Panasonic SDR-H60 ia s new standard definition handy camcorder released just in time for Christmas.
Introduction:
Panasonic SDR-H60 is one of few recently released camcorders that still offer standard definition. With all the hype about HD televisions, projectors, camcorders and even digital cameras which constantly have their resolution increased it is nice to see a standard definition device from time to time. Well, I just think that not everybody needs to have the latest technology and especially amateurs and novices who do not necessarily see any difference in image quality. And for such people the new Panasonic SDR-H60 should be just right to start with.
Panasonic SDR-H60 pros:
+ 50x optical zoom
+ Built-n 60GB harddrive
+ Good value for the money
+ SD/SDHC memory cards slot
+ Up to 54 hours of recording time on 60GB drive
+ Good Optical Image Stabilization
+ Good quality 2.7-inch LCD display
Panasonic SDR-H60 cons:
- Old-fashioned design
- Too much noise, even in quite good light
- Poor still image performance
The design:
The Panasonic SDR-H60 measures 67 x 70 x 116mm (2.68 x 2.8 x 4.64 inches) and weighs 340g (12 ounces) Panasonic SDR-H60’s the right side of the camcorder is without unnecessary or special features or decorations, whereas on the left you will find the 2.7-inch display with 123,000 resolution. Although it may seem that the display resolution is a bit mediocre in fact the display does a good job in most lighting conditions. On the front of the Panasonic SDR-H60 is, of course, the lens and the stereo microphone. At the back of the camcorder is home to almost all the interface. Here you can find he mode dial, the joystick and the Menu button as well. At the top here is only the well placed and quite comfortable zoom toggle.
Performance:
The Panasonic SDR-H60 is actually quite a good performer which might be surprising looking at its specs and/or price range. The camcorder produces good color with vivid tones and accurate saturation. One of the biggest image quality flaws, however, is the noise. Sometimes the image might also get too warm. The detail level is also decent and you cannot really expect anything more from a low-end camcorder like that. Of course, the image quality that you will achieve with the Panasonic SDR-H60 cannot compare with camcorders such as Panasonic HDC-HS100, or Canon Vixia HF11 but that is not the point of this camcorder. Panasonic SDR-H60 is supposed to be a decent entry level camcorder and it sure is.
The Optical Image Stabilization system in Panasonic SDR-H60 worked really well, and even better than on some other camcorders, like Samsung SC-HMX20 for example. The Panasonic SDR-H60 has three different image quality settings: XP (10Mbps), SP (5Mbps), and LP (2.5Mbps). The camcorder has very good zoom – 50x. It is probably the most powerful zoom in not only this price range, but also among the more expensive high definition camcorders. There is also digital zoom up to 2500x but I guess nobody would use that as the optical zoom should be enough and the digital zoom decreases the image quality.
The camcorder has rather poor still image performance and it can take photos only in up to 640 x 480 so I guess your mobile phone is better than that.
Menus / ease of use:
The menu structure in Panasonic SDR-H60 might seem somewhat complex, but after a few hours of using the camcorder everything seems in order. Although the icons found in menus are awkward when you get to know what they represent it is really handy. So, all in all, thanks to its low price and good performance in most lighting conditions the Panasonic SDR-H60 is a good choice for camcorder newbies and amateurs who would like to get some practice before moving on to more advanced camcorders.
Selected Panasonic SDR-H60 features and specifications:
Records Onto
SD/SDHC Memory Card, Hard Disk Drive
Recording Format
MPEG2 (Motion Image)
LENS
Image Sensor (Total)
1/6″ CCD (800K pixels)
Image Sensor (Effective)
4:3 — 290K, 16:9 — 380K (Motion Image/Still Picture)
F Value
F2.0 (Wide) / F5.0 (Tele)
Optical Zoom
50x Variable Speed Zoom
Focal Length
1.8 – 90 mm
35mm Film Camera Equivalent
40.9-2046 mm [4:3], 33.4-1670 mm [16:9][Motion Image], 40.7-2036 mm [4:3]/33.2-1658 mm [16:9][Still Picture]
CAMERA
3CCD Camera System
No
Image Stabilizer
Yes (Advanced O.I.S.)
Still Picture Recording
VGA
Minimum Illumination
2 Lux (Magic Pix®)
Focus
AF/Manual
White Balance
Auto/Indoor/Outdoor/White Set (with IR Sensor)
High Speed Shutter
1/30-1/8000 (Motion Image)
1/30-1/500 (Still Picture)
Iris
Auto/Manual
Backlight Compensation
Yes
LCD Monitor
2.7″ Wide (123,200 Dots)
Power LCD
Yes(Plus)
Pure Colour Engine
Yes
Soft-Skin Mode
Yes
Easy-to-Use Mode Dial
Yes
MagicPix Images
Yes
Microphone
Stereo Zoom Mic
Wind Noise Reduction
Date Recording
Auto Date (in Date Code)
Fade In/Out
Yes
On-Screen Display Language
English / Canadian French / Spanish
Digital Zoom
50x-2500x
Quick Start
2.1 seconds
RECORDING & PLAYBACK
Video Recording Format
MPEG2 (Moving Picture)
Recording Mode
XP (10 Mbps/VBR), SP (5 Mbps/VBR), LP (2.5Mbps/VBR)
Playback Mode
XP (10Mbps/VBR), SP (5Mbps/VBR), LP (2.5Mbps/VBR)
Audio Recording Format
Dolby Digital (Dolby AC3)/MPEG1-Layer2
Recording Time
HDD: 60GB: XP(14h)/SP(27h)/LP(54h), SDHC: 16GB: (up to 13h 20mins in LP)
Still Picture
JPEG Picture Size:
0.3 MEGA: 640 x 480 (4:3)
0.2 MEGA: 640 x 360 (16:9)
Counter
Yes
Wind Noise Reduction
Yes
Remaining Indication
Yes
Pre-Rec Function
Yes
One-Touch Navigation
Yes
Help Mode
Yes
Disc Copy Function
Yes (when using a DVD Burner (VW-BN1), data from SD Memory Card can be copied to a 12-cm DVD Disc)
USB Host Function
Yes
SD CARD FEATURES
Built-in SD Slot
Yes (SD/SDHC)
DPOF
Max. 999 stills
PictBridge Compatible
Yes
JACKS
S-Video Out
No
USB
Hi-Speed USB (USB 2.0)(mini AB)
Analogue In/Out
Out only
Accessory Shoe
No
AV
Out
GENERAL
Power Supply
DC 7.2/9.3 V
Power Consumption
4.0W
Other recently reviewed camcorders:
Sony HDR-CX12, Canon Vixia HF11, Samsung SC-HMX20, Panasonic HDC-HS100, Sony DCR-DVD910, Canon DC330.