Samsung SCD903 Camcorder Reviewby James MurrayPublished on Jul 30, 2004 12:00 PM 
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The Samsung SCD903 comes equipped with a 1/4-inch, 1 megapixel CCD. Although this would suggest that it would perform well during lighting tests, the fact is that the video and low-light performance on the Samsung are nothing to write home about. The camera is equipped to record to both Memory Stick and MiniDV tape, with both formats able to record still and video images. It has 12x optical, 900x digital zoom capability, along with a 2.5-inch LCD, an internal microphone, and speakers. It weighs in with an MSRP of US $429.95.
Video Performance (4.0)
At 3000 lux, the Samsung SCD903 produces colors that remain fairly accurate throughout the spectrum. Little to no noise is apparent in the dark portion of the grayscale, unlike this model's less-expensive sibling, the Samsung SCD303 (Review, Specs, $247.95). With the SCD903, the progressive steps within the grayscale are even and consistent, with only the pure white appearing to be a bit darker than appropriate. The warm colors remain fairly brilliant, with the lines crisp and in focus. The yellow is a bit muddied; however, the red produced is much stronger and more accurate than lower priced models in this series. The blues did well, with surprising and consistent accuracy, although the violet did acquire a fair amount of the red, rather than the blue. Under these conditions, camcorder movement and zoom alterations don’t present big problems with video quality; however, under low light levels, problems increase.
The Front (7.5)
On the front of the Samsung SCD903, the user will find the 12x-optical/900x-digital zoom positioned at the top of the camera body. Located directly beneath the lens is the built-in flash. As with a standard digital camera, it is possible to set the flash to Off, Automatic, Flash On, and Red Eye Reduction via the Camera Mode Menu displayed on the LCD monitor. Underneath the flash is the remote sensor and, at the base of the camera body, the internal stereo microphone.
The Right Side (6.0)
The right side of the Samsung SCD903 pays homage to the antique design styling of a Hi8 camera also possessed by its sibling, the Samsung SCD303. The matte gray plastic and utilitarian design make it a bit out of place in a market obsessed with slick product design. In the upper front corner, the user will find an embossed port cover labeled with the insignia for USB and DV jacks. To open this port, the user must pull down the cover from the upper right corner. Flexible rubber hinges allow the port cover to stay out of the way when users want to access the two ports. Above the port cover, and slightly oriented to the back of the camera, the Slow Shutter button control is situated on the rounded barrel portion of the lens. The Slow Shutter can be used for Moving and Still image capture, and allows for the following settings: S1/8, S1/15, and S1/30. Toward the back of the camera body is the power switch for the Samsung SCD903. Silver in color, it is equipped with a small green button that, when pressed, allows the user to choose among Off, Camera (when pushed up), and Player (when pushed down) modes. Next to the Power Switch, and more oriented towards the back portion of the camera, the user will find the Start/Stop button.
The primary purpose of the right side, though, is to house the bottom-loading cassette cartridge. To open the cassette cartridge, the user must turn the camera over and engage the clearly labeled tape-eject switch on the base of the Samsung’s body. If a tripod is often used, this setup could be detrimental, because shot angle and accuracy will be inevitably compromised when attempting to switch out tape. Running horizontally across the middle of the right side of the camera body is the hand strap, moving diagonally downwards from back to front.
The Back (5.0)
The Samsung SCD903 has its viewfinder located at the top of the camera, with a lens adjustment knob that is accessed by pulling the entire viewfinder away from the camera body. Due to the slender width of this camera, it is nearly impossible to use your left eye for viewing. My right hand and my face were constantly getting scrunched together. However, the electronic color viewfinder has the added bonus of the onscreen menu, with the ability to change those menus and commands if the user utilizes the externally located menu button and menu selector located on the left side of the camera body. The viewfinder itself is surrounded by a hard plastic cup, supposedly for comfort. When engaged, however, comfort was distinctly lacking.
