Performance

Though both the Panasonic HDC-SD100 and its hard drive cousin (the Panasonic HDC-HS100) look nearly identical to their predecessors, the company made some big changes under the hood. First and foremost, Panasonic has finally joined the other major manufacturers in making the switch to CMOS sensors for its high definition camcorder line. The three-CCD system has been dropped in favor of a three-CMOS arrangement. Panasonic claims this will result in a 30% increase in resolution and a 20% increase in contrast. There's also the updated processor, which has a supposedly 300% improvement in input level—increasing shadow detail and preventing blowouts. While there has certainly been some improvement, Panasonic seems to be overstating their success.

Panasonic HDC-SD100 in auto mode at 3000 lux

 

We tested the HDC-SD100 in both our controlled lab environment and outside the lab to see how it performed. To evaluate video performance in bright to moderate lighting, we used a DSC Labs Chroma DuMonde color chart at an even 3000 lux. Unsurprisingly, the performance looked identical to the HDC-HS100, which has only an internal hard drive to distinguish it from the SD100. However, the color performance also looked very similar to the previous generation HDC-SD9, despite the upgrades to sensor and processor.

 

As with the SD9, the colors are boldly saturated, if not oversaturated. This may appeal to more casual consumers, who like vivid greens and blue skies, but the more experienced user that Panasonic is targeting with the SD100 will probably prefer a higher degree of color accuracy. The color saturation is an unfortunate result, since Panasonic's competitors are performing with more natural-looking colors as their default settings. The Sony HDR-CX12 and the Samsung SC-HMX20 both have the slightly saturated color of today's consumer camcorders, but retain a reasonable level of accuracy. The Canon HF11 also has more accurate colors, plus the ability to switch between 'Cine' and 'Neutral' modes, further reducing saturation.

New to this latest crop of Panasonics, it's now possible to delve into the menus and adjust color saturation. (Perhaps Panasonic is recognizing that users want more natural colors.) However, forcing your user to manually correct color accuracy is a bit inconsiderate, not to mention inconvenient. More importantly, that particular manual control becomes less useful: if the user is lowering saturation just to obtain natural colors, there is less room on the scale if you want to dampen colors further. Adjusting the white balance via the multi-function ring can make certain colors look more natural, but at the cost of other colors, especially whites, looking even worse. Simply put, attaining color accuracy isn't easy—especially compared to most manufacturers, which give you more natural-looking color from the start.

Unfortunately, oversaturation plagues the SD100 in other ways as well. When you activate Digital Cinema mode, colors are even more saturated. This is a bit of a mystery to us, since Digital Cinema is just Panasonic's mode for expanding the color space to the new xvYCC standard. On Sony and JVC camcorders, the xvYCC modes look no different. The extra information is simply discarded unless you have an xvYCC-compliant television—which relatively few people own. On the Panasonic, however, the Digital Cinema mode boosts that saturation even further; even when we manually lowered the saturation to its minimum, the colors looked unnatural.

We would just overlook this troublesome feature if it weren't for the fact that you have to shoot in Digital Cinema mode if you want to use the SD100's 24P recording feature. There is no way to shoot in 24P without also shooting in Digital Cinema. We don't recommend shooting in 24P on the Panasonic anyway (in anything but the brightest light, motion is stuttery and blurry), but this increased saturation should dissuade you further. Digital Cinema mode takes the already oversaturated colors and boosts them even more. The greens, in particular, start to look downright neon.

• *

As for noise and resolution, the Panasonic did make some improvements over last generation. To the eye, at least, the video appears a little sharper, though Panasonic's original claim of a 30% increase in resolution may be overstating the difference. Panasonic also claimed that the change in sensor would result in a 20% increase in contrast. This may be true, but we also noticed that areas of high contrast were often met with some oversharpening, which created a minor halo effect.

The Canon HF11, Samsung SC-HMX20, and Sony HDR-CX12 all produced sharper results than the Panasonic, which isn't surprising since all three use a single, large CMOS sensor, rather than the three small sensors on the Panasonic. There was, however, slightly more noise in all three of the competitors, which may be a point in Panasonic's favor. Even so, taking into consideration sharpness and color accuracy, we prefer the Canon, Samsung, and Sony over the Panasonic in these conditions.

Outside of the lab, the camcorder's performance matched what we predicted during lab testing. The most noticeable quality was the bold, heavily saturated colors. Again, we expect many consumers to like this result, while the serious videophiles may feel thwarted by color inaccuracies. Color aside, the SD100 produces very good video. The results were of an acceptable resolution and the SD100 preserved an excellent level of detail in both shadows and highlights—even within the same shot.

As was the case with Panasonic's hard drive model (the HDC-HS100), the SD100 disappointed most when it came to graininess. This was especially true in lighting conditions that were less than ideal... and let's face it, most camcorder users are shooting dark high school plays, cloudy football games, and strangely lit church weddings. Since the Panasonic had statistically low noise in our lab tests, we expect the graininess may be a result of inferior compression or the comparatively low resolution.

In 24P Digital Cinema mode, the image became even grainier and the ultra saturation of colors was more overwhelming than ever. We don't recommend using this setting unless you're playing around with funky effects and an 'artistic' look. Even without the oversaturation, motion at 24P looked blurry and stuttery. Digital Cinema mode does have the added advantage of expanding the color space to the new xvYCC standard, but the only people who will see this benefit are those who own brand new, xvYCC-compatible televisions—and that's still a pretty small slice of the HDTV market. If you can stomach the extra saturation, have an xvYCC-compliant display, and are shooting slow movement in bright daylight, the 24P Digital Cinema mode may be worth it. That's a lot of *if*s.

