings, iPod, and dvd. I also use it for family and goofy stuff, but not as much as my educational work. PROS: It's tiny, black, and stylish. This camcorder can take video that's quickly transferred to your PC via an SD card slot. Uses a high speed 10 mps(NOT HSHC) cards. It's easily the smallest camcorder I've used with superb video quality. CONS: plugging raw video you've shot directly to a tv/ flat screen looks weak. You need to process it according to your output. If it's the web, publish to around 1.0 mps. Clarifying NOTES: Without getting into too many details, if you plan on burning DVD or publishing to an iPod, you should always edit your video in the raw mPeg4 format at then save to AT LEAST 3.0 Mps (DVD quality) in 640x480 format. That's been the biggest confusion on this camcorder. If you publish a video with 1.0-2.5 mps, that's great FOR THE WEB, not for a dvd or an iPod you'll use to display on a TV/ projector/ LCD flatscreen. There's numerous reviews on YouTube and other video sites that present and post subpar quality video to a site only to have the site code to flash. Trying to review high quality video or devices by using YouTube is hilarious. Check out Vimeo or other video publishing sites that allow you to see high resolution videos that do non-flash video. Oh, I partner this up with a little monster, adjustable tripod, and they both produce fantastic student council productions and other videos. I hope this helps. -E.



5. Hi ! First of all I wanna say that this is my first Camcorder that i ever bought in my life ..
   I like it and its great because you can bring with you everywhere and its light.
   The images are good outside and not so bad indoor.. for sure is not a camcorder with 3ccd but its ok....
   The audio is great , I was amazed about the quality of audio..
   I don't like too much the case because is too small and its a little boring to put the camcorder inside it ..
   The software ( VideoStudio SE ) that the company give for edit the video is nice but it hasn't got a converter from .VSP to .AVI or other kind of format.. so i advise to find another Edit Video Editing software.
   Anyway.. this Camcorder is great for people that want a nice and easy stuff to make video for family , concerts and sport..
   Its very easy to put the video into the pc , its like a photo camera..
   In two second you have your video into your pc in format .AVI and you start to edit it with an other Edit Video Editing software :).
   
   So my rewiew is positive :)

5 comments about Samsung SCD353 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom.

1. I love this camcorder!!! I have used it for about more that a year and I have been amazed by it ever since I bought it. If you buy a FireWire cable it makes the experience even better because you can import the video to the computer. I love the Mic In jack. It was just a couple days ago that the screen died on me. I was just about to film something and when I turned it on the screen was all white. I am very sad about it, but it is still usable. Other than that this camcorder is awesome!!!



2. Easy to use, setup and convert videos to PC. The problem is regarding battery life... Average rate is good.



3. this camcorder is a good product, have a good zoom, for the pictures the quality is low, but is a good device.



4. My SCD353 worked OK in first 6 months or so ( less than 10 hrs recoding). Then the picture quality become more and more blurry. I purchased a cleaning tape trying to fix it but no use.



5. I bought the SC-D353 in 2006 with budget in mind, since recent graduates like my wife and I have lots of debt and not much in the way of spending money. This camcorder was essentially the least expensive video option I found at the time that did have an external mic input.
   
   For the price, the camera does the things I am looking for. I'm looking for acceptable, not great, video definition, and it does deliver reasonable video quality when there is adequate lighting. It falls short when dealing with low light, or when a single subject is lit but the rest of the frame is dark. The lens system and autofocus are not well-integrated; once one zooms more than about 2/3rds of the way to the long end of telephoto, the autofocus hunts for several seconds before regaining focus. I suspect that the lens design is not a zoom lens, but rather a hyperfocal lens. A zoom lens retains the same focus through the range, but a hyperfocal lens changes focus distance as focal length changes. At least, that would explain why the autofocus hunts if a fast zoom occurs.
   
   About the audio... the built-in microphone is reasonably sensitive, but, and it is a large but, the camcorder self-noise while using the tape drive is excessive and simply renders the built-in mic unusable. I don't have Memory Stick memory cards, so I don't know whether that problem goes away when recording to the card. It is a good thing that this camcorder has an external mic input, because it badly needs it. I've used small dynamic stereo mics up through a Sennheiser shotgun mic with this camcorder, and as long as one either puts enough distance between the camcorder and mic, or has a mic with a good rejection of local noise, it does OK for audio, though its automatic level control tends to run a bit hot.
   
   The other reviews are correct that the provided battery delivers just about an hour of operation if one only uses the viewfinder, a chunk less if one uses the LCD screen. This limits the utility of the camcorder, since, as the other reviews also point out, the camcorder itself is the only provided charging solution, and the camcorder must be switched off in order to charge the battery. One can operate the camcorder via the provided adapter, though, so some use indoors near an electrical outlet would not be impossible, but who wants a power cable dragging along with them while taping video?
   
