The Samsung SC-D6040 DuoCam uses two separate lenses and CCDs for video and still images. While it's bulky and can be a bit awkward to use, it shoots good video. And its still images are the best of any camcorder we've seen, earning it an honorable mention.

On our tests, the SC-D6040 received average scores for color and sharpness, and its clips were largely artifact-free. We noted minor but acceptable auto-focus lag during our action sequence, and audio was satisfactory. Low-light test results ranked the SC-D6040 near the bottom of the group, as the image was too dark and extremely grainy. Note that although the SC-D6040 doesn't have a headlight or accessory shoe, it does offer a nightshooting mode and a mic port.

We are impressed with the SC-D6040's still-image capabilities; with its dedicated 4.13-MP CCD, it stands up against the average 4-MP still camera. The one downside is that the still-image lens is only a 3X zoom, whereas all the other cameras can use the full range of their video zoom (10X or greater in all cases) for stills. Images averaged a decent 1,025 lines of resolution and a good 2.8 percent transition pixel ratio, results that beat all the competition. Our simulated-daylight shot was sharp with excellent exposure and impressive colors. The flash shot (using the built-in pop-up flash) had very strong and balanced illumination.—GM