Many consumers, including most point-and-shooters, will find the video quality more than satisfactory—especially if they plan to view it on a standard definition display or upload to YouTube. Those with a more critical eye, however, may notice the graininess and oversaturation. The dynamic range in shadows and highlights and low noise are definite strengths of the HDC-SD100, but the same users who appreciate these strengths are likely to be disappointed by the flaws.

**

Video Resolution*** (18.0)*

The video resolution of the Panasonic HDC-SD100 was tested by shooting a DSC Labs video resolution chart at an even, bright light. We then play the footage back on an HD monitor to determine the approximate line widths per picture height (lw/ph). We found the SD100 to produce a horizontal and vertical resolution of 600 lw/ph. This is, unsurprisingly, the same resolution produced by the hard drive model, the Panasonic HDC-HS100. It's also, surprisingly, the same resolution produced by last generation's HDC-SD9. So much for Panasonic's claim of a 30% increase in resolution.

With this resolution, the HDC-SD100 did not perform as well as several of its competitors. Even on the Chroma DuMonde color chart (which we do not use to officially test video resolution), you can see that the Panasonic, while very good, produces less sharpness than the competition. In the official tests with the video resolution chart, the story is the same. The Sony HDR-CX12 fared slightly better and the Canon HF11 was better still. The Samsung SC-HMX20 produced an excellent horizontal and vertical resolution of 700 lw/ph. Though the SD100 is no slouch when it comes to resolution, the competition is very fierce and resolution can have quite an impact on overall video performance.

**

Low Light Performance*** (5.40)*

We test low light performance in three stages: comparative analysis, color accuracy/noise/saturation, and sensitivity. We also take the camcorder out of the lab for some low-light shooting and see if the footage outside the lab matches the test results from inside the lab.

In the first test, we shot the DSC Labs Chroma DuMonde chart at an even 60 lux, followed by an even 15 lux. We then compared these results to footage from other camcorders shot under the same conditions.

At 60 lux, the HDC-SD100 didn't look great, but it was an improvement over last year's SD9. Color retention in general was a little better (though still oversaturated), and the automatic white balance was much improved. Most significantly, the upgrade in sensor and processor had a positive impact on noise reduction. To the naked eye, the footage under these conditions appears to have less noise than most of the competition—and was considerably less noisy than the SD9.

Panasonic HDC-SD100 in auto mode at 60 lux

Last generation's Panasonic HDC-SD9 in auto mode at 60 lux

Since Panasonic is the only manufacturer to provide users with a manual gain control, we took the luxury of boosting gain to see if this would improve low light performance. Under these conditions, the auto controls opened the aperture fully and raised gain to +15dB. We further increased the gain to +18dB and found that, in fact, the image was brighter. Too bright. The lightest gray was completely washed out and the color did not improve. This is good news for the automatic controls, however, since it suggests that the camcorder is making the appropriate adjustment for this chart at 60 lux. If you are shooting a scene that contains no bright highlights, increasing the gain might help you pick up some additional detail in the shadows.

Panasonic HDC-SD100 at 60 lux, +18dB gain

When we shifted the HDC-SD100 into 24P Digital Cinema Mode, we were able to rescue some of the color that was lost in auto mode. This is thanks in part to the slower shutter speed that comes with shooting in 24P (1/48th rather than 1/30th). Unfortunately, Panasonic's 'Digital Cinema' also includes boosting the saturation to what we believe is an unnatural level. If only you could shoot in 24P without the Digital Cinema effect, we might find a happy middle ground. The downside to 24P and the slower shutter speed is that motion in low light looked absoltuely horrendous. There was considerable trailing and plenty of unpleasant stuttering.

*Panasonic HDC-SD100 at 60 lux, 24P Digital Cinema mode

*

As for the competition, the results at 60 lux are similar to what we saw at 3000 lux: according to our hard data, Panasonic had the least amount of noise, but was outperformed in both sharpness and color retention. The noise comes as a bit of a surprise, since the Canon HF11 and Samsung SC-HMX20 look less noisy than the HDC-SD100. This just proves how much sharpness can impact video performance; the Canon and Samsung look better to the eye because they are so much sharper overall.

For the second part of this text, we shot the same Chroma DuMonde chart, but with the light lowered to an even 15 lux. Many camcorders on the market fail to produce decent video at 15 lux. To its credit, the Panasonic HDC-SD100 did retain some amount of color differentiation and the footage is at least light enough to make sense of what's being recorded. This is more than can be said for many cheaper camcorders on the market, and the results were markedly better than last generation's HDC-SD9.

Panasonic HDC-SD100 in auto mode at 15 lux

Last generation's Panasonic HDC-SD9 in auto mode at 15 lux

However, saying the SD100 is better than the SD9 is not saying much. Both are a noisy mess, even if the new model has better color accuracy and less noise. This is where Panasonic's hardware falls short of the competition; for both the HDC-HS100 and the HDC-SD100, Panasonic has chosen to use three small CMOS sensors, while comparable models from Canon, Sony, JVC, and Samsung rely on a single, large CMOS sensor. In the case of these camcorders, video shot at 15 lux appeared, across the board, lighter and less noisy than the same video from the Panasonic.

 

Unsurprisingly, the HDC-SD100 at 15 lux in Digital Cinema mode was unnaturally saturated. It may seem a bit better overall, but we don't think the chart should look like neon paint under a black light.

