Samsung SC-X300L First Impressions Reviewby James MurrayPublished on Jan 18, 2007 12:00 PM 
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Ease of Use
The Samsung SC-X300L uses a very basic menu interface with clearly-labeled options like display, delete, menu, mode, and zoom - giving it a leg-up in the ease of use category. But as we’ve found time and again, a well-designed menu system can be ruined by a poor navigation tool. In the case of the Samsung SC-X300L, its Achilles heel would have to be the small, oversensitive joystick.
Attaching cables and inserting memory cards were both simple processes and their placement on the camcorder body couldn’t be better. The battery cover is a bit tricky to remove at first, but once open, the battery remained resolutely in place until removed. This is especially appreciated after personally opening the AA battery cover of a digital camera and having my batteries spill into 20 inches of fresh snow.
Handling
The Samsung SC-X300L fits nicely into one hand when shooting and comfortably adapts to a number of angles without having to make handling adjustments. The rubber coating found all over the body of the SC-X300L continues to add to the handling ease and comfort. The protective surface adds a nice level of grip to the small camcorder body unlike the smooth bodied and similarly designed Sanyo Xacti camcorders. Controls like the zoom toggle are designed well and positioned to aid the user in shooting with controlled results.
The LCD screen has a tendency to snap into a 90 degree angle when released by the user. This could be an irritating flaw for users looking to shoot one-handed with the LCD at a non-ninety degree angle. The record and play buttons are located to the left and right of the zoom toggle would definitely benefit from an increase in size and a more visually identifiable label. In low light, the controls were hard to locate and when shooting outdoors in cold weather, the size of these controls could be aggravating.
As mentioned a few times already, the joystick is the biggest handling problem. It limits fast and concise movement because of the small size and the oversensitivity to the "in" movement. Like a keyboard with a sticky "Enter" button, it will constantly make choices that you didn't mean to select.
Menu
The Samsung SC-X300L uses a graphic menu structure that overlays a portion of the live view on the LCD, rather than covering it up completely. Sub-menu categories are listed along the top of the LCD screen and users can scan these categories using the left and right arrows of the joystick control. Once the appropriate sub-menu has been selected, the user can press the up and down arrows to navigate the contents each sub-menu. The shooting menu is a simple design for a simple offering of options. The live view helps with features like white balance as well as providing a constant glimpse of its effects.
There is a second menu, one to choose the camcorder's mode, that does take up the entire screen. A little flashier than the manual controls menu, this has icons that spin and flicker in a circle while you toggle through video mode, MP3 player, and voice memo recorder.
LCD and Viewfinder
The LCD monitor measures a scant 2” – and is among the smallest we’ve seen. The screen flips open when the bottom edge is pulled, and it rotates in a manner that limits the number of angles the screen can be viewed. The LCD screen can be turned on and off by pressing the monitor button located on the frame of the monitor directly beneath the LCD.
