Earlier this year, I had the opportunity to meet with Samsung at the Consumer Electronics Show in Las Vegas. One of the more unique products that I was shown was none other than the Samsung HMX-R10. The specs make it sound like any number of other HD digital camcorders, but this thing does at least one thing differently.
Some people dubbed it the Alien Eye, because the lens of the HMX-R10 does not point directly forward like all other camcorders and even Samsung’s on previous models. Instead, it is angled upwards, because this is supposed to provide for a more comfortable shooting position for your hand and wrist. And it also happens to be the world’s smallest full 1080p HD camcorder to boot.
Features at a Glance
While you could certainly take the easy route with something like the Flip Video UltraHD pocket camcorder, you get a much more robust and feature-rich experience with the Samsung HMX-R10.
For starters, the Flip UltraHD can only do 720p, whereas the Samsung HMX-R10 can bump that up to Full-HD (1920 x 1080), giving you “superior clarity and increased depth of detail.” The CMOS sensor is also able to capture still photos at up to 12 megapixels of resolution.
Some of the more notable features include high-speed recording for 300/600fps slow motion playback, face detection autofocus, Magic Touch Focus on the flip-out 2.7″ touch panel LCD, and the 25-degree “active angle lens design.”
Among the highlights from the full spec sheet are 5x optical zoom, 100x digital zoom, F3.5 ~ 3.7, SD/SDHC slot, auto shutter speed, auto/manual focus, 15 lux low light sensitivity, six manual white balance settings, wind filter for the microphone, mini-HDMI output, H.264 / MP recording format, 80-minute battery, 229 grams of weight, and dimensions of 38.3 x 56.8 x 128.2mm.
Loading Up on Free Accessories
While the bundled accessories aren’t exactly comprehensive, you do get a healthy complement of supporting items when you unpack the Samsung HMX-R10 digital camcorder from its neatly-designed box.
In addition to the camcorder itself, there is a leather-like wrist strap so you don’t accidentally drop the thing. You’ll also find a thick mesh-style carrying pouch, a USB cable, battery, cable clips, component video cables, power brick, power cable, software CD, and supporting documentation.
It is a bit of a curiosity that Samsung would choose to include a component video cable for direct video output on the R10. Yes, the other end of the cable uses mini-HDMI so that it will work with this camcorder, but wouldn’t it be so much nicer if they included a true mini-HDMI cable instead? That would make for a better HDTV-viewing experience for sure.
You’ll also notice that the HMX-R10 does not have any internal storage memory and Samsung did not include any free SD memory cards to get you started. In this way, you’ll want to grab an (extra large) SDHC card while you’re at the store picking up this camcorder.
Pop the Hatch for Battery and Memory
Since you’ll need to rely on your own SD and SDHC memory cards with this camcorder, it makes sense that there would be some place where you would insert said cards. For the HMX-R10, the hatch for the memory cards is also the same hatch where you’d access the battery compartment.
Rather than using a spring-loaded mechanism for opening this latch, which is located on the underside of the camcorder, Samsung opted for a lock/unlock switch. It’s not really any better or any worse, but it’s a little unconventional. Personally, I would have preferred if the SD slot was on the side or the back, since this is usually easier to access than the bottom, especially if you are using a tripod mount of some kind.
Another Hidden Hatch
Around the back, below the record button and zoom rocker, is another latch that opens up to reveal another set of ports. The far-left port is for the mini-HDMI cable, the center one is for the AC charger, and the one on the right is for a USB connection.
On a side note, there is a definite “squishy” feel to the record button. It doesn’t really click in and click out like a regular button, making for a strange tactile experience. This also means that it isn’t always immediately clear whether it registered your pressing of the button. Thankfully, an alternate record button is located on the flip-out LCD portion.
Configuration and Setup
The remarkably compact HMX-R10 doesn’t have a lot in terms of buttons, but that’s because most of your interface will be through the 2.7-inch touchscreen LCD. You’ll be able to hit the record button and adjust your zoom using the physical controls, but all the configuration options are done through the touchscreen menu.
