Reviews
Samsung SC-HMX20C 8GB High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
- Full HD Camcorder with 1080P Progressive Mode
- 8GB Built In Memory
- 6.4M CMOS, 10X zoom
- Docking Cradle
- SD-MMC Slot
Product DescriptionSamsung Hi Definition Memory Camcorder. . . More >>
Samsung SC-HMX20C 8GB High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
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about 2 years ago
Overall an OK camera, just a few drawbacks killed it.
* The Image stability system doesn’t work. The picture is jetty at long end of the zoom all the time.
* Although all files are recorded in MP4 format, the 1080-60i and 1080-30p files are not compatible with most existing video players/converters including QuickTime Player. Even for those that do(like Corel video studio), the file format requires a lot of CPU. This is currently the most headache problem for guys like me who watch/manage their videos mostly on PC. Since the most stupid invention in video format history — AVCHD by the three stupid musketeers, suddenly you found your PC is obsolete. I don’t get it: Canon/Panasonic are not major PC manufacturer, — Maybe the evil emperor SONY benefits a little bit, but that’s just the way SONY has always been — Why would they invent such a stupid awkward format that’s not compatible with most player? And force you to upgrade your PC? And now even Samsung followed the same path down the road. Why? Why can’t they just use plain old MP4? Lots of other manufacturers do, like Sanyo. Maybe this is just how big manufacturers play their game: Ouu! I am all so powerful! I am the King! You are just gonna do what I ask you to do!
Rating: 2 / 5
about 2 years ago
The Samsung SC-HMX20C is one of the very few solid state camcorders capable of recording full 1080 progressive video directly into flash memory. It comes with a decent 8GB of built-in memory and an SD/SDHC memory slot. I was able to use a 16GB SDHC card (class 6) with no problems.
It is about the size and shape of a standard soft drink can, and weighs a little over 1 lb ready to shoot.
The handle on the side is articulated and flips down, which makes it extremely convenient to hold at various heights, such as waist-level for better point-of-view when fiming children.
The controls are simple and clearly laid out. The most common controls (movie/still/playback, zoom, power, record) are immediately accessible and conveniently located. A few other simple hard buttons can be found once you open up the flip viewfinder, as well as a USB and AV/HD connector behind a little sliding door. Most of the controls and settings are accessible via the touch screen menu, which is a mixed blessing because it inevitably becomes all smudged up pretty quickly. The menus are clearly laid out, however some features are buried too many levels deep or are too cumbersome to use. For instance, the manual focus requires pressing soft +/- buttons on the screen, which is not terribly practical.
There is no eyelet viewfinder, not really a problem on a consumer-grade camcorder. The articulated flip-out monitor screen is pretty standard fare on modern camcorders, this one is excellent, very bright and crisp, with very good resolution and color fidelity. It is visible in bright daylight.
Surprisingly for a camcorder, the SC-HMX20C is capable of taking excellent still pictures. It’s no substitute for an SLR, but a very suitable replacement for an average point-and-shoot camera. It has a reasonably powerful pop-up flash and the pictures I took in both bright and dim indoor conditions came out great (as long as I used the flash indoors). It also has a great feature which lets you grab a video frame simply by pressing the “PHOTO” button during playback. The frame will be listed along with other pictures you took in photo mode. Not revolutionary, but very clever and user-friendly.
Video can be shot in one of the following modes: 1080p 30fps, 1080i 60fps, 480p 60fps, or an unusual slow-motion format which records 300 448×336 frames per second (no sound). The slow motion mode can be a fascinating tool when filming athletes or wildlife, unfortunately it is limited to 10 second clips (which play back as 50 second clips in slow motion). Sadly, there is no 720p mode. Although 720p seems to be on its way out now that higher resolution displays are available, the 1080 format’s requirements are still out of reach of many users in terms of processing power and storage; this is an omission that will disappoint more than a few people.
The package contains:
* camcorder
* 1-hour battery
* power adapter
* docking station
* USB cable
* AV/composite, S-video and audio cable
* AV/component and audio cable
* Cyberlink DVD Suite software CD (Windows only)
* Manual CD
* soft carry pouch
The charging adapter can be connected to the dock or directly to the back of the camera. The AV adapters can also be connected to the side of the camcorder as well as the docking station, but the HDMI connector is only available on the dock.
A standard tripod thread is available on the bottom of the camcorder.
Here are the pros and cons I have been able to determine after a couple of weeks of use.
