Samsung SCD86 MiniDV Compact Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD Display & 8 MB Memory Stick

by Samsung

Product Details

Product Manual [2.33mb PDF]

• Item Weight: 1.3 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B000069F69
• Item model number: SC-D86
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (2 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #24,914 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: June 11, 2002

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

In recent years Samsung has gained a reputation for developing great technology at lower prices, which the SCD86 will only enhance. Among its many features are a large 2.5-inch LCD screen, shoe for external accessories, remote control, nine digital special effects, and a color onscreen display with an easy-to-use dial navigation controls.

Lens
The SCD86 has an optical zoom power of 10x and a digital zoom that can magnify up to 400x, which works by electronically enhancing the optical image. It also has a four-step variable zooming speed that controls the zoom according to the amount of pressure you apply to the toggle. The digital image stabilization system keeps the picture steady and solid throughout zooms and camera shakes. The infrared function allows you to shoot visible video in situations with practically no light.

Digital Stills
You can store your digital stills directly onto tape or onto the included 8 MB Memory Stick in JPEG format. MGI PhotoSuite III, photo-editing software compatible with all Windows operating systems, and a USB cable are included with the camcorder.

Inputs and Outputs
The standard DV IEEE 1394 port (also called FireWire) is present for no-loss connections to PCs or other DV machines. Transfer your digital stills onto your computer with the USB port, while the S-video and RCA connections are used for direct viewing on a television or for VHS dubbing. You can also plug in an external microphone via the mic jack for better quality sound.

MiniDV Format
MiniDV digital technology delivers clear, sharp video with up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution--far superior to the 240 lines of resolution offered by 8mm camcorders. You'll get minimal color noise interference for a more stable picture. You'll also get excellent sound quality in either 12-bit or 16-bit audio recording modes.

• 16-bit audio includes one set of stereo audio tracks to produce CD-quality sound.
• 12-bit audio utilizes two sets of audio tracks so you can easily add background music or commentary to your videos while maintaining the existing soundtrack.

This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12 the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of two full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 20 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Cool camcorder. Lot of features for the price., December 15, 2002

By 

"ritesh_b_trivedi" (Folsom, CA United States) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Samsung SCD86 MiniDV Compact Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD Display & 8 MB Memory Stick (Electronics)

The best thing I liked about this camera is price per feature. I got this camera few days back and have tried all the features in the manual. I am very satisfied with pretty much all the features. The still digital camera mode is ok. The quality is ok for pc application, but just ok for printing. I did not, however expect a lot for this price.
It has everything nite pics, dig effects, back light comp, stab comp, memory stick and a lot more. I am happy with it at this moment. This is my first samsung product so reliability and cust support is yet to be seen.

6 of 7 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Not a point and shoot, October 26, 2003

By 

Tom H (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Samsung SCD86 MiniDV Compact Digital Camcorder with 2.5" LCD Display & 8 MB Memory Stick (Electronics)

We bought the camera as a return from a major department store that had taken it back from someone who had bought it one day and returned it the next. Most of the attachments were still in their bags. We got a price of $300 because it is a closeout and it was returned.

The first thing I noticed is that you can't even charge the battery without reading the manual. While that isn't a big problem for some, I am sure that it would be frustrating for people who want to pick it up and play with it. I am a little concerned that the dc (power)attachment and the pc (computer)plugs are approximately the same dimensions and are both rectangular. They are not particularly near each other but with someone who doesn't read instructions and is prone to forcing things, something could get damaged.

You get an 8MB memory stick (upgradeable to over 128Mb) for still photos and very short videos but you need to buy tapes. Then you need to be sure that you select the correct recording media on the side of the camera.

The camera portion is 1MB resolution; hardly high quality clarity for a digital camera these days but the video will operate in almost dark conditions. You can send the signal from the camera to a VCR, a TV, or a Computer, so it is extremely flexible.

Overall, if you are looking for a vacation camera that does videos and will take snapshots, this is a good choice. However, you need to read the manual. There are 17 buttons and switches on the outside of the camera alone, so you can't just point and shoot out of the box.