Samsung SC-X300L First Impressions Reviewby James MurrayPublished on Jan 18, 2007 12:00 PM 
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The Front
The slender front of the Samsung SC-X300L is topped by the 10x optical zoom lens and directly beneath the lens is the oddly placed device that resembles last year’s flash. In fact, Samsung informed us that the this was not a flash but a focusing aid. The question is, do we take the booth worker at their word, or go with our gut? Our gut, and our photos, tell us that this is a flash - same as last year. The only manufacturer to offer an external chip for focusing right now is Canon's $4000 XH A1 (Specs, Recent News, $3279.99).
A vertically aligned port cover consumes the lower two-thirds of the camcorder’s front face and is opened via a tab located along its right edge. Inside, users will find a SD/MMC memory card slot for adding additional memory and a USB port.
The Right Side
The only feature located on the right side of the rubber camcorder body is the battery compartment. This compartment is opened via a tab located along the bottom edge. The battery cover does not protrude from the body of the Samsung SC-X300L and this sleek design helps add to the overall aesthetic and handling appeal of the camcorder. Unfortunately, form does not equal function in this case as the battery compartment does not allow for larger extended life batteries.
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The Back
The well-designed zoom slider is located at the top of the Samsung SC-X300L’s back, in the center of a polished silver ring. The silver ring is actually a two-way touchpad with Rec. Start/Stop on the right and Playback on the left. The small red dot indicating the Record button is easy to overlook, so someone picking up the camcorder for the first time might need to search for this vital button. Underneath the zoom slider is a small depressible joystick that can be manipulated using the thumb of the right hand. Users will find that the joystick is used to both navigate the menu system and make adjustments to settings. Pressing the joystick inwards can make changes in image and control parameters. The joystick is simply just too small to be used effectively and would be a struggle to operate with cold fingers out on the slopes. This is another area in which it seems the designers were told to "keep it small" without considering the consequences of actual use.
Beneath the small joystick, the user will find a silver menu button raised slightly from the body of the camcorder. A mode button is located under the menu button, and when pressed, this control will open an on-screen display that allows the user to switch between MP3, voice record, file browser, system settings, and movie mode.
Three ports are beneath the mode button near the base of the camcorder. The first port is the DC-in terminal that is protected by a small plastic port cover. Under the DC-In port is a second port cover that conceals the remote camera port, as well as an headphone jack for listening to MP3s. The problem with this design is that the wired remote camera plugs into both its own proprietary port and the audio port of the camcorder. With this configuration, users will find themselves unable to listen to Gwar while snowboarding through six feet of virgin powder. It makes no sense that Samsung equipped the NV3, one of digital still cameras, for simultaneous MP3 playback and video recording without carrying that technology over to their sports camcorder lineup. If any user would benefit from such a perk, it's tattooed snowboarders toting the SC-X300L. Go figure.
The Left Side
The LCD screen for the Samsung SC-X300L is located on the left side of the camcorder body and snaps neatly into place in a vertical orientation when not in use. Pulling at the bottom edge of the screen will flip this monitor open and enables it to rotate through 270 degrees. Oddly, the in-camera microphones are on the exterior face of the LCD screen so that when rotated at a perpendicular angle to the ground the microphones point straight forward. This configuration means the microphone will point in the direction of the LCD’s backside and not necessarily towards the action. Hopefully, it’s an omni-directional mic.
On the frame of the LCD screen, directly beneath the monitor, the user will find two well-labeled buttons. The innermost control can be pressed to delete content while the other button will turn the display on and off. In the area masked by the LCD when closed (the LCD cavity) are three controls of note. The silver power button is located in the upper rear corner of this space while the in-camera speaker is located directly in front of it. A hold switch is placed directly beneath the power button.
The Top
There are no controls or features on the top of the Samsung SC-X300L only the top of the lens barrel from front to back.