Samsung SC-D365 Camcorder Review

Comparison
Sony DCR-HC36
The Samsung SC-D365 has plenty of flaws, but in a few areas it shines. The Sony DCR-HC36 is in the lower tier of the popular HC line and is very easy to use, but isn’t a compelling buy. So which $400 camcorder is better? The primary attributes the Samsung has going for it are great access to manual controls and the external mic jack. Accessing manual controls on the Sony is an exercise in frustration, since they are hidden deep in the camcorder’s touch screen menu structure, and difficult to use, and the camcorder lacks a mic jack altogether. In addition, the Sony is not capable of true widescreen, instead utilizing crop and zoom to achieve a widescreen effect. However, the HC36 records better video than Samsung, has a better LCD and Viewfinder, and handles better. The Sony wins by a nose.

Panasonic PV-GS39
The only area where the SC-D365 can best the Panasonic PV-GS39 is that it has a mic jack. In the other areas in which the Samsung does well – easily accessed manual controls and true widescreen – the Panasonic is at least comparable. In terms of its overall manual control feature set and just about every other measure, from video and stills to handling and Auto mode performance, the PV-GS39 comes out on top. These benefits, in combination with an MSRP $50 lower than the $400 Samsung, make the PV-GS39 a better purchase.

JVC GR-D396
The Samsung SC-D365 and the JVC GR-D395 make a very interesting comparison. They share many features, such as light for illuminating dark shooting environments, each has a powerful optical zoom, and both share a prominent Easy/Auto button that jumps into full auto mode. They also both suffer from poor video performance, though the JVC comes out on top on that count, and a confounding mix of good and bad design. The Samsung has a great Quick Menu that makes manual controls very accessible and likely to be used, while the JVC has the industry’s best battery life monitor. Overall, the Samsung shows more promise, with better manual controls and a mic jack, but the Samsung’s poorer video quality evens out this match-up. The JVC’s MSRP is $20 lower than the Samsung, but street prices for the Samsung should be similar, so we call this comparison a draw.

Canon Elura 100
Even though they share initial retail prices of $400 and many features, the Canon Elura 100 and the Samsung SC-D365 provide starkly different packages. The Canon is refined and capable, while the Samsung is truly a mixed bag, combining strengths (such as the Quick Menu) with serious shortcomings (video performance, LCD/Viewfinder, microphone port placement. The Canon has only a 20x optical zoom, compared to 33x for the Samsung, but the Canon’s video performance more than makes up for this, thanks to larger 1/5” CCD imager. Both camcorders have 2.7” LCD widescreen displays, but the Elura’s produces a much sharper image. They also both support SD memory, but the Canon’s slot is always accessible, while the Samsung’s is located on the camcorder’s underside. In terms of handling, features, and elegance, the Canon trounces the Samsung and just about every other camcorder in its class.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters (6.0)
Point and shooters should have no problem operating the SC-D365, but can find cheaper camcorders with much better video quality, like the Canon Elura 100.

Budget Consumers (6.0)
At $400, the SC-D365 is a certainly not expensive. The real question, though, is whether this is the best camcorder at this price. The answer is a resounding “no.” Nearly every other camcorder in its price range has better features, better video quality, or both.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (1.0)
Limited to poor quality 800 x 600 stills, the D365 is hardly a competitor for a dedicated still camera.

Gadget Freaks (1.5)
There is no gadgetry or new technology to speak of on the SC-D365, except for the fact that it can use SD, MMC, and MemoryStick Duo cards for still capture.

Manual Control Freaks (5.0)
The manual control set on the Samsung D365 is actually pretty good, and the Quick Menu allows for fast and intuitive access.

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists (1.0)
No serious hobbyist would be interested in this camcorder.

Conclusion
On the surface, the SC-D365 seems an attractive offer. With multiple card compatibility, solid manual control, a mic input, and most importantly, a low price tag, what’s not to like? Well, it turns out there’s a fair amount. The video performance is terrible, really terrible. The stills are just as bad. We can dismiss the Samsung for those two reasons alone. After all, a camcorder really doesn’t have to do anything well but capture an image. But the list goes on: the body feels cheap; the ports are poorly placed; and the automatic controls, particularly the focus, function inadequately; it all adds up to a bad deal.

The competition, on the other hand, shines. The Sony HC36 has better handling, ease of use, and video performance. The Panasonic offers a little more manual control and a sharper looking image. The Canon Elura 100 trumps them all with beautiful video and more features, including AV-input--and does so for exactly the same price. Our conclusion: the Samsung simply cannot compete.