   The menu system provides a number of features, most of which I'm too occupied to use in the field. It also does not store settings, so every time you remove power, leave time to set up your favorites again. The one feature that needs a button, the Digital Image Stabilization, only provides that button with several other automation choices. The "EasyQ" button does turn on DIS, but it also turns on autofocus and a couple of other "amateur" features. If you want DIS and, for instance, manual focus, you have to go through the menu to do it. I've never made use of the "digital effects" settings. If I need effects, I can apply them later in Vegas.
   
   Here's what I've done with my unit to make it more useful for me. First, I invested in a third-party Li-ion 2250mAh battery and external charger, which cost me about $20 plus shipping. I can use both batteries, but I've found little need for the original, since the new battery lasts for well over two hours, even mostly running with the LCD screen active. It does, unfortunately, interfere mechanically with getting one's eye up close to the viewfinder, but I can use it with the viewfinder pulled back as one does to access the diopter adjustment and the LCD screen is generally more useful for monitoring anyway. Second, I bought a 30mm to 52mm step-up adapter. This, also unfortunately, could not be installed with the camcorder in mint condition. There is a raised ridge of decorative plastic on the front that comes up to just under the lens, preventing the flange of the adapter from resting perpendicular to the lens. My solution: use a Dremel-style motor tool to take off the 2mm or so of plastic so that I can actually screw in the adapter. I took care not to go deep, and there is still a point where it looks like I've opened a small hole to the interior. I'm not so much worried about what may get in afterward, but rather whether I was generating any plastic bits that fell in. Forget about a warranty if you do this, too. What the 52mm adapter gets me is the ability to use the high-quality accessory lenses that we bought for our Canon S2 IS camera, specifically the 0.66x Raynox wide-angle lens. (I used to have a Century 0.8x, but that weighed a couple of times what the camcorder and the new heavier battery do.) With the wide-angle accessory lens, I can get a much better view at the wide end with no vignetting, and the zoom works fine without excessive AF hunting when zooming even out to the extreme telephoto end. Third, I bought a HTDZ HT-320A microphone, a "uni-directional electret condenser" mic. I'm used to cheap audio equipment sucking badly, but the HT-320A made for a pleasant surprise. Its self-noise is actually not too bad on the unit I got; though not in the Sennheiser shotgun mic class, it also costs about a tenth of what the low-end Sennheiser costs. It is certainly an adequate microphone to pair with the SC-D353 camcorder. Between these accessories, I'm much happier with the camcorder than with it as it came out of the box. I plan to deploy this, minus the wide-angle accessory lens, on a bracket over my Nikon DSLR this summer at dog agility trials, where people often want video of their dog's performance as well as still photos.
   
   Bottom-line: If you are on a budget and only need recognizable video, not great quality video, this unit can do the job. It's certainly a contender for putting together YouTube video compositions. One should also plan to use an external microphone. I'd recommend the purchase of a higher-capacity battery and external charger. If you want to expand your view with good quality accessory lenses, you may need to perform surgery on the camcorder case.

5 comments about Samsung SC-X300L Flash Memory Divx Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom and Wired External Camera.

1. It's a cool, little, fun camera but the image quality isn't mind-blowing. It's perfect for action, sports, etc.
   I wish they had launched the wireless version of this camcorder, the cable is a pain.



2. Others are correct that is does not come with internal memory, but still the camera is great. Fits in your pocket, records almost two hours on a 4GB card, and the picture is very good quality. The external camera works great and with the remote on it allows you to put the camera in a safe place while doing action sports. I have used it to record several things on my bike with great success. I would definitely buy this again.



3. If you think this little 350 dollar job is gonna give you the same image quality as the canon xl2, or that it will be your only way to capture all those precious family memories i would suggest you keep on looking...now that "those" people have moved on...... The SC-x300L is nothing more than a fun little toy. If you have owned a cell phone or video camera since Reagan you shouldn't have any problems with the function or navigation for simple operations. The video quality is ok --samsungs website has all the info you need- sub for tv but great for web or if your a whiz w/ final cut it should be fine. The physical construction of the camera seems cheap and weak and i was originally a little reluctant to man-handle this unit but after being attached to my motorcycle and surviving a 90mph low-side that did a grip of damage to my bike i've since changed my mind. ((i've also taken it on wet and muddy trails -motocross- and it survived a nice little impact with a rock and my hip)) Overall if you are looking for a good helmet camera this is your best bet for the sub 800 price.
   
