Link: http://www.thinkcomputers.org/index.php?x=reviews&id=1015
Samsung HMX-R10 High Definition Camcorder, Silver
By Tyler Ingram July 20, 2009
Introduction Do you remember the days where the personal camcorder had to sit up on your shoulder? Perhaps the large VHS tapes which you had to use to record the world around you in video? Well it seems those large and clunky video recorders of the past are definitely long gone. Welcome the Samsung HMX-R10. Known as one of the smallest, lightest Full-HD camcorder that is no bigger than that regular sized coffee drink you like at your favorite coffee shop, the Samsung HMX-R10 looks as if it is loaded with features without loading you down with extra weight. What's Inside The Box? There are numerous items inside the box that will allow you to use your Samsung HMX-R10 to its full potential. Included in the box are regular AV cables, component video cables, lithium battery, ferrite filters, AC adapter, USB cable, a protective glove and of course, the HMX-R10 camcorder. The only thing that Samsung did not include was an HDMI cable for those who might be able to utilize it.
Features The Samsung HMX-R10 is packed with cool features and makes this small compact camcorder a pretty fun device to play with. The main features are: Smallest and Lightest camcorder of its kind Ergonomic Design Built-in PC Software; Intelli-Studio High Speed Recording (up to 600fps) Face Detection Auto-Focus Full-HD at 1080 (1920 x 1080) resolution 12 Mega Pixel Photos HD Time-Lapse recording 2.7" Wide LCD Touch screen Magic Touch Focus
For the complete specifications and feature list you can check out the full manual by downloading it here.
First Impressions Typically I am more of a photo type guy, so getting my hands on a digital camcorder is pretty new to me. When I received the package from Samsung I noted how small it was, in fact, I thought it may be the same size as a Flip Camcorder. When I opened up the box, I was quite surprised at the size of the camcorder itself; it is about one third of the size of the box and not much bigger than a Flip Camcorder either!
The other notable feature is how light this camcorder is, you can barely feel it in your hand, even when the battery is inside. The camcorder fit nicely in my hand, though there was one neat element in the design of the Samsung HMX-R10 and that is the positioning of the lens.
With most camcorders you hold in your hand, your hand is cocked at a funny angle, right? Samsung took this into account and created an economical design by positioning the lens at an angle to the camcorders body. This makes keeps your wrist straight, though I did find this a bit weird at first. This in fact puts the camcorder at a 25 degree angle; don't worry the LCD screen pivots to match the angle so you can see it with ease.
When you are holding the HMX-R10 in your hand you will notice that placement of the zoom button, it is located at the back of the camcorder to where you thumb is. Next to that is the Record button. The Mode button allows you to easily switch between Video and Photo mode. I did accidently press the Mode button a couple times when I used the camcorder, but I have twitchy fingers sometimes. The Photo button on the top works in both modes and allows you to capture your stills.
While looking at the rear of the camcorder, Samsung has conveniently located the inputs beneath the zoom switch. HDMI, AC and the proprietary input are stashed behind a removable panel.
With the LCD screen open you can also control the zoom as well as the recording. You can also easily access the Q-Menu. The LCD is easy to navigate as it is touch sensitive. Just use your fingers by tapping the various menus that are presented to you.
The screen display when in use is pretty good as well. You can see how much time you have recorded, how much time you have left, battery life, what resolution you are recording in as well as other options. Next to where the screen sits when it is closed are 3 more buttons; display, EasyQ and Power. The speaker for playback is also located nearby.
Underneath the Samsung HMX-R10 is where the lithium battery and SD memory card slot are located. The tripod mount of course is located here too.
When you look at the front of the camcorder you might notice it looks a bit different from other camcorders. The lens itself is protected behind glass so there is no need for the lens to retract. The flash is also located next to the lens.