Panasonic HDC-SD100 at 15 lux, 24P Digital Cinema mode

The second stage of testing analyzes color accuracy, noise, and saturation using an X-Rite Color Checker chart at an even 60 lux. We then export frame grabs of the footage to Imatest imaging software. The Panasonic HDC-SD100 produced a color error of approximately 11.1, which is nearly identical to the color error we saw on last generation's HDC-SD9. This is about average for camcorders in this range—better than the Canon HF11, but not as good as the Samsung SC-HMX20. Though the SD100's three small CMOS sensors are intended to increase color accuracy, and although the footage from the SD100 may seem more color retentive, our numbers tell a different story. The lack of improvement in color error is likely a result of Panasonic's processor, which, as we mentioned earlier, has a tendency to oversaturate colors. The oversaturation might look better to some consumers, but it isn't technically accurate.

The good news is that the Panasonic HDC-SD100 produced less noise than any of its competitors. At just 0.738% noise, that's considerably better than the best score from the Canon HF11 and the Samsung SC-HMX20. Strangely, this result is not as good as the 0.645% from last generation's HDC-SD9. Unsurprisingly, the camcorder falls apart when it comes to saturation. At 69.42% saturation, the SD100 is about on par with the abysmal score of the Sony HDR-CX12, but performs well below comparable models from Canon, JVC, and Samsung. The SD100's three small sensors do an excellent job reducing noise, but the processor is wreaking havoc with color retention, accuracy, and saturation.

The third test measures sensitivity: what is the minimum amount of light needed to see an average scene? We connected the Panasonic HDC-SD100 to a waveform monitor, then slowly and steadily lowered the light until the camcorder is producing a peak of 50 IRE. The SD100 showed a large improvement over the SD9, requiring only 13 lux compared to the SD9's 24 lux. It seems that Panasonic is making significant headway in the area of sensitivity, perhaps as a result of the switch from CCD to CMOS sensors.

However, it's still quite clear that camcorders utilizing a single, large sensor are capable of performing in dimmer conditions. The Panasonic offered similar results to the Sony HDR-CX12, but was a step below the competition from JVC and Canon. The HDC-SD100 doesn't even come close to the astonishing 5 lux at which the Samsung SC-HMX20 was able to produce 50 IRE.

Overall, the low light performance of the HDC-SD100 is not one of its strengths. It certainly outperforms last generation's SD9 and many lower end camcorders, but there are several comparable models from other manufacturers that produce better results. While the Panasonic does measure with less noise, the lower resolution, unimpressive sensitivity, and poor color accuracy result in a less pleasing image at low light. If you're looking for a camcorder to do well in dim situations, you'll get far better results from the impressive and less expensive Samsung SC-HMX20.

Stabilization* (7.19)*

The HDC-SD100 is equipped with Advanced Optical Image Stabilization (OIS). Previous Panasonic camcorders have performed well in the past and this model is no exception. The SD100 features the new OIS system introduced by Panasonic last year and featured also on their HDC-SD9. We test every camcorder at two speeds: a light shake that simulates typical handheld movement and a rougher shake that approximates recording on a bumpy car ride. At speed one, the HDC-SD100 exhibited approximately a 66.7% shake reduction. At speed two, the result was 87.5%.

This is a good result, although less impressive than the HDC-SD9's 87.5% and 93.3% shake reduction. In reality, this is about average for camcorders of this type. We should point out, however, that the score at speed two doesn't tell the whole story. Although the reduction is approximately 88%, this does not take into account the large and noticeable leaps that the camcorder makes while the OIS is compensating. In other words, shake is greatly reduced, but it is not pleasant video to watch.

**

Wide Angle*** (10.0)*

The maximum wide angle measurement is tested using a vertical laser and footage played back on an external monitor. With the zoom pulled back to its full wide angle position and OIS disabled, the HDC-SD100 displayed a maximum wide angle measurement of 50 degrees. This is an ordinary score for this type of camcorder.

Format

Compression* (7.0)*

The Panasonic HDC-SD100, like several previous Panasonic camcorders, compresses video in the AVCHD format. Since Panasonic and Sony developed AVCHD, we've been waiting for the quality of compression to catch up to the standard set by its tape-based predecessors. With this year's camcorders, it seems like consumers can finally get the quality of tape with the convenience of hard drives and solid state memory. This year's top camcorders look every bit as good as their tape brethren.

Because Panasonic never released its own HDV camcorder, we can only compare the HDC-SD100 to other AVCHD camcorders from previous Panasonic generations.  In this regard, the SD100 is good news for Panasonic—compression seems to get better every year and there is less compression artifacting and smoother motion in the SD100 than last year's SD9. For more details, see the Video Performance section earlier in this review.

The Panasonic HDC-SD100 has four quality settings to choose from, each offering a different resolution, maximum bitrate, and recording time. The highest quality setting, HA, records at 17Mbps in full 1920 x 1080 at either 60i or 24p frame rates. The HG setting (13Mbps) also records 1920 x 1080 in 60i or 24p. HX (9Mbps) records 1920 x 1080, but only in 60i. The lowest setting, HE (6Mbps), records 1440 x 1080 at the 60i setting.

This is a fairly standard range of offerings for this type of camcorder, though we are disappointed that video can only be shot in 24p using the Digital Cinema mode, which has the added effect of heavily oversaturating colors—pleasing to some consumers, but frustratingly inaccurate for others. Many camcorders from the competition offer a variety of frame rates at each resolution/bitrate. Canon is so far the only manufacturer offering the ability to record at 24Mbps.

**

Media*** (6.5)*

The Panasonic HDC-SD100 records only to SD/SDHC memory cards. There is no internal memory, so make sure you pack your memory cards in the bag before hitting the road. While SD cards don't offer the hours and hours of recording you'll get from a large hard drive, solid state memory like SD cards are less likely to break down than memory with moving parts—like hard drives. Plus, a hard drive increases the size and price of the camcorder.

