Panasonic HDC-HS100 Camcorder Review

The Panasonic HDC-HS100, though it was announced only a few weeks ago, is an anticipated camcorder. Many years ago, Panasonic ruled the roost for power users and budget videographers. The Panasonic PV-GS400 was the king of them all, so loaded with features that it stayed at the top of our ratings list until we had to recreate our rubric. Then, of course, the medium of tape began to die off. Camcorder bodies shrank, and with it, room for the features we loved like viewfinders, rings, and certain ports. Panasonic, in fact, became the de facto leader of that movement towards shrinkage. While it maintained a high degree of manual control, the interface began to suffer, particularly when the joystick was moved from the back to the LCD cavity on the last generation HDC-SD9 and HDC-HS9.

The HDC-HS100 doesn't reprise every feature from the PV-GS400, but it certainly feels like a turn in that direction. The biggest addition is the multi-function ring around the lens. Some of the controls have also been moved around, quite adroitly, to benefit the ring placement. However, some experienced videographers may balk at the joystick, which has not only been left in the LCD cavity, but shrunk even further to the point where there's nothing left to grip. You simply nudge in the intended direction. It works adequately, but it's certainly not up to pro standards.

The changes don't end there. The Panasonic has flipped sides on the battle of the sensors. The HDC-HS100 and HDC-SD100 use a 3-CMOS sensor array rather than the traditional CCD. JVC made a similar switch just last month with its top-of-the-line Everio camcorders, joining Canon and Sony to make it nearly unanimous among the big manufacturers. Panasonic claims that this will increase low light performance. Our lab tests indicated that this was at least partially true, though it did nothing to decrease graininess.

Overall, the Panasonic HDC-HS100 is a step in a promising direction. It gives the Sony HDR-SR11 / HDR-SR12 and the JVC GZ-HD30 / GZ-HD40 a run for their money in the enthusiast market.

The Front (8.75)
The HDC-HS100, Panasonic's revamped version of the HDC-HS9, now features a Mic jack up front, right beneath the lens. The Mic jack is shrouded by a plastic shield that is attached to the body of the camcorder via two thin plastic strips. The port cover looks good, but it will likely have a tendency to yank out due to its frail construction. To the left of the lens you'll find a built-in flash, embedded within a plastic annex. Using a flash that is off-center could result in uneven lighting patterns in your stills. Camcorders that feature a flash mounted directly above the lens, like the Sony HDR-SR1 and HDR-UX1, are a better bet in terms of accurate lighting.

The HDC-HS100's lens has been fortified with a superior tool that no other camcorder this year has even dared to feature - the multi-function ring. Yes, folks, Panasonic has taken a swift dive back into its roots as a manual control powerhouse. The ring shifts with buttery smooth accuracy and controls Focus, Aperture, White Balance, and Shutter Speed. In terms of Manual Controls, no other camcorder can touch the HDC-HS100--aside from the HDC-SD100, which is Panasonic's SDHC card-only version.

The ring isn't perfect, however. The flash protrudes rudely from the right, preventing you from having an unfettered, 360-degree turning radius. Would you block a volume dial on your stereo? Would you block a car steering wheel? Would Pat Sajak stand for anything hindering the Wheel of Fortune? No! This design issue makes smooth zooming and rack focusing a problem. However, all of the other functions of the ring (white balance, exposure, aperture, and gain) seem to work well enough.

The HDC-HS100's 12x optical zoom lens is another upgrade from the HDC-HS9, which has a 10x optical zoom. The HDC-HS100's lens has a removable lens hood, albeit a very small hood, for the accommodation of aftermarket lens hoods or filters. Be warned that if you remove this hood, you take the automatic lens cap with it, too. The lens has a focal length of 2.95mm - 35.4mm, an aperture range of f/1.8 - f/2.8, and a filter diameter of 37mm.

The Right Side (6.0)
Not much has changed here from the HDC-HS9. The HDC-HS100's right side is just as barren. If you look closely you can see tiny tumbleweeds ramble along its surface. The screw holes are still present, but since the HDC-HS100 is all black, the screws almost blend in. The HDC-HS9's silver body clashed like the Dickens with its series of chrome screws, leading to downright ugliness. So, no style complaints here with the HDC-HS100.

Panasonic did manage to bulk up the hand strap with about twice the amount of padding as the HDC-HS9's. This results in a more plush grip. You'll be much happier at the end of a marathon shoot. The hand strap has also been reshaped to support the area of your hand where the thumb and forefinger meet, which hits closest to the back of the camcorder. This part of the hand typically endures the most strain because it is pressed firmly against the strap anchor. So far, it's all starting to fall into place for Panasonic.

