Panasonic AG-HSC1U

The AG-HSC1U is touted by Panasonic as the smallest professional HD camcorder, and its $2099 price tag also makes it one of the least expensive. If, that is, the HSC1U is really a professional camcorder. The announcement earlier this year met with skepticism since the new cam is virtually identical to the $1299 MSRP HDC-SD1, a consumer AVCHD camcorder (reviewed here). However, there are three important differences between the two models that support the HSC1U’s professional label. The first and most important is that the new camcorder’s color is calibrated to closely match the calibration of Panasonic’s pro cams, such as the AG-HVX200. The second is that the HSC1U ships with a 40GB SD/SDHC-compatible storage drive for dumping clips from a card while working in the field that then functions as a DTE unit. Finally, the body of the HSC1U has a non-reflective black matte finish. We found the HDC-SD1 to be an impressively designed model with some notable shortcomings for consumers looking for a primary camcorder. But professionals work differently, and may well find this camcorder fits the bill for shooting in close quarters, in situations that call for a durable, no-moving-parts device, or need a tiny B-roll cam with industry-leading OIS.