   The bad: sound quality (wind noise) on external camera. no native mac support (do a little google search and you'll find a nice individual that has written a little converter program that work like a charm)



4. PROS: The camera is awesome for video. High resolution excellent quality and the "anti-shake" feature is the best I have seen. If you want VIDEO ONLY this is an excellent choice.
   
   CONS:
   1. NO internal memory was built into the unit that I bought. As far as I am concerned that is false advertising.
   2. It will function as an MP3 player, video recorder, voice recorder, and external hard drive, BUT IT WON'T TAKE STILL PHOTOS?!?! I simply do not understand the marketing decision behind that. It would have to be a simple software/firmware adjustment in order to make it function as a camera but the brain trust at Samsung felt it more marketable to include MP3 functionality or even better, voice recording? As if I am going to leave myself voice memo's with it? Now I have to carry a second device if I want photos and I am not going to drop my iPod in favor of using a video camera to listen to music.
   3. Battery life is not that great.
   
   In conclusion I would give this 5 stars if it handled still photos and came with the advertised 1GB internal memory.
   
   UPDATE: You CAN in fact take still photographs with this camera. See Below for instructions.
   
   Taking Still Pictures
   
   
   * You have to set the mode switch to the MEMORY CARD position to use the camcorder as a Digital Still Camera.
   * Audio cannot be recorded with a still image onto the Memory Card
   * Images are compressed in JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) format.
   * The number of pixels are 640x480 unless you change the image quality (see below)
   
   Inserting The Memory Card
   
   1. Turn the Power switch to OFF.
   2. Insert the Memory Card in the direction of the arrow into the Memory Card slot located on the bottom of the camcorder.
   
   Recording images to a Memory Card
   
   1. Set the mode switch to MEMORY CARD.
   2. Set the power switch to CAMERA.
   3. Press the PHOTO button.
   The still image is recorded to the Memory Card.
   
   
   
   Note: While the camcorder is recording the still image, appears on the screen.
   
   Selecting Image Quality
   
   * You can select the quality of a still image to be recorded.
   
   1. Set the mode switch to MEMORY CARD.
   2. Set the power switch to the CAMERA mode.
   3. Press the MENU button. The menu list will appear.
   4. Turn the MENU DIAL to highlight MEMORY.
   5. Press the ENTER button to enter the sub-menu.
   6. Turn the MENU DIAL to highlight PHOTO QUALITY in the submenu.
   7. Press the ENTER button.
   8. Using the MENU DIAL, select the image quality. Press the ENTER button to confirm the image quality.
   If you exit the sub-menu without pressing the ENTER button, the quality mode is not changed.
   9. To exit, press the MENU button.



5. Yes, there are multiple versions of this camera out there. This seems to be a huge problem. The one I purchased does not take stills, does not have the built in LED flash, or the 2gb on board flash memory as described on the web site I purchased it from. This is false advertisement. Buyer beware. As far as how the camcorder operates, read the other threads. I only gave it one star because of false advertisement.

5 comments about Samsung SCD6040 DuoCam MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom & 4.1 MP Digital Still Camera.

1. This is an easy to use camera and videocam. It takes excellent digital photos and the video quality is also great. For a very reasonable price you get very high quality equipment! My four year old son even took some good photos with it.
   The product came with all necessary items needed to use it right away, including a battery and charger and all necessary cables, such as USB. The only thing I had to go out and buy was a tape.



2. This bad boy ROCKS!! Within minutes of getting it I was taking pictures and video of my son. It has all sorts of cool features- artistic effects, sepia tones, black and white, fading in and out...but that's not the coolest part. I love that there is a lens cover for the camcorder and that we always have the choice available between camcorder and digital camera. The battery life is long and you can easily adjust the settings for lots of pictures OR very very high quality pix and just not as many can be stored in memory. Hooking it up to transfer pictures to a PC was a cinch. So much easier than our old JVC camcorder. This is so easy to use and we've only had it a couple of weeks. Did I mention the night vision? Don't hesitate...buy now, you won't be sorry!!



3. I did some research whether to buy a digital camcorder or a new digital camera. I couldn't decide. I had a digital camera, but many times I wished I had a DV to bring back the sounds and feel of the moment also.
   Well, when I saw this Samsung online, I had to read the reviews. Not bad, so I bought it thru amazon. Very Impressed - good video and good pictures - you must use supplied software. I was not successful in putting the memory stick in a card reader and coping over the files. Didn't work. Put it back in the camera and plugged the camera into the usb port - no problem.
   Only other issue is if you twist the knob to fast from video to still pictures - it gets messed up and doesn't do the right thing. I then have to shut it down to recover. Power on to taking a picture is maybe DV or still is about 8-9 seconds. Don't be in a hurry to grab that shot!
   Still a good buy for having both in one unit. Good choice.



