Panasonic HDC-SX5 review

Two new tapeless high-definition camcorders from Panasonic promise full-specification 1920 x 1080i HD recording and playback and, depending on which model you choose, the ability to read and write to either high-capacity SD card or hybrid SD/DVD media.

To achieve this, the AVCHD system uses Mpeg-4-AVC/H.264 video compression to shoehorn a lot of data into a very small space - such as the high-capacity SDHC cards Panasonic uses in both models, and which now provide up to 16GB of storage capacity.

Superceding the HDC-SD1 and HDC-DX1 models that Panasonic introduced back in spring, the company's new HDC-SD5 and HDC-SX5 camcorders promise improved resolution, functionality and compatibility with iMovie 08 and Final Cut Studio 2.

Despite lacking the external microphone input and headphone output capability of its predecessor, the HDC-SD5 offers full-specification HD recording to high-capacity (SDHC) SD cards, as well as a 2-megapixel photo stills mode. Both the SD5 and the SX5 offer three quality settings, the highest of which is HG at 13Mbit/sec.

The camcorders use three 1/6in CCDs, each of which generates widescreen image resolutions of 530,000 pixels. Video is then compressed to H.264 format and written either to SDHC Class 6 memory cards or (in the case of the HDC-SX5) to a range of 8cm DVD formats as well. With the latter, you can also archive video clips directly to the internal DVD disc from the memory card thanks to its One-Button Dubbing feature.

The SD5 uses a new USB Host function, which enables you to transfer AVCHD clips and digital stills directly to an optional external VW-BN1 DVD burner under the camcorder's control, simply by pressing the DVD Copy button. You can also transfer AVCHD clips to a Mac running OS X 10.4 and above using iMovie 08, which is the first version of iMovie capable of handling the complex AVCHD transport stream.

The two camcorders are identical in terms of their optics, image processing and functionality: the SX5 is larger and bulkier thanks to the incorporation of DVD recording and playback functions on top of its ability to record video footage direct to memory cards. The Leica Dicomar 10x optical zoom lens produces superb widescreen high-definition images and provides the full range of manual control over focus, exposure, white balance and audio level through a combination of well-designed on-screen menus and mini-joystick control. Adjusting the focus or varying the aperture while recording isn't quite as easy as twisting rings on the lens, but it's not difficult for first-timers to produce good results when recording manually.

Panasonic's Advanced OIS (optical image stabilisation) is very good indeed, and we were able to gain very steady zooms while holding the camcorders in our hands - but take care when panning, because the OIS can generate weird jittery effects. Another useful feature, Intelligent Contrast Control, keeps an eye on shots that contain dark and light areas in the same frame and adjusts the overall image accordingly.

A very useful facility called Pre-Rec means that you need never miss an unexpected moment simply because you didn't hit the record button in time; it allows you to cache three seconds of video in cycling mode while the camcorder is in standby. When the unexpected event happens, pressing the record button preserves the contents of the cache and the system continues to record.

The 'full HD' picture and accompanying sound quality is very good from both models. Although the HQ setting isn't quite able to capture noise-free images in dark corners, it's perfectly adequate for virtually all consumer camcorder uses. It's a pity that Panasonic has decided not to retain the 5.1-channel surround sound mics of previous models, but the Dolby Digital stereo is more than adequate for home use, although the mic does suffer with noise even from a gentle breeze.