The HDC-SD100 comes with an 8GB SD memory card, but can accommodate any standard SD/SDHC card on the market. Record times are as follows:

**
**

Editing* (4.0)*

The HDC-SD100, like all Panasonic camcorders, compresses video in the AVCHD format. As we've said before, this is certainly not the ideal compression for consumers looking to edit video. Support for AVCHD is still spotty, even among major video editing software manufacturers. And although these big names get better and better at handling AVCHD, you still need a powerhouse computer to keep from getting bogged down by the unwieldy file sizes.

The HDC-SD100 ships with the 'HD Writer 2.6E for HDC' software. This lets you import video, perform simple editing, and output finished movies to high definition or standard definition DVD or memory cards. The program is extremely limited and only works on Windows operating machines. You can find more robust, easier to use software.

Auto / Manual Controls

Picture & Manual Control
*

Automatic Control (6.5)*

For most shooters, the automatic controls on the Panasonic HDC-SD100 are perfectly adequate.  The camcorder adjusts focus, exposure, and white balance with relative efficiency and makes appropriate adjustments for most scenes, both indoors and outdoors.

Auto focus probably saw the best implementation, as the SD100 adjusted focus quickly and accurately, even in low light. Exposure was also quick and accurate when shifting between highly contrasting environments. When slowly panning across areas of high contrast, the auto exposure staggers a bit from one level to the next, but it's easier to get a smooth transition here than with the manual controls. Finally, white balance was probably the most finicky of the lot, sometimes creating strangely balanced coloration. We regularly relied on the manual white balance to get the best shot.

The HDC-SD100, like Panasonic's hard drive model, also includes an additional auto mode, called Intelligent Auto Mode (iA). This mode, rather than making individual automatic adjustments to color, exposure, etc., will automatically select one of a handful of scene modes. The camcorder will select Portrait, Scenery, Spotlight, Low Light, or Normal, then enact a series of subsequent adjustments. The adjustment is made within just one or two seconds and usually seemed to be appropriate for what was being shot. However, we found the SD100's regular auto mode to be just as good, making iA mode an unnecessary addition.

In addition to the straight-up auto mode, there are a couple features that give you one-touch control without having to delve into full manual operation. One group of these is accessed via the Joystick menu. These include Backlight Compensation, Intelligent Contrast Control, Face Framing, Soft Skin Mode, MagicPix, and Tele Macro. Buried within the Administrative Menu, you'll also find a number of scene modes to choose from while in manual mode: Sports, Portrait, Low Light, Spotlight, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Fireworks, and Scenery.

All of these effects and modes should be seen as aids for capturing the shot you want quickly. In many cases, we found that they were not substitutes for manual adjustments. Options on the Joystick menu, especially, were very limited. They serve their purpose, but can produce mediocre results if you are relying on them too heavily. We recommend using these options as guides to help you learn how to set up the shot manually.

• Overall Manual Control (8.5)*
  

There is one feature on the Panasonic HDC-SD100 that we love above all others: the addition of the multi-function ring. This smooth, finely tuned control makes for seamless focusing and also allows you to adjust zoom, white balance, shutter speed, and 'Iris' (a combination of aperture and gain).

Unfortunately, Panasonic still has some kinks to work out in the ring's implementation. Switching between the ring's many modes is unintuitive: pushing down on the auto/manual switch will toggle the default function of the ring between manual focus and manual zoom. To access white balance, shutter speed, and iris, the user must push the Cam Function button, then use the ring to choose the right function, then hit the Cam Function button again. The desired function can then be adjusted with the ring. This process would be better controlled with a joystick—if only Panasonic had placed the joystick on the back of the camcorder, rather than buried within the LCD cavity.

There is an added annoyance of the placement of the flash for still photography, which is nestled up against the right side of the ring. It isn't a deal-breaker, but from time to time it gets in the way of operating the ring. (For instance, if you have to constantly reposition your hand on the ring, it's more difficult to get a smooth zoom.) The ring also works better for some functions than for others—see below for details—and is, unfortunately, the only way to adjust these settings.

Zoom (8.0)

The HDC-SD100 offers two methods of controlling zoom: the traditional wide/tele zoom toggle and the multi-function ring. No matter which method you use, the LCD screen will provide information on the current zoom ratio, as well as a slider bar to indicate your position in the entire zoom range. Both tools are helpful for duplicating shots, but are not precise measurements—there are several possible zoom positions within a single zoom ratio. It's unfortunate that the slider bar doesn't track smooth, continuous zooming.

Of the two methods for controlling zoom, we actually prefer the traditional zoom toggle. The toggle is located on the top of the camcorder where most index fingers will naturally rest. It is a horizontal slider, but quite responsive. It can be tricky to find the nuance required for the slowest zoom speed, but once you hit that position, zooming is smooth and continuous. The texture on top of the toggle ensures that your finger remains in the appropriate position.

The ring, on the other hand, makes long, smooth zooming a bit trickier. The placement of the flash is unfortunate, especially for users with slightly larger hands. It means that you'll do most of the ring adjustment with your left thumb, while your left index finger stays fixed in position atop the flash. Many camcorder and camera users will be accustomed to using both thumb and index finger to rotate the ring. On the SD100, this simply isn't possible.

This drawback is in addition to the relative inaccessibility of the zoom function. To use the ring for zooming, you'll have to switch off Auto mode (and Intelligent Auto mode), then toggle the Auto/Manual switch to select zoom instead of focus. If you have been using the ring for other manual adjustments, push the Cam Function button, then select 'Return' from the menu. If the LCD reads 'MZoom,' then the ring is set to zoom. If the LCD reads 'MF,' you'll need to toggle that Auto/Manual switch into zoom mode. The process is a bit unwieldy and it seems a shame that you can't use the ring to zoom when you're in Auto mode (or Intelligent Auto mode).