4. I love this camera. The video and picture quality is great. It is so easy to use and switch from video to still pictures. It is easy to manage your pictures on the computer also. I simply can't say enough good things about this camera. What a great feeling you get when you purchase something that lives up to the hype and expectations. A rare find!



5. This is what you have been looking for.I love my Samsung DuoCam.It takes great pictures and the video mode is awesome.I love the night mode too.I actually used my Samsung to take a picture of my cousin's new car at night(it was pitch dark). Wow is all I can say! The picture came out great, it was crystal clear. I love that I can capture video on my memory card or miniDV, but I hate that there is no sound on the memory card playback. Of course when you download your video to computer you get sound.The software is little difficult to use but, I've mastered it now. Hint:READ the manual, it will save you some time.

5 comments about Samsung SCD23 MiniDV Camcorder with 2.5 LCD.

1. You don't have to take my word for it - just do a quick internet search and you will find hundreds of people who had what is now known as BSOD (Black Screen of Death), a failure that occurs after a while and leaves you with a completely dark image in camera mode. Do yourself a favor, don't buy this unless you need it as paperweight.



2. Among Asian countries they don't rely too much in co-Asian manufactured goods because of poor quality ( except Japanese made) Sony, Canon & Panasonic still has the best quality among electronics.I don't know why samsung,hyundai, Daewoo etc. made it in the US Market that while in fact in Asia, these products are all a piece of Junk.



3. Yeah, this is a "me too" review. Got the SCD23 as a gift in December of '03. Liked it while it worked, but in April of '07 it was struck by the Black Screen of Death described by other posters. It'll play previously recorded tapes, but in camera (record or standby mode), the image is either totally black or horizontal white streaks (when a bright light is in the scene). I'll be contacting Samsung on Monday, and we'll see how they stand by their product. An internet search on this problem shows that a) it is by no means isolated and b) Samsung has a very poor reputation for providing reasonable customer service in these instances. I'm hoping to be the exception! :)



4. Yes, I am another victim of The black screen of death. I used my camcorder only 1 1/2years and my screen went black but I am also able to view recorded tapes. Samsung will only offer a refurbished camcorder for $150.00 cost to me. NO THANKS!!



5. If you plan to buy this camcorder then please know before hand that you are taking a risk. You might get a broken one or not. That is the risk you are taking. When I first purchased this camcorder 3 years ago, I only used it for 1 week and already it broke. The screen was all distorted and was making weird noises. I took it back to bestbuy and they exchanged it for a new one. I have now had this one for 3 years and have had no problems. I love this camcorder. At this point I would not buy a new camcorder because I love this one too much. I have read all of the buyers comments on amazon and yes it is true that this camcorder is cheaply made and is does break but like I said, you are taking a risk if you buy it. It might be broken or it might work fine for 3 years or more like mine. But remember, mine broke too after using it for 1 week but my exchange one has worked for 3 years and counting. So, I guess I wouldnt recommend this camcorder because who wants to buy a camcorder and have to take a risk and wonder if it will be broken when they receive it.

5 comments about Samsung SC-DC173U DVD Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom.

1. I recently purchased this camcorder with a great "black friday" discount.
   I compared it to the Canon and Sony equivalent. The Canon was very similar with similar reviews (more expensive). The Sony had better reviews but was over $100.00 more. Since my husband and I film about two or three times a year, we decided that the Samsung was just fine for the money we wanted to spend. We have used the camcorder twice and both times had no trouble filming, using the controls, formatting, finalizing and viewing the finished product. While the camera is not perfect, it is fine for our use. We like the convenience of being able to replay the film right away. We used the fujifilm dvd's and the battery adapter to film. We have not fired up the battery but will do so at an upcoming party. The voice is excellent, picture average to good and the camcorder is easy to use. We have not yet used the memory card to take still pictures and really don't intend to. We have a digital camera and we intend to use that for our still pictures. If you want something that is a lot more sophisticated and that MAY make better videos, opt for the Sony 108 or 408 products that I have reviewed. But again, for the average user - this one serves the purpose well.



2. I bought this camera a little less than a month ago and thought I was satisfied. That is, until I charged the battery for the first time and realized that you only get about 20-25 minutes of battery life. What is the point of that? Then I thought, okay, well I will just buy a replacement battery, and cannot find one anywhere (I don't think they make one for this model). In any case, I shouldn't already have to look for a replacement battery. If I had it to do over, I would not buy this camera and do not recommend it at all.



