Samsung SC-DC173U DVD Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom

If you are looking for a camera that records to DVDs and doesnt cost an arm and a leg, buy this one. It is a decent camera if you take into account the price. The quality isnt the best however its good enough for the average customer just wanting to shoot video of family events. If you are looking for top quality, pay more. It is true you get what you pay for. For me the camera is good enough for what I use it for... a once in a while camera moment.

I've read over a couple of other reviews stating they are having a hard time getting their camera to read discs. I use the Sony mini DV-R discs and have never had a problem. They are a little more expensive however they are top quality and work great with this piece of equipment.

Also I have transfered the mini-discs to larger ones using a panasonic dvd recorder using Sony (Large) DVD-R disc and havent had a problem either.

I've owned the Samsung SCDC173U mini-DVD camcorder for a week and I will be taking it back to the store today. As another reviewer has stated the camcorder has frequent "read" problems, frequent errors, loss of data, and 5 of the 6 mini-DVDs I've used are now "coasters". And those mini-DVDs are not cheap! I even tried two different disc brands and disc formats. It has problems finalizing the disc for viewing, if you can get it to finalize. It was a real disappointment when I realized that the footage of my daughter's 1st birthday was never going to be viewable. I can feel and hear the DVD moving inside the camera while I'm recording and the little sounds it makes are actually audible on the finished DVD during playback. The video quality is quite sub par. The main feature I wanted was the ability to make 16:9 widescreen movies. This feature works, but most of the camera's other features cannot be used in widescreen mode. Overall, it is the reliability that I have the biggest problem with. It is not a stretch to say that 75% of everything I record will not be viewable in any way. So what is the point? The owners manual is also very poor. The software it comes with can best be described as "You get what you pay for". After reading several other reviews at various websites I think this is either a defective camera or just a bad attempt at a camcorder. Save your money, do some research, and buy something else. This one isn't worth the cost savings.

Buy Samsung SC-DC173U DVD Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom Now

i purchased this camcorder at sears on sale for 199 minus 100 in gift cards, so i ended up paying 100 bucks for it. Even for 199, the camcorder is worth the money. so here are some positive and negatives i've witnessed so far (keep in mind this is the only dvd camcorder that i have ever used)

positives

1. it is very small and fits in my hand comfortably

2. discs are loaded easily

3. case use dvdrw cd's so that you can re record if you don't like what you have done.

4. it supports dolby digital surround sound

5. 16 x 9 for my dlp tv

6. 34x digital zoom (not available in 16x9)

7. sd card slot to save my pics or videos to

8. samsung reliability

9. picture isn't bad

10. camera does have light (no functional with 16x9)

negatives

1. pic quality isn't very good (cannot substitute for a camera)

2. cannot snap pics while recording (i used to love to do that with my old jvc mini dv camera), but i have not figured out how to do it on this camera. you have to switch the camera to "card" to make it work.

3. battery life is bad, but i expected that and purchased a bigger, more power battery on ebay for $16. hint: don't leave the battery in the camera, it will drain, quickly.

4. when turning the camera on, it take 5-10 seconds until you can record, so don't expect to record something that may occur immediately if the camera isn't already ready to record.

5. using 16x9 ratio REDUCES MANY features of the camcorder. you cannot use the light, the digital zoom, most effects, and the DIS function is unavailable. I have been switching back and forth depending on my what, where and when i am recording.

6. recording in low light is very bad, unless you have the camera on 4:3 ratio and the shutter speed adjusted. Unfortunately you cannot use the light unless the shutter speed is adjusted, which then makes diminishes picture quality. shooting in 16x9 in low light areas is pointless.

7. you only get about 25 minutes of record time on sp, and about 1hr with lp (not camera'a fault). so carry extra discs with you.

8. position of the joystick button sux. it should be behind the camera.

9. you have to kina of force the turning knob to off, it doesn't move freely to off and it almost feels like i'm breaking it.

all in all, for 200 bucks, you can't go wrong. just don't buy this camera for the 16x9 feature and you'll be happy. so far so good for me. the easy mode is good for beginnings and the quick menu can also me useful to quickly change important settings. I just hate that samsung has greatly reduced the camera's features when 16x9 is being used. oh well.

Read Best Reviews of Samsung SC-DC173U DVD Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom Here

I purchased this 6/15/07 with little time to shop, a day prior to departing for a Caribbean vacation. Just like previous reviewer, it has 'read' problems with the DVD's, every one I tried. Frequent errors, loss of data; 1 DVD rendered useless; problems "finalizing" the disc for viewing, etc. You can feel the DVD shaking and shimmying inside the camera as it tries to read it; sometimes it runs continuously trying to read, even when shut to OFF it keeps trying, running the battery down. Controls are poorly placed and hard to use. I plan on returning it to the store tomorrow. Don't waste your time and money!!

Want Samsung SC-DC173U DVD Camcorder with 34x Optical Zoom Discount?

Video quality is awesome. Thats about it. Every disc I have tried in it, I says error half way through and restarts. I loose everything. This has happened every time I have used it. Battery life, what battery life. I charged it for 12 hours, and I got 30 minutes of use.

Save 39% Off