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  • Introduction

  • Back

  • Left

  • Right

  • Top

  • Bottom

  • In the Box

  • Color

  • Low Light Color

  • Noise

  • Low Light Sensitivity

  • Low Light Noise

  • Low Light Color

  • Motion

  • Video Sharpness

  • Stabilization

  • Ease of Use

  • Auto Mode

  • Auto Controls

  • Handling

  • Portability

  • Battery Life

  • LCD

  • Stabilization

  • Miscellaneous Controls

  • Auto Controls

  • Audio Controls

  • Editing

  • Compression

  • Media

  • Still Features

  • Lens & Imaging System

  • LCD

  • Connectivity

  • Battery

  • Media

  • Still Features

  • Other Features

  • Panasonic HM-TA20 Comparison

  • GE DV1 Comparison

  • COMP 3

  • Conclusion

  • Photo Gallery

  • Introduction
  • Back
  • Left
  • Right
  • Top
  • Bottom
  • In the Box
  • Color
  • Low Light Color
  • Noise
  • Low Light Sensitivity
  • Low Light Noise
  • Low Light Color
  • Motion
  • Video Sharpness
  • Stabilization
  • Ease of Use
  • Auto Mode
  • Auto Controls
  • Handling
  • Portability
  • Battery Life
  • LCD
  • Stabilization
  • Miscellaneous Controls
  • Auto Controls
  • Audio Controls
  • Editing
  • Compression
  • Media
  • Still Features
  • Lens & Imaging System
  • LCD
  • Connectivity
  • Battery
  • Media
  • Still Features
  • Other Features
  • Panasonic HM-TA20 Comparison
  • GE DV1 Comparison
  • COMP 3
  • Conclusion
  • Photo Gallery

Introduction

Back

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Left

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Top

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Bottom

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In the Box

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Get ready to buy some accessories with the W200 because the camcorder doesn't come with much. For starters, if you want to shoot video right away, you'll need to purchase a MicroSD memory card. The camcorder also doesn't come with an HDMI cable or any kind of cable to connect the W200 to your TV. We'd also recommend getting a USB extender cable to make connecting the camcorder to your computer an easier task.

Color

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If there was one thing that impressed us about the Samsung W200's bright light performance it was the colors captured by the camcorder. Compared to any high-end or mid-range camcorder with a manual white balance option, the colors recorded by the W200 don't look or sound impressive by any means. Compared to other camcorders in the W200's price range, however, Samsung did an impeccable job with this model. The HMX-W200 managed a color error of 5.42 and a saturation level of 111.7% More on how we test color.

The Samsung W200, not surprisingly, lacks any kind of manual color mode or color preset. There are a few digital effects on the camcorder that will allow you to record in black and white, sepia, or negative tones, but those aren't the kind of color controls we're looking for here. Of course, most camcorders in the W200's class lack any kind of color modes or controls—these are options usually reserved to high-end or prosumer camcorders.

Just looking at the comparison images below, you should notice right away that the Samsung did far better than the competition in our color accuracy tests. It's colors weren't perfect, as you can see a tiny amount of orange hue on our test image, but it is absolutely nothing like the test clips we saw from the PlaySport Zx5. The Panasonic TA20 also had more discoloration in this test, while the GE DV1 produced a very cool, blue-toned image. It's safe to say that the Samsung HMX-W200 had one of the best color performances we've seen from an ultracompact camcorder.

{{comparison_bars title="Color Score Comparison", attribute="Color Score", xLabel="Color Score"}}

Low Light Color

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We found the colors rendered by the HMX-W200 in low light were pleasing to the eye, and our unbiased testing software confirmed the accuracy of these colors as well. In our test, the W200's low light video managed a color error of 4.18 and a saturation level of around 97%. These are both very good scores for a camcorder of the W200's class, and they rank higher than the rest of the models we compared it to (the Panasonic TA20 being the only camcorder that came close to matching the W200's results). More on how we test low light color.

