Samsung NV24 HD

Main features of the digital camera SAMSUNG NV24HD (New Vision 24 High Definition):
-- very compact and flat
-- Ultra-wide angle 24mm: brilliant!
-- Very good sensitivity and super video quality photos (nickel up to 400 ISO included)
-- Stabilizer images (photos & videos)
-- HD video sophisticated (H.264) with stereo sound!
-- Screen AMOLED (Active Matrix Organic Light Emitting Diode) very accurate, very colorful, true in the colors and with a very wide angle of vision: fabulous, unique and unrivalled at the moment!
-- Protective glass screen in polycarbonate hardened and anti-reflection (nothing to do with my old Canon PowerShot A70!)
-- "Selection matrix" parameters (for me, much better than the "rose" traditional)
-- Function "ACB" (dynamic control and automatic contrast… as the FX500)
-- Shooting burst (as on the FX500)
-- Battery common to a range of camera SAMSUNG
-- Base HDMI (with remote control for shooting and orders slide show on screen) Admittedly, this is optional, but I recommend them for those who have a large screen 16:9 - HD Ready): a real treat!

Listed ergonomic, at the beginning, access to menus is confusing because the "rose" traditional disappeared, leaving room for two rows of buttons arranged in a "square".
Finally, after practice, this new concept of access to menus is much more convenient than the solution "rose" traditional.
Indeed, instead scroll all the menus and consult one by one, with the mouth ... just click on the horizontal row under the icon of the display where you want to change the setting: a band of new parameters runs vertically on the display and you change instantly by clicking a button on selected row vertical height of the new parameter to validate!
A "selection matrix": it's much faster to do than explain ... and it's great!
Very good idea SAMSUNG is incredibly faster than the traditional rose, as you change a parameter directly ... without having to scroll and read all the menus, one after the other!

The PANASONIC LUMIX DMC-FX500 has the advantage of having a much more developed ZOOM (25 to 125 mm) that the NV24HD (24 to 87 mm), however, with the current resolution sensors which exceeds 10 Mpix.: the digital zoom decried on the first generations of camera (CANON A70) with sensors 3 Mpix. can largely compensate for this lack ... provided they do not go too far!

In video, the FX500 is very limited in duration quickly as it did in films ".mov" QuickTime from APPLE.
You should know that HD (1280 x 720 pixels, 30 fps), the standard ".mov" demand an ability to write on SD card 10MB/s (10 megabytes per second). We must therefore acquire an SD card "66x" or better, "90x" (or 13 MB/s), "133x" correspond to 20 MB/s. However, the SD cards accessing these high speeds can not have more than 2 Go ... Thus, the HD videos on the FX500 are limited to 8 minutes 20 seconds, MAXIMUM!

For information, maps SDHC:
-- Class 2 (or without any indication) allow writing to 2 MB/s MAX (13x)
-- Class 4 permit writing to 4 MB/s MAX (27x)
-- Class 6 permit writing to 6 MB/s MAX (x40)

(1 reminder: "1x" = 150 kb / s or 150 kilobytes per second) (transfer rate of the first CD audio)
(2 reminder: 1 B = 1 Byte = 8 bits = 8 b)

CAUTION: In the manual VQT1Q48, page 128 for the FX500 (or VQT1Q72, page 165 for FX500 and FX520) the table provides for capacity of 4, 8 and 16 GB, values for videos [VGA/30fps, 16:9H/30fps, 16:9H/15fps and 16:9L/30fps] time extrapolated (multiplication)… since SDHC cards can write to 10 Mb/s… do not yet exist!

The coding H.264 or MPEG-4 AVC (Advanced Video Codec) a video HD (1280 x 720 pix./30 fps), demand to ensure a rate of approximately 4MB/s.
For those who want the ability to videotape and not be dependent on jumps frame (resulting in choppy), I therefore recommend, acquire SDHC - Class 6! (Although the class 4 should theoretically agree)
Thus, with an 8 GB SDHC, you can shoot for 2 h 40 min HD (1280 x 720 fps pix./30fps, stereo), or 8 hours in 640 x 480 pix., 30 fps, stereo sound! On the video, the FX500 is heavily beaten!

PS: Some find it is a pity that the NV24HD not proposing to 16:9 format 848 x 480 pixels / 30 fps ... as a result, the FX500! But for me, this is not serious at all: the format 1280 x 720 / 30 fps is so much better once we are tasted: we can no longer be content with an inferior quality, especially when you… has the chance to watch his own films on a plasma or an LCD 50 "(127 cm)!

On NV24HD, capture an image of HD video to achieve its own jackets ... amazing is, if a crisp! And it's very simple to do: "reading" + "pause" (where you want to copy the frame of the film) + "capture"… and that's it: the photo is in the end list in the chip!
For the video with "partial suppression": it's as simple as above! Great!

