On our way up to see the new hi-def Samsung camcorder, our rep told us it looked like a "coke can." He summed things up nicely, as the cylindrically shaped SC-HMX10 fit in our hands exactly as a soda can would, though without the battery it felt considerably lighter than soda pop. The design is slick and well rounded, including a stiff swivel attached to the leather hand strap that lets you hold the camera more easily at a few awkward angles.
At the lower end of the spectrum, the SC-MX10 looks exactly like its powerful sibling, but without the hi-def capabilities. Instead, Samsung has wisely chosen to pitch this camera as a YouTube solution. With recent phones, like Helio's Ocean, coming optimized for YouTube and even some digital cameras, like Casio's recent releases, supporting YouTube-ready video formats, clearly there is interest in the market for this feature, and we think this could be driving a whole new audience to the digital camcorder realm.
For this reason, we think that Samsung's choice of SD and flash memory for these cameras makes sense. Even for Hi-Def content on the SC-HMX10, SD cards have matured enough that even capacities as high as 32GB will soon be available, and that's plenty for anyone who's not making a feature-length film. And smaller cards can be had cheap; even name-brand 2GB cards can be found for less than $30. Other benefits of flash are the cameras' light weight and instant-on capabilities, two nice features on consumer models.
The barrel shape is intriguing, it definitely feels different than other camcorders we've tried. The devices aren't tiny, not like the Sanyo Xacti camcorders, but even on the less-expensive MX10, Samsung doesn't skimp on the specs. That camcorder features a 34X optical zoom, which held a relatively steady shot as we watched it in action. It lacks a touch screen or any built-in memory. The HMX10, on the other hand, can not only record in 720p hi-def, it also features 8GB of built-in flash memory. The higher-end model has an HDMI port to connect directly to an HDTV.
Samsung also had an interesting DVD / Flash hybrid camcorder on display. The SC-DX10 camcorder (image gallery)allows you to store files digitally, then later burn them to a small, 80mm DVD-R disk. We didn't get to see the camera in action, but we're hoping to get our hands on review units for all the recent releases as they become available. The MX10 will be in stores in August, and will retail for $350. The Hi-Def HMX10 will be in stores a month later, in September, for $850. The hybrid DX10 will be out in October, and should sell for $600.
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