If you look at the color error map above, you can see the W200 did its best with rendering blue tones with accuracy. Certain reds and browns gave the camcorder the most trouble, but no colors were off by a huge margin. The fact that the W200 captured such vivid colors in low light was what impressed us the most. This good color accuracy and excellent saturation levels are just two parts to the W200's top-notch overall low light performance.

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Noise

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The W200's noise results were very good, although they weren't as far ahead of the pack as the camcorder's color results. In our test, the W200 averaged 0.58% noise, which is less than the PlaySport Zx5 and Panasonic TA20 measured in this same test (the GE DV1 had even less noise). This is a solid performance for the camcorder overall, and Samsung was able to continue keeping its noise levels down in our low light test as well. More on how we test noise.

Setting the noise results aside for a moment, we urge you to take a quick look at the comparison crops we've shown above. When you cycle through the images from the comparison models, you'll notice how much better the Samsung W200's image looked in our bright light test compared to the competition. The Panasonic TA20 is the only model that came close to matching the W200's sharpness and clarity, and the TA20's color accuracy wasn't quite as good (you can see the slight orange glow). The GE DV1 and the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 came nowhere close to capturing the kind of sharpness we saw from the W200's video clips.

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Low Light Sensitivity

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In our low light sensitivity test the HMX-W200 required just 5 lux of light to reach levels considered good enough for broadcast television. This is a fantastic performance for the little camcorder, although we can't say the W200 really stood out much in this test as the PlaySport Zx5 and Panasonic TA20 put up equally good numbers. The GE DV1 was decidedly behind the rest of the pack, and its overall low light performance was disappointing overall. More on how we test low light sensitivity.

Part of the reason the HMX-W200 (and many ultracompact camcorders) did well in this test is due to the camcorder's low light scene mode, which automatically kicks in when the camcorder is recording in a low light environment. We try to test all models in low light with features like this turned off, but for the W200 and other budget camcorders that is not a possibility. Thus, the budget cams we review tend to have inflated low light sensitivity scores. Still, we aren't denying that the W200 did a solid job in this test—it's low light image looked very good compared to the competition.

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Low Light Noise

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In our low light testing, the HMX-W200 averaged just under 1.0% noise (0.96% to be exact). We consider noise results lower than 1% to be very good for any kind of camcorder, particularly one in the W200's price range. Unlike with some of our other video tests, the W200's results in low light noise aren't far ahead of the competition. Instead, the W200 managed a result here that is consistent with the other budget models we used as comparisons. It is still a good performance, though, it's just not any better than the numbers we got from the Kodak PlaySport Zx5, Panasonic TA20 or GE DV1. More on how we test low light noise.

We think the Samsung HMX-W200 produced the best image in low light out of all the ultracompact models we've reviewed this year. You can cycle through the crop comparisons above to see for yourself. Notice how much sharper the W200's image is compared to the other models, and notice how much crisper the lines and numbers are in the image. Sure, there are noticeable specks of noise and interference, but the image isn't blurry or faded like the images from other camcorders we compared it to.

{{comparison_bars title="Low Light Noise Score Comparison", attribute="Low Light Noise Score", xLabel="Low Light Noise Score"}}

Low Light Color

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We found the colors rendered by the HMX-W200 in low light were pleasing to the eye, and our unbiased testing software confirmed the accuracy of these colors as well. In our test, the W200's low light video managed a color error of 4.18 and a saturation level of around 97%. These are both very good scores for a camcorder of the W200's class, and they rank higher than the rest of the models we compared it to (the Panasonic TA20 being the only camcorder that came close to matching the W200's results). More on how we test low light color.

If you look at the color error map above, you can see the W200 did its best with rendering blue tones with accuracy. Certain reds and browns gave the camcorder the most trouble, but no colors were off by a huge margin. The fact that the W200 captured such vivid colors in low light was what impressed us the most. This good color accuracy and excellent saturation levels are just two parts to the W200's top-notch overall low light performance.

