Apr 14, 2012

Samsung's new HMX-E10 mini-camcorder captures 1,080p resolution video at 30 frames per second in H.264 format. The camcorder has a 2.7-inch touch screen that splits in half when you hold it vertically; the top half is for framing your video and the bottom half has the controls. With the camcorder, Samsung includes the requisite flip-out USB connector, integrated sharing software, and a built-in Mini-HDMI port.
So far, the camera's specs sound pretty good, especially with its $199.99 price. But Samsung sweetens its package by allowing the f2.2 lens to swivel 270 degrees, similar to Sony's bloggie PM5. Reminiscent of an eyeball in a socket, the lens looks as if it only rotates from front to back, which is a shame because it would be kind of fun to have it move freely. (Though it would be a pain to use if you're trying to center the lens perfectly.)
Samsung gave the camcorder a few creative shooting modes such as a tilt-shift effect for creating the appearance of miniatures and a vignetting effect. While it doesn't have any built-in memory, it uses microSD cards for storage. We're not fans of that storage format, but it does make it easy to pop out the memory card and put it into a smartphone for uploading clips on the go.
The E10 is available in ivory and black versions and Samsung expects to have them on store shelves in September 2010.