By the way, you have to know that the dissemination of images H.264 video asks a lot of resources to PC (microprocessor + graphics card)!
On my old PC with AMD 2400 + 2 GHz + 1 GB RAM + Graph. Card 128 MB: impossible to watch HD with QuickTime!
On the PC's son "gammer" INTEL Core 2 Duo 2.4 GHz + 2 GB RAM + Graph. Card 512 MB + LCD 24 "DVI: super with QuickTime!
For those who like me, do not want to invest in a new PC, there is a miracle solution: transcribe with ".wmv", for example, Free Video Converter (v1.2.0.0) at Koyote Soft (free and very easy to use) provided to keep the videos: codec "WMV8", size (video resolution) 1280 x 720, 16:9 aspect, speed 29.97 fps, bitrate 4096 Kbps, and for sound codec "WMA", sampled at (frequency) 48 000 Hz, channel stereo, bitrate 256 Kbps. The difference is visible, but quite acceptable.

PS: It is also possible to convert videos "avi" in order to make montages with slideshows or to transfer them to a burner show (using a USB key, for example) and finally, make a DVD ... (RW, to start)

The NV24HD has the enormous advantage over the FX-500, can "zoom" while filming ... but by cutting it sound! According SAMSUNG is to avoid saving the engine noise zoom ...
Ok, in a calm ... but when you are, for example, before a band of musicians and you take full ears ... I do not see too much interest to mute the sound: the engine being widely covered by the middle sound!

I wrote a SAMSUNG: prod.samsung.equipephoto@acticall.com and ELECTRONICS@SAMSUNG.COM (copy) asking them to add in the configuration menu, the possibility of choosing or not, mute when action on the zoom… in the creation of a new version of firmware. They told me they had taken into account my request. But if some of you could repeat this request, it would certainly more likely to succeed!

Also on the zoom, I find the command too sensitive! Indeed, from the small focal (wide) to large (Tele): it happens in two seconds! Thus, you get a lack of precision in framing the subject when you click the button and more… with the thumb (which I found less precise than the index)!
Again, an additional option in the setup menu offering at least two speeds change zoom, would be welcome.
This would be good if SAMSUNG also includes that other faculty in a new firmware for NV4HD…

For your info, I made several updates firmware (with a little fright, I admit), but if you respect scrupulously the procedure described by the manufacturer: it takes 10 minutes and it works wonderfully!

In video, some might blame the NV24HD of not having a manual focus (as on camcorders and other CAMERA), so as not to suffer the impact of uncertainty at the work of the auto focus. In practice, the sensitivity so great, the opening so small that… I reassured when the focal length is small (wide), there is no discomfort during the broadcast… it's always nickel! The auto focus is therefore highly reactive and "invisible".

I find the display of comments left button "STYLE" too fast! I am not young, but read all the commentary on 1 second… must be damn fast to reading!

For me, it fails on the right button, mode "SPORT without burst" (the maximum speed + opening optimized). My solution: get in configuration "children" in the mode "SCENE"!

A intervalometer would also be welcome… to "shoot fast" growth of a flower, for example.

The battery of NV24HD: SLB-1137D has the enormous advantage of being common to a whole range of camera SAMSUNG: NV11, L74W, NV30, i85… Suddenly, it is available on the Internet, a charger independent sector and cigar lighter. (ref.: BBSLB1137DCHG). Also, the risk of being totally helpless battery in 5 years (a normal duration Lithium Ion), is very low! It is worthwhile to think about if your NV24HD will stay in state, by then!
Ditto for LUMIX: DMW-BCE10E battery is compatible with the DMC-FS3, FS5, FS20, FX30, FX33, FX35, FX-55, FX500, and FX520… very good, too!
PS: I strongly recommend to those who participate in important events that last several hours (weddings, communions, shows…) to buy a second battery.

Tip: after acquiring a camera, camcorder or otherwise, remember to scan or "photocopy" with magnification, the serial number engraved on the case: it can always be used in case of loss or theft...

By the way, I salute the courage to propose SAMSUNG longstanding, camera able to shoot more than 5 minutes. I still rattle when I think of my "old" A70 whose video was limited to 30 seconds… pretext not to compete the sale of camcorder on the mark!
Indeed, always, I refused to take the camcorder to the sea to film our two children's… at the time. (The place being very aggressive for camcorder) Similarly, when I wanted to shoot my friends dance Rock, Lindy Hop (swing) and Balboa, in Toulouse (FRANCE): again, I had always take camcorder. So I always fume against this A70, unable to shoot over 30 seconds, a trait… for commercial reasons!
SAMSUNG also makes camcorders… but he also knows to listen to users, unlike other! This is what's remarkable!

In summary, if you make 99% of photos: Take a LUMIX DMC-FX500!
If, like me, you make as many films as photos: Take therefore NV24HD!

Yours sincerely

Bibi-Colos ---> Toulouse (FRANCE) August 13 / 2008