Samsung SMX-C20 and HMX-M20 mini camcorders: Don't lose them
High-definition camcorders are getting pretty wee these days, and the SMX-C20 and 1080p HMX-M20 manage to be both small and comfortable to hold
Hi-def just keeps getting smaller and smaller. Samsung has launched the 720/60i SMX-C20 and 1080p HMX-M20, two camcorders that could get lost down the back of the sofa if you weren't careful. We had a play about with them at the launch event, and here post for your perusal some snaps of the C20, with its natty sunburst-effect red accents.
The lens is angled at 25 degrees, so you hold the camera pointed downwards slightly. It takes some getting used to, as you're not pointing the camera straight in a line-of-sight kind of way. But we didn't find ourselves bending our wrist back as much as other camcorders, which is a good thing over time. It also makes it easier to actually look where you're going, as the camera is slightly lower than your eyeline.
Footage is saved in H.264 format. Two-megapixel stills are also captured, and everything is recorded to SD or SDHC card. The M20 offers 8x optical zoom and the C20 offers 10x zoom.
They're more squat than candybar form factor mini-camcorders such as the Flip Video MinoHD, but are still pocket-smoochingly wee. Despite being smaller than a small thing, both cameras feature decent-sized, 69mm (2.7-inch) LCD screens. Just look at how small they are, as we capture some behind-the-scenes action with a Craver's hand closing the flip-out screen.
Software on the cameras allows for basic editing and one-touch YouTube upload. Other features include time-lapse shooting, capturing an image at set intervals from 1 to 30 seconds.
The C20 arrives in February, and the M20 in March.