3. i purchased this camcorder at sears on sale for 199 minus 100 in gift cards, so i ended up paying 100 bucks for it. Even for 199, the camcorder is worth the money. so here are some positive and negatives i've witnessed so far (keep in mind this is the only dvd camcorder that i have ever used)
   
   positives
   1. it is very small and fits in my hand comfortably
   2. discs are loaded easily
   3. case use dvdrw cd's so that you can re record if you don't like what you have done.
   4. it supports dolby digital surround sound
   5. 16 x 9 for my dlp tv
   6. 34x digital zoom (not available in 16x9)
   7. sd card slot to save my pics or videos to
   8. samsung reliability
   9. picture isn't bad
   10. camera does have light (no functional with 16x9)
   
   negatives
   1. pic quality isn't very good (cannot substitute for a camera)
   2. cannot snap pics while recording (i used to love to do that with my old jvc mini dv camera), but i have not figured out how to do it on this camera. you have to switch the camera to "card" to make it work.
   3. battery life is bad, but i expected that and purchased a bigger, more power battery on ebay for $16. hint: don't leave the battery in the camera, it will drain, quickly.
   4. when turning the camera on, it take 5-10 seconds until you can record, so don't expect to record something that may occur immediately if the camera isn't already ready to record.
   5. using 16x9 ratio REDUCES MANY features of the camcorder. you cannot use the light, the digital zoom, most effects, and the DIS function is unavailable. I have been switching back and forth depending on my what, where and when i am recording.
   6. recording in low light is very bad, unless you have the camera on 4:3 ratio and the shutter speed adjusted. Unfortunately you cannot use the light unless the shutter speed is adjusted, which then makes diminishes picture quality. shooting in 16x9 in low light areas is pointless.
   7. you only get about 25 minutes of record time on sp, and about 1hr with lp (not camera'a fault). so carry extra discs with you.
   8. position of the joystick button sux. it should be behind the camera.
   9. you have to kina of force the turning knob to off, it doesn't move freely to off and it almost feels like i'm breaking it.
   
   all in all, for 200 bucks, you can't go wrong. just don't buy this camera for the 16x9 feature and you'll be happy. so far so good for me. the easy mode is good for beginnings and the quick menu can also me useful to quickly change important settings. I just hate that samsung has greatly reduced the camera's features when 16x9 is being used. oh well.



4. While I bought this as a christmas present for my wife, She has yet to be able to use it. She tried to record a small video and it would not play back. Then the camera started telling her weird things like, the disk is not formated and do you want the camera to format it. When we answered yes, the same message just continued to come up. I called Samsung and was told that there was a patch I could download onto a dvd which could be put in the camera to correct the problem. When I told them I did not have a DVD burner, they offered to send me a disk. After waiting 2 weeks, the disk arrived but was on a full sized CD rather than the mini DVD so I could not put it in the camera to download. I borrowed a computer with a DVD burner and copied the file onto a mini DVD. Then when I put it in the camera, the camera told me the disc was bad. I did this three times with three different discs and the results were the same each time.
   
   I have now sent the camera back to the on-line store which sent the camera. They indicated that they will send me a new one. I am just hoping the software patch has been installed on the new camera when I get it and my problems are resolved. I was hoping to just get my money back and try a different brand but at this point, the distributor just wants to send me the same camera.
   
   Based on my experience to date with Samsung, I don't think I would buy anything else from that company.



5. I've had nothing but problems from this camera. It sucks the battery down lightening fast, it won't shut off sometimes and this weekend, it would skip on the recordings so it didn't record all of the event I was trying to capture. Returning this immediately!

5 comments about Samsung SC-HMX10 8GB Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (SDHC compatible).

1. I reviewed this camcorder on another camcorde site, but not alot of people peruse that site, so I thougt I would post the review here as well.
   
   I didn't purchase this camcorder from Amazon, (but only because someone got it for me as a gift from another store) but when I was looking for advice on this camcorder it was hard to find.
   
   I'm putting my review here in hopes that it helps someone who wants to buy this camcorder but cannot find any helpful reviews on this camcorder, because it's so new.
   
   Here it is....
   
