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Panasonic HDC-SD5 First Impressions Camcorder Reviewby Michael PerlmanPublished on Jul 30, 2007 3:00 AM 
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Audio
Harking back to the HDC-SD1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1119.99), we were fairly impressed with its onboard audio capabilities. The HDC-SD1 features a 5.1 channel Dolby digital built-in microphone with a mic jack located in its LCD cavity. While Panasonic chose to shed unwanted physical bulk by 20% with the revamped HDC-SD5, the camcorder’s audio was whittled down as well. The HDC-SD5 is reduced to a 2 channel stereo microphone and lacks that beloved mic jack. Oh, the sacrifices that must be executed to achieve the title of the “world’s smallest AVCHD camcorder!” We’re not impressed, Panasonic. Even the Sony HDR-CX7 (Specs, Recent News, $1199) is graced with a 5.1 channel Dolby digital built-in microphone.
Fortunately, the HDC-SD5 retained the HDC-SD1’s audio level control (auto, set, set+AGC). The built-in microphone also features a wind cut setting, and the ability to zoom. The HDC-SD5’s audio level control interface is a bit revamped, displaying a horizontal slider with 8 bars on both sides, measuring decibel levels with an adjustable range of -30 to +6 dB. The HDR-CX7 does not offer independent audio level control, but features a hot shoe for mounting an external mic.
Playback
Playback on the HDC-SD5 is virtually identical to the HDC-SD1. When the mode dial is shifted into playback mode, a screen containing up to 12 icons at a time appears. The icons represent individual recorded video clips, navigated by the joystick. In order to play a clip, press the center of the joystick. The clip will begin playing in the full pane of the LCD screen. Press the center of the joystick again to cue playback controls such as pause/play, stop, fast forward, and rewind. Playback audio can be adjusted using the zoom slider, represented by an onscreen horizontal slider with 32 steps. A separate photo tab is situated next to the video tab in the main icon screen and can be selected using the joystick to shuffle through captured stills.
In playback mode, the menu differs slightly from the video record menu. Play setup consists of play mode, repeat play, resume play, scene protect, and guidelines. Edit scene allows you to divide and delete clips. Disc Copy enables the recorded video to be exported onto a DVD disc. Setup includes format card, display, date/time, date format, power save, beep sound, LCD set, component out, HDMI resolution, EZ Sync, and TV aspect settings. Control over language is also available here.
Connectivity
The HDC-SD5 is an architecturally eccentric camcorder in terms of port placement. The HDMI and USB terminals are housed by a massive plastic plate located on the right side of the camcorder’s “sweet spot”, or grip side. The contoured plastic sheet is affixed via a thin plastic strip that is bolted by roughly three tiny Phillips head screws. If the gargantuan port cover is yanked a trifle too hard—and you know we did just that—the first screw will slip out of its hole. Once this happens, it is nearly impossible to slip the screw back into its hole, and the HDMI/USB port cover will never close fully again—unless you unbolt and re-screw.
The component and AV jacks are located within the LCD cavity and are secured by a minute rectangular plastic cover. The cover is connected to the camcorder by two thin plastic strips that ooze fragility. Now where’s that confounded SD/SDHC card slot? Slide the bottom hatch of the HDC-SD5 out and fold it back to reveal the hidden battery and SD/SDHC card slot located toward the butt end of the camcorder. Quite the peculiar placement—now you have to remove the battery when swapping cards in addition to the battery. Furthermore, there is no DC jack anywhere on the HDC-SD5. In its place is a dummy battery that fits inside the battery chamber and functions as the only source of external power available. Thanks, Panasonic!
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HDMI and USB are located on |
Component-out and AV-out are |