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 Intelli-Studio. 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