   Okay, since the place that the camera was bought from has a great return policy, I thought I would open it up to see just how good or bad it was.
   Let me say that I am by no means qualified to compare pixels, low light, etc etc etc...my review is based on my being a father and amateur that just wanted a easy point and shoot camcorder that records pictures and movies in great quality.
   Upon opening this camera, let me say that it's the smallest thing I've ever seen. It would fit into a fabric sunglass bag (oakleys), that's how small it is.
   I shot movies outside in full sunlight and inside during the day and the movies came out great!
   I also tried to shoot in low light situation and it worked pretty good as well. I have nothing to compare it to, but whatever I shot looked pretty good.
   I also tried it at night time and this is where it was kinda weak. Alot of details couldn't be seen, but being that it was Christmas, I took it to our local city hall and shot the surrounding decorations and I could see everything on my t.v.
   The night time shooting is decent if there is sufficient ambient light. I did notice that when I shot video in almost complete darkness (streetlights only) I couldn't make out any details. The zoom was plenty fast and most of all (to me anyway) the performance was great.
   Overall, picture quality was AWESOME....I don't know where the other reviewers (especially on Amazon) are shooting their videos but I was very impressed with my video quality.
   Now, this doesn't say that it's perfect.
   There are some definite flaws to this camera.
   The battery for one. The battery will (according to the manual) shoot for about 20-30 minutes with all the zooming and stuff. I shot for about 10 minutes and I had no problems, but if I had to shoot all day without a spare, I wouldn't be happy about it. I thought that this was way too short. I wouldn't have minded so much if they sold an extended life battery but they don't (heck you can't even find a spare battery for sale, anywhere!)
   Also, to take a picture, you have to push a button and switch from Video mode to Picture mode, and this takes approximately 1-2 seconds to switch over. I really didn't like that feature.
   Since I don't have a high Definition dvd player, I had to hook the camcorder to my t.v. to watch the movies in hi-def and to do this, you have to open the lcd screen and plug the cables into the side of the camera.
   
   The unfortunate thing about this camera was the format in which it records to. I have to agree with a lot of people that this new hi def format is a killer for most computers. I have a PIV 3.2 with 2 gigs of ram and while trying to make a movie in hi def, my computer would lock up and take forever to process the movie. However, if you convert it back to SD using the cyberlink software that is provided, you will notice that it looks almost as good as the hi def with half the processing time.
   Since this is the format that most hi def camcorders are using, I don't see how anyone can fault Samsung for it.
   So here are my pros and cons for this camcorder;
   
   Pros;
   Size....fits in the palm of my hand and it's super light
   Performance/video quality....awesome, great quality
   Cost....about 300 dollars cheaper than the Canon I'm going to get in the future
   Media...records to a 8 gb internal memory or you can use sd cards to record to
   looks....looks cool
   Ease of use...touch screen, easy menus, point and shoot, perfect for those that don't want to have to learn how to use a gazillion different functions just to take videos of their kids...
   
   
   Cons;
   Battery...small, does not last, and unable to find xtra batteries
   Photos...unable to take snap shot during video recording..takes too long to switch over
   Use..ridiculous that you have to open LCD just to hook up cables to t.v.
   Requirements...not the cameras fault, but still, I'm unable to watch the videos I shot on my computer and you will need a newer computer just to process the data. This HI Def format is great, but I would wait a bit for more support for it.
   
   Would I recommend it...heck yeah! BUT....only if your computer can handle the processing (unless you just want to convert it to SD, then it doesn't matter). For the money and for what it can do, it's a great little camera.
   Did I keep it...No, but only because of the fact that my computer obviously couldn't handle the files and since I don't have a high def dvd player (yet) I didn't want to keep plugging the darn thing into my t.v. just to watch it in hi def. The battery life was a small factor as well. My friend has a Sony hdd camcorder and he has an extended battery on it that will last for almost 4 hours (he says so) and that makes me want one that will last that long as well.
   I'm going to wait until the support for hi def is more readily available and I also wanted the capabilities to record for longer than 1 hour without having to buy a bunch of SD cards...a hdd camcorder will not incur any additional costs to do so.
   Eventually, I will buy a hi def camcoder, and who knows, in the future maybe I'll buy this one again if the price drops and more parts are available for it...i.e. batteries..
   Hope this insight helps someone who is considering this camcorder, because it really is a cool little camcorder that records videos well.
   Thanks for everyones advice on this matter...



2. I was so excited to buy this camera for my husband for Christmas as we have a new baby and a new HD tv and DVD player. The camera is great and so easy to use. The only problem is that you can't actually watch any of the videos you take. What is the point of having a camera if you can't watch the videos?? The software CD that comes with the camera to allow you to watch videos on your computer doesn't actually work as the videos would stop and start and were herky jerky. And we couldn't burn it to an HD DVD because our computer does not have one. So what is the point of paying for and HD camera if you can't actually watch it in HD? We now have to return it and wait until they come out with a way to record HD movies and actually transfer them to your computer or on to a DVD so as to watch it. Save your money!