To the right of the viewfinder is the silver eyelet for an optional accessory strap. Beneath the viewfinder, the user will find a small Lithium Battery Cover, which in turn will be covered when the Li-Ion Battery is installed on the back of the camera. To the right of the batteries is the Charge light, which when lit, indicates that the Li-ion battery is currently in the process of being recharged via the DC in port located on the left side of the camera body.
The Left Side (6.5)
The left side portion of the Samsung SCD903 is devoted to the 2.5-inch LCD screen that is recessed in the camera body. The LCD screen is opened via the cutaway in the camera body, located at the lower back corner of the LCD screen. By pulling the screen out from the camera body, the user is able to spin the screen 180 degrees upwards and around, and 90 degrees downwards. It is possible to turn the screen 180° and then reinsert and lock the LCD screen into the recessed portion of the Samsung SCD903.
Within the recessed portion of the Samsung SCD903, the user will find an array of buttons and, at the front of this area, the in-camera speaker. At the back of the recessed section is the Memory Mix button, which doubles as a Slide Show button when in Player mode. The Memory Mix feature allows the user to take images from the memory stick and superimpose them over the moving images being recorded or reviewed. This feature seems a little purposeless, as computer editing will certainly garner better results. I suppose if neither time nor a computer was available, this might be a logical feature to use. The Slide Show aspect of this is available when the camera is set to Player mode and the Tape/Memory Stick slide is set to Memory Stick. This allows the viewer to review previously garnered images in a slide show format, with each image playing for three to four seconds. To view six images at once, the user must press the Multi Display button at the front of the camera, above the LCD screen.
Beneath the Memory Mix button, the Display button controls the amount of information being displayed on the LCD screen. Next, the Tape/Memory Stick switch allows for the user to switch between MiniDV Tape or Memory Stick formatted recording. When in Memory Stick mode, it is possible to record still images or short video clips, with the video clips being recorded in MPEG4 format for export. When recording to Tape mode, it is possible to capture both moving and still images, although the still images will have a 6-7 second delay after the image is captured. Finally, the S-Video out port is located at the bottom of the camera.
To the right of the LCD screen, located on the body of the camcorder, are the menu button and the menu selector. Underneath a port cover, you’ll find the ports for the External Mic, A/V out, and DC in. The port cover flips down from a tab located on the right side, and for the most part does not impede the functionality of these ports during usage. The Menu button controls the onscreen menu, with the menu selector controlling not only the selections within this menu, but also a second menu with many of the same available settings in a shorthand form. The menu selector, when pushed up or down, scans possible choices for the user, and the user can select a highlighted option by depressing the selector into the camera body itself. It’s a hybrid of the more traditional mode dial and the four-way controllers found on other cameras.
Above the LCD screen and towards the front of the camera body is the EasyQ button, which immediately freezes all manual control and menu functions, disengages all control features, and takes over the camera's operations with the exception of zoom and record. When in Player Mode, this button acts as a Multi Disp feature for multiple still image review. Next comes the Rewind button when in Player Mode, the Rec Search (-) when in Easy mode, and REV when in M.Play mode. After that is the Fast Forward button when in Player mode, Rec Search (+) when in Easy mode, and FWD when in M.Play mode. Play/Still comes next when in Player mode, Fade when in Easy mode, and MPEG Play/Still when in M.Play mode. Finally, the Stop button when in Player mode also functions as the BLC (backlight compensation) button when in Camera Easy mode.
The Top (6.0)
The top section of the Samsung SCD903 has two controllers located towards the back of the camera body. The first of these is the Zoom lever, which when pushed left engages the Wide Angle feature, and when pushed right engages the Telephoto settings. Behind this lever is the Photo button, which when partially depressed automatically adjusts for the specific parameters of the image being recorded, and when completely depressed captures a still image after six or seven seconds.
Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (6.0)
With the EasyQ button above the LCD screen, the Samsung SCD903 is designed to be an automatic control camera. Within this mode, the user can only control the zoom and the fade; all other menus, settings, controls, and buttons are inaccessible. There are manual controls with this camera, and quite frankly it would be best to use them instead, as a user’s informed selection will inevitably far surpass the qualities of a manufacturer's preset. Use the EasyQ as long as you must, but lose the training wheels as soon as you feel comfortable.