Zoom Power Ratio (12.0)

The Panasonic HDC-SD100 has a 12x optical zoom, a good improvement over the 10x optical zoom from last generation's HDC-SD9. There is also the option of expanding the zoom range up to 30x or up to 700x using digital zoom, but since this significantly degrades video quality, we're happy to see that this setting is turned off by default and is buried in the Administrative menu.

Focus (7.0)

Manual focus can only be controlled using the multi-function ring, but the ring works great once you've figured out how to get it going. As with all ring functions, you'll have to turn off both auto mode and Intelligent Auto (iA) mode to access manual focus. Once in manual mode, the Auto/Manual toggle can be used to switch between Zoom and Focus. If the LCD reads 'MF' on the left side of the screen, you're all set. If you've been using the ring for other manual adjustments, you need to press the Cam Function button and select 'Return' from the menu. Again, this isn't an intuitive process.

While focusing, the HDC-SD100 offers the same excellent assistance tool that we saw on the HDC-HS100. Called 'MF Assist,' it is turned on by default and we recommend you leave it on. With focus assist enabled, a blue box will appear whenever you're in Manual Focus mode. The box will display a zoomed version of the center of your screen, allowing you to better focus on your subject. We found this to be very handy, but it can be turned off in the Administrative menu.

Using the ring for focus is an elegant process, far better than the joysticks or touch screens seen on the competition. It allows you to make very fine adjustments or smoothly transition from one focus to another. Combining this with the MF Assist tool makes for a robust manual focus experience.

Exposure & Aperture (8.11)

Simple exposure adjustments and direct aperture control are both possible on the HDC-SD100, though each is implemented differently. Exposure is available under the 'Picture Adjust' option in the Advanced tab of the Administrative menu. For such a straightforward concept, we were surprised to see the option so thoroughly buried in the menus. Even beginners would have no problem understanding the idea of exposure (or 'brightness,' as JVC calls it), but we doubt that many beginners would go through the 14 button presses needed to access the Exposure option.

For more savvy users who might plumb the depths of the SD100's menus, adjusting the exposure is a simple affair. By default, the camcorder is set to an exposure of 'zero.' Accessing the exposure control will bring up a slider that can be adjusted to any integer from -5 to +5. This is very similar to the feature on Canons, except that Canon gives you more increments (up to 23, as opposed to Panasonic's 11 increments) and Canon makes it much easier to access (just 3 button pushes instead of Panasonic's 14). It seems that exposure would be a simple feature to add to the multi-function ring and we hope that Panasonic does so in the future.

.

The 14 button presses needed to adjust exposure
on the Panasonic HDC-SD100

Aperture, referred to as 'Iris' by Panasonic, is one of the features controlled via the multi-function ring. When you've exhausted your options for aperture by bringing it to a fully open position, you can further boost the exposure by increasing gain (explained in the Gain section, below). The Iris control can be accessed by switching into Manual mode, pressing the Cam Function button, and selecting Iris from the menu.

The tools Panasonic gives you to help in adjusting aperture are surprisingly robust. On the left side of the screen, you will find the shutter speed, aperture, and gain, all next to a live histogram, which gives a very convenient overview of exposure for the entire shot. In the center of the screen is a small square, which indicates the luminance for that portion of the shot in a percentage from 0 - 100%. To our knowledge, the Panasonics of this generation are the first consumer camcorders to implement what is, essentially, a built-in light meter. If you find them distracting, the histogram and luminance meter can be turned off.

The aperture range includes: f/1.8 (Open), f/2.0, f/2.4, f/2.8, f/3.4, f/4.0, f/4.8, f/5.6, f/6.8, f/8.0, f/9.6, f/11, f/14, and f/16.

The iris control in action. Aperture is shown in the*

lower left above the gain level.
*

Shutter Speed (8.1)*

Shutter speed can be independently adjusted by the multi-function ring. As with the Iris control, to access shutter speed, you switch into Manual mode, press the Cam Function button, and select shutter speed from the menu. The default shutter speeds available include: 1/60, 1/100, 1/120, 1/180, 1/250, 1/350, 1/500, 1/750, 1/1000, 1/1500, 1/2000, 1/3000, 1/4000, and 1/8000. We found the ring to be an accurate and responsive method for selecting shutter speed.

There are also two settings that can open up a slightly wider range of options for shutter speed. Turning on Auto Slow Shutter (in the Administrative menu), will provide you with additional option of a 1/30th shutter speed. Switching to 24P Digital Cinema mode (also in the Admin menu) will add 1/48th as an option. If you have both Auto Slow Shutter and 24P Digital Cinema mode activated, you can access the lowest possible shutter speed of 1/24th.

 

The shutter speed control in action.

White Balance (5.5)*

White balance is also adjusted via the multi-function ring. Switch into Manual mode, press the Cam Function button, and select White Balance in order to access a variety of pre-programmed white balance settings. Options include: Auto, Sunny, Cloudy, Indoor 1 (incandescent), Indoor 2 (color fluorescent), and Manual.

The manual white balance manages to be simple without being intuitive. This is the only setting controlled by the ring that requires you to hold down the Cam Function button. The entire process involves switching to Manual mode, pressing the Cam Function button, selecting White Balance from the menu, pressing the Cam Function button to confirm, using the ring to dial up the Manual setting, then holding down on the Cam Function button while the camcorder performs the manual white balance. If this sounds confusing, imagine if you were a beginner trying to perform a manual white balance for the first time.

