# Samsung SCD353 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom

Customer Rating :

Product Description

Samsung SC-D353 is packed with features and value. The camcorder sports a streamlined body for easy carrying, and plenty of value-enhancing features. A 680K CCD and 20x Optical / 900x Digital zoom provide excellent picture clarity and high recording flexibility. A viewfinder and 2.5" LCD screen let users plan their shots, edit scenes, and playback video. The camera also features Enhanced Image Quality with DSP6 Digital Signal Processing technology, and upgraded USB streaming capabilities (VGA, 30fps). With USB 2.0 and IEEE1394 connectivity ports, your computer may be used to download images for storage, editing, enhancement, e-mailing, and printing still images. Net Dimensions - 2.52(W) x 3.62(H) x 4.62(D)

• Upgraded USB streaming (VGA 30 frames per second)
• 20x optical zoom
• Memory stick slot
• Enhanced image quality (DSP6)
• PictBridge

Samsung SCD353 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom Reviews

Samsung SCD353 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom Reviews

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review

 ( 22 customer reviews)

22 Reviews

5 star:		(4)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(4)
2 star:		(5)
1 star:		(3)

55 of 56 people found the following review helpful: Battery life and availability is a BIG problem., May 24, 2005 By  W. Felix (West Hartland, CT) - See all my reviews    This review is from: Samsung SCD353 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom (Electronics) Pros - Nice and small and easy to carry. Software fairly easy to use. Middle of the road performance from an inexpensive camcorder. Cons - The lack of a video light makes the camera performance poor in low light. Still captures are low quality. Major Con - Battery life leaves a lot to be desired and additional batteries are very difficult to locate. This Camcorder has the smallest camcorder battery I've ever seen (SB-LSM80). I can only get between 40 minutes to an hour record time out of it, far short of what the manual claims. Then, it takes an hour and a half to fully re-charge which must be done in the camera since an external charger is not available. It also appears the battery only charges while the camera is off. I searched around and accessories are simply not available for this camera. Amazon.Com incorrectly lists the Samsung SB-L110 & Samsung SBL-220 batteries as accessories for this camcorder but the site is incorrect and the batteries are not... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you?  Report abuse | Permalink   Comment (1) 63 of 66 people found the following review helpful: Nice but buy extra batteries!!!, May 16, 2005 By  Eric Layne (Huntington, WV) - See all my reviews    This review is from: Samsung SCD353 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom (Electronics) So I got this item and the first thing I did was charged the battery. After the battery was charged, I started to play with it to get used to the functions. So I played with the item for 15-20 minutes and turned it off. The next day, I took the camera to the motocross to watch my daughter race and when I went to start filming, the battery was dead. So I went home to charge the battery and to read the manual to see if I was missing something. Come to find out, it states in the manual that if you leave the battery connected to the camera, the camera will use the battery's energy even with it off. So if you get this camera, remove the battery from the camera when you are not using it and the battery will stay charged. I have tested this and it works but its really not something that the consumer should worry about. Other than that, the camera is easy to use, great in size and weight and fits very well even in my large hand. Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you?  Report abuse | Permalink   Comment 25 of 25 people found the following review helpful: Excellent Value, December 10, 2005 By  Jerald Wuorenmaa (Houghton, MI USA) - See all my reviews    This review is from: Samsung SCD353 MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom (Electronics) Sure, this camcorder is not perfect, but for the price I couldn't ask for much more. I think the availability of any MiniDV camcorder for little more money (after rebate) than today's VHS-C models is reason to celebrate. I have had the SCD353 for a few days and have done some testing. Even without changing the original settings, things look pretty good. In brightly lit scenes, colors are vibrant and fairly accurate. Granted, the focus is sometimes a little off. You might also see a digital artifact or two. But for casual video recording, these issues are not a big deal. My main complaints are that the LCD could be a little more clear, the black and white viewfinder emits a weird kind of bluish halo around the edges, the camera is a little awkward to hold and some of the controls are inconveniently placed (at least for my hand), and I question the long-term durability of the plastic casing. But on the other hand, the 20X zoom is a major plus, the camera is loaded... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you?  Report abuse | Permalink   Comment

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# Canon GL1 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Lens & Optical Image Stabilization

Customer Rating :

Product Description

MODEL- GL2 VENDOR- CANON FEATURES- GL2 Digital Camcorder With the GL2, Canon has created a camcorder with a wealth of features, each selected to elevate further the standard against which other camcorders are judged. The GL2 is a must-have for the person looking for the very best video-making experience. The GL2's excellence begins with its outstanding Fluorite lens and include

Amazon.com Product Description

The Canon GL1 (and its big brother, the XL1) are helping to blur the line between consumer and professional video equipment. This camcorder borrows most of the professional-quality components from the XL1 and puts them into a more compact, affordable camera. Though it's small enough to carry around and doesn't cost much more than a top-of-the-line consumer camcorder, the GL1 produces such high-quality results that it could be used as a broadcast video camera.

Great movies start with great CCD sensors, and Canon cuts no corners here. For the best possible picture quality, they use three separate 270,000-pixel CCDs (one for each primary color). To further improve image detail, Canon has intentionally shifted the green CCD half a pixel horizontally and vertically. This shift allows more accurate interpolation, resulting in an image that Canon claims rivals those from cameras with 410,000-pixel CCDs. Each pixel is 72 square microns, which is about 1.5 times the size as those in competing camcorders. This increased size increases light sensitivity, allowing you to shoot in lower-light situations. Ultimately, the larger pixel size results in an improvement of 4 dB loss budget in sensitivity.

For great optical quality, the GL1 uses a fixed (nonremovable) 20x optical (100x digital) zoom L-series fluorite lens. The fluorite element in the lens increases sharpness and contrast, as well as helping to preserve color fidelity.