Specific automatic controls act according to expectations. Automatic focus and exposure adjust relatively well in auspicious conditions, with adjustment lag increasing and general ability decreasing in low light environments.
Overall Manual Control (4.0)
Overall manual control allows for user control over Zoom, Focus, Exposure, Shutter, White Balance, Program AE, and Flash. However, accessing these choices through the menus can be a confounding endeavor. With two separate menus, it is essential for the user to remember that the focus is only controlled through the Menu Selector menu, whereas the White Balance can be controlled by both. But when White Balance is controlled via the Menu Selector, it is possible to select only among Automatic and whatever setting was chosen when White Balance was selected from the Menu Button menu. Ultimately, the unfounded pandemonium of the menus renders many of these setting alterations neither instantaneous nor intuitive enough for on-the-go image capture.
Zoom (6.0)
Zoom is controlled via the Zoom lever located on the top of the camera body. By pressing the lever to the left, the user engages the Wide Angle settings, and to the right, the telephoto setting. With a 12x optical zoom, it is possible to engage and disengage the digital zoom for up to 900x digital zoom. Within the Menu button menu, in the camera mode section under D.ZOOM, it is possible to set digital zoom at Off, 100x, 200x, 400x, and 900x increments. The zoom toggle works well, though perhaps not as well as the Samsung SCD6040’s toggle.
Focus (4.0)
To control the Focus settings for the Samsung SCD903, the user must enter the Menu Selector menu and scroll down until the Focus section is highlighted. By depressing the Menu Selector, the user is able to choose between Manual and Automatic focus. Once in Manual Focus mode, the user can focus the image using the Menu Selector itself, by pressing up or down. It is important to remember that the Menu Selector is used for this purpose, because other changes cannot be made to the formatting of the video when this is being used. It’s therefore best to use the Manual Focus as the last step in the chain of commands.
Exposure (Aperture) (5.0)
Exposure is controlled via the Menu Selector menu, and can be chosen from the list located on the left side portion of the LCD screen by depressing the Menu Selector and highlighting the Exposure control settings. Once engaged, the user can select between 00 and 29. This cannot be used when the slow shutter button is engaged.
Shutter Speed (4.0)
To control shutter speed, the user must depress the Menu Selector button and scroll down the left side of the screen until the Shutter Speed option is highlighted. By pressing the Selector again, the user can select the Shutter speed. The following choices appear onscreen: 1/60, 1/100, 1/250, 1/500, 1/1000, 1/2000, 1/4000, and 1/10000. However, there are three other settings available via the Slow Shutter button, an incredibly nice feature accessed on the right side of the camera body. These settings are 1/8, 1/15, and 1/30, and can be used in both moving and still image modes.
White Balance (1.0)
White Balance for the Samsung SCD903 is controlled via the onscreen menu. By pressing the Menu button, the user enters the Menu. Then, after scrolling down using the Menu Selector, the user can highlight the Camera Mode subsection. By pressing the Selector into the camera body, the user will then be given another menu, with White Balance as one of the choices. Once in the White Balance menu, it is possible to choose between Auto, Hold, Indoor, and Outdoor. If a setting is selected and the menu is exited, it is possible to revert back to Automatic White Balance by pressing the Menu Selector in and scrolling through another shorthand menu until White Balance is highlighted. The user is then able to switch between the other setting and Automatic. This feature, while at times accessible and simple, often becomes irritating and tedious, forcing the user to remember specific parameters engaged, options available on the second menu but not the first menu, and the inconsistent variables for each control.
We have been having problems with the Samsungs’ white balance. The manual function, the hold function (the anchor icon), doesn’t seem to do anything for the overall image quality.
Gain (0.0)
There is no manual Gain control for the Samsung SCD903.