{{comparison_bars title="Low Light Color Score Comparison", attribute="Low Light Color Score", xLabel="Low Light Color Score"}}

Motion

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Our motion test wasn't the Samsung W200's strong suit, but we rarely see ideal results from budget camcorders in this test. The W200's motion video produced a lot of frequency interference (in the rotating color wheel), rough edges (where lines were meant to appear straight), and a reasonable amount of artifacting. Smoothness was not bad for a camcorder that shoots with a 30p frame rate, but trailing and blur was an issue at times. Overall, these aren't great results, but they are what we've come to expect from a camcorder of this class—and it is one of the few performance tests where the W200 didn't come out as above average. More on how we test motion.

Video Sharpness

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The Samsung HMX-W200's good results in our sharpness test were the reason we got excited about this little camcorder. In our test, the W200 managed a horizontal and vertical sharpness of 750 lw/ph each. This is a very good showing for a camcorder in the budget category, and you can see by the score chart below that the W200 performed quite a bit better than the competition (only the PlaySport Zx5 came close). We obtained these sharpness numbers for the HMX-W200 by shooting in the camcorder's Full HD 1080p mode (we always use the highest quality setting for this test), and you won't get this same kind of sharpness when using the camcorder's 720p HD record mode. More on how we test video sharpness.

{{comparison_bars title="Video Sharpness Score Comparison", attribute="Video Sharpness Score", xLabel="Video Sharpness Score"}}

Stabilization

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The HMX-W200 does have a digital image stabilization (DIS) feature that can be turned on and off. Many ultracompact models either a) don't have a stabilization feature, or b) don't allow the feature to be disengaged (therefore making it impossible for us to test). Unfortunately, we're still waiting on the results from our stabilization test with the W200 because our testing rig is currently in the shop getting some repairs. Once the rig is back up and running, we'll strap the W200 on it and get you our stabilization results ASAP. More on how we test stabilization.

Ease of Use

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Shooting with the HMX-W200 is rather easy, and we are definitely fans of the camcorder's automatic controls and features. The 2.3-inch LCD on the back of the camcorder is larger than many of the screens you'll find on similarly-sized camcorders, so that's a plus in terms of how easy it is to use the W200 (having more screen space to frame your images is always a good thing). The menu system on the W200 is also slick and easy to read, but we had some issues with the camcorder's overall user interface.

Auto Mode is confusingly called Dual Shot mode

The buttons on the HMX-W200 are one of the interface issues we had a problem with. Starting with the record button, which is the red button labeled "OK" on the back of the camcorder, we noticed that the buttons on the camcorder didn't always respond when we pushed them. For the start/stop record button this is a significant issue, as you might think you've started recording, but you actually didn't push the button hard enough (and recorded nothing at all!). The d-pad buttons surrounding the record button are of nuisance as well. When navigating menus, we found the right button on the d-pad often had us scrolling up and down on the menu, rather than bringing us to the right like we wanted. The rest of the buttons on the camcorder feel decent enough, and despite the faults listed above, we like the fact that the W200 has these buttons instead of a spotty touchscreen interface.

Auto Mode

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When shooting with the W200, the camcorder will automatically select a scene mode to use depending on the shooting conditions. Unlike many camcorders we review, we noticed the W200 actually adjusting scene modes during our shoot. When we moved from indoor to outdoor lighting conditions, the white balance would change accordingly. Same goes with moving the camcorder to bright and dark scenes (where a low light mode would kick in). There's also a face detection feature on the W200 that can be turned on and off, but it only adjusts exposure (not focus).

The iAuto mode button is difficult to find, but when you do find it the option for turning on the mode looks like this.

Auto Controls

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The auto exposure adjustments worked quickly and smoothly on the camcorder when we moved from different lighting conditions as well. We did notice some streaking at times when we shot indoors with intense light coming through a window, but under even lighting conditions this wasn't a problem. The auto white balance feature on the camcorder was better than what we usually see from a budget model, although it still had some problems. When we moved to new lighting conditions, the camcorder often needed a few seconds before it would change the white balance settings and calibrate things correctly.

