Samsung SC-D382 - Camcorder - 680 KP - 34x optical zoom - Mini DV

I was attracted by the reasonable price of the Samsung SC-D382, but also it seemed a simple camcorder, elegantly designed and straightforward. It is exactly that. The build quality & 'form factor' are top notch - it feels like a quality unit. First off, I already tried & returned the brother to this unit, the Samsung DVD model SC-D103. My complaint with that unit was severalfold: hassle of DVD recording (avoid this format is my suggestion), poor battery life & miserable image quality (due not to optics, but video compression needed for DVD recordability). Nevertheless I liked the camera layout & quality feel, so I was a bit torn. But form must follow function. After doing more research on line, I leaned that MINI DV, tape based camcorders are actually making a comeback of sorts, due to the techno glitches & hassles that DVD camcorders give their (unsuspecting) new owners. To keep a long story short, MINI DV has 3 times the data 'room' so you get 60 full minutes of high quality recording vs 20 minutes with the DVD's. You also have 'glitchless' playback with MINI DV. The DVD's are plagued by glitches during both recording & finalizing, that several times rendered my recordings either unwatchable altogether, or not playable on other DVD players. Add to this the complexity of 5 different types of discs, with different sets of features, only 20 minutes of record time, and you have a platefull of frustration. So I gladly exchanged the Samsung DX 103 DVD for the brother unit, the Samsung SC-D382 Mini DV unit. It has the same easily selectable menus, both automatic or manual controls, clear LCD viewscreen, but the images are much clearer & more crisp. Not to mention the price of the Mini DV tapes is the same as the recordable mini DVD''s but you get 3 times the recording time. I think this camcorder produces images even a bit clearer than my other favorite camcorder, a JVC SVHS C unit. The battery life is a good hour +, twice as long as the DVD unit, even though it's got the same 800 mha / 7.4 v battery. The C NITE setting helps low light indoor conditions, mandatory if you shoot in darker indoor conditions. Outdoors, the images are sharp & the color separation very good. I compared it to a much more expensive 3 CCD Panasonic camcorder, the PV GS 320, and though it didn't quite have the same 'perfect color' of that '3 chip' camera, it was about 85 % of it's color resolution, 90 % of it's clarity, great performance for a fraction of the price. The other strong suit of this camera is it's tiny size. I full expect to have it available to me in more situations as it fits in a camera bag 1/3 the size of my SVHS C JVC camcorder. In fact, that is also it's main / only negative, that the small size makes it so hard to be smooth with, but all camcorders are going that way, so it's a moot point. (I can always dust of the full size shoulder mounted VHS Panasonic if I need rock steady video, right ?) I think this Samsung SC-D 382 Mini DV Camcorder has quality, simplicity & clarity as it's best features, (along with super low price) and that will make most owners very happy.

SINCE I HAD RECIEVED THIS PRODUCT I HAVE USED IT QUITE A FEW TIMES AND IT IS SO CONVENIENT AND USEFUL FOR THE THINGS I HAVE USED IT FOR SO IT IS GOOD FOR US TO GO BACK AND SEE THE VIDEO OF WHAT WE RECORDED ON SO I DO LIKE THIS THING ONLY THING I SHOULD OF GOTTEN ONE THAT USES A MEMORY CHIP MAYBE NEXST TIME