Panasonic further complicates the process by depicting all the possible white balance settings via icons, with no text. Users will have to intuit what the universal symbol for 'manual white balance' might be. Considering you are only using the ring to scroll through six options, we think this feature could just as easily have been left inside the menus, where a joystick and text descriptions could have helped make this feature more accessible.

The white balance control in action

 

Gain (6.0)

Panasonic is the only manufacturer of consumer camcorders to offer a manual gain control. As mentioned above, gain is part of a larger feature called 'Iris,' which combines aperture and gain to give the user greater control over the light in their footage. Unfortunately, combining these two features into one means that you can only increase gain once the aperture is fully opened—you won't be able to increase depth of field and gain at the same time. You won't find this kind of limitation on pro camcorders, but it's meant as a protective measure to prevent the user from making their footage too grainy.

Despite the minor limitation, it is nice to have gain control. The live histogram and luminance tools are available and in very dark scenes (where one would usually want to boost gain), you'll want the aperture fully opened anyway. Available gain settings include: 0dB, 3dB, 6dB, 9dB, 12dB, 15dB, and 18dB.

The iris control in action. Gain is shown in the lower left*

and can only be increased once the aperture is fully open.
*

 

Other Manual Controls (9.0)*

The Panasonic HDC-SD100 has a handful of features that either give you additional manual control over your footage or serve as guides when making manual adjustments.

Sharpness - This generation, Panasonic has given you the ability to make fine adjustments to sharpness. As we mentioned above when describing exposure control, Panasonic does not make it easy to access these 'Picture Adjust' options (sharpness, color, exposure). Delving through the menus with 12 button presses will get you to the sharpness control. Here, you'll find a slider from -5 to +5 (with zero being the camcorder default). Each increment effects a very subtle shift, but videophiles will likely enjoy this additional level of control.

*Color *- Also included among the buried 'Picture Adjust' options (see above) is a new feature for shifting color—saturation or 'depth of color.' This option is 13 button presses away, but well worth the trek. Under most conditions, we found the HDC-SD100's processor to produce an unnaturally saturated image. The Color option will give you a scale from -5 to +5 (with zero being the camcorder default). Bringing it down to -2 or -3 will give your footage a softer, more realistic color balance. Unfortunately, if you already have to scale down to achieve realistic colors, you don't have much room for muting colors further.

*Exposure Guides - *The Panasonic HDC-SD100 offers three tools to help balance the exposure of your shots. Two of these are only available in Manual mode: the live histogram and luminance meter. By default, these tools only appear whenever you are manually adjusting the aperture or shutter speed via the multi-function ring. In the Administrative menu, however, you can adjust these tools to appear at all times. The histogram helps you determine how much of your shot is in brightness, shadows, and midtones, while the small meter in the center gives you a luminance value from 0 - 100%.

These tools can be used in conjunction with (or in lieu of) the Zebra tool, which creates scrolling 'zebra stripe' patterns in areas of the shot that are overexposed. This option can be turned on or off through the Administrative menu; it is also available only in Manual mode. While the zebra tool is certainly functional, we were disappointed to see little flexibility—Sony camcorders, for instance, offer the option to set the threshold of the zebra patterns to 70 or 100 IRE. On the Panasonics, the threshold value is unknown.

*24P Cinema Color - *This is very nearly a great feature. Panasonic allows you to record in a 24P frame rate, which sounds good in theory. Unfortunately, the 24P footage doesn't look very good. For one, you can't record in 24P without also engaging the Cinema Color feature, which we found to oversaturate many colors within a given scene. (See Video Performance section.) You can try to compensate by lowering the color saturation in the Picture Adjust feature, but that won't solve the other significant problem with 24P mode: trailing and stuttering ruin anything but the slowest moving scenes. However, if you are shooting a slow-moving scene and you like the oversaturation, this mode lets you record in 24P and take advantage of the expanded color space. (See below.) 24P Cinema Color mode can be activated in the Record Setup tab of the Administrative menu.

*Digital Cinema Color - *If you want to use Panasonic's Cinema Color mode, but without the trailing and stuttering of 24P video, you can activate Digital Cinema Color from within the Advanced tab of the Administrative Menu. This setting offers you the option to record in xvYCC color, which is the emerging color standard for high definition television. In short, it's a wider, deeper color space. Unfortunately, only the more recent HDTVs support xvYCC color, so chances are you won't get the true benefits of this feature.

Also, as mentioned above, Digital Cinema Color seems to do more than expand to xvYCC color—many colors in your footage will appear to be oversaturated. You can compensate slightly by adjusting color saturation in the Picture Adjust feature, but we're not sure why compensation is required at all. Other manufacturers, like Sony, produce camcorders capable of xvYCC color, but color saturation remains unaffected—non-compatible displays simply discard the extra information.

Guidelines - This feature creates lines on the LCD or viewfinder (and not on your final footage) to help you line up your shots. There are three options: the Horizontal setting creates three horizontal lines. Grid 1 splits the screen in thirds both horizontally and vertically. Grid 2 creates a bunch of vertical and horizontal lines to create a big grid with about 60 squares.

Still Features

Handling and Use

Audio / Playback / Connectivity

****Audio*** (9.0)*
**Some important upgrades were added to the Panasonic HDC-SD100—upgrades that will please advanced shooters and low budget prosumers. The previous generation HDC-SD9 offered paltry audio options, no microphone or headphone jacks, and no accessory shoe. The built-in 5.1-Channel Dolby Digital Surround microphone is the only method for picking up audio on the HDC-SD9.