Despite having a fixed lens, the HMX-W200 does employ a tiny amount of autofocus during recording. We found the camcorder worked best when held a foot or more away from your subject (any closer and the camcorder had trouble bringing the image into focus). When shooting at distances between one and five feet, we noticed the camcorder performing some slight autofocus adjustments. Most were so slight that they were barely noticeable during recording, but we could see the focus change during playback.

Handling

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Apart from the button and interface issues we discussed in the Ease of Use section above, we have a few more gripes with the way the HMX-W200's handles. Let's get the positive stuff out of the way first, though. We like the waterproof design of the W200, and we're starting to think that if you're gonna get a budget, ultracompact camcorder, there's really no reason you shouldn't get one that is waterproof as well (it just makes it harder to break). The design of the camcorder is decently rugged, the textured front provides a somewhat good grip, and the camcorder's flat base makes it simple to stand on its own (something many camcorders of its size have trouble with).

Now for the things that bothered us. The HMX-W200 is compact, but we found its shape wasn't that ergonomic or comfortable in our hand. The ribbed siding on the left and right did little to aid with grip, and we're upset that Samsung didn't try harder in that area (maybe some rubberized edging of some sort). The camcorder is durable and waterproof, but we found the siding scratched easily, which makes us prefer the rugged design offered on the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 in comparison.

The locking port covers on the HMX-W200 are a necessity to ensure water stays out of the camcorder's important areas when the device is submerged. We liked the covers overall, but we despised the design of the camcorder's built-in USB arm. The USB terminally doesn't extend out from the camcorder more than a 1/4 inch, which means you're gonna run into some difficulty when connecting the computer to a camcorder. Samsung could have provided a solution for this issue by shipping a USB extender cable with the camcorder, but, sadly, it did not. In fact, the W200 comes with the fewest accessories of any model we've seen this year: a wrist strap, quick start guide, and instruction manual on a CD.

One feature that is specific to Samsung and is found on the HMX-W200 is the pause record button. The feature is an interesting one, although we're not sure how many people will actually use it (we kept forgetting that it was an option). It works like so: instead of having the camcorder create a new clip each time you press the start/stop record button, you can press the pause record button to, well, pause the recording. Hitting the pause record button again will start recording back up again—and your clip will remain as one large clip, just with a cut where you hit the pause record button. It's a simple feature that we think should be on all camcorders.

These dedicated buttons give you quick access to aperture and shutter speed controls.

Portability

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The HMX-W200 is definitely small enough to be classified as an ultracompact camcorder, but it's not the tiniest model in that class (the Kodak PlayFull Ze1 and Sony's Bloggie camcorders, which are not waterproof, are quite a bit smaller). The camcorder is nearly identical to the Kodak PlaySport in terms of its dimensions: 60 x 113 x 20mm (2.36 x 4.45 x .78 inches). According to Samsung's specs, the HMX-W200 weighs 127g, but when we weighted the product on our own scale the measurement came out to 139g (4.9 oz) instead. Either way, the camcorder is light, can fit in your pocket, and is similar in size to the other waterproof models on the block.

Battery Life

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In our battery test, the HMX-W200 was able to record continuously for 121 minutes before the battery needed to be recharged. This is a solid performance for the little camcorder, and it's exactly the same amount of time the battery on Kodak's PlaySport Zx5 lasted in this test. More on how we test battery life.

The HMX-W200 does not have a removable battery pack, but instead relies on an internal battery. Internal, non-removable batteries are popular on waterproof models, as it makes for one less compartment that must be sealed off from water. By not granting access to the battery compartment, Samsung can protect the battery much better. The only downside is you can't replace the battery if it starts to show signs of age (or swap it out with a new battery if you don't have time to charge).

We also aren't crazy about the fact that you must charge the W200 via its built-in USB arm. If we were to purchase this camcorder, the first thing we'd buy along with it would be a USB extender cable and a USB to wall-outlet adapter to make charging the W200 much easier.

