Samsung PX2370: Review

The Samsung PX2370 monitor has a number of features that makes it great for gamers and movie enthusiasts.

SAMSUNG has been steadily updating its monitors with LED backlighting technology, and the PX2370 represents the high-end for these new models.

What makes the PX2370 different from the B-series model we reviewed a while back is that the PX2370 has a much wider colour gamut which covers 100% of the sRGB standard and boasts some other "Magic" features.

First off, the PX2370 is thin - I said this about the BX2450 which I reviewed before, but the PX2370 is thinner than that.

It also looks very classy. I liked the design even more than the BX2450, even though it shares some of the same design cues like the transparent bezel which frames the darker bezel on the inside.

I suppose I just like the minimalist look, and the PX2370 is extremely minimalist in design with only the power button visible on the front.

The back of the monitor continues this trend - there are four control buttons, a DVI port, a single HDMI port, a 3.5mm stereo output and, interestingly, an audio optical digital output which acts as a passthrough for digital surround audio that comes from the HDMI.

The equally classy-looking stand is a plastic and metal affair which unfortunately only allows for a slight tilt adjustment and nothing else.

In use

The PX2370 performed very well right out of the box as colours were very accurate and required almost no manual colour calibration.

Thinner: The PX2370 is extremely thin and light, thanks to the LED backlight technology.

The monitor is a TN (twisted nematic) panel, which means good horizontal viewing angles, but only so-so vertical viewing angles.

The screen tends to darken significantly as you view the screen at a higher or lower angle.

To counter this, Samsung has actually included a MagicAngle mode which adjusts the contrast and brightness so that the screen is more viewable from extreme vertical angles.

There are a number of settings for MagicAngle and I have to say it really works.

My monitor is usually placed at eye level when sitting on an office chair, but sometimes, I sit on the sofa which is much lower and a proper MagicAngle setting solved most of the darkening problems at this lower angle.

I also like the MagicLux feature which utilises an ambient light sensor on the monitor to adjust the brightness of the backlight to suit your environment.

The PX2370 has four adjustment buttons on the back which takes some getting used to, since you can't see the labels until you peek round the back.

However, the onscreen display does help by overlaying the menus roughly over the correct button at the back.

It does take some getting used to, but once you do, it's actually quite easy.

Also, one of the selection buttons can actually be customised to quickly launch a specific feature - I selected MagicAngle since I wanted the feature at my fingertips whenever I changed position.

Conclusion

The PX2370 monitor is very nice - I really liked the colour accuracy which is great for home photo editors (though it the TN panel isn't up to professional standards) and movie watchers.

The fast response times means that it works very well for games as well.

Definitely a thumbs up for the price.

Pros: Good colour accuracy; fast response times; classy-looking.

Cons: TN panel means some darkening of the image when viewing from extreme vertical angles.

PX2370
(Samsung)
LED LCD monitor
Display: 23in screen with LED backlight
Resolution: 1080p (1,920 x 1,080-pixels)
Response time: 2ms
Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 (actual)
Ports: HDMI, VGA, 3.5mm stereo audio output, optical output
Dimensions (W x D x H): 55.6 x 43 x 23cm
Weight: 4kg
Price: RM1,099

Samsung PX2370: Review

The Samsung PX2370 monitor has a number of features that makes it great for gamers and movie enthusiasts.

SAMSUNG has been steadily updating its monitors with LED backlighting technology, and the PX2370 represents the high-end for these new models.

What makes the PX2370 different from the B-series model we reviewed a while back is that the PX2370 has a much wider colour gamut which covers 100% of the sRGB standard and boasts some other "Magic" features.

First off, the PX2370 is thin - I said this about the BX2450 which I reviewed before, but the PX2370 is thinner than that.

It also looks very classy. I liked the design even more than the BX2450, even though it shares some of the same design cues like the transparent bezel which frames the darker bezel on the inside.

I suppose I just like the minimalist look, and the PX2370 is extremely minimalist in design with only the power button visible on the front.

The back of the monitor continues this trend - there are four control buttons, a DVI port, a single HDMI port, a 3.5mm stereo output and, interestingly, an audio optical digital output which acts as a passthrough for digital surround audio that comes from the HDMI.

The equally classy-looking stand is a plastic and metal affair which unfortunately only allows for a slight tilt adjustment and nothing else.

In use

The PX2370 performed very well right out of the box as colours were very accurate and required almost no manual colour calibration.

