Did anyone see any in-depth reviews on this camcorder or had a hands on? It sounds interesting.

1/4.5" CMOS
built-in 8GB memory & SD high capacity/MMC + card
1280x720/60p @ 12Mbps


http://www.samsung.com/us/consumer/detail/spec.do?group=camerascamcorders&type=camcorders&subtype=highdefinition&model_cd=SC-HMX10/XAA&fullspec=F

http://www.infosyncworld.com/news/n/8091.html

For the same money (US$850.00) there are many other cameras with much better specs. I doubt the picture produced by this camera can rival the Canons and Sonys, with much more tradition and experience in camcorders. It looks like a nice toy for people who are happy with pictures taken by a cell phone.

Sergio

For the same money (US$850.00) there are many other cameras with much better specs. I doubt the picture produced by this camera can rival the Canons and Sonys, with much more tradition and experience in camcorders. It looks like a nice toy for people who are happy with pictures taken by a cell phone.

Sergio

Sergio, If the Samsung was $850 I would agree, but a large nationwide electronics chain has this for about $600. So I am trying to figure if the Canons & Sonys are worth the *40% premium*. This has the potential to look good given that the 12Mb/s bitrate is on par with some of the Sony HD cameras (most of the HD DVD cams are 12Mb/s).

Most of the consumer camcoders today are chasing the 1080i marketing hype, but most HD sporting events are shot in 720p not 1080i. So I think I would much rather have a decent 720p camera instead.

So if I wanted the best camcorder out there I would probably be looking at HDV minDV based camcorder. However, since I want to easily play videos back on my PS3, I'm going with AVCHD to avoid ripping and transcoding. I have looked at AVCHD clips (Canon HG10 and Sony AVCHD DVD) and they look pretty damn good enough to me even when they are blown up on my 8' movie screen.


I am looking for a review or hands on experience to determine if the video quality is noticable and if Canon/Sony can justify the 40% premium.


Thanks.

jjsaustin

If you want a very good AVCHD camera , take a look at the Panasonic SD1. It's not the newest model but the lens is probably the best available in a consumer camcorder. 12 X optical zoom and more important, a great wide angle. In most situations you need a good wide angle to shoot family movies. Price is around 800 bucks and the camera is compact without looking "cheap". Very nice reviews and one of them put it ahead of the Canon HV20 (which I have).

Take a look :

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/c/product/477384-REG/Panasonic_HDCSD1_HDC_SD1_AVCHD_3CCD_High.html

Sergio

Sergio,

Thanks for the info. I saw this one and like the way it looks, great OIS, and big LCD. The biggest issue I have is the 25min battery life, bummer... I hate nothing more than trying to use a camera or camcorder only to find out that you are out of batteries! I have gone through 3 sets of batteries on my current sony. I can't complain too much as it has laasted 10 years.

Anyways I tracked this camera down at CC ($634). I am going to bring my SD card in to take some video and then bring it home to analyze it.

Well I went to CC and took some video on my SD card and brought it home to play on my PS3.

The good:
The touchscreen was nice for editing clips (merge/cut) right on the camera.
The size was nice, very compact and light.

The bad:
Video was a little jerky every couple seconds
Color for the video was off (especially reds)

Bottom line, I am disappointed and would not recommend this camcorder.

If you’re not interested in the Samsung, you can always try out the Sanyo HD1000 and the Panasonic SD5. Its obvious that the SD5 plays back on the PS3 but I did try out HD1000 clips and it works.

I tried out an open-box SD-1 from Circuit City (you can find good open box deals on the SD-1 since the SD-5 came out), and was pretty happy with it, BUT...

the SD-1 cannot handle more than 4GB memory cards continuously. In other words, if you pop in an 8GB memory card, the camcorder will automatically pause at 4GB. You have to hit the record button again to get it to start recording once more.

This may not be a deal-killer for everyone, but it was in my case.

By the way, this means the SD-1 will pause at EVERY 4GB interval. So, when you end up getting the 32GB card in a few years when they're very reasonably priced, you'll be dealing with a lot of pausing...

Pausing at every 4gb interval - a 'deal breaker'?

I guess I don't get this. If you're using a DVD or tape based recorder, you must insert a new dvd or tape at a certain interval. With any camcorder, even hard-drive based camcorders, you must also change the battery after every so often

I guess if you want a long continuous time for recording, then you must either:
(a) use ANY compatible camcorder and plug it in, connect it to a computer, and have a computer do the recording.
(b) use a hard-drive based camcorder and plug it in

To follow your analogy, if the SD-1 used tapes instead of flash memory, it would continue to pause every 40 minutes, even if the tape could hold 80, 120, or 1000 minutes of video. And, unlike a tape-based camcorder, which would warn you when you are about to run out of recording space, the SD-1 I believe has no such system--so you will be in the middle of recording, and bam! it will pause without warning. In response to your solutions for long continuous time for recording, my point is that flash memory already provides this option (and will be providing ever-greater capacities), but the SD-1 doesn't let you take advantage of it.

[QUOTE=jjsaustin;12239995]
The bad:
Video was a little jerky every couple seconds
QUOTE]

Could this be due to the speed of the card you used? Not sure what the requirements are for non-SDHC cards.

joshuascottrose - good point about the future. I, too, would like to be able to use new memory cards in the future without worrying about technical details. But this is something that the SD1 is not futureproofed against. Unless maybe panasonic releases a chip update.

