Electronics : Panasonic HDC-SD9EB-S HD Camcorder

Rating: - We use this as a HD mini cam in a TV show
This camera is small and compact, we have been using it as a mini cam to make a tv show on SKY channel 413, "The Fast Lane"
Its very user friendly, zoom is super smooth.
Picture quality is razor sharp in good lighting, darker lighting it doesnt cope with as well and picture becomes a little fuzzy like most cameras.
Recording to SDHC saves hours of digitizing for the editor, you can delete shots you dont want.
The remote control works very well.
Build quality is rock solid.
5.1 microphone produces reasonable sound, the only thing thats stops this camera getting the full 5/5 is the fact there is no mic input on it.
Still photos are very sharp and clear.
What got me the moment it came out of the box was the weight, its so light
i will be testing it out in a waterproof case soon as a minicam filming kitesurfing as its light enough to mount in the kite !!!
Its one of the best quality camera's your going to get for this kind of money.
16GB memory stick will get you 2hrs 8 mins on maximum quality on 1920x1080 25p HA
All in all a fantastic camera and i for one will probably have a few more of these excellent cameras.

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Rating: - Spoilt by wind interference
Bought this camcorder a few days ago so not had much chance to try it out as yet. But agree having to remove the battery to attach mains supply to connect to a PC is a nuisance. Surely users can be left to decide for themselves whether the battery has enough charge left to carry out the required operation?
The major annoyance I have found is that even with the windcut switched on the microphones turn even the slightest hint of a breeze into a howling gale on the soundtrack. My first digital camcorder about 10 years ago was a Panasonic and had the same problem which I put down to digital camcorder technology then being new. Nothing seems to have improved with Panasonic models which is a particular nuisance with this model as there is no accessory shoe or socket to connect an external mic.

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Rating: - Panasonic HDC-SD9
Having purchased a Sony High Def tv it seemed logical to upgrade my Canon MV400 digital video camcorder to a HD one. After a lot of Internet searches and reading reviews I settled on the SD9. It was a good decision, it's first use was recording a school trip to Rome and Sorrento and the results were exceptional. The clarity of the video taken of the ruins of Rome, Pompey and Herculanum are amazing and the colour and detail reproduction of the frescos in the Vatican seem spot on.
I agree with comments made about graining in low light conditions but against this, the camcorder was able to pick up details in the wall frescos inside the ruins I could not see with my eyes.
I have found the menus quite comprehensive enabling personal settings and the joystick not too fiddley. I like the use of SD cards, a 16GB easily lasted six days but I was disappointed in the very high cost if you need to buy a spare VW-VBG6 high capacity battery.
I suppose my only concern, from what other reviewers have said, is editing the results. Not having ever done it before I am not sure what software to use on my PC.
Overall a very good buy, at a good price and I can thoroughly recommend it for outstanding pictures

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Rating: - Great camera - stupid design flaws
Been using this for a couple of months now and am impressed with its pictures

Its so good it seems a little cynical to have not included a mic socket - probably not to harm sales of their pro cameras.

Obviously - You should be aware that you will need mega free memory for HD footage converted from AVCHD files - having a gig per minute is about right. But external hard drives are cheap and raw avchd is small enough to burn to disc

But there are design features that really annoy:

* The controls are fiddly and the menus not very intuitive.
* The directional nipple seems obtusely designed to be uncomfortable and is sited right next to the bump stop for the screen which makes it confusing to work the controls without looking directly at them.

Minor irritations i will admit.

But the big stupid comes with getting the movies off the camera:
*You can't take movies off the camera on battery power

This means plugging in the mains lead.

But this is obscurely hidden so you have to actually unplug the battery to stick in the oversized power cable!

Ok, you think, at least i can recharge the battery while i am removing my clips - but no. Plug in the lead to the transformer/charger and the battery won't charge. Its one or the other.

When is this a problem? When are you ever away from a power point.
Well - if you are using a laptop on the move and want to check your footage for example.

So you have to buy a usb-sd reader that will cope with BIG file sizes.

So - not reasons to choose another camera (good luck at this price), but - especially If you are used to mac levels of design, you may find the experience a little flawed by stupid little things.

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Rating: - panasonic HDC-SD9EB-S HD
I had been reading camcorder reviews for weeks before buying this camcorder from Amazon. I initially didn't think HD was the way to go because of budget contraints, but at £400 there were no other cacorders in the same league as this one. The picture clarity is fantastic not only in the view finder, but on my HP 1080p Panasonic TV as well. I use the Viera link which Panasonic offers on most of its media products and it works well. Editing the move clips was a breeze using Sony Vegas Pro 8.0c (must be "c" for Panasonic AVCHD support). The free trial software you get with the camera is not worth the time. I don't use the software that comes with it to copy the files to other media either.

Fantastic camcorder at a fantastic price. Very small form factor and fits into the palm of your hand very neatly indeed.