Samsung Digimax D103 Review

Good Points
It is probably the cheapest 10.1 mega-pixel camera on the UK market. Samsung is also a good trusted brand, so it seems to be just the perfect product to buy. It has a large LCD, which is really helpful when taking pictures. It is very user friendly. As the pictures have such high resolution they are great. I had 5.1 mega-pixel camera before this one, and you can really tell the difference.

Bad Points
See below...

General Comments
The videos you take with the Samsung Digimax D103 digital camera are saved in .avi format, and when you save it to a PC, you will not be able to view it in the usual packages, such as Windows Media Player, Real Player or Quick Time Player. In fact, I have no clue which program you CAN view it in!



The far worse drawback is how it sucks battery power. If you go on holiday and plan to take quite a few pictures, you must take loads of spare batteries with you. I went on holiday; the camera had brand new batteries in, but in a less than an hour they were completely flat. It was in a rural place and there were no shops. I knew I was not going back there and there were so many things I wanted to take pictures of, so it was quite upsetting. Since then I carry at least 3 extra packs of batteries when I go somewhere important. I started monitoring the situation too, and I figured out that each time I manage to take about 45 shots before the batteries die. This is if you just switch the camera on for each shot and quickly switch it off after you take one. Otherwise, the lifetime is even worse. I went back to the shop where I bought it and they said that that is just the way the camera is. I searched for some reviews and realized that everyone is having the same problem, so it is not just my camera; it's basically this model. Unfortunately, when I was buying this camera it was still new to the market and there were no reviews available. If I could turn back time I would never have bought it. The batteries that I buy are the best available (or so I'm told) and the most expensive ones. I cannot even imagine how long normal alkaline batteries would last; about 10 shots probably.



If you are planning on using the Samsung Digimax D103 digital camera at home, it's probably OK, but you should buy a charger and rechargeable batteries. But if you are going to take it outdoors, you are facing a large bill for batteries, and it is a nuisance having have to change the batteries every 45 minutes, with the threat of disappointment when you run out of batteries and still want to take some pictures. I really cannot recommend this camera.