The one thing that I noticed is that there is no built-in wrist strap or hand strap. Samsung does include a small wrist strap which you need to thread through a loop on the outside of the camcorder, but unlike other Samsung camcorders this wrist strap does not provide you a good secure grip to the camcorder. Lights, Camera, Action! You can use the HMX-R10 right out of the box, granted you probably want to give the unit a full charge before using but for the first little bit, I just turned it on and started recording. It powered up right away when I opened up the LCD monitor. Not needing to press the power button is pretty nice. It was cool to be able to zoom in on things round me with its 5x optical capabilities. I did notice that I have awfully shaky hands; though the HMX-R10 does have an image stabilization feature to help correct that. Did I mention that with a 16GB SDHC card, it told me I could get roughly 2 hours (120 minutes) of Full HD (1080p) video too? That's not bad considering the price of memory is pretty good these days. Does the battery last as long as the recording length? I found that it does, with a fully charged battery you can easily record the full storage space of a 16GB card. Of course, if you lower the resolution you will be able to record to the card for a longer period of time, but the battery will probably need to be charged at some point.
The controls in my hand were comfortable and easy to use. I even tried out using the controls on the LCD monitor without any troubles or awkward moments. It took a few times to get use to holding the camera at the angle you need for a level shot, but with the 25 degree angle that Samsung designed this camcorder for, you will be able to hold the camcorder for longer periods of time without any wrist strain. On feature I did like was the time-lapse ability. It took me a little bit to understand how it operates, but after a quick read over their online manual I set up the tripod, changed the mode to time-lapse and recorded a couple scenes over a 24-hour period. The outcome was pretty cool as I have always thought time-lapse video was a cool technique. Just be sure to use the supplied AC adapter as the battery will definitely not last during a time-lapse video. So how else did I go about testing out the Samsung HMX-R10 camcorder? We took it on our trip to Vancouver Island. We spent time away for 2 weeks exploring some of our favorite places and brought the camcorder with us. It definitely didn't hinder us when we took it to the beach, hiking in the forest or even while driving between our destinations. Putting it back in the included padded cover ensured it never got scratched or marked up as we ventured around. Capturing Stills One feature that some people might find useful is the ability to use the Samsung HMX-R10 to capture stills while recording or to use it as a digital camera itself. All you need to do is switch the camcorder into Photo mode by pressing the button above the record button. If you want to take advantage of the full photo resolution that HMX-R10 can handle, you do need to be in Photo mode. When you are recording video and want to capture a still moment, the resolution will be at the max of the video resolution that is being recorded, such as 1920x1080. I could understand the reasoning to include the ability to capture stills on a camcorder, but I personally think they should be two separate devices. Sure, you carry one less device with you, but you do sacrifice quality of the outcome when you start to combine technologies into one product. Cut, That's A Wrap! So what do you do after you have recorded all your video or taken all those photos? The cool feature about the Samsung HMX-R10 is that it has a built-in software suite called IntelliStudio. You can just plug the camcorder (via USB) into any Windows based computer and up pops the software.
You can easily go through your photos and your video all within one application. You don't need to load any software, just plug it in and away you go! You can edit both photos and videos, but you do need to off load them before any editing can take place.
Another cool feature of the Intelli-Studio software suite is that you can use it to upload to various online services such as YouTube of even Flickr.
The downside to the Intelli-Studio software is that it does not work on the Mac environment, but then again, don't Macs have existing photo and video editing software?
Final Thoughts Personally I am not a big fan of video (and not just because of my shaky hands), but I have enjoyed using the Samsung HMX-R10 camcorder to its full extent. If you are in the market for a compact, Full-HD camcorder, I do recommend taking a look at the Samsung HMX-R10. The menu system is really easy to follow and to change the settings to suit your needs. If you are not into changing the settings, the default settings themselves work great too. The design, as I have mentioned above, takes a bit to get used to in regards to the shooting angle you hold the camcorder at; though overtime your wrist will thank you. All the buttons are easily accessible as well, especially when you need to record or need to snap a quick photo. The downside is the wrist strap does not provide my security in making sure you don't drop the camcorder though. The Samsung HMX-R10 is quite lightweight and that makes it more portable, take it with you practically everywhere!
The Intelli-Studio software suite is great for those quick edits and uploads to share with friends, family and the Internet. The software itself reminds me of Windows Movie Maker, but a bit easier to use. You can easily perform simple edits such as cuts, merges even add come neat transitions. After you are done you can upload to your favorite online sharing site, or save to your computer to upload or view at a later time. It is also built into the camcorder so as long as you can find a Windows based machine, you can load your video and edit them on anyone computer, great for those family functions! Pros: Touch Screen LCD Small and Ergonomic Design Full HD Recording Capabilities HDMI output Built-in Software
Cons: - Proprietary USB cable - Not Great For Shaky Hands