There’s very little to recommend this basic camcorder from Samsung beyond the justifiably low price. Even a 37x optical zoom can’t salvage the VP-D381 from a Don’t Buy badge of dishonour.
At 420g it’s bulky for a standard-definition camcorder, and having to accommodate a Mini-DV tape recorder only makes it more awkward to handle.
The VP-D381’s problems run far deeper than the clunky exterior. Recorded image quality is poor even in bright daylight. Contrasting is a real issue, with scenes appearing far too dark and clumsily shaded, and colour reproduction is no better.
It really struggles in low light. A general greyness tinges grainy images and the autofocus has a torrid time in such dim lighting, particularly when zooming and panning.
The recorded sound quality is no better, and bass notes in particular get lost along the way. Worse still, the whirring of the Mini-DV tape as it records is clearly audible as you play back recordings. There is no option for attaching an exterior microphone so you are stuck with the limited capabilities of the VP-D381’s internal mic.
With confusing and often unhelpful operating instructions, not to mention a lazy start-up time, the VP-D381 truly warrants its Don’t Buy status, and we would advise you to steer clear of this model.
Pros: Very cheap, decent battery life
Cons: Picture and sound quality are poor, slow to start-up