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LCD

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The specs for the HMX-W200's LCD may sound fairly basic—2.3-inch screen, 230,000-pixel resolution—but when you consider some of the awfully small screens installed on other ultracompact camcorders (the 1.5-inch LCD on the Kodak PlayFull Ze1 comes to mind), you should feel good about the size of the W200's display. Basically, it's a good screen for the size of camcorder the W200 represents. It doesn't use a touchscreen interface either, which is something we're happy about (touchscreens don't work well underwater).

Stabilization

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The HMX-W200 does have a digital image stabilization (DIS) feature that can be turned on and off. Many ultracompact models either a) don't have a stabilization feature, or b) don't allow the feature to be disengaged (therefore making it impossible for us to test). Unfortunately, we're still waiting on the results from our stabilization test with the W200 because our testing rig is currently in the shop getting some repairs. Once the rig is back up and running, we'll strap the W200 on it and get you our stabilization results ASAP. More on how we test stabilization.

Miscellaneous Controls

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Smart Filter

Instead of manual controls, the W200 has a few digital effects called "Smart Filters" that are found in the menu system. These filters alter the look and feel of your videos by applying various overlays or settings. For example, the Fish-Eye effect gives your video a wide-angle view (like a fish-eye lens) where the edges are distorted. All these filters are applied digitally, and none of them are all that special. You'd get the same options with any basic editing program where you could apply effects during post production. The Smart Filter options include: Vignetting (dark around the edges), Fish-Eye, Retro (sepia tones), Classic (black and white), Negative (inverted colors).

Back Light

A backlight compensation option is available on the camcorder and the function can be toggled on or off. When on, the camcorder will attempt to reduce the silhouette effect produced when a subject stands in front of an intense light source.

Pause Record

You can press this button instead of the start/stop record button to pause recording while shooting video. This allows the camcorder to record a single clip with cuts, rather than creating a new clip like it does each time you hit the start/stop record button. It's a simple, but effective feature, and our only gripe is the "pause" button isn't labeled all that well.

Auto Controls

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The auto exposure adjustments worked quickly and smoothly on the camcorder when we moved from different lighting conditions as well. We did notice some streaking at times when we shot indoors with intense light coming through a window, but under even lighting conditions this wasn't a problem. The auto white balance feature on the camcorder was better than what we usually see from a budget model, although it still had some problems. When we moved to new lighting conditions, the camcorder often needed a few seconds before it would change the white balance settings and calibrate things correctly.

Despite having a fixed lens, the HMX-W200 does employ a tiny amount of autofocus during recording. We found the camcorder worked best when held a foot or more away from your subject (any closer and the camcorder had trouble bringing the image into focus). When shooting at distances between one and five feet, we noticed the camcorder performing some slight autofocus adjustments. Most were so slight that they were barely noticeable during recording, but we could see the focus change during playback.

Audio Controls

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There's not much to say about the audio features on the HMX-W200. The camcorder has a built-in mic, but it's tiny and it only records mono audio (no stereo). If you're having trouble finding the mic, you should look for the small hole to the left of the lens on the front of the camcorder. Yup, that's the built-in microphone.

The W200 also has a small speaker on the back of the camcorder that plays audio for clips when the camcorder is in playback mode.

Editing

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The Samsung HMX-W200 comes with intelli-studio software that can assist you with copying video clips to your computer, uploading clips to the web, and doing some minor video editing. The software comes pre-loaded on the camcorder itself, and you won't find the software on the provided compact disc that ships with the W200 (that disc only contains the user manual). To install the software, you simply plug the W200 into a computer (PC only, the software won't work on Macs) and the installation process will begin. For an overview of the software that ships with this and other camcorders, see our article: Video Editing Software For Your Camcorder{{product.brand.name}}-Included-Software.htm.

Compression

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To compress HD video, the HMX-W200 creates MPEG-4 video clips using the H.264 compression system. The resultant video clips will be large (roughly 100 - 150MB per minute), but they won't be nearly as bulky as the AVCHD files you get with traditional HD camcorders. Unfortunately, the HMX-W200 does not have a standard definition record mode, but there are two HD recording options on the camcorder—one that records Full HD 1080p and another that records 720p HD. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various high definition compression types.