Still Performance (6.0)
Still performance on the Samsung SCD903 is controlled through the Menu Button menu, under the M.Rec Mode settings. It is important to remember that these specific settings cannot be altered unless the camera is switched to Memory Stick mode. It is possible to choose from three Photo Quality settings, as well as adjust Image Size, Continuous Shot, Format, and Memory settings. Still images (which have a resolution of 1152 x 768) are captured via the Photo button, located on the top of the camcorder directly in front of the electronic viewfinder. By depressing the button partially, automatic controls will establish the shot; otherwise, the same parameters available to the moving image manual settings are available (when pertinent) in still mode. White Balance, Focus, Shutter Speed, and Exposure are all available for manual reconfiguration.
VCR Mode (8.0)
When the Samsung SCD903 is placed in the Player setting via the Power Switch, the user is able to review and recapture video via the VCR Mode settings available above the LCD screen on the left side of the camcorder body. It is possible to view playback either through Monitor, on the LCD screen, or on a computer. When in playback mode, audio dubbing is possible by pressing the Play/Still button until the proper frame is selected, and then pausing the image. Next, press A.DUB on the remote control and initiate the tape playing. Pressing stop will end the dubbing process. To select the audio to be used with the video recording, enter the menu and scroll down until A/V is highlighted. Once in the sub menu, select from among the following three settings: SOUND1 for original sound, SOUND2 for dubbed sound, and MIX(1+2) for equal portions of each.
Low Light Performance (2.5)
In low light situations, the Samsung SCD903 didn’t do so hot. While the camcorder didn’t perform too badly at 3000 lux, its weaknesses really came through in low light. It should be noted that the SCD903 does perform admirably better than the SCD303, SCD103 (Review, Specs, $194.95), or SCD107 (Review, Specs, $382.99), and while this may not be such a breathtaking achievement, Samsung has at least improved on its less expensive models.
On its own terms, the SCD903 does preserve most of the color information in the jump from 3000 lux to 60 lux, although some of it is lost to the incredible noise found in most Samsung camcorders. Not only has noise increased, but there is significant bleeding of reds into the grayscale. If you could call the whites in the 3000 lux image brilliant, here at 60 lux they are decidedly not so. Compared to other Samsungs, however, the SCD903 retains color better and more crisply, doing its best to preserve distinct borders. While the SCD903’s image at 60 lux does contain some horrid blue noise, it is nothing compared to that of the Samsung SCD303. Fortunately however, other Samsungs, such as the SCD303 and SCD103, don’t have the same red bleed that the SCD903 suffers from.
Problems are taken to the extreme at 15 lux. While the image is brighter than most Samsungs we’ve tested, it is equally as grainy, with incredible amounts of obstruction over the entire image. The focus on the entire image has slipped at 15 lux. Many of the color bars have begun to blend together, especially from the red to violet sections. The colors have become dull and darkened, with the warm colors muted by the darkness of the low light. While we could talk about color further, it is almost futile to talk about color at all with so much grain. Using the Samsung SCD903 at 15 lux is virtually impossible due to this noise.
LCD/ Viewfinder(6.5)
The TFT LCD measures 2.5 inches diagonally on the Samsung SCD903. The electronic color viewfinder, like the LCD screen, displays the onscreen menu options available to the user.
Audio (5.0)
Audio for the Samsung SCD903 is available either through the in-camera stereo microphones located at the front on the base of the camera, or through the external microphone jack located on the left side under the port cover in back of the LCD screen. The external microphone jack is capable of handling 3.5 stereo Ohm inputs. The in-camera speakers are located beneath the LCD screen, and should only be used for casual playback review, and not when seriously evaluating audio quality.
Handling (5.0)
Overall handling on the Samsung SCD903 is strong, with all buttons clearly labeled with full word descriptions, forgoing the often arcane and confusing system of symbols held over from older camcorders. The size is slender, which is great for portability, and the right hand strap is such that I didn’t worry about covering the flash or microphone. However, the slender build of the camera did make using the viewfinder complicated, forcing me to use my right eye due to the close proximity of my face and right hand. The exterior controls for the menus were perfect for in-viewfinder menu changes, and became quickly intuitive, allowing me to continue shooting without moving the camera from its position. However, the menus themselves are in dire need of change. Perhaps combining them is the best option, or even making the separate menus more distinct. Either way, the odd overlap and occasional disjunction left me swimming through both menus in an attempt to remember where a specific setting could be found.
