Samsung SCL906 Hi8 Analog Camcorder

Rating:
Summary: Want Clarity, Color And Great Depth?...Get Samsung!
Review: I videotape a good amount of sporting events for our town...namely Football for the most part. When I had to sell my Sony CCD-TRV66 Hi-8 Camcorder a couple of years ago due to financial difficulty, I never thought I'd find another Hi-8 cam like that one! When things picked up for us a bit, I decided on this one...The Samsung SC-L906. It is superb! Now I suspect that the co. took an old Canon model and applied some of their own thought to it as the styling and features bespeak Canon in many ways. I have owned numerous cams over the years so I know what I am talking about!

The 2.5" LCD is great but direct sunlight may force one to use the B&W Viewfinder instead. The large "Easy Q" button on the side of the camcorder makes for great instant setup enabling the novice to experience great success! As one becomes more familiar with the unit...the "Customized Settings" button will obviously become attractive. Speaking of which there are some wonderful "Special Effects" such as Canon's famed "Mirror Image" which is wild to say the least!

Battery Power is superb given the supplied Lithium-Ion battery lasts for two hours max. Of course if you are going to constantly use the LCD while engaging the very bright built-in light, this will drain the battery even faster! Extra batteries are the cheapest on the market for the Samsungs!

Oh by the way, indoor pictures with the built-in light are just fine! People have to realize that the doggone thing is not designed to fill a large dark room. In that instance you will require professional lighting.

What I do not like about the camcorder is its somewhat awkward "Zoom Control" which is a small spring-like dial that operates from side to side as opposed to the older "rocker" type. Don't worry, just loosen the hand strap a bit and you'll experience little difficulty. Also, at times the "Auto-Focus" feature can be just a wee bit sluggish under low light conditions but is ok overall.

The fact that it's mono and not stereo bothers me also but I will say that the mono audio quality is first rate as the built-in MIC is very wide range with good deep bass compared to my old Sony 66.

The Mini-plug A/V patch can cause problems when viewing on older A/V monitors but on newer sets like the Toshibas...it is just great!

Make sure you purchase an inexpensive 37mm UV Filter for this camcorder as it will cut down on annoying rays and filter through most humidity. It will also protect the Samsung's first rate Main Lens. Even with this filter permanently attatched, you'll still be able to snap on the Samsung's Lens Cap for protection while not in use. Another nice add-on for this camera is Amazon's very low priced 37mm Sunpak Circular Polarizer that will clear up situations where you are forced to film action slightly toward the sun!

All-in-all, if you want a great camcorder at a really low price that operates quietly and smoothly as a newborn baby's pitoot...this is your cam! Use quality Samsung Hi-8 tape which I suspect is actually Maxell XR. You won't believe the low price of the stuff! The sharp colorful detailed pictures are most convincing although a bit of grain will be detected in low-light situations. The "Field Of Depth" is surprisingly good for this model! The Samsung SC-L906 is a superb Hi-8 camcorder that should last for years!

Rating:
Summary: Great little camera for the price!
Review: If you're just wanting a camcorder and don't want to spend alot of money, this camera is wonderful. The Samsung SCL906 is similar to its advanced counterparts only without the whistles and bells. It still has great features, like special effects (strobe, mirror, negative, etc), digital zoom, lcd screen, zoom, fade, all the goodies. The only problem I have is that it's hard to find a car adapter for it. I've looked all over the internet and all over the stores and can't find one. If you plan on taking a trip with this camera and want ALOT of video, it might just be wiser to purchase a second battery... or a third. :)

Rating:
Summary: video man from Cleveland
Review: This camera is not on sale anymore. Get it at Radio Shack for the same price plus personable customer service. An OK camera, however.