The Back (4.75)
Panasonic gave the rear end an overhaul as well, resurrecting the friendly circular mode dial and tacking on a viewfinder. The viewfinder does not extend or pivot upward, nor does it feature a rubberized eye cup, so it's far from perfect. But on exceedingly sunny days, you'll thank Panasonic for this addition. To the right of the viewfinder is the diopter adjuster that refocuses the image for you folks in glasses.  A switch is located to the right of the diopter adjuster to toggle between viewfinder (EVF) and LCD views. You have to set the HDC-HS100 to either viewfinder or LCD--the camcorder does not automatically switch between the two when the LCD screen is opened or closed. This switch was long overdue, because there are plenty of instances where you may want to shoot with the EVF, but still have access to the buttons in the LCD cavity.

The HDC-HS100's circular mode dial is a shout out to the old school days of Panasonic design. The mode dial can be shifted to Video, Off, and Playback modes and the Record Start/Stop button is embedded within the middle. The placement of the mode dial and Record Start/Stop button is highly conducive to the natural position of the thumb.

Now here's where we get angry. Panasonic is fond of placing ports within the battery chamber. We took out the Poor Design Bazooka and blasted the HDC-HS9 for stuffing its DC jack and HDMI terminal inside the battery chamber--it's inconvenient because the battery must be removed every time you attempt to access those ports. This means any time you want to view your video clips on an HDTV, you'd better have the external power with you.

So what does Panasonic do? They keep the DC jack and HDMI terminal in the battery chamber and add the USB terminal along with them! Now you need the power adapter any time you want to import video or stills from the camcorder. Panasonic, we'll keep grilling you until you manage to migrate all ports out of the battery chamber. It's an infuriating design problem.

The Left Side (6.0)
The HDC-HS100 means fierce business from the left side. What's more badass than a knurled lens ring, "3MOS" logo, and sexy black styling? In this latest generation of Panasonic camcorders, the Auto/Manual switch has been relocated to the lens end of the camcorder, and is now easier to operate. Beneath the Auto/Manual switch is the Cam Function button, which cues the Cam Function menu, rife with Manual Controls. Above the LCD screen are the Instant Auto Focus and Pre-Record buttons. So far, the external controls are looking good for the advanced shooters.

One minor annoyance is that if the LCD is open and angled up to meet your face while shooting, the LCD panel effectively blocks the Auto/Manual switch and the Cam Function button. You'll have to tilt the screen out of the way to make a switch, but then you can't see the screen to read the menu! Frustration Station, next stop.

Once you flip open the HDC-HS100's 2.7-inch LCD screen, you'll be greeted by a row of buttons along the top: OIS (Optical Image Stabilization), Delete, and Menu. A slightly larger "button" is located between the Delete and Menu buttons. This is no button at all, but in fact the HDC-HS100's joystick! As if the HDC-HS9's joystick couldn't be any more stumpy--Panasonic went and lopped the darn thing off. Handling is a different story, though. Despite its looks, the new "Joystick" is highly intuitive. It's still bogus that Panasonic kept it in the LCD cavity--it should be on the back facing the shooter.

On the lower section of the LCD cavity you'll find the Disc Copy button and a sliding plastic door that opens to reveal the Component and AV/Headphone jacks. Panasonic has the right idea with the covert port cover operation. Now if they could just extricate the ports from behind that battery...

The SDHC card slot is located along the bottom ridge of the LCD cavity and opened via a small notch. Despite its awkwardly low placement, you can still access the card slot while the HDC-HS100 is mounted to a tripod.

The left side of the Panasonic HDC-HS100 is busy with buttons	Inside the LCD cavity are several ports and the tiny nubbin of a joystick

The Top (5.0)
Up top, Panasonic tossed on a cold accessory shoe for external microphones, video lights, and any other accessories. This is another upgrade from the HDC-HS9, which is devoid of any type of shoe, let alone a Mic jack. The HDC-HS100 is proving itself as one of the most advanced consumer camcorders on the market right now, even though Panasonic has the capacity to build a monster worthy of their legendary MiniDV PV-GS400. The accessory shoe is covered by a thick plastic shield that is tacked to the top of the camcorder via two thick plastic strips that will get stuck if you pull them too hard--and we did.

The built-in 5.1-channel Dolby Digital microphone is mounted to the lens end of the camcorder, but is luckily out of reach from the right hand fingers. At the back end is the Zoom toggle and Photo Capture button. These controls have remained unchanged from the HDC-HS9. The Zoom toggle is now a secondary option to the buttery Cam Function ring--we recommend using the ring, though the toggle is a top notch control as well.