3. Ok one of the most common complaints about this camcorder is it's use of the new and relatively unsupported compression format. But there is an easy way around this and it's the software bundle that comes with the camcorder, PowerDirector. It's a simple video editing software versioned specifically for this camcorder. If you want to use a different program for editing or playing videos you can just drop a video clip into PowerDirector and then just export the untouched video to some other format. I chose the commonly supported mpeg 2 format and the file is made into a useful format with no apparent quality loss. Simple.
   
   As far as I'm concerned there is no problem with the file format.



4. Samsung SC-HMX10 8GB Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (SDHC compatible) The camcorder performed flawlessly. Using the included software, I was able to watch my HD videos on my PC. (The system requirements on page 86 are very important) If you can read and follow the instructions, you will be amazed. I also considered the Sony CX7 but features vs. cost made the Samsung the better choice. I couldn't be more pleased and highly reccomend this camcorder.



5. Just got this camcorder and I really like it so far. It's tiny and light, easy to use and makes great pictures. But there are some irksome items that you should be aware of.
   
   As others have noted, this camera produces video clips that can be difficult to edit, or even play, on a PC. You can use the rather lame Cyberlink "Power" apps that come with the camera. PowerDVD works OK for basic viewing. PowerDirector will do basic editing or it can translate clips to an MPEG2-HD format for use elsewhere.
   
   In theory, this camera produces standard MP4-H264 files. (note: not AVCHD.) But, at least on my system (XP, Core2Duo PC, fairly fast), many programs that claim to support .mp4 files, do not work correctly with the ones from this camera. Hopefully this will be fixed, since these *are* supposed to be standard files. But right now, no dice. I tried Quicktime 7.4.5 and Premiere Elements 4 without success. (This is probably where the complaints about jerky playback come from - bet they're not using the supplied PowerDVD player.) However, I have read where others have gotten this to work on both Macs and PCs, so maybe I'm just unlucky.
   
   Next issue - batteries. One BP-85ST battery comes with the camera. One full charge of this battery is approximately enough to fill 8 GB, about 80 minutes, assuming you are shooting in the highest-quality HD mode. (which you should be, otherwise why bother with this camera?) This is fine, but if you have more chips to fill, you will need extra batteries. Problem is, they are very hard to find. Amazon does not carry them at this time. (Don't make the mistake I did and buy no-name aftermarket batteries! They will not work, because the camera enforces the use of only the real Samsung batteries.) Amazon, get the batteries in stock, please! (Oh and BTW, the only way to charge them is in the camera, so how about an external charger, too?)
   
   - Remember that this is an inexpensive camera, folks. Works best shooting outdoors or in bright light, where you will get very nice pictures. Low light shots are not great. The image stabilizer is pretty lame too.
   
   Miscellaneous items -
   
   - The camera takes standard 30mm filters. Keep a UV filter on it so you won't get tripped up by the stupid manual lens-cover feature again. I also recommend a circular polarizer for any outdoor work.
   
   - The camera uses SDHC flash memory cards. Be sure you get class-6 high speed cards. Be sure you have a reader for SDHC; many standard SD readers will not read SDHC. In the best quality HD mode you get about 10-12 minutes per GB of capacity.
   
   - The Samsung CA-E3 12 volt car power adapter works fine with this model even though it is not listed as doing so, yet. (You do have to use the little adapter plug that comes with it.) Unfortunately this unit is also very hard to find. Samsung needs to improve distribution of their accessories.
   
   This is last season's model and the new HMX20 is arriving very soon; main difference, it's 1080 instead of 720. And of course it will cost more. It's your choice. I think this one is probably fine for most people. Certainly it's no Canon or Sony, but for budget HD shooting it's hard to beat at the current low price.

5 comments about Samsung SC-D372 MiniDV Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom.

1. I always trust Samsung and they impressed me more with this camera. probably the cheapest video camera availible, it is better than you would expect it to be. Although it isn't so good in night or dim light, not a lot of other cameras are anyways. It's perfect for anyone who simply wants a basic video camera.



2. The camera is nice and compact and it seems to video a fairly clear picture. I have only used it indoors so far. For the cost and for the fact that it's my first video camera, it's a good value. However it may be worth spending the extra money to upgrade to the next model so that you can use a memory card.



3. I thought it was one that was easy to hook up up to your computer but when I got it, that wasn't the case I had to buy a fire wire cable and fire wire card. Then what i found out was that the fire wire card had to go into a laptop which I don't have. It sucks because I filmed my project on it and now I can't get it off to edit it without the laptop. Well now I know I should have read it better to see if it had the computer device.



4. This product is excellent for the cost. Easy to use, takes great video's and small and light enough to take anywhere. Very happy that I purchased it.



