Samsung SC-DX103 Mini DVD Video Camera; Affordable, Easy to Use, 34x Zoom, LCD

 We finally stepped away from the dark ages in my household, and bought our first digital camcorder. I've been using the mini vhs versions for years and finally grew tired of the long conversion process to dvd (wouldn't be so bad if there were decent VCRs) just to enjoy our home movies. This particular model had several bad reviews, but I came to the conclusion that most of the reviewers were tech savvy people, and not people like me...who was just looking for something that is basically point and shoot. I wanted something for it's simplicity, and one that would have a decent picture and sound, and maybe cost be a couple bucks less than the others. I already edit my home videos on the computer with software, so I didn't need a camcorder that did all of those things for me and had too many bells and whistles I would never use. And so, this model came up for sale for a great price on Black Friday this year, and the purchase was made.

 With the Samsung SC-DX103 camcorder, you get a strap for the cam, USB cable, an AV cable, product registry card, a main battery pack, AC power adaptor, clocl (internal) battery, DV Medio Pro 2.2 (requires Win 2000/XP/Vista), and several sets of instructions. The manual states that this model also comes with a blank disk for recording and a remote. Well, mine was brand new and it did not. (Reading other reviews, I see I am not alone in that).

 The camcorder impresses me because it fits easily into my hand. It's truly small enough where (after putting it in a small case) I can slip it into a handbag and take it with me everywhere I go. I also discovered that it not only records on mini dvds, but it will also record onto a media card. Better yet, it's a simple process to go from one to the other; all it takes is a flip of a switch from DISC to CARD. (SD/MMC cards). The camcorder will also take photos/still shots but only with a media card and in CARD mode. I haven't tried out this feature yet because I strictly use my digi camera for taking photos.

 First thing I'd like to go into is the battery life. It takes a little over an hour for the charge, which isn't too bad unless you need it faster. The battery usually lasts around 2 hours of filming. Lately I just use it here and there, and doing it that way, it lasts for about a week before I need to charge it again. This is a lot worse than I am used to, having had cameras thats batteries lasted for months before needing recharged. You also get a circular button battery that operates the clock, and both batteries are very easy to pop into place in the camcorder.

 Some of it's better features is for one, the 680K pixel video CCD. For the money, this had a nice resolution and pretty good color. You also get 720 x 480 pixel movie resolution. One of my favorite features is the 34x zoom. The only downfall with this is when you do zoom in that close, every little movement shows up with the amount of shaking. There is a stabilizer button that will take care of most of that though, but you still need a steady hand. However, the color and quality of the full power zoom is the same as in a normal shoot; pretty good for a basic camcorder.

The LCD viewfinder is 2.7 inches wide which is pretty basic. (More than, if you compare some models as I have before deciding). One really great feature is the wind noise reduction on the microphone feature. I've used this on windy days and it reduced the "noise" by at least 95% when the wind blows into the microphone (p.s. the mic is built in). I can't wait to take it to the Gulf front and get it into wind blowing off onto the beach, but I would expect it to perform no more than 50% (some major wind there!), but that would be a vast improvement over what I'm used to.

The speaker system that is in the camera isn't really great, when you use the playback feature. But, once you get the disk playing onto the TV, it's pretty normal. It's great if you run it through some software first. As far as the video quality, it's better if you use it in good light. Not so much if it's a dimly lit area.

I did decide on this camcorder because of it's simplicity to use, so I'll take you through some of the operations you'll need to perform to use the camcorder right out of the box (after charging it, of course and inserting the media storage device you prefer). First you'll need to set the date and time. After opening the LCD screen, you'll see the controls pop up and you move through the menu by using a teeny joystick on the side LCD screen (which you'll see when the LCD screen is opened). After that, you will select the media storage, whether on a DISC or CARD (you'll see the switch to flip to either, it is also seen once the screen is opened). Next, you'll want to open the shutter by flipping a small switch on the top near the front lens. After all of this, you are really ready to begin basic recording.

There is an option called Easy Q mode, which is for beginners. It basically sets everything to auto, such as focus, anti-shake, exposure, white balance, and etc. But all of the special functions are then set to off. The Easy Q button is located on the left side of the camcorder. To turn it off, you just need to press it again.

When you record a video, you can access what you recorded by turning to the PLAY mode (with the MODE button). Once in there, you'll see sections come up into files. You can watch them all and even delete certain files that you may not want anymore. But, it's important to remember that the disk is not playable (in a dvd player) until you select the FINALIZE button, after you are done recording all you plan to. (this button is seen once you open the LCD screen). There is also a playlist feature, where you can save all of your favorite movie clips into one playlist. I have not done this yet, so all I know about it at this point is that it will hold up to 64 movie images.

If you want to record manually (as opposed to Easy Q), there are certain features that are attractive, but pretty standard in most camcorders. The Sports feature records people or objects moving quickly. The Portrait mode creates a shallow depth of field so that the person you are recording appears against a softened background, but it really only works when used outdoors. The Spotlight feature preents overexposure to a subject's face, etc., when strong light is present (in their face). Then there is the Beach/Snow feature which prevents overexposure in a place where there is a lot of blinding reflective light. Finally, there is High Speed, which is great for recording repidly moving objects, like a dog running around all crazy-like.