Ports (7.0)
The ports for the Samsung SCD903 are located on the left and right sides of the camera body, and are located beneath port covers and the LCD screen. On the right side of the camera body, beneath its matte gray embossed port cover, the user will find the DV in/out port, and the USB out port. On the left side of the camera body, the user will find an S-Video out underneath the LCD screen. Running along the side of the LCD screen, and underneath another port cover, are the external microphone jack, the A/V jack, and the DC in jack.
Other Features(6.0)
Digital Special Effects
The digital special effects settings allow the user to simulate many modes that are standard within different types of cameras, such as 35mm film or black and white. The settings possible include 16:9 Widescreen TV effect, Black and White, Mosaic, Negative Art, Sepia, Slow Shutter, and Strobe.
BLC
Backlight compensation, found on the left side of the camera body, allows the user to compensate for backlit subjects and achieve more even lighting throughout the image.
Slow Shutter Speed
The slow shutter speed option allows the user to instantly engage slower shutter speeds to allow for immediate adjustments in extremely low light situations. Settings are S1/8, 1/15, and S1/30.
Flash
Flash settings for digital still modes allow the user to control the parameters of the Flash engaged during image capture. These settings are Off, Automatic, Flash On, and Red Eye Reduction Auto.
Audio Dubbing
During review of captured video footage, it is possible for the user to go back over footage while using in-camera editing techniques in order to add a new layer or layers of Audio Dubbing. By pressing A.DUB on the remote, and then beginning the tape, a new layer of audio will be added, and the user can choose between this new track, a mix of the first and the second, or a reversion to the first.
Widescreen Mode
There is no Widescreen Mode available on the Samsung SCD903; however, there is an effect option available within the effects mode setting that simulates the 16:9 format.
MPEG
It is possible to record to MPEG format by switching the camera to the Memory Stick option. The user can choose between two formats of image capture: 320 x 240 for 15 seconds maximum video clip, or 160 x 120 for 60 seconds of image capture.
Analog to Digital Pass-Through
There is no analog to digital pass-through available on this camcorder.
Comparisons
The Samsung SCD903 has a 1/4" 1 MP CCD, 2.5-inch LCD, DV, USB, S-Video, and A/V ports for multiple choices in monitor connection, or conversion onto personal computer for editing of video and audio. Its design is a bit clunky overall, acknowledging the Hi8 more than a camera such as the 6040, with its clean lines and well-articulated design. The bottom-loading cassette cartridge will complicate tripod use, although the menu buttons located on the exterior body of the camera make it so that it is possible to use the viewfinder and alter menu settings without opening the LCD screen and possibly disrupting shooting.
Sony HC20-- With a slightly higher MSRP at US $499.99, this camera was included to illustrate a camera with fewer overall manual options while still having a 1/6-inch CCD. This camera also has a 10x optical zoom, with 120x digital capability, and a 2.5-inch LCD screen. At 3000 lux, the colors are both accurate and strong in their vibrancy, with little to no noise or gain apparent. The noise at 15 lux made the image grainy and dull, although color representation at 60 lux was still fairly accurate, if not surprisingly dark. The Sony HC20 performed better than the Samsung in the low light environment by a landslide.
Canon ZR90-- The Canon ZR90 has a 22x optical zoom, and is equipped with both memory card and MiniDV Tape for image recording. Like the Samsung SCD903, the controls thankfully appear for the most part on the outside of the camera body – an appreciated feature. It has a 1/6-inch 680K CCD. In 3000 lux lighting situations, it performed reasonably well, with accurate color representations. In lower light settings of 60 and 15 lux, the camera produced images with overt amounts of grain and noise, poor color reproduction, and the inevitable darkened image. Very similar to the Samsung, if not a bit better. It seems Canon has a competitor in the worst low light category.
