The Digital Camera Store

Written on the 2010-10-12

rating of 4.0

I used my new Samsung SD camcorder for the first time the other day. I was simply amazed at the video quality on such a small camcorder. I also have a pocket camcorder which is about the size of a Blackberry device and it's video and picture quality are not that great. I was very disappointed in that quality because it was not much better than the quality of cell phone video or picture. I was expecting about the same out of my Samsung SD camcorder because of it's small size but boy was I wrong. <br /><br />I charged the camcorder, inserted a SD card, reviewed the simple instructions included on the quick set-up guide (a CD is included that includes full directions) and was ready to start recording. <br /><br />I took the camcorder to a field trip on Friday and then to a festival on Saturday, it stayed charged and worked wonderfully both days. It is quite easy to use, light, small, and very convenient. <br /><br />The real test is the picture and audio quality. When we reviewed the video that we took, I was so impressed. The color, sound, clarity, brightness; everything was just perfect. <br /><br />It comes with cables to hook up to the tv, one for the computer, and of course, the charger. <br /><br />Love the camcorder and highly recommend. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-09-08

rating of 5.0

Small and lightweight making it easy to hold while recording. Hand strap is great to prevent accidental dropping. Recordings are crisp and clear and the sound is great. Recordings are easily transferred from the camera to the computer and then editing from the computer to a dvd. Final product was excellent.
(Source: bvrev.compusa.com)

Written on the 2010-06-28

rating of 5.0

First off - If you are looking for top notch quality video and sound for your camcorder: do not buy this product. <br /><br />This camera has very basic functions, but enough to tweak the settings to your liking. <br /><br />I tried out "TV Superfine" and it looks great and all on a PC monitor, but since I was recording a volleyball game, taking place at least 50 feet away from the camera, I eventually set it to "TV Fine" which is lower quality but more recording time. It isn't horrible quality. I can definitely tell the difference in quality in the different "fine" settings, but the average person (i.e. the people who SHOULD buy this product) won't notice/care. <br /><br />The sound isn't horrible, it's actually pretty good. You can hear exactly what people are saying. If there is a lot going on then (e.g. music + Yelling + basketball game) of course the sound will be a bit low quality, but again, this is a cheap - basic camera. <br /><br />What sold me was the time elapsed recording. It's awesome! You can set the timer for different time intervals depending on what it is you want to take videos of. I can't wait to try it out on my cats. I go to work and come home just knowing that one of them is reading my diary. I'm gonna catch 'em on video! <br /><br />Another cool thing is the different filters you can apply to the video. You can have black and white, inverted, foggy and others that I can't think of right now. <br /><br />The still picture ability isn't good (same goes for most camcorders), but compared to others that I have tried, this one has the least grainiest picture, but it's still grainy. <br /><br />The camera itself is comfortable and light. the Lens "cap" is a manual switch next to the lens (which I prefer over automated lens caps). <br /><br />The battery does last as long as advertised but I'll probably get a 2nd one anyways. <br /><br />I haven't bothered with the software yet because I just plug my SD card into a PC card reader and move/backup my videos manually. <br /><br />I highly recommend this 8GB Class 6 SDHC card: http://www.amazon.com/Transcend-Class-Flash-Memory-TS8GSDHC6/dp/B000P9ZBFA/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1277755713&sr=1-1 <br /><br />8GB gives you about 2 hours of "superfine" video, but remember, lower quality = more record time. <br /><br />All in all, this is a VERY GOOD Camera. I got it because it was on sale for $100 and I wanted to a basic functional camera. I don't have the time or care for the HD ones just yet and neither should most people - do you really need to see the hairs on your uncle's arms? <br /><br />Again, this isn't a GREAT camera or the BEST. NO, it's a VERY GOOD camera that serves all the basic needs of the average person who wants to take videos. <br /><br /> <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-06-03

rating of 4.0

Of course, this is not one of the top-of-the-line cameras that will cost somewhere approaching $1000, so we should not have expectations that are in that range. If one compares this to the Flip recorders, there is a distinct advantage. Not only is this camera extremely portable and compact, but it has a built in optical zoom of 52x (digital zoom up to 65x), and having used it, I can only say the zoom is amazing. <br /><br />Buy it with a 16gb SDHC card, and you get over 4 hours of recording time and battery life, which is not bad for a camera in this price range. <br /><br />Video quality is great, though I am not terribly impressed by picture quality (you can take still pictures, but that is not what this is for, in my opinion). <br /><br />Yes, it comes with PC software, even built in to the camera itself as well as a disc, but it does work with the software included by default on Macs. <br />______________ <br />For Mac users: <br /><br />You have to turn on the camcorder once connected, and it shows as "Intelli-studio" for the software (maybe--depends on OS), and a disk image pops up under "NO NAME." Open the disk image, go to "video" folder, then "100VIDEO" folder, which should contain the videos. <br /><br />We have an iMac with Tiger, and a MacBook that had Leopard, now with Snow Leopard, all Intel. It has been recognized on all of those scenarios. Normally, just drag the files onto the desktop, but my wife noticed that after connecting to someone else's PC, they have to be specifically dragged into iMovie or iDVD in Snow Leopard, so something may change if you've ever used it on a PC, or maybe Snow Leopard has an issue. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-06-01

