 Panasonic HDC-SD1PP |
| Review Date: February 28, 2007 |
| Reviewer: John Woods, San Diego, CA, United States |
This camera delivers great picture quality and is very easy to use.
If you are looking forward to editing and publishing your videos taken with this camera please note, at the time of North American release, software packages that can handle AVCHD digital format encoded using MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (m2ts) are only starting to show up.
The software included with this camera, Leadtools HD Writer Ver 1.0E for SD1, is capable of only basic operations such as scene preview, split, merge, and delete. Using this software you can backup your videos on a DVD-R disk, but you won't be able to play it back, unless you have one of the new Blu-ray disk players.
The software situation will improve with time, and there will be more high definition video options in the future.
To hookup this camera to a high definition display you can use provided component cables or the HDMI output (HDMI cable is not included). Standard audio, video output is also available for older TV sets (cable included).
The computer interface is USB (cable supplied); it works only when the camera is hooked up to the AC/DC adapter (included). By the way, the battery will not charge inside the camera; charge it on the adapter disconnected from the camera.
Videos and pictures are stored on an SDHC card (some SD cards can also be used, but SDHC class 2 or better are recommended). A 4 GB SDHC card (one included) is good for about 40 minutes of recording in the highest quality HF setting; this is also about as much as the stock VW-VBG130 battery can handle. For more power on the go an optional VW-VH04 battery pack holder can be used. You can use additional SDHC cards, or dump data to a laptop computer via USB cable, or use optional VW-PT2 or similar SDHC media storage device.
The battery is loaded from the bottom. When using the camera on a tripod, load the battery first.
In addition to videos, this camera can also take still pictures. The quality of still pictures is so-so with some digital artifacts showing up; but it is fine for occasional snapshots. On the positive side, the still picture trigger on this camcorder functions like on real picture cameras: you can pre-focus depressing the trigger half way.
Thanks to the powerful 3CCD sensor architecture and optical image stabilization the videos this camera takes are very good, even in sub-optimal light conditions. There is an automatic mode, and a manual mode for more advanced control. One of the features I especially like is the Grid that can be displayed for better shoot composition.
HDC-SD1 is one of the first consumer high-definition cameras from Panasonic, it's a great start and sure to please customers looking so save the moving pictures of unforgettable moments in life.
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Excellent Camcorder
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| Review Date: February 28, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Clickwired, |
This is an excellent piece of camcorder. I was blown away by the Video Quality of it. Here are some of the Pros and Cons
Pros
1. Excellent Video Quality and Auto White balance - I can see the exact color in my video in good light. Low light performance is also not bad.
2. 3 CCD chip - Excellent colors and saturation, I compared my old Sony HC40 and Panasonic SD1 side by side shooting the same scene at the same time in Auto mode mounted on Tripods and Panasonic has great colors & Sharpness
3. Leica Optics - Optics are much better on this one
4. Manual Options - Can set White balance, Iris, Shutter Speed to get more manual control, has separate option for backlit subjects.
5. High Definition - I don't have a high definition TV, but video looks sharp on my computer and TV. I am completely satisfied with it.
6. Size - Perfectly sleek and light
7. Comes with separate charger and remote control
Cons
1. No iLink inside the Camcorder
2. No View Finder
3. Video Outputs (except HDMI & USB) are not available outside without lifting/bringing the LCD Screen out. LCD screen can break if camera accedentaly falls and i want my LCD panel to be closed when I am watching the video
4. Comes with filter thread, but the filter hood should be purchased separately
5. HDMI cable is not presented
6. Only 40 Mins video at highest quality on 4GB SDHC Card.
7. I was not able to copy using media copiers to backup and download this card which i can use to backup my digital images while I am on the field.
8. Joystick on the camera can be better, You have to get used to it.
9. Less/Complex Editing options as this is AVCHD
Every camera has a drawback and is not 100% perfect. I consider Panasonic a very good buy for people looking for 3-CCD, and a little manual control. |
Completely satisfied - excellent product
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| Review Date: July 2, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Buzz Lightyear, Starfleet Command |
I have the HDC-SD3 model of this camcorder (which as of 6/30/07 is available only in Japan). The SD3 is physically and functionally identical to the SD1 except that the highest bitrate recording mode on the SD3 does full 1920x1080i (the SD1's three recording modes all top out at 1440x1080i).