The SD1 will tell you how much room is left on the card. It will ALSO tell you how much time you have taped thus far. Thus, if you see that you are taping something for 40 minutes, hit stop, then start.

You write: "so you will be in the middle of recording, and bam! it will pause without warning". Not exactly. Look at the taping time. If it's near 40 minutes, then the limit is about to be reached. Stop the taping yourself, then start again.

The 4gb limit is not something where if you've taped 39 minutes then the next recording will die at 1 minute. Nope. Each scene must be less than 4gb. That's the limit. It's not something where an 8gb card has a 'middle' where the taping must stop, or where a 16gb card has 3 'middles'. THAT would be a problem! Rather the SD1 has a 4gb SCENE limit.

A 4 GB scene is a looong scene. Most of my clips are not longer than 1 minute and I agree that this "limitation" is a non-issue.

Sergio

A 4 GB scene is a looong scene. Most of my clips are not longer than 1 minute and I agree that this "limitation" is a non-issue.

Sergio

Still no good if filming school plays, graduation ceremony, Catholic weddings:D

OK, I am wondering whether the original OP ever tested the Samsung. I was just given one for Christmas and was wondering whether i should return it for some other brand. My mom said oprah recommended it so she thought it would be a good one. However, I am having a bit of a problem finding any comparitive reviews of it. I am totally clueless to the different formats avaiable, so this is a major learning experience for me. So, can anyone truly say they have seen this camera yet? I don't want to spend too much time trying mine out if I should just return it and keep in mind I wouldn't know by viewing it if I should expect better. Anybody???

Are you talking about Oprah Winfrey? Or is this another person that have written a review?

OK, I am wondering whether the original OP ever tested the Samsung. I was just given one for Christmas and was wondering whether i should return it for some other brand. My mom said oprah recommended it so she thought it would be a good one. However, I am having a bit of a problem finding any comparitive reviews of it. I am totally clueless to the different formats avaiable, so this is a major learning experience for me. So, can anyone truly say they have seen this camera yet? I don't want to spend too much time trying mine out if I should just return it and keep in mind I wouldn't know by viewing it if I should expect better. Anybody???

I had one and returned it. There was an odd stuttering going on and the colors (in particular red) were way off. I think you would be better off with a Cannon HV20 or HG10 for about the same price (check US1Camera.com).

However, One feature that camera has that I have not found on any other camera is the ability to combine clips on the camcorder without using a PC. This is important to me as I video tape my son's football games and I just want to get the plays (start and stop recording for each play) and end up with one file. Maybe there is a special mode, but I have not found it on other camcorders.

Well I went to CC and took some video on my SD card and brought it home to play on my PS3.

I had one and returned it. There was an odd stuttering going on and the colors (in particular red) were way off.

Sorry but after reading your conflicting posts I just had to register & make a comment.......errrrr hang on a mo!

So you had one & returned it OR is it you took in an SD card and tried it out @ CC, which one is it? make your mind up! hmmmm :confused:

I actually HAVE this camcorder and there's no stuttering issue (use the correct rated SD card - class 6) also there's zero issue with mine with red colors.

Bottom line with this cam is, if you have the correct card (although I've hardly used mine as the 8GB on-board flash it plenty) it is one of the most affordable HD cams out there that does take great 720p footage - not a $2000 high end machine but for the dough, it is a darn good HD camcorder and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

I had one and returned it. There was an odd stuttering going on and the colors (in particular red) were way off. I think you would be better off with a Cannon HV20 or HG10 for about the same price (check US1Camera.com).


I shot some footage with the SD1 and brought the SD card home. I used Ulead's VS11+ to capture the footage. The odd, random stuttering was something I noticed as well. I used a 2 GB card (I don't know the class). The stuttering wasn't all the time. It happened when I handheld the camera (in wideangle, not zoomed). I was not trying to cause a problem but what I saw made it a no-go for me.

Sorry but after reading your conflicting posts I just had to register & make a comment.......errrrr hang on a mo!

So you had one & returned it OR is it you took in an SD card and tried it out @ CC, which one is it? make your mind up! hmmmm :confused:

I actually HAVE this camcorder and there's no stuttering issue (use the correct rated SD card - class 6) also there's zero issue with mine with red colors.

Bottom line with this cam is, if you have the correct card (although I've hardly used mine as the 8GB on-board flash it plenty) it is one of the most affordable HD cams out there that does take great 720p footage - not a $2000 high end machine but for the dough, it is a darn good HD camcorder and I recommend it wholeheartedly.

Sorry for any confusion, but the answer is both. I took footage on the camcorder at CC on my SD card (it was a brand new camcorder I watched them take it out of the box). On my way home, I checked Sears they had it at a higher price so they price matched + 10% the CC price. I viewed the video when I got home and saw the stuttering and the off color issue on my HD projector. Therefor, I did not have to open up the camcorder I purchased from Sears and avoided the 15% restocking fee and returned it.

Now maybe the stuttering was due to not having the right SD card, but on the one I had the colors were definiately off. Sounds like maybe you got a good one though.