Audio is recorded through the built-in microphone, which features two pairs of pickup elements. Audio can be recorded in 16-bit mode on two channels on one track. Alternatively, audio can be record in 12-bit mode, where the audio track is divided into two, and two channels of audio are recorded onto one track, with the other left over for audio dubbing.

The electronics of the GL1 have many advanced features, including a number of programmed AE modes, as well as both shutter and aperture priority modes. There are two different auto modes, one of which allows you to adjust any setting manually, if you want, and the other, which adjusts every setting automatically and lets you adjust nothing. A spotlight mode automatically compensates for lighting difficulties when shooting a subject bathed in a spotlight. Finally, a sand-and-snow mode is designed to prevent dark, underexposed subjects in situations with bright backgrounds--commonly found in sandy and snowy areas. There are also three different shooting modes: normal movie mode, digital photo mode, and frame movie mode. Normal movie mode is for any time you want to shoot video footage. Digital photo mode records a still image for six seconds on the miniDV tape, and also captures any audio, such as a commentary. The frame movie mode records 30 still images per second, but it isn't intended to be used for shooting video. Rather, frame movie mode should be used as burst or continuous shooting mode, as you'd find on a still camera.

The GL1 uses an IEEE 1394 port for digital editing and for transferring footage to and from other IEEE 1394-compliant devices. The camcorder also has RCA (composite) audio and video ports, and an S-Video out. The analog inputs allow you to transfer old footage to DV for archiving. Built-in effects include a fader for transitions, black and white, slim, stretch, and strobe. Picture adjustment is also possible; you can adjust camera sharpness, softening or sharpening your subject, as well as the color tone and how dark or light the camera sets the auto-exposure level.

• MiniDV camcorder with 3 CCD technology
• 20x optical, 100x digital, zoom with optical image stabilization
• 2.5 inch color LCD and color EVF
• Records digital stills onto MiniDV tape
• Comes with wireless remote, battery pack, and power adapter

Canon GL1 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Lens & Optical Image Stabilization Reviews

Canon GL1 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Lens & Optical Image Stabilization Reviews

Customer Reviews

Average Customer Review

 ( 25 customer reviews)

25 Reviews

5 star:		(20)
4 star:		(3)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

109 of 110 people found the following review helpful: Optically Superior to Sony, July 10, 2001 By  Joel Fisher (The Great State of Texas) - See all my reviews    This review is from: Canon GL1 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Lens & Optical Image Stabilization (Electronics) This is one incredible camera. Here are some of the best features about it: -3CCDs -L Series Fluorite Lens -All Manual Controls -Progressive Scan -Optical Stabilization -Large Manual Focus Ring Of course, we all know that 3CCDs are far better than one... I need not go into more depth there. As far as the lens goes, some have argued that they see no difference of quality over that of Sony's. This may be due in part to the fact that they are looking for a difference in resolution. When compared in numbers to some of the 3CCD models of Sony, you may think that this is a lower resolution camera (which can be a very deceiving thing). It is recognized that a camera with a high resolution in numbers does not equal a pleasing, or sharper image. When you compare the color of a Sony and this GL1 (or any other Canon against a Sony, for that matter), there will be no comparison. The Sony will inevitably lean towards the blues, giving a very cold, unnatural feeling, which can often... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you?  Report abuse | Permalink   Comment (1) 103 of 106 people found the following review helpful: feature packed, December 5, 2001 By  Shelley Gammon "Geek" (Kaufman, Texas USA) - See all my reviews          This review is from: Canon GL1 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Lens & Optical Image Stabilization (Electronics) I have been using the GL1 for nearly 3 years now. I take it out on shoots for a website I work on... sometimes I create QuickTime Movies, sometimes I take stills from footage and convert the stills to .JPG files. The 30-lux capacity means you can walk into a subdued lighting environment such as a dining room lit by a single candle and get very good, balanced exposure. It is not like an infrared camera or anything, however... there must be SOME non infrared light, or you get nothing. The 30x zoom can't be beat. You can be 50 yards away from a person and zoom in and get a shot of their nose... in many ways, it must be seen to be appreciated. Considering the features, the unit is light-weight, but newer digital camcorders of similar strengths are now on the market for far less and weigh half as much. Still, the GL1 is easy to hold with one hand while using the eye piece or the LCD panel. I only have a few criticisms. For one, the unit does not ship with a firewire cable. If you... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you?  Report abuse | Permalink   Comment 38 of 38 people found the following review helpful: Yes, it's expensive. Yes, you get what you pay for., November 3, 2001 By  Floatplane Guy "imelanson" (Redmond, WA, USA) - See all my reviews This review is from: Canon GL1 MiniDV Digital Camcorder with Lens & Optical Image Stabilization (Electronics) First, the visceral. The image quality is stunning, and the creative license and possibilities afforded through DV are staggering. With a GL1 and a good NLE like Premiere, the only limit is your creativity. Effects that just a few years ago started at tens of thousands of dollars on film can now be rendered realtime. Now the practical. I spent a fair bit of time looking through the market at the 'low pro' end. Canon's GL1 and XL1 were clearly in the running, as were several Sony products. What finally sold me on the GL1 was the flourite lens, which to my eye has a noticeably brighter image, as well as the optical image stabilization, which provides a more natural looking view also. I have to say that I find the manual zoom feature useless as it's a servo controlled focus rate, and very difficult to 'stop' in a slow focus. I've found that using the 'automatic/manual' focus switch to allow the camera to bring the subject into focus, then switching immediately to 'manual' to... Read more Help other customers find the most helpful reviews  Was this review helpful to you?  Report abuse | Permalink   Comment

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