Samsung HMX-U10 Pocket Camcorder Review

The pocket camcorder market is as popular as ever, because people want a simple and easy way to record videos on the go. As this market continues to mature, people are expecting higher resolution videos and additional features without taking away the ease of use. The Samsung HMX-U10 represents the first entry into this arena by Samsung and, on paper, it sounds quite a bit more appealing than many of its direct competitors. Does it deliver? Let's find out.

Features at a Glance

As with other devices in this niche, the Samsung HMX-U10 was designed with ease of use in mind. All you have to do is turn it on, hit the record button, and your digital memories are stored onto the SDHC memory card that you have stowed into the side.

Available in your choice of black, purple, red, green, or silver, the U10 will capture full HD video on the go, dialing up to 1920 x 1080 pixel resolution should you so desire. You can also ramp it down to lower resolutions if you're trying to keep the file sizes down.

Aside from its remarkably slim profile, the U10 also features a unique 7-degree body shape. This seems to come from the same philosophy that brought us the Alien Eye HMX-R10, also from Samsung, since this gives you a more ergonomic angle from which to shoot your videos.

Other highlights from the feature set include a time lapse recording feature, the ability to take up to 10-megapixel JPEG still photos, USB charging, a 2-inch color LCD, H.264 recording format, component video output, and a 90-min built-in battery.

What's in the Box?

Opening up the box, you'll find almost everything that you need to get started with your Hollywood movie-shooting career. Talent doesn't come bundled, so you'll need to bring that to the table yourself. You'll also notice the lack of an included memory card, so you'll need to invest in a good-sized SDHC card too.

Inside, you'll find the Samsung U10 pocket camcorder itself, as well as the AC wall charger, USB cable, special component video cables, tripod adapter, wrist strap, quick start guide, user manual CD, and other supplementary documentation.

It's a bit of a shame that Samsung didn't include some kind of carrying pouch to go with it, because the assumption is that a pocket camcorder like this would best appeal to frequent travelers and road warriors. There is no lens cover, after all.