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Panasonic HDC-SD1 Camcorder Reviewby John NeelyPublished on Apr 2, 2007 6:00 PM
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Audio (7.0)
The SD1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1119.99) records Dolby digital, or AC-3 surround sound audio, which allows for up to six discrete channels of sound and supports mono and stereo usages. Panasonic gave the SD1 a 5.1 channel built-in microphone with a zoom function. There are three microphone level settings that apply to all five channels at once, but not independently: Auto, Set+AGC, and Set. Auto activates the AGC (Auto Gain Control) and the recording level is adjusted automatically. Set+AGC allows you to set a desired recording level, but keeps AGC on to reduce noise distortion. Finally, Set deactivates the AGC so that natural recording can be performed. When Set+AGC or Set is chosen, a screen displaying each individual microphone channel appears and allows you to test their levels while tinkering with the gain. Also, a microphone input level meter is displayed on the recording screen, monitoring peaks and insufficient volumes.
As if it couldn’t get any better, Panasonic slapped an external microphone jack in the LCD cavity, reaching out to those who need more than a 5.1 channel built-in microphone. The only problem is its awkward placement in the LCD cavity. The right port panel would have been an ideal spot for a mic jack, but with a camcorder this small, options were probably limited.
Because the AVCHD format is way ahead of its time, there was no way to adequately test recorded video files in their native playback. Unfortunately, many of the software programs that convert the files into NLE-friendly formats end up losing the audio track in the process. Sony and Panasonic, developers of the AVCHD format, claim that there will be universal software within the next couple of months to allow for editing and easy transfers, but for now, you are stuck with the camcorder’s playback or hooking it up to a TV. Playback on the camcorder unveils a lot of background noise, but the zoom function eliminates unnecessary buzz. Since there are no moving parts in the SD1 like a tape or DVD disc, the sound remains unaltered. Even the zoom motor is silent.
Panasonic has really poured a lot of thought into their audio, making the SD1 a fierce contender within its class.
Playback (4.0)
Playback on the SD1 is simple. Shifting the mode dial into playback mode cues a tabbed menu screen for videos and pictures represented by thumbnails. Up to 8 thumbnails can fill on the screen at one time, and scrolling and selecting videos or pictures is done by using the joystick. During video playback, a 32 step audio slider appears when the zoom toggle is activated, but raising and lowering the volume is like watching molasses drip in wintertime. It took over 15 seconds to go from silent to full volume, so start mastering the art of patience. In the bottom right corner, a joystick-operated submenu controls the rewind, fast forward, play/pause and stop functions. Pressing the menu button beneath the mode dial brings up a miniature menu consisting of play setup, setup, and language for both videos and pictures. Deleting footage or pictures is accomplished through the trash button, and Panasonic boosts security by providing a lot of hoops to jump through in order to officially erase a piece of media.
Connectivity (7.0)
The SD1 has a total of two port covers and a bevy of terminals. On the right side, a rectangular, hard plastic port cover houses the USB and HDMI terminals. The cover is easy to open, thanks to a generous finger groove, but closing it is another story. The hand strap blocks the bottom of the panel, requiring you to pull the strap back every time in order the close it. In addition, the thin plastic strip that attaches the cover to the body is pretty feeble, so don’t tug on it too hard. The port cover doesn’t stretch far enough from the body, either, making it difficult to plug in the HDMI cable.
In the LCD cavity, a plastic, L-shaped port cover opens via a small tab underneath to reveal the A/V jack, component terminal, microphone jack, and DC jack. Panasonic opts for a round DC connection, which is not as secure as most rectangular or geometrically eccentric connections which hold tighter. The placement of the microphone jack is cumbersome in conjunction with the LCD screen, and we would have preferred it to be swapped with the USB terminal on the other side. Above the port panel is the SD card slot which opens by a sliding door. If the door is left open, the camcorder will beep at you and refuse to record, pounding the message home with a “Card Door is Open” screen. This is a great security feature to ensure that the SD or SDHC card remains free of dust or debris that could potentially hinder its performance.
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