Thinner: The PX2370 is extremely thin and light, thanks to the LED backlight technology.

The monitor is a TN (twisted nematic) panel, which means good horizontal viewing angles, but only so-so vertical viewing angles.

The screen tends to darken significantly as you view the screen at a higher or lower angle.

To counter this, Samsung has actually included a MagicAngle mode which adjusts the contrast and brightness so that the screen is more viewable from extreme vertical angles.

There are a number of settings for MagicAngle and I have to say it really works.

My monitor is usually placed at eye level when sitting on an office chair, but sometimes, I sit on the sofa which is much lower and a proper MagicAngle setting solved most of the darkening problems at this lower angle.

I also like the MagicLux feature which utilises an ambient light sensor on the monitor to adjust the brightness of the backlight to suit your environment.

The PX2370 has four adjustment buttons on the back which takes some getting used to, since you can't see the labels until you peek round the back.

However, the onscreen display does help by overlaying the menus roughly over the correct button at the back.

It does take some getting used to, but once you do, it's actually quite easy.

Also, one of the selection buttons can actually be customised to quickly launch a specific feature - I selected MagicAngle since I wanted the feature at my fingertips whenever I changed position.

Conclusion

The PX2370 monitor is very nice - I really liked the colour accuracy which is great for home photo editors (though it the TN panel isn't up to professional standards) and movie watchers.

The fast response times means that it works very well for games as well.

Definitely a thumbs up for the price.

Pros: Good colour accuracy; fast response times; classy-looking.

Cons: TN panel means some darkening of the image when viewing from extreme vertical angles.

PX2370
(Samsung)
LED LCD monitor
Display: 23in screen with LED backlight
Resolution: 1080p (1,920 x 1,080-pixels)
Response time: 2ms
Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 (actual)
Ports: HDMI, VGA, 3.5mm stereo audio output, optical output
Dimensions (W x D x H): 55.6 x 43 x 23cm
Weight: 4kg
Price: RM1,099

Samsung PX2370: Review

The Samsung PX2370 monitor has a number of features that makes it great for gamers and movie enthusiasts.

SAMSUNG has been steadily updating its monitors with LED backlighting technology, and the PX2370 represents the high-end for these new models.

What makes the PX2370 different from the B-series model we reviewed a while back is that the PX2370 has a much wider colour gamut which covers 100% of the sRGB standard and boasts some other "Magic" features.

First off, the PX2370 is thin - I said this about the BX2450 which I reviewed before, but the PX2370 is thinner than that.

It also looks very classy. I liked the design even more than the BX2450, even though it shares some of the same design cues like the transparent bezel which frames the darker bezel on the inside.

I suppose I just like the minimalist look, and the PX2370 is extremely minimalist in design with only the power button visible on the front.

The back of the monitor continues this trend - there are four control buttons, a DVI port, a single HDMI port, a 3.5mm stereo output and, interestingly, an audio optical digital output which acts as a passthrough for digital surround audio that comes from the HDMI.

The equally classy-looking stand is a plastic and metal affair which unfortunately only allows for a slight tilt adjustment and nothing else.

In use

The PX2370 performed very well right out of the box as colours were very accurate and required almost no manual colour calibration.

Thinner: The PX2370 is extremely thin and light, thanks to the LED backlight technology.

The monitor is a TN (twisted nematic) panel, which means good horizontal viewing angles, but only so-so vertical viewing angles.

The screen tends to darken significantly as you view the screen at a higher or lower angle.

To counter this, Samsung has actually included a MagicAngle mode which adjusts the contrast and brightness so that the screen is more viewable from extreme vertical angles.

There are a number of settings for MagicAngle and I have to say it really works.

My monitor is usually placed at eye level when sitting on an office chair, but sometimes, I sit on the sofa which is much lower and a proper MagicAngle setting solved most of the darkening problems at this lower angle.

I also like the MagicLux feature which utilises an ambient light sensor on the monitor to adjust the brightness of the backlight to suit your environment.

The PX2370 has four adjustment buttons on the back which takes some getting used to, since you can't see the labels until you peek round the back.

However, the onscreen display does help by overlaying the menus roughly over the correct button at the back.

It does take some getting used to, but once you do, it's actually quite easy.

Also, one of the selection buttons can actually be customised to quickly launch a specific feature - I selected MagicAngle since I wanted the feature at my fingertips whenever I changed position.

