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| Samsung SC-D5000 DuoCam |
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June 1, 2004
• Vol.2 Issue 6 Page(s) 26 in print issue | |
Samsung SC-D5000 DuoCam | |
 Samsung SC-D5000 DuoCam $1,399 www.samsung.com With the SC-D5000, Samsung introduced the first genuine digital still-image camera and camcorder combination. Almost every digital camcorder tries to slap on a cheap still-picture sensor and pass the device off as ready for double duty. And many digital cameras have the ability to grab a few frames of video, but given the quality of these recordings, it seems the manufacturers added this ability as an afterthought. Samsung, however, decided to get serious about combining the two. The SC-D5000 includes two lenses, two sensors, and two storage methods. One end of the swivel mechanism acts as a MiniDV camcorder with a 680,000-pixel CCD (charge-coupled device), image stabilization, and 10X optical zoom. The other end sports a 4.13-megapixel digital still-image camera with pop-up flash, 3X optical zoom, and standard flash and focus controls, such as Macro Focus, Night Scene, Auto and Manual Focus, and Auto and Manual Flash. The camcorder records to MiniDV cassettes, and the still camera writes JPEG (Joint Photographic Experts Group) files to Memory Stick media. The two technologies share a 2-inch LCD, a color viewfinder, an on-screen menu, and manual control buttons. The combination unit is surprisingly small, at just 3.2 inches x 3.7 inches x 5.5 inches. And the SC-D5000, at a mere 19.4 ounces, is light and portable. The SC-D5000 is a breeze to use. In fact, we started recording decent video and still images right out of the box. And after spending 10 minutes with the manual and the on-screen menu, we had a good handle on the device's capabilities. The camera is comfortable in the hand, and its controls are generally well-positioned. It's a little awkward to reach some of the camcorder's manual controls in still-camera mode, though, and the Forward and Rewind buttons aren't very thumb-friendly. Taking still pictures from a camcorder takes a little acclimation, but it's nice once you get used to it. You'll need a FireWire connection to transfer video to your PC unless you want to display your raw footage directly from tape to a TV using the SC-D5000's composite or S-Video outputs. The included 16MB Memory Stick media stores still images, and a USB 1.1 cable lets you copy them directly to a PC or other device. Samsung's software package is somewhat disappointing, however. The included CD installs the SC-D5000's USB drivers and Ulead's Photo Express SE, which works fine for basic photo-editing purposes. But Samsung does not include even a bare-bones video-editing program or anything else related to the camera's video functions. We shot video outdoors, indoors, in low light, and with a variety of subjects. The camcorder's video quality was acceptable, though not great. Its color quality is poor in low light, and the edges of the video lack the sharpness of higher-quality cameras. Image stabilization is always a concern with small cameras, as they magnify any movement or jitters. The SC-D5000's electronic stabilizer made a noticeable difference, though you should still use a tripod when a stable shot really matters. The camera's built-in microphone picks up quite a lot of the unit's own noise, including a continuous hum and the noticeable click of every button. If you're shooting in a quiet environment or in a situation where sound quality really matters, use an external microphone. Overall, the camcorder's video quality is passable for most consumer and amateur footage. We'd expect more from a dedicated camcorder at this price, but the added value of a good-quality, still-image option makes up for a lot. The camera's still-image quality is good, and its color is accurate, though full-sized shots (at 4.3MP) are a little grainy. There's a long delay between pressing the Photo button and the actual shot being taken, which will throw off some of your motion and candid shots. But, overall, the picture quality was sufficient for on-screen viewing and most printing needs. The SC-D5000 doesn't provide the same still-image quality as a similarly priced dedicated digicam, but it beats the pants off the pictures taken by other camcorders we've seen. Like an early smartphone, the Samsung SC-D5000 isn't likely to appeal to power users of either converging technology. Neither the SCD-5000's video features nor camera features offer the portable size or top-image quality of competing single-use products. But for users who value the convenience and efficiency of eliminating device clutter, it's a tradeoff worth making. The unit is small enough to be portable, its features are robust enough to be useful, and the quality meets most casual users' needs.  by Gregory Anderson |
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