The first time you turn it on, you’ll be asked to enter the date, time, time zone, and other basic information. Beyond that, the main menu lets you adjust the resolution, activate slow motion mode (up to 600fps, but no sound), change the white balance settings, set the aperture and shutter, turn on the face detection, and so forth.
Everything is reasonably intuitive, but know that this goes well beyond the “options” that you get with a Flip pocket camcorder. Even though it’s quite small, the R10 comes with a lot of options and features. The on-screen virtual buttons are big enough to be finger-friendly, so that’s a plus.
Yes, It Takes Still Photos Too
These days, even the cheapest digital cameras have the capability of recording video, so it would only make sense if camcorders could do the same in reverse.
While some other camcorders force you to switch modes if you want to shoot still pictures, the R10 comes with a handy “photo” button on the top. When you are in video mode, you can hit this button for a quick snapshot using the current photo settings. That’s convenient. Speaking of handy, I also like how the camcorder automatically turns on when you flip out the LCD screen. There’s no other reason why you’d open it up, right?
The 25-Degree Upward Angle
Easily the most noticeable feature on this camcorder is the unique approach that Samsung took with the lens. Pointing 25-degrees toward the skies, the idea is that you don’t have to hold the camcorder on a horizontal plane to shoot straight ahead. This is supposed to be more comfortable. In practice, I found it to be a little disorienting, but this is mostly because it’s so new and different.
I would agree that the hand and wrist position is more comfortable, but without looking right at the LCD screen, which can rotate at will, I found that I was misframing a lot of shots. When you try to shoot a video over a crowd, you’re trying to shoot downward rather than straight ahead. The “comfortable” angle of your hand really comes in handy, no pun intended, in this kind of scenario.
There is at least one very important thing missing from this video-recording package: a lens cover. In an effort to keep everything looking as sleek as possible, Samsung failed to include a proper lens cover. It’s far too easy to get a fingerprint or some other mark on the lens, ruining all of your videos and pictures.
Testing Out the Video Quality
There are a total of six video resolutions available to you on this camcorder. At the highest end of the range, of course, are the videos that will shoot at an impressive 1920 x 1080 pixels. The first two do it at 1080i (superfine and normal) and the third will do it at 1080p. Alternatively, you can dial down to 720p HD, 480p widescreen, Web & Mobile (VGA).
Here is a quick video compilation using the Samsung HMX-R10 at the Fragapalooza 2009 LAN Party in Fort Saskatchewan, Alberta, Canada.
In terms of video quality, I was quite happy with what the R10 was able to produce in regular daylight conditions. The action is crisp and the colors are bright. However, I can’t say the same under lower light conditions. This is particularly pronounced when you try the slow motion feature, since everything turns pitch black without lots of lighting.
Final Thoughts
If HD isn’t the next big thing, it already is the big thing. The 1080p videos that you shoot using this remarkably compact camcorder can be easily shared using a device like the WDTV Media Player. Believe me when I say the video is a quantum leap above the videos that you can shoot with a regular digital camera.
The Samsung HMX-R10 is the world’s smallest full HD digital camcorder, capable of shooting 1080p videos and 12-megapixel still photos. The angled lens is a bit of a novelty and will take some time to get used to, but I can see the value and comfort there. However, the lack of a lens cover can be pretty frustrating.
It’s also unfortunate that you only get 5x optical zoom, since so many other camcorders can offer much more than that. At the same time, redeeming features like the touch-to-focus, facial recognition, and 600fps slow-mo add tremendous value. I like what Samsung has done here, but the little quirks may prove annoying over time.
Pros
- Full HD 1080p video in a compact package
- Slow-motion feature is a blast
- Unique angled lens really is more comfortable
- Quick-access button for stills during video mode
Cons
- No integrated lens cover
- No built-in memory
- Conventional hand strap would be better than wrist strap
- Possibly too many features for such a simple menu
Overall Rating: 8.5 / 10.0
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Samsung HMX-R10 HD Camcorder Photo Gallery