Panasonic PV-GS15-- I decided to include the Panasonic PV-GS15, although it's at a slightly higher US $499.95, in the comparisons section to illustrate the differences available in a slightly more expensive model. This camera is heavily oriented towards the manual control user, and has a 24x optical zoom. The camera performed well at 3000 lux, giving colors that, although a bit washed out, were clean and vibrant throughout the chart. The grayscale had accurate differentiation between shades, and all the bars were crisp and in focus. At lower light levels of 60 and 15 lux, the camera continued to perform well, with little difference between 60 and 3000 besides an inevitable darkening of the overall image, although color saturation did not peak unreasonably. At 15, the noise finally emerged, and the overall shot darkened. These tests show superiority over the SCD903.
JVC GR-D72-- The GR-D72 has a 1/6-inch 680K CCD, with the added bonus of a 16x optical zoom, a built-in LED and a 2.5-inch LCD screen. Its MSRP is slightly above the SCD903, coming in at US $449.99, but the difference in low-light performance is substantial. The overall quality of the GR-D72 is strong and vibrant, with yellows actually appearing yellow, and with the red maintaining the strength that should be displayed by a primary color. This camera features JVC 3D noise reduction technology to minimize general noise and grain issues. In low light situations, it began to show some grain, although color accuracy did maintain its consistency and crispness remarkably. At 15 lux, color vibrancy, quality, and focus dropped steeply, along with a rise in grain and noise, but the image was still superior to the Samsung's.
Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters (7.0)
This camera, with its EasyQ feature, makes shooting in Automatic mode for the point-and-shooter a simple operation free of confusing or frustrating controls.
Budget Consumers (6.0)
For the budget consumer seeking a camera which functions well in normal lighting conditions, has manual controls, and hybrid formats, this camera is also within a reasonable price range, averaging around US $450 online and in stores.
Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (4.0)
The still photo and video camera enthusiast may enjoy the separate and multiple, although at times confusing, controls with which this camera is equipped.
Gadget Freaks (4.0)
With its candy-colored menus and its many layered options both externally and on screen, the gadget freak will be able to find something to keep him or herself entertained. But if the gadget freak demands a little thing like a logic behind the layout of the camera's controls, this may be a frustrating exercise.
Manual Control Freaks (4.5)
Manual control exists with the Samsung SCD903, although, to be honest, the amount of variance among all the menus, switches, dials, and wheels makes me wonder if there is way to simplify the process. I found that although for many controls I didn’t have to go into a menu and hassle with tit, I was instead having to remember which control was which, and the order I had to go through them to reorient the camera’s settings.
Pros/Serious Hobbyists (2.0) A pro would only use this if more expensive equipment was excessive or unneeded, although he or she would should have a working knowledge of both digital cameras and camcorders. This would make a lot of the confusing controls a little more logical overall.
Conclusion
The Samsung SCD903 rests in the middle of the general market for consumer camcorders but is also geared towards point-and-shoot enthusiasts and paradoxically, those users seeking manual control options. However, the manual settings are within menus which are both circuitous and not based on intuition, with certain menu features and controls existing only in one menu, while others may exist in two, or merely in the shortcut Navigator section. The reason for their placement within these menus is supposedly to promote efficiency; however, I spent an inordinate amount of time merely scanning each menu for a specific control setting. The first time user would probably be best off looking for a camera with less accessories, although the EasyQ setting does immediately abolish any manual manipulation at all.
With a 1/4-inch 1 MP CCD, in low light situations the camera performed poorly, loosing most color accuracy, focus, and overall saturation with noise levels that increased dramatically when the camera shot in 15 lux lighting. If the model will only be used in well lit situations this might not matter, especially if spending any more money is not an option. The Samsung SCD903 does perform better than the SCD303 and the SCD103, and it should, with a bigger imager. However, for a 1/4-inch chip, the SCD903 should perform better than it does. For better low light look into similarly priced JVCs.
The SCD903 has a 2.5” LCD screen, manual controls, 12x optical zoom and fast access to the automatic settings, if not the manual ones. The overall design is a bit harsh, with the dull gray right side of the camera making the Samsung appear to already be a few years old, especially in these days of sleek exterior design. With its awkward inability to truly fall into the point-and-shoot category, and with manual control rigmarole, this camera doesn't quite ever manage to fully appeal to either category.