Media

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Most camcorders these days record to removable SD-type memory cards (or internal memory). The Samsung HMX-W200 records to memory cards as well, but instead of offering a regularly-sized SD card slot, the camcorder is outfitted with a MicroSD card slot. We're not a big fan of MicroSD cards because they are too small, which means they're easy to lose track of and easier to break than regular SD memory cards. They also tend to be a bit more expensive and harder to find in stores than SD or SDHC memory cards. We understand that Samsung may have thought it was saving space on the W200 by using MicroSD instead of regular SD, but we'd much prefer to have a regular-size card slot here. Most other manufacturers are able to squeeze a regular card slot onto their ultracompact camcorders, so why couldn't Samsung? Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.

Still Features

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Many ultracompact camcorders offer a limited photo mode that can take pictures at a single size option. The HMX-W200, however, offers the choice of four different photo size options: 2720 x 2040 (5.5 megapixels), 2048 x 1536 (3 megapixels), 1920 x 1080 (2 megapixels), or 640 x 480 (VGA). To take photos, you simple switch over to photo mode by pressing the video/photo mode switch located beneath the LCD.

In addition to the size options, the camcorder offers the same effects and features in photo mode as it does in video mode (digital effects, face detection, etc). The camcorder does not have a self-timer or high-speed shooting mode, nor can it capture still images during video recording.

Lens & Imaging System

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The lens on the HMX-W200 is simple to describe: it has no optical zoom, has a fixed f/2.2 lens, and has no lens cover. Those specs are essentially the same as what you'd get on any ultracompact camcorder in the W200's class. The sensor inside the camcorder is also of average build—it's a 1/3.2-inch CMOS with a 5-megapixel total pixel count.

LCD

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The specs for the HMX-W200's LCD may sound fairly basic—2.3-inch screen, 230,000-pixel resolution—but when you consider some of the awfully small screens installed on other ultracompact camcorders (the 1.5-inch LCD on the Kodak PlayFull Ze1 comes to mind), you should feel good about the size of the W200's display. Basically, it's a good screen for the size of camcorder the W200 represents. It doesn't use a touchscreen interface either, which is something we're happy about (touchscreens don't work well underwater).

Connectivity

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Being a waterproof camcorder, all of the ports and connectivity features on the W200 are covered by protective doors that must be unlocked (with the flip of a switch) before they can be opened. Since the camcorder isn't loaded with connectivity features, the W200 only has two of such "locked-door" port coverings. One is on the bottom of the camcorder, and it conceals the built-in USB arm. While having a built-in USB connector is convenient, we aren't crazy about the limited reach the USB arm on the W200 offers. Because the USB connector doesn't extend out from the camcorder, it can be very difficult to connect the W200 to a computer via this port—and Samsung does not ship a USB extender cable with the camcorder, which adds to the frustration. Honestly, we'd prefer a basic USB port with a separate cable instead of this shoddy built-in USB design.

On the left side of the camcorder is another locking port cover that looks very similar to the cover on the bottom of the W200 (except with different labels). Opening this cover, you'll find the HDMI terminal, memory card slot, and a tiny reset button. The HDMI terminal is used to connect the camcorder to an HDTV, but you need to purchase an HDMI cable separately (one does not ship with the camcorder). The W200 has no other ports or terminals that can be used to connect the camcorder to a television (so, if you want to connect it to a standard definition TV, you're out of luck).

If the memory card slot looks tiny to you, that's because the W200 uses MicroSD memory cards, which are roughly one-quarter the size of traditional SD cards. We wish Samsung had used a regular SD card slot on the HMX-W200, however, as MicroSD cards are too small for our taste. They're easier to lose, more expensive, and harder to find in stores than traditional SD or SDHC memory cards.

