Does the Samsung Instinct HD really shoot HD video?

The Samsung Instinct HD.
[PHOTO courtesy of Samsung]

The Samsung Instinct HD, available from Sprint for $250 with a two-year contract after a $100 mail-in rebate, is the first cell phone we've seen that claims to make high-definition video recordings. It also boasts a 5-megapixel still camera with flash. That camera is a step up from the flashless, 2-megapixel camera found on previous Instincts, also from Sprint, including the S30 version now in our Ratings, available to subscribers.

We’re evaluating the Instinct HD now, and will post full test results on it to our Ratings later this month. Meantime, our initial results on its imaging are promising, albeit with a few quibbles.

The new Instinct’s camera is easy to access, thanks to a dedicated camera button, conveniently located on the lower right side of the phone. Pushing the button activates the camera’s still mode. Tapping a camera icon on the upper left of the largish (1.78 x 2.66 in.) display switches the camera to video mode. Tapping again summons controls for auto-focus, exposure, and other camera functions.

The Instinct HD claims it can record video resolution of 1280 x 720p, which is a true HD format—although, as we often point out, HD format alone does not assure images of pristine, high-definition quality. To assess quality, we shot a series of videos on the Instinct and hooked it up to a 50-inch Panasonic plasma television using the optional ($30) HDMI cable.

Our findings: Color was good in the MPEG4 videos, though they lacked fine detail and texture. They blurred even more when we panned the camera to the left or right. In short, they couldn’t rival the image quality you’d enjoy from full-sized HD camcorders in our Ratings, available to subscribers.

But such camcorders are much bigger and pricier than the Instinct HD, and do nothing except shoot video and stills. The high-def video quality of the Instinct was comparable to what you’d get from a standard-definition pocket camcorder, such as the Flip. And that's still way ahead of the video we've seen any other camera phone.

A few details and quibbles: The HDMI cable has a proprietary connector that works only with the Samsung HD, so you may have trouble finding a replacement if it's lost while you're on vacation. You can't use the cable for showing stills on your TV. If your TV has an SD memory-card slot, you can play photos and videos off of the phone's 4GB microSD memory card (the phone comes with an SD memory card adaptor). Unfortunately, accessing the card is a pain. You have to open the phone's back cover and remove the battery, which shuts off the phone.

And the still-image performance of the Instinct? Pictures were sharp and well-defined, with good color overall on the TV screen, though shots taken in low light still looked dark—even with the flash. Camera controls were fairly responsive for a phone, with an acceptable next-shot delay. Our photo engineers are currently giving the Instinct HD's camera a full workout, the results of which we'll post soon, along with those tests of its phone performance. —Mike Gikas.