Conclusion

The PX2370 monitor is very nice - I really liked the colour accuracy which is great for home photo editors (though it the TN panel isn't up to professional standards) and movie watchers.

The fast response times means that it works very well for games as well.

Definitely a thumbs up for the price.

Pros: Good colour accuracy; fast response times; classy-looking.

Cons: TN panel means some darkening of the image when viewing from extreme vertical angles.

PX2370
(Samsung)
LED LCD monitor
Display: 23in screen with LED backlight
Resolution: 1080p (1,920 x 1,080-pixels)
Response time: 2ms
Contrast ratio: 1,000:1 (actual)
Ports: HDMI, VGA, 3.5mm stereo audio output, optical output
Dimensions (W x D x H): 55.6 x 43 x 23cm
Weight: 4kg
Price: RM1,099

Five new Lumix cameras

LX5

Panasonic has bolstered its Lumix line of digital cameras with five new models, namely the DMC-LX5, FZ40, FZ100, FX700 and FT10.

The LX5 is a premium compact camera that has a 10.1-megapixel censor and a wide-angle 24mm Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens with up to 3.8x zoom.

The LX5 can shoot at an aperture of f/2 to capture more light when in low light environments and also to produce photos with soft-focused backgrounds.

Also, the compact camera has a 3in LED backlit display with a 460,000-dot resolution.

At the heart of the LX5 is its new Venus Engine FHS image processor that speeds up the camera to achieve better noise performance.

Other improvements to the LX5 include a newly incorporated turn-and-push jog dial that allows users to select settings more quickly.

The LX5 also has a hotshoe that is compatible with optional attachments such as an optical view finder and external flash.

Photo enthusiasts can get creative with the manual function mode as well as My Colour and Film mode which will work with both still images and videos.

The LX5 is capable of recording 720p HD video in AVHCD Lite format and Motion JPEG. Users cans also set the shutter speed and aperture manually.

FZ40

If you looking for a superzoom camera, Panasonic's FZ40 and FZ100 should fit the bill. Both cameras feature a 14.1-megapixel sensor and benefit from a long 24x optical zoom range.

Both have a 3in LCD screen but only the FZ100 has a higher resolution screen with a swivel to turn it in almost any direction.

FZ100

Panasonic has also included an Intelligent Auto mode that selects the ideal scene mode and even remembers faces.

For image stabilisation, the FZ40 uses the Mega OIS system while the FZ100 uses the improved Power OIS system.

Both cameras shoot HD movies - the FZ100 records 1080i videos in AVCHD format and the FZ40 records 720p videos in AVCHD lite.

Another unique feature of the FZ100 is its 11fps (frames per second) fast-burst mode with a mechanical shutter.

FX700

Additionally, it has Continuous Auto Focus and Intelligent Burst shooting modes that allow the camera to choose a set of images which has the least motion blur.

Meanwhile, the FX700, is a compact 14.1-megapixel camera that has a 3in touchscreen.

Although tiny, it is capable of recording 1080p HD video in AVCHD format just like its larger hybrid cousins in the FX series.

The FX700 also has shares some of the features of the LX5 such a wide-angle 24mm lens but it has a longer optical zoom of 5x.

New to the FX700 is its handheld Night Shot mode that shoots 10 consecutive shots to create a ­brightly lit photo without the use of a tripod.

Built tough

FT10

For users who like to explore the great outdoors and need a camera that can survive rugged ­environments, the FT10 is up for the challenge.

This 14.1-megapixel camera is built tough and is water resistant up to 10ft, shockproof up to to 5ft and able to withstand freezing temperatures as low as 10°C.

The FT10 also comes with a silicone jacket to protect it from scratches.

The camcorder shoots 720p HD video in Motion JPEG format and has a 2.7in LCD screen.

Unique to the FT10's screen is its high-angle mode that makes the LCD easier to view when the camera is held up high, say, when you need to shoot over a crowd.

The LX5 (RM1,899) is expected to ship by late August while the FZ100 (RM1,999), FZ40 (RM1,699), FX700 (RM1,699) and FT10 (RM999) do not have a confirmed released date yet.

Original Source: www.panasonic.com.my

Five new Lumix cameras

LX5

Panasonic has bolstered its Lumix line of digital cameras with five new models, namely the DMC-LX5, FZ40, FZ100, FX700 and FT10.

The LX5 is a premium compact camera that has a 10.1-megapixel censor and a wide-angle 24mm Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens with up to 3.8x zoom.