Battery

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The HMX-W200 does not have a removable battery pack, but instead relies on an internal battery. Internal, non-removable batteries are popular on waterproof models, as it makes for one less compartment that must be sealed off from water. By not granting access to the battery compartment, Samsung can protect the battery much better. The only downside is you can't replace the battery if it starts to show signs of age (or swap it out with a new battery if you don't have time to charge).

We also aren't crazy about the fact that you must charge the W200 via its built-in USB arm. If we were to purchase this camcorder, the first thing we'd buy along with it would be a USB extender cable and a USB to wall-outlet adapter to make charging the W200 much easier. Find out how the product:model/product:model performed in our battery life test.

Media

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Most camcorders these days record to removable SD-type memory cards (or internal memory). The Samsung HMX-W200 records to memory cards as well, but instead of offering a regularly-sized SD card slot, the camcorder is outfitted with a MicroSD card slot. We're not a big fan of MicroSD cards because they are too small, which means they're easy to lose track of and easier to break than regular SD memory cards. They also tend to be a bit more expensive and harder to find in stores than SD or SDHC memory cards. We understand that Samsung may have thought it was saving space on the W200 by using MicroSD instead of regular SD, but we'd much prefer to have a regular-size card slot here. Most other manufacturers are able to squeeze a regular card slot onto their ultracompact camcorders, so why couldn't Samsung? Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.

Still Features

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Many ultracompact camcorders offer a limited photo mode that can take pictures at a single size option. The HMX-W200, however, offers the choice of four different photo size options: 2720 x 2040 (5.5 megapixels), 2048 x 1536 (3 megapixels), 1920 x 1080 (2 megapixels), or 640 x 480 (VGA). To take photos, you simple switch over to photo mode by pressing the video/photo mode switch located beneath the LCD.

In addition to the size options, the camcorder offers the same effects and features in photo mode as it does in video mode (digital effects, face detection, etc). The camcorder does not have a self-timer or high-speed shooting mode, nor can it capture still images during video recording.

Other Features

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Waterproof, Shockproof, and Dustproof Design

Right on the back of the W200 Samsung added a bit of text to remind you of the camcorder's rugged design. The text says the camcorder is shockproof up to 2m (6.5 feet) and waterproof up to 3m (10 feet). Both of these are standard limitations for a waterproof budget camcorder, as nearly all the waterproof models we test are limited to a three meter depth (the GE DV1 being the exception, it can go down about 5 meters).

As with all waterproof camcorders, the design of the W200 is such that the important areas, like ports and the memory card slot, must be protected extremely well so water doesn't enter them. Samsung did a decent job with its locking ports, but we found opening the covers to be a bit of a challenge at times. Maybe the locks got a bit sticky after we used the camcorder underwater a bit, as they were easier to open and close right out of the box. Either way, the ports did keep water out of important areas, and we had no problems with the lens fogging up during underwater use. That isn't to say the camcorder will function perfectly underwater. You always have to make sure to properly clean and dry the camcorder after each underwater use, otherwise you're bound to run into some issues eventually.

Panasonic HM-TA20 Comparison

It's a tough call between the Samsung HMX-W200 and the Kodak PlaySport Zx5, as each camcorder had its own set of advantages. To be clear, the Samsung W200 came out on top in our performance tests—it produced better color accuracy, better sharpness, and better low light performance by a significant margin. So, if performance is important to you, the Samsung HMX-W200 is the better model here.

But don't forget about the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 entirely. We like the Kodak more in terms of how well it handled, it's user interface, and its waterproof design. It felt more durable and more rugged than the W200, and it's provided software was easier to work with than Samsung's. If usability is something you feel strongly about, especially if it's more important to you than performance, then the Kodak Zx5 is the better option.

In the end, we like the Samsung HMX-W200 more, which is why we gave it our award for Best Budget Camcorder of 2011. The impressive video performance of the Samsung overruled the camcorder's handling and interface problems in our mind, and it came out ahead of the Kodak in our overall rankings.

