Samsung HMX-U10 HD Camcorder: 1st Review, Photos, Videos
I recently purchased an ultra compact HD camcorder by Samsung from Costco.com and Loreena Yeo left a comment for me, asking if I had made any videos using it yet...so I'd like to thank her for being the inspiration of this blog post!
LIKES:
- Size - It's the perfect size for a handheld camcorder (2.2" W x 4.06" H x 0.61" D).
- Weight - At 3.4 ounces, it's so much lighter than my digital camera!
- Color - I love red! This one's best described as a matte metallic jewel-tone ruby red.
- Video Quality - Wow...after taking digital camera quality videos, this is a HUGE improvement!!! If you'd like to compare the quality, just visit my YouTube Channel and watch my previous (non-HD) videos. Ugh! :)
DISLIKES:
- No flash - I still haven't tested the video in low light conditions (camcorders typically don't come with flash anyway), but the low light photos came out better than I expected!
- No zoom - When you take HD video in the highest resolution/setting, there is no zoom available. I haven't tried the lower settings yet.
TBD:
- Photo quality - Although the photos seem to be better quality than my iPhone photos, I don't think they're as good as those I take with my digital camera. In all fairness, I should take the same photo with all three devices before I make a decision! Here are a couple I took on a cloudy day almost at sundown:
Here are a couple videos I took as well in the same conditions and highest settings with no zoom, unedited:
Since Costco has a 90-day return policy on their electronics, I will continue to use this Samsung HD camcorder and see if it's something I want to keep. I probably will, based on the fact that it's extremely portable, takes clear videos (the slight choppiness I noticed may be videographer error?) and for the low $100's I think it's just worth keeping for being able to take short video clips and share them on YouTube.
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Thanks for sharing this information with us today.
You're welcome, Harry! :)
Thank you and I appreciate your inspiration, Loreena! I'm also usually hesitant about buying electronics without testing them first, but with Costco's hassle-free 90-day return policy, it puts me at ease to buy something and test it out before I decide to keep it. Like I said, the video quality is superior to my digital camera that also does video. Good luck with whatever you decide to do! :)
Leilani
Leilani, With a 90 day return policy you can test to your hearts delight! I think you may have found a winner, for the money that is. Lugging around a heavier item many times just doesn't work. I thought the video quality was very acceptable!
I agree, Andrea...those are exactly the reasons why I think I will probably end up keeping this camcorder! :)
Leilani
Hi Bob and Leilani,
That was very interesting and I had not seen that new small video camera. I have a Flip and it is just OK for fast on the run but I think I will be investing in something more suitable. The SLR camera Nikon D-90 or the D-5000 have a capacity for short videos at very high quality and I would likey move in that direction. Sure thank you for a sharing this with the group.
Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year 2010
Thanks for talking camera, William...it's always nice to know what the pros are looking at! :)
Leilani
P.S. I posted a new blog post with photos taken with my 3 cameras. I'm asking readers to rank the photos in order of quality:
Poll - Rank These 3 Photos From Best To Worst (Battle of the Cameras)
Thanks for your comment, Ingrid! The battery life on the Samsung has been absolutely impressive. I've gone 2-3 weeks without a charge and I actually have to remind myself to charge it because so far, I haven't exhausted its battery. :)
Leilani
Still happy with your camera? Do you use a tripod?