As someone who works in computer graphics, I am particularly concerned about image quality and was a little wary that this camera's top bitrate of 13 Mbps would still be too low to achieve acceptable results using the AVCHD H.264 codec. I was pleasantly surprised- the quality is surprisingly good! There are no obvious motion artifacts. The captured color is vibrant and accurate, especially in good lighting. (Low light performance is decent too.) I was very impressed at how nice the image looked connected to good 1080i and 1080p displays over component and HDMI. The image is a tiny bit more contrasty than I would have dialed in, but other than that, no complaints. The average tech-savvy family shooter buying this camera will be perfectly happy with the picture.
I'm particularly impressed with the excellent optical image stabilization, build quality and autofocus performance (which is important since there is no focus ring and only an awkward joystick-based means of focusing manually, should you ever need to do it). Like all consumer HD cameras, the flip-out LCD doesn't have enough resolution for fine manual focusing, and I plan to use the camera mostly for casual family use anyway. Although not specifically documented as such in most product listings, the zoom control on the SD1 is variable speed. It is very responsive. You can do subtle, slow zooms quite easily despite the lever's small size.
A few downsides: the running time is limited on the ONE size of battery this camera supports - the camera can shoot for a little over an hour on a charge, less than the 83 minutes (at best quality) I can get on an 8GB SDHC card and well short of the shooting times at the lower bitrates. The SD1 also lacks a progressive shooting mode and a choice of framerates... 1080i is it (look into the HV20 if you must have a 24p mode). The audio quality is pretty good but not extraordinary (possibly due to the microphones being placed on TOP of the camera instead of in front... the 5 channel Dolby Digital it records is sort of cool (more of a gimmick, I think) but does make the footage more complicated to edit. I would have preferred a PCM 48 KHz/16-bit stereo mode. There is no accessory shoe on top. And finally, the editing solutions for the AVCHD clips this camera records are only now beginning to emerge (though with Nero, Ulead, Pinnacle and Final Cut Pro already supporting it, the situation is only bound to get better).
If you're looking at this camera, you may be debating between it and the Canon HV20. I'd urge you to go with the SD1. The image quality from both cameras is very similar, but with the SD1, you'll never lose a shot due to tape dropouts and you won't have to spend hours capturing footage in over Firewire (the SD1 appears to your computer as any other flash drive... just copy the files off, one per clip). The build quality and handling are slightly better than the HV20's, and the optical image stabilization is the same or perhaps slightly better too. I agree with those who believe MiniDV tape will be dead in a few years, as recording to flash memory offers numerous speed and reliability advantages, and we are hitting that crossover point where you no longer have to give up any quality to go with a flash-based product.
If you're debating between the SD1 and one of Sony's AVCHD cameras, be sure to compare picture quality and color accuracy before going with the Sony... Sony's cameras rated well behind Panasonic and Canon products in consumer HD camcorder shootouts. |
WOW results on 50" HD plasma
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| Review Date: July 13, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Chi D. Nguyen, San Jose, CA |
I bought this camcorder for a recent trip to Italy with the following reservation:
1) Price continues to drop.
2) No editing sw available yet.
3) Storing SDHD while traveling, and eventually archiving onto DVD.
4) Quality of still picture.
5) Its size, it's compact but not that compact.
