The Bottom Line
- Easy and fun to use
- Good sound quality
- Crisp picture and simple recording and zoom controls
- Compact size can go anywhere
- ImageMixer software footage transfers into a more advanced program well
- Still-image quality lacking
- Low-light functionality limited
Description
- 32x optical/1000x digital zoom
- 2.7" widescreen LCD monitor with one-touch navigation
- 0.3-megapixel digital still images
- Stores on a built-in 30GB hard drive or on Secure Digital/Secure Digital High Capacity (not included)
- Includes Panasonic's ImageMixer software to edit, watch, and organize media
- Weighs just 15.5 oz.
- Video resolution 1/6" CCD image sensor; 680K pixels
Guide Review - Panasonic SDR-H18 hard drive camcorder
It's fun, functional, and fast to get turned on and recording when the news strikes. I've fit this little sucker into handbags where you wouldn't think a camcorder would be able to go. For the sneaky reporter, the absence of a red light to indicate recording on the lens end means people won't know if you're watching video playback or recording. A simple thumb dial makes it simple to shift between video recording, video viewing, still-photo recording, and still-photo viewing. The menu screen is easily navigated and sharp, and it's fun to tab through clips, view those desired, and even easily delete those not desired.
This camera's lithium-ion battery lasts a long time, but charges quickly when you do run out of juice. Automatic shut-off after a short period of idleness saves that battery, too. As far as the power of the product itself, the zoom is smooth and effective, the audio is sometimes too receptive (don't breathe too hard while filming, lest that be picked up on your audio) and the sound is sharp, and the picture is especially good for the price. Bloggers and other newsies will be able to produce good online footage.
The ImageMixer software included with the camcorder is a good primer to teach a video-editing newbie the basics of cutting footage and adding transitions. Any work done and saved in this program can be opened in Adobe Premiere Elements for more advanced work.