The new HDC-SD100 is equipped with the same built-in Dolby Digital mounted to the top of the camcorder, but now sports all those accessories we missed on the SD9. Now shooters won't have to rely on the camcorder's onboard audio—an external microphone can be attached via the 1/4-inch jack on the front of the camcorder. You can either go the handheld route, plug into an existing sound system, or use the jack for a microphone mounted to the accessory shoe up top. The Headphone jack shares time with AV outputs, but it's not too difficult to switch from one output to the other using the Administrative menu. Headphone monitoring greatly reduces the tendency to record sound that is too loud or soft.

In addition to headphone monitoring, the HDC-SD100 has a microphone level meter that appears on the LCD screen. The level meter contains eight increments, two of which are tinted red to indicate when decibel levels are too high. Although this is a nice tool to have, it doesn't contain enough steps for a truly accurate reading. Headphones remain the best option for maintaining appropriately balanced audio. The most recent models from Canon offer a similar level meter, but with more robust offerings: the meter indicates Left and Right channels and includes far more increments.

The microphone level adjustment is a nice addition.

There are three primary audio recording modes on the HDC-SD100: Auto Gain Control (AGC), Set +AGC, and Set. The camcorder automatically adjusts the sound levels in AGC mode, which is essentially just an Auto mode for sound. AGC is best suited for most situations containing unpredictable sound levels, like a parade. For harsh sounds, Set +AGC allows you to lower or raise the decibel levels in order to keep the levels out of the red zone. AGC is still functioning in Set +AGC mode, in order to reduce the amount of overall sound distortion. Set mode will allow you to record sound in its most natural form. In Set mode, all level control is executed manually, without the help of AGC. When you select Set +AGC or Set, a screen containing 2 front, 2 back, and 1 center microphone levels will appear. A decibel meter is located in the center of the screen, allowing you to adjust the sensitivity from -30 to +6 decibels.

The HDC-SD100 also has Zoom Mic capability, which enables the microphone sensitivity to increase in tandem with the action of zooming in and out. This comes in handy when a subject is far away but you want to catch the audio as well. A Focus setting concentrates all sound pickup on the area directly in front of the camcorder, which is ideal for talking head interviews. Lastly, Panasonic tacks a Wind Cut feature on the HDC-SD100. Like all Wind Cut features we've ever encountered, this is appropriate for reducing the sound from a light breeze, but does little to mask a truly blustery day.****

---

****Playback*** (4.25)
***To switch into Playback mode, simply turn the Mode dial towards you, past the off position and select the green Playback option. This will bring up a screen full of thumbnails, each representing an individual clip. By default, the playback screen shows video thumbnails, however, you can use the joystick to switch to the still photo playback tab, which will show thumbnails of your still photos. Navigating these screens is actually a little unintuitive.

To select a video clip or still, simply move the 'cursor' to that thumbnail, then click down on the joystick. The joystick also becomes controls during playback: Up is Play/Pause, Down is Stop/Return to Index, Left is Rewind, and Right is Fast Forward. When a clip is paused, the Left and Right actions choose Next and Previous clips. The Zoom toggle controls sound volume. In Photo Playback, Play/Pause begins and pauses a slide show.

An Intelligent Scene Detection mode is available, which functions by automatically weeding out all scenes that the camcorder deems are unusable (poor exposure, shaky, out of focus, etc.). This is useful for scenes that were accidentally recorded while walking around, unaware that the Record button was engaged. You can also browse for scenes by Date, which will come in handy if you have hundreds of clips to wade through.

Selecting the clip you want is an easy click of the joystick.

The playback menus are accessed by pushing the Menu button while in Playback mode. If you are in the still photo tab of Playback mode, the menu brings up a Still Playback menu (see Still Features). If you are in the video tab of Playback mode, the Menu button brings up a Video Playback menu:

**

**

Video playback options are limited, but sufficient.

---

---

****Connectivity*** (9.0)*
**We've already expressed our discontent at the ludicrous port placement on Panasonic's high def camcorder line. In this review alone, we've mentioned this shortcoming when describing the back of the camcorder, Portability, Handling, and Battery Life. At the risk of sounding redundant, we don't like this port placement. By tucking the USB, mini-HDMI, and DC outputs inside the battery chamber, they are completely inaccessible unless you remove the battery. This means that you can't transfer files or output your footage via HDMI without taking the battery out and plugging in the camcorder. It also means that if you're in the middle of filming your son's school play and the battery starts to die, you can't simply plug in the camcorder. You have to remove the battery (thus powering down the camcorder and losing precious moments), then plug in the adapter. Think you can charge the battery while the camcorder is plugged in? Think again. The AC adaptor doubles as a charging station, but won't work unless the cable connecting the adapter to the camcorder is unplugged.

Very frustrating. Very disappointing.

 

It's not all gloom and doom in the connectivity department. This year's SD100 gives us a few connections that were sorely missed last generation: namely, a cold accessory shoe, microphone jack, and headphone jack. The accessory shoe is in the customary location up top and houses a wide variety of standard accessories (no proprietary-fit shoe like we have on Sony camcorders). The cover is secured by two flimsy rubber anchors—don't pull too hard or you'll end up with a broken shoe cover, as we did on our HS100.

*The SD100's accessory shoe is not proprietary (hooray),

but the cover is cheap (we broke ours).*

 

The microphone jack is housed beneath a decent plastic cover on the bottom of the front of the camcorder. The cover would be easily yanked loose, so take care when handling. And be sure to tuck stray cords out of sight so they don't ruin your shot.