The LX5 can shoot at an aperture of f/2 to capture more light when in low light environments and also to produce photos with soft-focused backgrounds.

Also, the compact camera has a 3in LED backlit display with a 460,000-dot resolution.

At the heart of the LX5 is its new Venus Engine FHS image processor that speeds up the camera to achieve better noise performance.

Other improvements to the LX5 include a newly incorporated turn-and-push jog dial that allows users to select settings more quickly.

The LX5 also has a hotshoe that is compatible with optional attachments such as an optical view finder and external flash.

Photo enthusiasts can get creative with the manual function mode as well as My Colour and Film mode which will work with both still images and videos.

The LX5 is capable of recording 720p HD video in AVHCD Lite format and Motion JPEG. Users cans also set the shutter speed and aperture manually.

FZ40

If you looking for a superzoom camera, Panasonic's FZ40 and FZ100 should fit the bill. Both cameras feature a 14.1-megapixel sensor and benefit from a long 24x optical zoom range.

Both have a 3in LCD screen but only the FZ100 has a higher resolution screen with a swivel to turn it in almost any direction.

FZ100

Panasonic has also included an Intelligent Auto mode that selects the ideal scene mode and even remembers faces.

For image stabilisation, the FZ40 uses the Mega OIS system while the FZ100 uses the improved Power OIS system.

Both cameras shoot HD movies - the FZ100 records 1080i videos in AVCHD format and the FZ40 records 720p videos in AVCHD lite.

Another unique feature of the FZ100 is its 11fps (frames per second) fast-burst mode with a mechanical shutter.

FX700

Additionally, it has Continuous Auto Focus and Intelligent Burst shooting modes that allow the camera to choose a set of images which has the least motion blur.

Meanwhile, the FX700, is a compact 14.1-megapixel camera that has a 3in touchscreen.

Although tiny, it is capable of recording 1080p HD video in AVCHD format just like its larger hybrid cousins in the FX series.

The FX700 also has shares some of the features of the LX5 such a wide-angle 24mm lens but it has a longer optical zoom of 5x.

New to the FX700 is its handheld Night Shot mode that shoots 10 consecutive shots to create a ­brightly lit photo without the use of a tripod.

Built tough

FT10

For users who like to explore the great outdoors and need a camera that can survive rugged ­environments, the FT10 is up for the challenge.

This 14.1-megapixel camera is built tough and is water resistant up to 10ft, shockproof up to to 5ft and able to withstand freezing temperatures as low as 10°C.

The FT10 also comes with a silicone jacket to protect it from scratches.

The camcorder shoots 720p HD video in Motion JPEG format and has a 2.7in LCD screen.

Unique to the FT10's screen is its high-angle mode that makes the LCD easier to view when the camera is held up high, say, when you need to shoot over a crowd.

The LX5 (RM1,899) is expected to ship by late August while the FZ100 (RM1,999), FZ40 (RM1,699), FX700 (RM1,699) and FT10 (RM999) do not have a confirmed released date yet.

Original Source: www.panasonic.com.my

Five new Lumix cameras

LX5

Panasonic has bolstered its Lumix line of digital cameras with five new models, namely the DMC-LX5, FZ40, FZ100, FX700 and FT10.

The LX5 is a premium compact camera that has a 10.1-megapixel censor and a wide-angle 24mm Leica DC Vario-Summicron lens with up to 3.8x zoom.

The LX5 can shoot at an aperture of f/2 to capture more light when in low light environments and also to produce photos with soft-focused backgrounds.

Also, the compact camera has a 3in LED backlit display with a 460,000-dot resolution.

At the heart of the LX5 is its new Venus Engine FHS image processor that speeds up the camera to achieve better noise performance.

Other improvements to the LX5 include a newly incorporated turn-and-push jog dial that allows users to select settings more quickly.

The LX5 also has a hotshoe that is compatible with optional attachments such as an optical view finder and external flash.

Photo enthusiasts can get creative with the manual function mode as well as My Colour and Film mode which will work with both still images and videos.

The LX5 is capable of recording 720p HD video in AVHCD Lite format and Motion JPEG. Users cans also set the shutter speed and aperture manually.

FZ40

If you looking for a superzoom camera, Panasonic's FZ40 and FZ100 should fit the bill. Both cameras feature a 14.1-megapixel sensor and benefit from a long 24x optical zoom range.

Both have a 3in LCD screen but only the FZ100 has a higher resolution screen with a swivel to turn it in almost any direction.

