Labs

Samsung's VP-D353 doesn't look or feel as well designed as some models, but it has a range of options for filming in low light.

FEATURES

This boxy camcorder is the largest of the four budget models here, although this makes it more suitable for those with bigger hands. The controls are well positioned and comfortable to use. A set of dedicated playback buttons are positioned just above the LCD screen.

The LCD screen has poor vertical viewing angles and polarises the image if you aren't in the

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right place. The menu is clear and colourful and controlled by the volume rocker switch, making it easy to find the options you need.

The front of the camera holds both a pair of infrared LEDs and a standard lamp for filming in low light. You can either get colour shots by using the light and risk disturbing your subject, or black-and-white ones using infrared mode.

PERFORMANCE

Video quality was disappointing. In our outdoor test the bricks on nearby buildings lacked detail. Indoor video had a yellow tinge until we adjusted the white balance. Poor colour balance persisted, though, and images displayed a lot of noise. The image stabiliser works to a degree but was less effective than others. In contrast, the low-light options are impressive. We recorded decent video in very dark conditions, but there was some blur in fast motion or panning shots.

A Memory Stick card slot is built in, but with a maximum still image resolution of 800x600 it's hardly worth bothering with. The camera ran for a respectable 90 minutes, although it uses a large 800mAh battery to achieve this.