I bought along 2 more 4GB SDHC and a 100 GB Woverine storage. After 2 weeks trip, here are my fbacks:
a) PQ relating to capacity: The "middle" shooting mode PQ is stunning when view on 50" HD plasma. The "lower or extended" mode show pixels occasionally. Due to the capacity constraint, I've learned to compartmentalize the content in shorter chunks. This is a change of mindset for me...
b) The pluses: size could fit into my pants' pocket so I dont stand out as tourist; I also use the SD1 for still pictures and ended up didnt use my digital SLR at all; The stills printed-out OK but not-HD quality when viewed; the built-in lens cap and the recess lens work great in dusty and or rain situations; operating firmware is intuitive; 2 lux is amazing for indoor and low light situations eg. inside the Panthenon without flash;
c) The minuses: Screen panel has to be in opened position when access component out/power outlets during playback; There is no MUTE while playback thus trying to review discretedly in quite areas is not possible eg. on a plane; There is no INSERT function to compartmentalize unwanted sections for deletion; There is delay in PAUSE thus the fadeout has few more seconds than needed/wanted;
Overall, this toy is probably one of the most-fun toys I've purchased. Eventhough there were reservation, I'm now satisfy, the PQ is so great that it overides all other insufficiencies. I re-live my experiences in Roma, Florenze, Milano, Venezia, Pisa, Zurich... and smile everytime I watch those moments in HD.
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Panasonic HDC-SD1 on vacation - great!
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| Review Date: June 21, 2007 |
| Reviewer: Frank Hermes, San Diego, CA USA |
I recently took a brand new (only shot a couple of minutes before I left) HDC-SD1 on a three week vacation to Europe. I was obviously a little concerned since it seemed to be bleeding-edge technology and support for editing is thin right now.
The camera worked great overall. It was slow (maybe 5 seconds) to respond to my sometimes quick "record off" to "record on" commands, so I had to wait a bit at times to start recording again.
At one point, the motorized lens cover would not close or open as required unless I whapped the front of the camera with the heal of my hand; I suspect this was a result of some foreign object getting stuck in the mechanism after being in my pocket during pauses in my shooting (I began to place the SD1 with the lens end facing "up" in my pocket rather than "down"). I blew out the lens area and it seemed to be fine, but this is one area I would be careful of - it seems to be pretty delicate, but worth the extra care as it is a very nice feature over a separate lens cap.
As is obvious from my comment above, it is small enough to ride around in your pants pocket. The fit in your hand should be good, though I am big-handed and therefore had to get it positioned just right in order to comfortably operate it in a one-handed mode (with the strap the only thing securing it to me); strapping it on was achievable, but took a few seconds to get just right - smaller hands should be no problem.
I shot 30-50 minutes a day (using one to two SDHC chips) and never fully discharged my primary battery, though I always had a backup (which I had to procure from some outfit in Asia via eBay - couldn't find one in the US) in reserve - my guess is that the stock battery is good for 60-70 minutes based upon my style of shooting which was to generally turn it off whenever I was done shooting a scene (though the auto-off feature worked fine).
I took five 4GB chips with me (but could have just used two) and downloaded my day's work onto a 120GB HyperDrive (an external harddrive with a built in card reader capable of reading the SDHC chips - it worked great by the way with my only complaint being the visibility of the display). I prayed that the drive would survive all the jostling it got while being dragged around Europe for three weeks. When I got home, I simply attached the HyperDrive to my computer's USB port and tranferred the files.
I got Pinnacle Studio 11 Beta downloaded onto my computer at home and was able to simply read the .mts files that I had transferred from the Hyperdrive. The files loaded just fine so I did not have to "capture" off the camcorder itself (which was nice since I would have had to transfer the files back off the HyperDrive and onto an SDHC chip first) - ah, this great digital file age!
I still have issues with Pinnacle Studio crashing and being inconsistent in its operation - no different than my pre-AVCHD days, so I do not think the AVCHD files are the culprit any more than my older mini-DV tape files were. I think Studio is just prone to glitches - but it's features and interface are really nice if you have some patience. I was going to use this trip to learn Vegas, but so far, Sony has decided not to recognize the AVCHD .mts files produced by the Panasonic SD1. Rumor has it that it's coming soon. Rumor also has it that it's delayed because the Panasonic files look so much better than the equivalent Sony files, but I cannot confirm that.
Bottomline - it's a great camera with great video and the quick, two-button-push ability to put it into "backlight" mode is awesome. It's not its fault that the software support is a bit behind at the moment. No-moving-video-drive-parts for camcorders has got to be the future of course - with the SD1, the future is now! |
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