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Panasonic's entry and mainstream HD camcorders

With the exception of a couple models, for the most part Panasonic's entry-level and midrange HD camcorder models for 2011 look underwhelming, thanks to sensors with insufficient resolution for HD capture.

Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice
I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.
Expertise Photography, PCs and laptops, gaming and gaming accessories
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Lori Grunin
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Panasonic's mainstream HD camcorders (photos)

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Originally published January 5, 2011; updated February 1, 2011: Pricing added to chart. Scroll to the bottom for additional comment.

LAS VEGAS--In 2011, Panasonic is expanding the number of models in its entry-level and mainstream HD camcorder lines; sadly, most of them follow the regrettable trend of using sub-HD resolution sensors, leaving only the top-end of the midrange HDC-TM90 and SD90 as the models likely to produce decent video.

Here's a summary of the lineup, with last year's SD60/TM55 for comparison:


  HDC-SD60/TM55 HDC-TM40/SD40 HDC-TM80/SD80 HDC-HS80 HDC-TM90/SD90
Sensor (effective resolution) 3-megapixel CMOS 1.2-megapixel CMOS 1.3-megapixel CMOS 1.3-megapixel CMOS 2.6-megapixel CMOS
1/4.1 inch 1/5.8 inch 1/5.8 inch 1/4.1 inch 1/4.1 inch
Lens 25x
f1.8-3.3
35.7 - 893mm (16:9)		 16.8x
f1.8-2.6
42.9 - 721mm (16:9)		 34x
f1.8-4
33.7 - 1240mm (16:9)		 12x
f1.5-2.8
35 - 420mm (16:9)		 21x
f1.8-3.5
28 - 729mm (16:9)
Min illumination (lux) standard: 1400
low light: 4
Color Night View: 1 		standard: 1400
low light: 7
Color Night View: 1 		standard: 1400
low light: 7
Color Night View: 1 		standard: 1400
low light: 7
Color Night View: 1 		standard: 1400
low light: 4
Color Night View: 1

EVF

 No No No No No
LCD 2.7-inch 230,400-dot 2.7-inch 230,400-dot 2.7-inch 230,400-dot 2.7-inch 230,400-dot 3-inch 230,400-dot
Primary media SD/8GB flash; SDXC 16GB/0GB flash; SDXC 16GB/0GB flash; SDXC 120GB hard disk; SDXC 16GB/0GB flash; SDXC
HD recording AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 17, 13, 9 ,5 Mbps		 AVCHD: 1080/60i @ 17, 13, 9 Mbps
 AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 17, 13, 9 ,5 Mbps
 AVCHD:
1080/60i @ 17, 13, 9 ,5 Mbps
 AVCHD: nonstandard 1080/60p 28Mbps;
1080/60i @ 17, 13, 9 ,5 Mbps
Manual shutter speed Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Manual iris Yes Yes Yes Yes Yes
Accessory shoe No No Yes Yes Yes
Audio 2 channels
 2 channels 2 channels 2 channels 2 channels
Body dimensions (WHD, inches) 2.0 x 2.6 x 4.4 2.0 x 2.3 x 4.3 2.0 x 2.3 x 4.3 2.6 x 2.8 x 5.8 2.0 x 2.5 x 4.7
Operating weight (pounds) 10.5 7.4 (est) 8.2 (est) 10.8 (est) 10.1 (est)
Mfr. Price $499.95/$529.95 $399.99/$349.99 $499.99/$449.99 $599.99 $599.99/$549.99
Ship date March 2010 March 2011 March 2011 March 2011 March 2011

The SD90/TM90 will also support Panasonic's optional 3D lens, and all but the TM40/SD40 will incorporate Touch Zoom and Touch Shutter. Panasonic declined to provide pricing and availability information.Now Panasonic has a confusing 7 models in the $200 range between $400 and $600. My preliminary take (given that I haven't tested any of them yet): you should either consider the cheapest, with the caveat that it will likely deliver sub-par video quality because of the low-resolution sensor, or one of the x90 models. The rest are just confusing.