Panasonic HDC-SD20 Camcorder Review

Compression & Media Summary
• Uses the AVCHD codec: fairly universal, but files sizes can be large and unwieldy • Four bitrate options, maxing out at 17Mbps • Records exclusively to SD/SDHC cards (sister models include internal memory) • PC-only editing software is fairly simple to use for the most basic operations, but the    interface is cluttered and more complex tasks are a chore
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Compression (7.0)

The Panasonic HDC-SD20 records high definition video using the AVCHD codec. This is the same compression that Panasonic has been using for a couple years and, fortunately, support for the new codec is becoming increasingly robust. AVCHD is the primary compression method for most HD camcorders and is supported by a large majority of video editing software. Despite increased support, AVCHD files are still very large and can bog down your computer—especially if you're accustomed to small, standard definition video files.

Some of the more tech-savvy videophiles will notice that Panasonic has still not upgraded to the maximum AVCHD bitrate of 24Mbps. The highest quality setting on the SD20 (and Panasonic's HDC-HS300, HDC-SD300, and HDC-TM300) is still 17Mbps. Canon, JVC, and Sanyo have all bumped up to the 24Mbps ceiling. It's a bit disappointing that Panasonic and Sony haven't increased their top bitrate yet, but most consumers probably won't see much of a difference. We expect the difference will be more obvious once manufacturers are better able to match the 24Mbps bitrate with better processing. When that time comes, Panasonic and Sony will likely join the others.

Media (5.0)

Recording media is the only differentiating factor among three very similar Panasonic models. The HDC-SD20 records only to removable SD/SDHC memory cards. This is a popular and portable media type—more affordable and highly resilient to wear and tear, but lower in capacity and easier to lose than built-in memory types. For a little more money, Panasonic also offers the HDC-TM20, which records to either SDHC memory cards or 16GB of internal solid state memory. And for even more money, you can get the HDC-HS20, which records to memory cards or an 80GB internal hard disc drive.

The Panasonic HDC-SD20 records exclusively to SD/SDHC memory cards

Below you will find a table of approximate record times, based on the four quality settings and six possible card sizes. SDHC cards are currently available in capacities up to 32 GB. Depending on the card size you purchase, you may want one or two spares to get you through a long vacation.

Editing (7.0)

The Panasonic HDC-SD20 comes with HD Writer AE 1.0 software, a basic editing program that is not compatible with Macs. The software isn't terrific, but it allows for very simple editing, DVD creation, video and image organization, and internet uploading. Upon opening the HD Writer AE software, a "simple menu" pops up offering a variety of popular options—import to PC, create DVD, save as BD/AVCHD, edit images, and playback on PC. The features on the simple menu worked fairly seamlessly, but whenever we tried to do anything more advanced with the software we ran into bugs, error messages, and sluggish performance.

The "Simple Menu" is less daunting than the rest of the software.

Importing video from the HDC-SD20 to your computer is probably the most important aspect of the editing process. The HD Writer AE handles this task with relative ease, although the import screen is a bit more cluttered than it needs to be. You simply mark the files you want to import and start copying. As we said before, when we tried doing more extensive work with the HD Writer HD software we ran into problems. We received about a dozen error messages in the time we spent exploring and playing around with the software. None of these errors caused the software to crash, but they were still annoying to deal with.

The interface for importing clips is more cluttered than it should be.

If you're used to editing with iMovie or something similar, HD Writer AE will definitely disappoint you. The program has significant limitations and poor design, but this isn't any less than what we've come to expect from a free piece of software that ships with your camcorder. Keep in mind, the Panasonic HDC-SD20 records AVCHD video, which can be very difficult to edit due to its large size and the bulk of information included along with the video. If you plan on doing extensive editing with the HDC-SD20, make sure you have a powerful computer that can handle the workload.

The software had its share of bugs.