rating of 4.0

Samsung F40 Camcorder <br /><br />Camcorders have evolved a great deal since their initial popularity in the 1980s. I recall when VHS camcorders were the hottest thing and weighed about 10-15 lb, had a lousy NiCd battery, and had horrible standard definition quality. As the camcorder segment evolved, digital cameras and smartphones have adapted with better optics, longer battery lifespans, and larger storage capacities. Even webcams have achieved 2.1 MP resolution, while cellphones/smartphones can have as much as 5 MP. <br /><br />The Samsung F40 isn't one of the latest and greatest camcorders available. There's no night vision, active image stabilization, long battery life, or high definition resolution. It's only 1.9 MP, has a 4 hour battery life (which is pitiful compared to digital cameras with smaller batteries), clumsy viewfinder, awkward controls, very poor image quality (in video and photo modes), and uses RCA composite jacks to hook up to a television. About the only saving grace for this camcorder is its Schneider Kreuznach 52X optical zoom lens set. I've used cheap spotting scopes that were advertised as 60X and anything greater than 8x with those scopes was a blurry mess. The Samsung F40 at 52X will pick up flies and rust stains on a fence about 100-200m away. <br /><br />The optical quality is so good that I've been thinking about using the F40 as a spotting scope at the range. It can take still photographs and record video without switching modes, making it perfect to record groupings or 3-gun matches. There is zero to minimal chromatic aberrations at 52X zoom. <br /><br />The biggest drawback is the low resolution and poor battery life. Since there are no moving parts besides the lens, it seems unusual to have only 4 hours of battery life when digital cameras like the Casio EX-H10 are rated for 1000 photos in the CIPA standard using a small Li-Ion battery. <br /><br />The Samsung F40 uses SD/SDHC cards, and it requires about 1 GB for every 23 minutes of film time. A 8GB SDHC can hold 191 minutes of recording time or 6025 photos. The F40 does not come with a SDHC card and must be purchased separately! The SDHC card must be formatted via the F40 or else it throws a hissy fit. <br /><br />The lens motor is very quiet and is barely audible during the recordings. There is a standard tripod threaded insert on the bottom. There is no lens cap, instead there is an old-school shutter like the ones from old 35mm point and shoot cameras. The instruction manual/guide is useless and doesn't explain the backlight and LCD enhancer features or the smart/auto setting. The lack of night vision is a big bummer along with the Standard Definition quality. HD quality with better resolution and 3rd generation night vision would have made the F40 a really awesome camcorder. <br /><br />Pros: Relatively compact, about the size of a thick digital camera. German optics at 52x is crystal clear, take photographs or videos without switching modes, quiet lens motor, takes SDHC cards <br /><br />Cons: Short battery life for a modern solid state camcorder (4 hours and change), requires opening the viewfinder to charge the battery (via USB or AC adapter), does not come with SDHC card, no night vision, no HD quality, poor resolution <br /><br />Overall: 4/5 stars <br /><br />UPDATE: Here's why I feel the 4 hour battery life is kind of low. This is a 1.9 MP standard definition camcorder. Most cellphones have cameras that would put the F40 to shame in terms of photo/video quality. The webcam on my netbook has about the same quality, and has a 10+ hour battery life. My Casio EX-H10 camera is rated for 1000+ photos on one charge, and has 12.1 MP with HD quality video capability (16:9 aspect ratio as well), and has 10x optical zoom with the ability to fit into my shirt pocket. The only real saving grace for the F40 and other similar camcorders is the optical zoom capability and quality. Unfortunately, the videos and photographs come out very grainy. Had they been able to mate the 52x optics with decent capture quality, it would have been much better. I can't wholeheartedly recommend the F40 especially when there are better digital cameras as the same price. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-05-29

rating of 3.0

I am very disappointed in the SAMSUNG F40 ULTRA ZOOM CAMCORDER. The A#1 killer is the picture quality. The SAMSUNG F40 ULTRA ZOOM CAMCORDER has 5 quality settings: TV Super Fine, TV Fine, TV Normal, Web Fine, and Web Normal. All of the TV settings give you an image with obviously interleaved scan lines. That results in a very ugly image with jagged lines when you move the camera. When I first saw this, I was incredulous. Maybe I'm just spoiled by my Sanyo camcorder that cost twice as much. When I selected the Web resolutions, the scan lines seemed to disappear or at least were minimized, but the image size and resolution diminished. I tried other settings but nothing helped. On this point alone, I have absolutely no use for the camera. <br /><br />Some reviewers have suggested that the SAMSUNG F40 ULTRA ZOOM CAMCORDER would be ideal for a teenager's first camcorder. Even on this, I'm torn. On the one hand, it's inexpensive, lightweight, and quite easy to use (even my five year old figured out how to take movies). On the other hand, the image quality is awful. But it IS cheap. Well, a quick scan of competitors reveals that there are even less expensive camcorders (half the price!) that get good reviews AND do full HD. <br /><br />I really wanted to like this little guy. It has a nice form facter, is very simple to use, and is incredibly light. It might be just right for a kid or someone with a very specific budget. But, at this point I can't even justify keeping it in my glove box in case I see Sasquatch being abducted by Jimmy Hoffa and flying away in a UFO. The picture quality from the SAMSUNG F40 ULTRA ZOOM CAMCORDER is just that bad. <br /> <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-05-28