The headphone jack is nestled in the LCD cavity, under a convenient sliding cover. We love this location and we love this cover. It's a little unfortunate that one port is doing double duty with headphone and AV out, but you're not likely to need both at once and it's not too difficult to chang the output in the Administrative menu. This sliding door also houses the Component output, which accommodates the cable that comes packed with the camcorder.

The last of the ports is the SD/SDHC card holder, which is hidden within the LCD cavity under a spring-loaded cover. The hatch is opened via small switch directly above the cover. Even though the cover flips down, we had no trouble removing and inserting memory cards while the camcorder was mounted to a tripod.

**
**

Other Features

****What’s in the Box?**
****

**The Panasonic HDC-SD100 ships with the following items:

• SDHC memory card (8GB)

• VW-VBG130 Battery Pack

• AC adaptor

• AC cable

• DC cable

• AV cable

• Component cable

• USB cable

• CD-ROM (HD Writer 2.6E for HDC) - Remote Control (w/ battery)

The battery life is fairly decent, but you'll want to pick up a spare, since you can't charge and operate the camcorder at the same time. You'll also want one or two spare SD cards, since your only option for recording is onto the single 8GB card. You might also want a small camera bag and a mini-HDMI cable (if you prefer this output over Component).

**
**

****Other Features*** (5.0)**
****Shooting Guide* - The Shooting Guide offers prompts in instances where the camcorder thinks you could use some shooting advice. It's like the little cartoon in Microsoft Office products that will pop up unexpectedly to announce, 'It looks like you're writing a letter.' On a camcorder, these pop-up messages can be a little disconcerting, but they could come in handy for a beginner who is hoping to expand into using more advanced features and manual controls.

Fades - Just like on the oldest tape-based camcorders of yore, you can still bypass post-production hassles by automatically introducing and closing each clip with a fader. As on most modern camcorders, choose between black or white fade-ins and fade-outs.

Auto Ground Directional Standby (AGS) - The HDC-SD100 has a handy feature that will automatically power down the camcorder if it senses a drop from the typical upright position. This is to keep you from missing the stop button and recording 15 minutes of the ground passing by as you walk to your next destination.

Pre-Record - When in standby, the HDC-SD100 can record continuous three-second loops and store them in an internal memory cache. When you finally hit 'Record,' the camcorder will tack the latest loop onto the beginning of your clip. This is a great option to turn on if you're trying to capture your daughter's game-winning goal and think you might have a slow trigger-finger.**

**

---

Conclusion & Comparisons

**

Conclusion
**Once upon a time, Panasonic ruled the roost when it came to videophiles and consumer camcorder afficianados. With camcorders list last generation's HDC-SD9, Panasonic started lopping off features in an effort to attain ultimate portability. We're relieved to see that Panasonic is returning to their hard core audience with the HDC-SD100 and the HDC-HS100. Both are designed with a more experienced user in mind: extra ports, a viewfinder, an accessory shoe, and the multi-function ring: a fantastic new way to control manual image adjustments.

This little ring lets you accurately and effortlessly adjust zoom, focus, white balance, shutter speed, and iris. It's an excellent addition to an already stellar set of manual controls. However, we can't help but be a bit disappointed that this one standout feature wasn't better implented—the onboard flash gets in way of perfect ring operation and a few features (namely, sharpness, color, and exposure) are buried in the menus instead of up front on the ring where they belong.

In everything else, the SD100 does very well, but is never quite head of the class. Video performance is very solid, but is hindered by the sometimes grainy appearance and oversaturation. The switch to CMOS sensors did improve low light performance, but there are comparable, if not better camcorders among the competition. And we just can't get over the abominable port placement that has you constantly removing the battery and plugging in the camcorder in order to access USB, HDMI, and DC jacks.

Like the nearly identical Panasonic HDC-HS100, we really like the HDC-SD100. There are imperfections aplenty, but this is the case for the competition as well. When you have so many excellent camcorders to choose from, it often comes down to what is most important to you. If you choose the SD100, know you are certainly choosing from among the best.**
**

---

****Comparisons****

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters

This is not the camcorder for you. The multi-function ring is versatile, but unintuitive. Three separate menus mean lots of time trolling around for what you want. And all the cool new ports and features (like a viewfinder and elaborate audio control) will just gather dust. The new tool tips help smooth the ride, but beginners could find a better journey to take.

Budget Consumers

It's certainly a cheaper option than the hard drive cousin, but you could get more for your money by looking at last year's model or a manufacturer that offers a little less in the way of manual controls.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid

A 1920 x 1080 is still the largest image you can capture on high-end Panasonics. (This is very low indeed, compared to the 5-10 megapixel stills captured by Canon or Sony.) The SD100's still quality is decent, but not great. Sony and Canon also offer a wider range of features, but the Panasonics do have the handy ability to capture still photos while recording.

Gadget Freaks

The most tech-savvy videophiles might be interested in the new 3MOS imaging system and will like the option to record in 24P, but it's hard to deny the gadgety goodness of that shiny new control ring. This is the feature that will bring in video geeks.

Manual Control Freaks

We think Panasonic could do more with that ring—like adding exposure, sharpness, and color instead of burying them in the menus. But with a host of adjustable features (including gain) and a buttery smooth control interface, the Panasonic might not be perfect, but it beats out the competition.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists

The concept of the SD100 is nearly enough to turn professional heads. Bulk up the viewfinder, put your ports somewhere sensible, and pull that joystick out of the LCD cavity and you've got one heck of a contender. Unfortunately, no amount of manual control can compensate for the noisy video quality and low resolution. Panasonic footage looks great for a consumer camcorder, but there's better competition.

Photo Gallery

Specs and Ratings

{{manufacturer_specs_table}}{{raw_scores_table}}****