GE DV1 Comparison

The Panasonic HM-TA20 is similar to the HMX-W200 in the fact that it did well in our performance testing, but was extremely frustrating to use at times. Like the W200, the TA20 is waterproof and rugged, but instead of having buttons and a d-pad for navigating menus, the TA20 uses a touchscreen interface on the LCD. The touchscreen is large (3 inches in size), but it was slow to respond to our touch commands at times, which made using the TA20 a pain.

Despite the handling frustrations, the TA20 is one of the better waterproof camcorders we reviewed this year. Overall, we'd rank it slightly behind the Kodak PlaySport Zx5, while the Panasonic HMX-W200 takes the top spot amongst waterproof ultracompacts. It all came down to performance, and the Samsung was the best of the bunch in that area.

COMP 3

The GE DV1 is waterproof and it can record video, but that's about all it has going for it. The camcorder showed us nothing but sub-par results in our video testing, and the DV1's handling was abysmal as well. Worst of all, the camcorder managed to last for just 50 minutes in our battery life test—a result that is less than half as long as the Samsung W200 lasted. Simply put, the DV1 has little in the way of redeeming qualities (other than a cheap price tag), and it's not a camcorder we'd recommend.

The camcorder's waterproof design was relatively strong, and we must admit that the DV1 is capable of going deeper underwater than the competition. GE claims the camcorder can withstand up to 16 feet of submergence, compared to the 10 feet you get from the Samsung W200, Kodak Zx5, and Panasonic TA20. We also like that GE went ahead and included a USB extender cable with the DV1, which is something we wish Samsung had done with the W200. But if you care about performance or if you want a camcorder that won't drive you batty with frustrating controls, then you should avoid the GE DV1 at all costs.

Conclusion

Waterproof ultracompact camcorders have been flooding the market over the past year, so it's fair to say the Samsung HMX-W200 has its good share of competitors. Surprisingly, the W200 held off the other camcorders in its price range by putting up excellent results in the majority of our video tests. Most impressive was the W200's ability to capture sharp video in bright light—sharper than any other budget camcorder we tested in the past year. We were also happy to find the camcorder producing accurate colors in all kinds of light, which is something we rarely see with ultracompact models.

The HMX-W200 doesn't have the best design of the waterproof camcorders we've reviewed. Its interface is sloppy at times, and the buttons on the back of the camcorder aren't as responsive as we'd like. It also has an awkward grip that, while decent underwater, wasn't as good as the rubbery texture that coats the Kodak PlaySport Zx5 camcorder. At least Samsung equipped the W200 with a simple menu and a decent Quick Start Guide that should be helpful enough to push beginners in the right direction.

The Samsung HMX-W200 is a great example of a camcorder that wildly exceeded our expectations. We expected average results from the camcorder, but instead we got a video performance that rivals the best we've seen from a model that costs under $200. Yes, the camcorder has some design flaws and interface problems, but its success in our video performance tests overshadowed those minor faults.

{{photo_gallery "Front Photo", "Left Photo", "Left Open Photo", "Back Photo", "Right Photo", "Top Photo", "Bottom Photo", "Lens Photo", "Lens Photo 2", "3D Lens Photo", "Media Photo", "Easy Mode Photo", "Manual Controls Photo", "Zoom Photo", "Zoom Photo 2", "Ease of Use Photo", "Battery Photo", "LCD Photo 1", "LCD Photo 2", "EVF Photo 1", "EVF Photo 2", "Mic Photo", "Mic Photo 2", "Ports Photo 1", "Ports Photo 2", "Ports Photo 3", "Ports Photo 4", "Ports Photo 5", "Ports Photo 6", "Handling Photo 1", "Handling Photo 2", "Handling Photo 3", "Handling Photo 4", "Box Photo"}}

Meet the tester

Jeremy Stamas

Jeremy Stamas

Managing Editor, Video

@nematode9

Jeremy is the video expert of our imaging team and Reviewed.com's head of video production. Originally from Pennsylvania and upstate NY, he graduated from Bard college with a degree in film and electronic media. He has been living and working in New England since 2005.

See all of Jeremy Stamas's reviews

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