5. The good: The samsung SC-D372 is a great camcorder under the right light conditions. If you film during a bright day on the beach or park, you'll enjoy great high quality video, widescreen, image stabilization, great sound, and excellent zooming. Very good for recording "open field" sports games, such as baseball and football (during the day).The battery lasts around 80 minutes, unless you rewind. Rewinding it lasts 10 minutes.
   
   The Bad!!: When the lights are low, the cam pretty much sucks. The image is grainy and blurry. Its so blurry you can't recognize anything around. You can only transfer your videos to your computer, if you have the right video card; or converting it to dvd with a dvd recorder.

5 comments about Samsung SC-MX10 Flash Memory Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom (Silver).

1. Its so easy to use. Not everybody is a techno-wizard !! I only needed to glance at the quick start guide. The options/setup menu is a breeze. Picture,sound and features are more than adequate. I chose Flash Memory card over tape/dvd as its so compact. With fewer moving parts the camera is less likely to need repair and the battery life is longer. Also I can easily mail a card to friends/relatives abroad and not have to worry about different TV systems or DVD region codes !
   For me Samsung have produced a winner



2. OK, now I think I am ready to write a review on MX-10. I've got it for $200, and it is the only reason I did not return it on the next day, but decided to play with it for a while. And you know, I like it! It is small, handy, simple, great zoom, great mic, looks and feels solid, great battery life, can record almost 2 hours on my 4GB card using max resolution (SuperFine, 16X9). The camcorder itself is OK; it is the software that comes with it, ruins it! I made my first video clip using Power Director (from CD that came with camera), and was shocked about the bad quality of the video. Just thought: "It cannot be like that!", and plugged my MX-10 directly to TV. What I got was completely different picture. Still, not excellent, but waaaaaaaay better! So, I decided to change software, and made a sample video using Roxio Media Creator. The result was significantly different, much better. So, I decided to keep the camera, in spite of it's drawbacks: slow autofocus, and average color quality. Also, you can't delete the the clips you don't like. You must use your computer, or format the card completely. However, there are too many good things to say about MX-10, which can't be ignored. I rate it 4 stars, but gave 3 only because of my feelings towards the original software. P.S. Gorillacables send items incredibly fast.



3. Note: In the interest of full disclosure, I was invited to participate in the review program for Samsung's SC MX10 camcorder
   
   When I opened the box that the camcorder came in, it was pleasant to hold up: the design adapts comfortably to the hand, feeling like it belongs there. Its ergonomic design brought to mind the way I felt when I felt used the Logitech MX Revolution Laser Mouse.
   
   It was not necessary to read through the user guide to learn how to hit the ground running and start shooting great-looking videos. As a result, I have yet to exploit some of the more advanced features. Yet the basic features and the intuitive interface have made it a joy to use, mostly the touchscreen interface and the ability to flip the visor 180 degrees to allow you to see yourself while shooting solo.
   
   Beyond the cool features which make it incredibly easy to use, this camera has freed me from the desktop where I was tied until now to shoot my videos through my Mac's embedded iSight camera, letting me shoot professional-looking HD podcasts in places beyond my desktop. [...]
   
   The one thing I have not been terribly impressed with have been the photos: I have not found the SC MX10 to even be a match for my Sony digital camera. But then again, the Sony camera's video capabilities are no match for the Samsung either. So, I really have no major reason to complain about the SM MX10 because it's perfect for what I am using it for: great-looking portable HD video shooting capability without paying an arm and a leg for it.



4. I bought this camera because although the resolution isn't spectacular, it claimed to shoot in 16x9. Since consumer-level camcorders can't record Discovery-Channel-type HD anyway, I figured this would be a perfect compromise for the price.
   
   Near as I can tell, however, the "16x9" mode is just 4x3 *stretched to fill the frame*. This is, of course, absurd. I'd heard it mentioned in other reviews around the web, but assumed that the reviewer had missed a setting somewhere. I can't find it either, and several vaguely-worded statements in the manual lead me to believe it isn't there.
   
   That was the single killer feature for me--this camera is unremarkable in every other respect--so I think my two stars are generous. I find it hard to believe that Samsung is actually trying to trick buyers, but I also find it hard to believe that anyone would think this "feature" is useful.



5. I dont know what these other people are talking about. I love this camcorder. It has good picture quality, great sound, great zoom, easy to use, compact, and sturdy. The picture quality looks bad on the LCD screen only. Once you plug it in to your TV or computer, it isnt as pixel-y as on the LCD screen. I dont have 1 complaint for this product. I recommend it to every one. Dont listen to what the other guys tell you.