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?
Marcia, I still like it for videos (and being so lightweight with an amazing battery life) but have found that I use my "other" digital camera to take photos because it lets you hold the camera and take photos the "normal" way with your forefinger. The Samsung requires you to use your thumb to snap a photo and I never got comfortable with that. Haven't used a tripod yet, but I should unless I'm just shooting a video for fun. :)
Leilani