FZ100

Panasonic has also included an Intelligent Auto mode that selects the ideal scene mode and even remembers faces.

For image stabilisation, the FZ40 uses the Mega OIS system while the FZ100 uses the improved Power OIS system.

Both cameras shoot HD movies - the FZ100 records 1080i videos in AVCHD format and the FZ40 records 720p videos in AVCHD lite.

Another unique feature of the FZ100 is its 11fps (frames per second) fast-burst mode with a mechanical shutter.

FX700

Additionally, it has Continuous Auto Focus and Intelligent Burst shooting modes that allow the camera to choose a set of images which has the least motion blur.

Meanwhile, the FX700, is a compact 14.1-megapixel camera that has a 3in touchscreen.

Although tiny, it is capable of recording 1080p HD video in AVCHD format just like its larger hybrid cousins in the FX series.

The FX700 also has shares some of the features of the LX5 such a wide-angle 24mm lens but it has a longer optical zoom of 5x.

New to the FX700 is its handheld Night Shot mode that shoots 10 consecutive shots to create a ­brightly lit photo without the use of a tripod.

Built tough

FT10

For users who like to explore the great outdoors and need a camera that can survive rugged ­environments, the FT10 is up for the challenge.

This 14.1-megapixel camera is built tough and is water resistant up to 10ft, shockproof up to to 5ft and able to withstand freezing temperatures as low as 10°C.

The FT10 also comes with a silicone jacket to protect it from scratches.

The camcorder shoots 720p HD video in Motion JPEG format and has a 2.7in LCD screen.

Unique to the FT10's screen is its high-angle mode that makes the LCD easier to view when the camera is held up high, say, when you need to shoot over a crowd.

The LX5 (RM1,899) is expected to ship by late August while the FZ100 (RM1,999), FZ40 (RM1,699), FX700 (RM1,699) and FT10 (RM999) do not have a confirmed released date yet.

Original Source: www.panasonic.com.my

Panasonic 3D camcorder

HDC-SDT750

Panasonic has unveiled the world's first consumer 3D camcorder, the HDC-SDT750, at a press event in Japan.

The camcorder, when attached with a special 3D conversion lens, is capable of shooting amazing true-to-life 3D videos.

The 3D attachment uses two lenses to capture two images simultaneously - just like the human eyes - to form a 3D video.

The HDC-SDT750 records video in full 1080p resolution in AVCHD format with 5.1-channel audio.

The camcorder is also capable of taking still pictures and features Intelligent Auto mode, face detection and Hybrid OIS shake reduction system.

For editing the 3D videos, the camcorder comes with HD Writer AE 2.6T application which allows users to splice together videos and save them on a PC or burn them onto a Blu-ray or DVD disc.

Users can watch their 3D movies on a 3D capable TV such as the Panasonic Viera Full HD 3D TVs by hooking up the camcorder via a HDMI cable.

The camcorder uses a 3MOS system with improved noise reduction and manual ring for full control of the camcorder's zoom, focus and shutter speed.

It also has a large 3in touchscreen for easily accessing the camcorder's functions.

Panasonic expects to launch the HDC-SDT750 by the end of September.

The HDC-SDT750 camcorder with the 3D conversion lens is expected to retail for RM5,499.

HDC-SDX1

Compact camcorders

Panasonic also unveiled its new pocket-sized video camcorder, the HM-TA1 and HDC-SDX1.

The HM-TA1 records in HD video in full 1080p resolution and captures 8-megapixel still images.

Also, the HM-TA1 has built-in image stabilisation and a small LED flash for illuminating subjects.

The compact camcoder has an integrated USB port for transferring videos to a PC. It can also upload videos to Youtube and

Facebook directly with just a touch of a button.

Another cool feature is that the HM-TA1 can double up as a webcam for Skype calls when hooked up to a computer.

The camcorder supports higher capacity memory cards, namely SDHC and SDXC. Meanwhile, the HDC-SDX1 has 2.7in LCD touchscreen and a 35.8mm wide-angle lens with 23x optical zoom.

It records HD videos in 1080i resolution and captures 3-megapixel still images. Like the HM-TA1 it can function as a webcam for chatting on Skype.

The compact camcorder records in a variety of different formats that include AVCHD, MP4 and iFrame (for use with Apple iMovie video editing software).

The HM-TA1 (RM599) will be released in September and the HDC-SDX1 (RM1,699) by the end of August.