PROS:
* Excellent 1080p quality. On the right equipment the pictures are bright, contrasted and the high definition really shines
* Doubles as a very capable point-and-shoot still camera
* Built-in pop-up flash makes the still camera fully usable in all conditions
* Basic operation is very easy (grandma-friendly)
* Interesting and unusual features (slow motion)
* Convenient automatic lens cover protects the lens as soon as it is no longer needed
* Very high quality build
CONS:
* No 720p mode (1080 contains too much data and will choke a 1st-gen MacBook on playback)
* Lackluster low-light performance (typical of consumer grade camcorders in this price range)
* No night mode
* No built-in light (the flash is only used for still shots)
* No wide angle (the widest end is insufficient for comfortably shooting indoors)
* Fairly heavy; odd shape makes it difficult to carry in a pocket
This is an excellent camcorder with unique features and a great choice as long as you don’t mind its lack of 720p support.
Rating: 4 / 5
about 2 years ago
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General specs
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-flash-based design has 8GB of internal memory which allows ~71 minutes of recording time (but you can also use a SDHC memory card if you want)
-the camera uses MPEG-4(. mp4) which is MAC OSX friendly
- shoots in 4 resolutions : 1080p/30p , 1080i/60i, 480p/60p an 300fps SlowMotion
-10x optical zoom
Camcorder Sensor Resolution- 6. 4 Megapixels
-Continuous still image capture during video recording: up to 5 pictures per second.
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Image Capture
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Image Format JPEG
Max Vertical Image Resolution -1728 pixels
Max Horizontal Image Resolution -3268 pixels
Built-in Auto Flash
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Battery Life- 1. 5 hours from regular battery
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best thing is this camera is easy to use with macs
because the canon vixia hf100 was a little difficult to use with mac software
Rating: 4 / 5
about 2 years ago
Like other reviewers have mentioned, this Samsung SC-HMX20C camcorder is absolutely excellent for those using Mac OS X, as it uses . mp4 files which are natively played by OS X with no plugins needed. You can even use the Quicklook function of OS X Leopard to play the files with the space bar.
I’ll add some pros/cons to this model so those camcorder hunting get some more info!
Pros:
+ Quite a small device
+ Quality is PRETTY good for 1080p
+ Also does standard definition video
+ Menus are VERY easy to navigate. Most people will NOT need to consult the manual
+ Files are easily found on internal storage/memory card and aren’t proprietary, so very easy to get them off onto your computer.
+ Nice little carry pouch included
+ Battery and memory card easy to access
+ External microphone jack (a must for anyone making “movies”)
+ Easy interface for playing back the movies on the camera itself
+ You can turn off the blinking “Recording” light so people won’t feel as self-conscious. I know that I always shy away when I see that blinking or solid red light on the front of camcorders!
Cons:
- Low-light recording is, in a word, appalling. Lots of noise present, though to be fair this is VERY typical for small-sensor camcorders
- The “Record” button is a little awkwardly placed for my big hands. It’s positioned too close to the hand-strap so my thumb doesn’t enjoy the placement
- You can only charge the battery by using the included charging stand base, which is ridiculous really.
- You can only connect via HDMI to your TV using the charging stand base AND ONLY THEN if the stand is connected to a power source. I have no idea why this is. . .
- Focus speed is “adequate,” but the device isn’t that fast at closing or opening its aperture to take into account moving to a dark inside from a bright outside and vice versa.
- No ability for shallow depth of field (e. g. the ball in focus but the person in the distance out of focus, etc. . )
- No 720p recording. Only 480/1080i/p.
- Some macro-blocking (break up of pixels) visible, ESPECIALLY in low light.
- Zoom toggler isn’t as smooth and slow as “pro” camcorders, though this is to be expected. Just wish you could zoom in/zoom out a little slower. .
Overall, this camera is worth the money. It’s a step above a point-and-shoot camera’s video mode in that it does HD video, is significantly better quality, has a user-friendly touch-screen interface, and overall feels quite solid.
I would, however, recommend that since media is so cheap nowadays, invest in a few SDHC cards and DON’T use the internal memory. If you drop the camera and destroy it, or it stops working, at least your memory cards will likely survive. The in-built memory will be lost forever, though. . .
4. 5/5.
Rating: 4 / 5
about 2 years ago
I’ve ran a small selection process amongst top vendors, and despite the fact I really enjoy Samsung as a brand, the camera is very good, extremelly easy to use and very powerful in terms of features.
I’m very happy with it.
Rating: 5 / 5