Like most modern camcorders, you can record both 4:3 and 16:9 wide-screen video with the D327. Shooting in standard 4:3 looks fine in both the LCD and the viewfinder; the viewfinder is 4:3, so it automatically fits, and the LCD letterboxes the image to keep proportions accurate. Unfortunately, 16:9 wide-screen display doesn't work as well. The viewfinder squishes wide-screen video to fit, so any video you watch through it looks uncomfortably narrow. This doesn't affect the resulting video, but it still looks awkward while you're shooting.
Even for a budget camcorder, the D372 produces some ugly video. Indoors, under both incandescent and fluorescent lighting, grain and noise consumes the picture and produces a fuzzy mess. Outdoors, under any amount of sunlight, highlights blow out, colors fade, and fine details simply disappear. Regardless of lighting, white and near-white objects display a fuzzy, colored fringe whenever they're in the frame.
You can't expect too much from a budget camcorder, but even with lax expectations, the Samsung D372 falls short. Between its disappointing video quality and its awkward control scheme, the D372 simply doesn't work very well. If you're looking for a decent budget camcorder, consider instead the Canon ZR850, a miniDV camcorder that outshines the D372 in every way.
What You'll Pay
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