The Samsung HMX-Q10 is the first ambidextrous camcorder designed to be used right or left handed and captures 1920×1080 HD video at 60i. The rounded design sits nice and comfortable in hand and feels identical in either hand and the simple no-nonsense design makes switching hands a breeze. I know in my experience with camcorders there are times that being able to control the camera with my left hand is necessary and doing that with a conventional right handed camcorder is challenging to say the least and if you are left handed, well then the HMX-Q10 may be the camcorder you’ve been waiting on.
The only “real” controls on the camera are the record button and the zoom toggle, which Samsung cleverly places directly in the center of the rear of the camera. Samsung includes optical image stabilization to keep things from getting too shaky and seems to work quite well and with the 10x optical zoom there is a fair amount of reach for getting close up and personal with subjects.
The HMX-Q10 has a simple icon based UI that is simple to navigate and takes the guesswork out of making memories, but if you like more advanced features, manual controls are there to allow adjustment of things like white balance, exposure, backlighting, etc. Screen responsiveness seemed reasonably good and although the HMX-Q10 is not a high-end camcorder for under $300, perfomance seems on par with its peers. If I have on complaint, it has to be with the hand strap, which is a faux leather appendage and lends just enough room for average size male hands to slide underneath. Large hands need not apply. That said, this is a compact camcorder that would easily fit in a small purse or case, so if size matters the HMX-Q10 should work well. I have included the spec list at the bottom of the post for more details.
Preorder the Samsung HMX-Q10 at Amazon.
Specifications
| HMX-Q10 | ||
| Storage media | SDHC/SD Card | |
| 1/4.1″(effec.1/5.8″) | ||
| 5MP (2.07M effective pixels) | ||
| Image Stabilization | OIS Duo | |
| Sensor | 5MP BSI CMOS sensor | |
| Lens | Schneider-Kreuznach Varioplan-HD F1.8 10x optical zoom lens with OIS | |
| 2.75mm ~ 27.5mm focal length | ||
| Size | 43.7 x 53.3 x 119.4 mm | |
| Additional Features | 2.7” touch panel LCD | |
| Flip Shooting (Switch Grip Control) | ||
| Switch/both Handed Grip | ||
| Face detection | ||
| Smart Record Pause | ||
| Ultra Compact and Full HD Recording | ||
| Built-in USB/PC S/W | ||
| Auto Focus | ||
| Face detect (up to 6 persons) | ||
| Smart Auto | ||
| HD Time Lapse recording | ||
| Intelli-Studio 2.0 | ||
| Tripod screw | ||
| Display | 2.7” touch LCD | |
| 2D S-motion Graphic User Interface | ||
| Video Recording | HD resolution: | |
| 1920 x 1080 60i | ||
| 1280 x720 60p | ||
| SD resolution: | ||
| 720 x 480 60i | ||
| Still Image Capture | 4.9MP (2MP) | |
| Device Connectivity | USB interface (including USB charging) | |
| Composite interface (output only) | ||
| HDMI interface | ||
| Battery type | BP125A (1250mAh) | |
| 110min (1h50m) max. | ||
| Recording time (max.) | SD | |
| SF: 4h10m | ||
| F: 5h | ||
| N: 6h30m | ||
| HD | ||
| SF: 17h30m | ||
| F: 23h10m | ||
| N: 34h | ||
| Price | $299 | |
| Availability | Feb. 2011 |
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