rating of 4.0

To begin at the beginning, as Dylan Thomas would say, the FX40 is an (approximately) $200 camcorder, not a $3,$4,$500, etc. one. So, everything that follows is based on that. AND for an inexpensive camcorder it IS very impressive indeed. The picture/sound quality is excellent in an every-day use sort of way (which is to say, if you're planning on making that epic drama that's gonna make us all for "There Will Be Blood", get a more expensive piece of equipment) and the zoom (variously rated at 62x or 65x) is impressive for someone who lives on the Space Coast and is taking pix of the last few shuttle flights. That having been said, there are a few nits to pick that, frankly, are just annoying and unnecessary. Yes, it's true that the box says it's a flash memory camcorder. What it doesn't say is that it's ONLY a flash memory camcorder and has NO built-in memory, AND Samsung doesn't include a memory card! So, you can't use the thing without a trip to (at least) the drugstore. Considering how inexpensive memory cards have gotten, it wouldn't hurt for Samsung to include, at least, a basic one, but they don't, so you might want to include one in your order. Second, and really nit-picky but annoying, there is no information in the printed "Quick-start" guide on the simple fact of HOW LONG YOU CHARGE THE BATTERY before first use! (It may/may not be on the instructional CD. I haven't gotten there yet... but, really, that's kinda basic!) (oh... by the way.. a call to Samsung customer service provided the info. 1hr/58 mins. Why not just 2 hrs? Quien sabe... that's Kemo's brother). Anyway... To sum up: It's not the top of the line, but for a mid-line camcorder, it's pretty darn impressive. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-04-18

rating of 2.0

I purchased this camcorder because of its trim size and low weight. While it was quick to set up and use, transferring recordings from the camera to a DVD is complex and frustrating. Because of the MP4 format, it is not compatible with many software editing products, including Microsoft Movie Maker. When I called the Samsung tech support folks, they basically told me that I needed to purchase third-party software and that burning DVDs from the camcorder without extra software was not possible. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-04-13

rating of 5.0

I want to preface this review with a comment. If you are expecting that this camera is going to put out High Definition quality videos and be amazing in low light situations, then you're looking at the wrong camera. In fact, MOST cameras will have difficulties in low light situations. The camera was not designed for HD, obviously, so that expectation should go out the window. <br /><br />Overall, the camera is great. Purchased for $165 from Amazon's website at the end of March 2010. The camera has excellent zoom and picks up sound very well. The reason that the camera was purchased was to capture golf shots between friends. It's very lightweight and easily fits within the compartments of our golf carts/bags. It's still a bit big to fit into my pants to the point where I feel comfortable taking a golf shot. Don't get me wrong, it is still small and CAN fit into your pant pockets. I just don't like the feel of it when I take golf shots. <br /><br />I had considered purchasing the Flip HD and Kodak zi8 (which I do have) and must say that though the form factors on the handheld camcorders is better from a size standpoint, you simply can't beat the benefits of this camera. <br /><br />For those of you who are concerned about the battery life, let me assure you that the 4.5 hrs of battery life is definitely real. I tested it today since I was skeptical about it as well. This 'concern' came about because the battery indicator light is not designed well and appears to drain faster than it really does. At one point, there were zero bars on the indicator but the camera continued taking video for an additional 45 minutes. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-03-13

rating of 4.0

Ease of operation, but read the manual first(available on line)My biggest disappointment is that right after I purchased this unit(last week in a bundle option)) the price for the camcorder alone dropped like a brick(more like a concrete block!)from about $200 to about $160 at some Amazon stores.So far I took some short movies indoor and outdoor .Indoor the video quality isn't so good, probably a two**.Outdoor the quality improve greatly,in a overcast day as well as in clear weather,let,s make this a 4***I also took some pictures,well you should use a digital camera for that!The battery life is great ,however not the 4 hours they advertise,but certainly at least 2,1/2 hours .They only quality issue is the power button being flush or below the outer shell,so think about growing long fingernails,you'll need them at least when powering "off",which require a longer push down(I'm not growing long nails myself,I resolved by crazy gluing a small spacer on top of the button for extra height.There you have it !A good camera with dozens of menus and sub menus, really great zoom and auto focus features ,I'm giving it 4 star for $160,for having paid too much it's only a 3and half star. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-03-07

rating of 2.0

I tested out the F40 camera today and I have to say I am not impressed. If I want to even make youtube videos with it, I will have to do it without the sound . . . <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)