Samsung SC-HMX20 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Aug 3, 2008 8:50 PM
|
Advertisement
|
|||||||||||
Still Features (11.5)
Along with just about every other area of performance, Samsung has upgraded the still feature set this time around on the SC-HMX20. The SC-HMX10 only offered a maximum still resolution of 2048 x 1536. The SC-HMX20 pumps the maximum resolution up to 3264 x 2448, in addition to the following sizes: 2880 x 2160, 2304 x 1728, 2048 x 1536, 1440 x 1080, and 640 x 480 (VGA). The SC-HMX20 is a more viable alternative to an entry-level digital camera now, although image adjustments are basic.
The pop-up flash on the front
helps with still photos
There is a burst mode, offering Continuous shooting at Normal or High speeds. Normal speed captures a still image at approximately 0.5 second intervals while High Speed captures up to 7 images in about 3 seconds. In High Speed mode, the shutter sound is far more rapid than the actual image capturing. The main difference between both modes is that the Photo Capture button only needs to be pressed once in High Speed mode, while Normal Mode requires you to keep the Photo Capture button held down.
There is a 10 second Self-Timer for those moments when no tourists are around to take your picture. You can also set the Sharpness of the image to Normal, Soft, or Sharp. Manual Controls like Focus, Exposure, and White Balance are available in Photo mode, as well as Scene modes. One rare feature to have on a camcorder is ISO adjustment, and the SC-HMX20 has it. The ISO can be set to Auto, 50, 100, 200, 400, 800, 1600, or 3200.
Samsung also jumped on the bandwagon and implemented a Face Detection feature. The SC-HMX20's Face Detection is a bit spotty. When pointed at two of our staff members, it picked up one face and a file cabinet, but only for split second intervals. Samsung blatantly threw Face Detection on the SC-HMX20 solely for the sake of having Face Detection.
Most image adjustments are made from within the Photo menu, which contains the following options:
| Photo Menu |
|
| Page 1 | Scene Mode, Resolution, Sharpness, Self Timer |
| Page 2 | Cont. Shot, Exposure, Digital Effect, ISO |
| Page 3 | White Balance, Tele Macro, Face Detect, Focus |
| Page 4 | Shutter, Anti-Shake (EIS), Guideline, Digital Zoom |
The Photo Menu
During Photo Playback, you can activate slideshows, resize, copy, and delete images. The Photo Playback menu consists of the following options:
| Photo Playback Menu |
|
| Page 1 | Music Slideshow, Slideshow Interval, Delete, Protect |
| Page 2 | Copy, Resize, Print Mark (DPOF), File Info |
The Photo Playback screen
Despite the SC-HMX20's weak Face Detection and limited image information (histograms, levels, etc.), this camcorder is a definite option for those who love photography as much as cinematography.
Still Performance (8.25)
The still performance of the Samsung SC-HMX20 was tested by shooting an X-Rite Color Checker chart at an even, bright light, then running the stills through Imatest imaging software to determine color accuracy, noise, and saturation.
At best, the SC-HMX20 produced a color error of 7.27. This was a very good score for a camcorder (though not that accurate compared to dedicated still cameras). Surprisingly, the HMX20's predecessor, the SC-HMX10, produced a slightly better score. The Sony HDR-CX7 also performed a little more accurately. The Panasonic HDC-SD9 was a little worse, and the Canon HF10 was considerably less accurate.
The SC-HMX20's noise measured 0.685%. This was the lowest noise of any of the competing camcorders. It was a little better than last year's SC-HMX10 and the Panasonic HDC-SD9, and a lot better than the Canon HF10 and Sony HDR-CX7. Finally, the saturation of the SC-HMX20 measured 95.62%.
Out of the lab, the stills look very good, better than most camcorders that pass through our halls. Imatest indicated that the noise was low, and our eyes told us the same. Sharp edges and good color were the two standout traits. These would be fine for printing 4x6's and other small photos.
Still Resolution (35.8)
The still resolution was tested by shooting an Applied Image ISO 12233 resolution chart, then running the stills through Imatest imaging software. At best, the S6msung SC-HMX20 produced a horizontal resolution of 1640 line widths per picture height (lw/ph)—with a very high 59.2% oversharpening. The vertical resolution measured 1480 lw/ph, with a 36.2% oversharpening.
Overall, these resolution scores are very good. Again, there was no dissonance between Imatest's hard numbers and our eyes. For a camcorder, the pictures we took outside of the lab look sharp.
|
Advertisement
|