So where do we stand with the Samsung SC-HMX20C? Given that it is priced well under 1K, it makes for an affordable high definition camera. In good lighting, the camcorder excels at capturing the moment but it falls behind in low light conditions. The definition between two objects starts to get grainy and we lose out on what we would expect to be picture perfect video. Two key features missing from the SC-HMX20C which I hope to see in the future HD camera is a 50mm lens option and slow motion capture in high definition. The standard 63mm lens forces you to step back to capture the picture whereas a 50mm lens would capture what you would see by eye. The slow motion 10 second recording played back in 50 seconds is great, but being limited to 4:3 hinders your ability to make cool cut scenes or transitions when the rest of your video is 16:9.

There are many positives with this camcorder. The built in camera allows for great high resolution photos when you want a still image instead of a video. The remote control is handy if you plan on filming something at a distance, perhaps a science experiment where you really don’t want to get too close. There were many times during my school years where that would have been advantageous. Overall, the SC-HMX20C is a great, small high definition camera to carry around if you’re on the go and looking to capture videos from the big picture. The software is incredibly easy to use and very detailed in its abilities. With 8GB of built in flash memory, you don’t necessarily need a flash card before your battery dies out.

Advantages

• 1920×1080 recording

• Simple to use camcorder software
• Remote control is great add-on
• 8GB internal memory in additional to flash
• Compact size and comfortable fit
• Touchscreen interface for easy navigation

Disadvantages

• Packaged software feels incomplete

• Remote control does not allow you to switch between video, photo and preview mode
• Slow motion recording has limited resolution

I would like to thank Samsung for making this review possible.

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