Images
Seemingly undeterred by the arrival of the first hi-def shooting phone – Samsung’s Omnia HD – pocket HD camcorders just keep on coming. Until now, they’ve maxed out at 720p and followed the ‘mobile phone’ form factor, but now Toshiba’s Camileo S10 is threatening to tear up their tiny rulebook.
On paper, the S10 represents stunning value for money. Its 1080p, 30fps video eclipses its rivals, as does its ability to snap 5MP stills. The Camileo also trumps the Kodak Zi6 with a 2.5in LCD screen, 4x digital zoom (which goes down to 2x magnification in 1080p mode) and bundled extras like a mini tripod.
Featherweight friend
While it doesn’t have the Mino HD’s shiny, polished, tactile design, the S10 does have similarly minute dimensions – it’s just 17.9mm thick – and is an absolute featherweight on the scales, giving the chunky Zi6 a weight complex in the process.
Like its fellow Camileo, the H20, there’s a rudimentary 128MB internal memory, so hi-def movies and 5MP stills are recorded to SD or SDHC cards (pretty much the only thing that isn’t in the box).
This lack of built-in memory keeps costs down – the Vado HD and Mino HD feature flash memory and bigger price tags – and allows you to decide how much to invest in storage. Using a 4GB SDHC card (£15 approx) would give you around 60 minutes of recording at the highest quality.
Fiddly controls
As the popular Mino HD shows, it pays to keep controls simple on pocket camcorders – and this is where the S10 starts to disappoint. Its fiddly array includes separate movie and photo record buttons and a zoom that’s obviously got a sweet tooth, it’s so sticky.
Much better is the almost immediate ability for PC users to upload videos to YouTube. The supplied ArcSoft software makes this effortless and efficient with an intuitive interface that stays just the right side of cheesy.
Review continues after the break...
Scared of the dark
Where the Camileo H20 felt light on features, the similar set on the £50 cheaper S10 feels more suited to those who want to shoot and share fast. There’s a 20cm macro mode, as well as white balance, exposure settings and a night mode for grabbing – very grainy – images in low light.
Its less than ergonomic, rectangular corners don’t give it the same design kudos as the Mino HD or Vado HD, and it struggles to surpass either for video quality, too. While HD pictures are relatively detailed and the autofocus is fast, they’re a bit soft and quick panning and motion results in some judder.
Then again, none of the S10’s foes can serve up passable 5MP stills, and the 2.5in LCD means you’re not struggling and squinting at the screen the same way you are with the Creative and Flip. It also offers unrivalled versatility for the money – but there’s just a feeling its overly ambitious spec list leaves it a bit too compromised.
Tech Specs
- Dimensions
- 57x100x17.9mm
- LCD Size
- 2.5in
- Maximum frames per second
- 60fps
- Maximum movie resolution
- 1920x1080
- Megapixels
- 5MP
- Memory card type
- SD, SDHC
- Optical viewfinder
- No
- Optical zoom rating
- 4x
- Weight
- 87g
- Zoom function during movies
- Yes
Comments
csd
3 years ago
Hi, While talking of pocket camcorders I wonder why every site, every review speaks only of the Flips & Kodaks, while safely avoiding the Toshiba Camileos. I guess the Flips are damn good, but being not available (generally) outside the US, we mortals need to do with the other models. I bought my Camileo S10 few days back, did some heavy duty shooting around and let me assert here that this is a preety good camcorder, as well. I took a whole day, visiting various retailers, testing the Sony Webbie, Kodak Zx1, Aiptek z700, Xacti CG10 and the Camileo P30 & S10, besides the Samsung ST550 [TL225 elsewhere] (a Digital Camera doing 720p HD). These were the compact camcorders available here (Flip Ultra HD, Samsung U10 & Kodak Zi8 are not yet marketed here) and settled down for the Camileo S10 due to: 1. Great form factor. 2. Lightest among all. 3. *Best HD clips (2nd was Aiptek z700). 4. *2nd best Still shots (best was Aiptek z700), but very-very good. 5. **Li-on Battery (keeps the device slimmer). 6. ***Upto 32 Gb SD Card compatible. 7. Got an 8 Gb SD card free from the store. 8. Similar priced; under USD 160/- [the CG10 is a bit costlier (and the P30 is no better, but bigger)]. 9. HDMI port (a must, so that we enjoy Full HD footage on an FHD TV). 10. ****Deal breaker: Slips easily into my shirt pocket, with ZERO bulge. *Both clips & shots analyzed by playing on a 42" FHD LCD TV. [remember, it shoots just one step lower than 1080p, which is as good as 1080p, an ordinary guy like me would'nt notice the difference at all]. **Bought another Li-on battery for Stand-by (these are the same as used in most of the cameras & camcorders; thus, readily available - not proprietary; costed only USD 8/-). ***Note: standard SD card, NOT Micro SD; thus, cheaper. ****The S10 is a Flat device, half the thickness of my cigarette pack (B&H 20's) and only half inch taller than it. EDITING & BURNING DVD: I edited the clips & burnt a (regular) DVD - and wow! the movie was stunning. To note here, the supplied ArcSoft Suite is "just OK", but I had no problem making my DVD thru the Cyberlink PowerDirector Express, which is a good movie software and came with my JVC HD7. MY VERDICT: Friends, don't have any 2nd thoughts. If the 10 pointers I mentioned above are also your considering factors, go for the Camileo S10. It is better than the rest. AND be assured, the vids are VERY SIMILAR to that of a Hi-End HD Camcorder (I have one), if you can overcome the top-notch movies you get from them due to their manual controls. But then, we are talking about a "Pocket Camcorder", whose basic purpose is to carry everywhere and shoot at the spur of the moment and under 1/10th of the price the Camileo S10 is a steal. I am deeply satisfied with my Camileo; and so would be you!!! Regards. {Ps.: The Samsung ST 550 (TL225) is a too good digital camera though, but is double the price. It's Stills are mind blowing, but the Video is lagging behind Camileo S10. I was about to purchase it until I fully tested the Camileo S10}.
rockinsoul
3 years ago
Lubidog could you please upload that concert footage onto youtube and then post the link here so we can check out the S10s vision/sound quality? Im thinking of buying one of these camcorders and it is for the purpose of recording live music so it would be really good I could hear the sound quality...
lubidog
4 years ago
The above spammer should be removed! Anyway, I have this camera and agree with the stuff review. It does everything it sets out to do so-so. The picture quality (the main thing in a camera) is okay-it jerks around a bit, image stabilisation only works on the 720p setting, but I can't see the difference between this and the full 1080p. But the annoying thing is this-every time you switch the thing off you have to switch on the stabilisation again!!! And you need this setting! So it takes too long to switch on and off, cos of this! It is fiddly to use. But it is small, and cheap and if you loose it you won't have to trouble your insurance too much. So I do like it, but with the above caveats. Sound is surprisingly good by the way-I took it to the recent AC/DC concert in Birmingham and it took excellent footage on wvga. It's a mixture, but it will live in my pocket and make up for one of the iphone's main failings without leaving too much of a pocket bulge-and that must be a good thing!!!
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4 years ago
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