There are certain digital effects as well, although if you use certain functions (such as Anti-shake) some won't be available. I bring this up because I have read some reviews back in November where people claim that their camcorder only came with 5 of the 10 features. I believe their problem was because they had theirs set in a mode which is imcompatible with some of these. The effects are as follows:
Black & White, which puts your film into black and white obviously.
Sepia, which gives the image a reddish brown pigment.
Negative, which reverses the colors creating a negative image. ( LoL..makes my white teeth look black and my black hair look white!)
Art, which gives the image a coarse look
Emboss1, which gives it a 3D embossed look (kind of like aluminum covered)
Emboss2, which will give a 3D embossed effect on the surrounding image. (the image will be in a little square and it's surroundings are embossed)
Mosiac, which gives it a mosiac effect (or, a pixely look)
Mirror, which is really neat. It cuts a picture in half, giving it a mirror effect.
Pastel1, which provides a pale pastel drawing effect to the image.
Pastel2, which provides a pale pastel effect to the surrounding area of an image.

Now, if you have Easy Q off, as well as Anti Shake or C. Nite (which helps with dim areas), then you will get all of these features. If you have the latter two ON, then you will not get Emboss2, Mosiac, Pastel1, Mirror, and Pastel2. You can, of course, turn those features back on once you are done with the digital effects.

I suppose, finally, I'd mention that you can connect the camcorder to a TV and to a PC with the included cables. It's really simple to do and the instructions walk you through it. There you can playback video or see your video/photo files. Oh! And the needed Discs to record on are any of the following: DVD-R (3&1/2"), DVD+R (3&1/2"), DVD-RW (3&1/2"), and DVD+RW (3&1/2"). The media cards are either SD or MMC.

This camcorder has been above average for me, being that I do not require any additional bells and whistles, but since not everyone is likeminded, I'll mark it "average". I just was in the market for a basic camcorder and I believe that's what I get with this one. If you are wanting one that has better picture and much better quality in a low light situation, you'll probably want to pony up the money and buy a more expensive model with greater features. But for someone wanting an inexpensive camcorder, this one is pretty nice. This is truly a point and shoot camcorder and I do believe it is simple enough for anyone to operate, being that my 8 year old has gotten the hang of it herself. There is also included with the instructions a Quick Start Guide that tells you step by step everything you need to do to get started recording. Can't get any easier.

Now, I'll leave you with the product specifications:

Manufacturer: Samsung
Part Number: SC-DX103
Product Type: Camcorder
Digital Zoom: 1200 x
Optical Sensor Type: CCD
Analog Video Format: NTSC

Digital Video Format
: MPEG-2, MPEG-4
Special Effects:
Art , Sepia , Emboss , Mirror , Mosaic , Pastel , Negative , Black & White
Image Stabilizer:
: Electronic
Digital Scene Transition:
Black fader
Min Shutter Speed:
1/60 sec
Max Shutter Speed:
1/10000 sec
Camcorder Slow Shutter Modes:
1/15sec , 1/30sec
Shooting Modes:
Digital photo mode
Shooting Programs:
Spotlight , Beach/snow , Sports mode , Portrait mode , Hi-speed shutter
White Balance:
Custom , Presets , Automatic
White Balance Presets:
Cloudy , Daylight , Fluorescent , Tungsten light
Exposure Modes:
Program , Automatic
Widescreen Video Capture:
Yes

MAIN FEATURES

Color Support:
Color
Still Image Format:
JPEG
TV Tuner:
None
MEMORY STORAGE
Image Storage:
JPEG 800 x 600
Media Type:
DVD-R, DVD+RW, DVD-RW, DVD+R DL

LENS SYSTEM

Type:
Zoom lens - 2.3 mm - 78.2 mm - F/1.6
Focal Length:
2.3 mm - 78.2 mm
Lens Aperture:
: F/1.6
Optical Zoom:
: 34x
Lens system type:
Zoom lens
Min focal length:
2.3 mm
Max focal length:
78.2 mm
Auto Focus:
TTL contrast detection
Features:
Built-in lens shield
Filter Size:
30.5 mm
Focus Adjustment:
Automatic
Zoom Adjustment:
Motorized drive

ADDITIONAL FEATURES

Edit Functions:
Audio dubbing
Digital Still Camera Function:
Yes
Additional Features:: DPOF Support, Auto-power save, Built-in Speaker, USB 2.0 Compatibility, Backlight Compensation, Display Brightness Control

Software:
Drivers & Utilities

VIEWFINDER
Viewfinder Type: LCD

DISPLAY

Type:
LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.7 in - Color

MICROPHONE

Type:
Microphone - Built-in
Microphone Features:
Wind noise reduction

CONNECTIONS

Connector Type:
1 x Composite video/audio output , 1 x USB
Expansion Slot(s):
1 x SD Memory Card

AUDIO IMPUT

Audio input type:
Microphone
Microphone type:
Built-in
Microphone Operation Mode:
: Stereo
Microphone Technology:
Electret condenser

SYSTEM REQUIREMENTS FOR PC CONNECTION

Operating System Support:
MS Windows XP , Apple Mac OS X , MS Windows Vista

BATTERY

Supported Battery:
1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )

VIEWFINDER DISPLAY

Display Form Factor:
Rotating
Display Format:
112,000 pixels
Viewfinder Color Support:
Color

PHYSICAL CHARACTERISTICS

Width:
2 in
Depth:
4.8 in
Height:
3.5 in
Weight:
15.5 oz