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Panasonic HDC-SD9 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Mar 4, 2008 4:42 PM
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Ease of Use (6.75)
Panasonics highly advanced camcorders in terms of Manual controls, so don’t expect the HDC-SD9 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $499.97) to be a cakewalk. You can set the camcorder to Auto mode, which disables the use of all Manual controls, but many menu options are still available—either way you’ll have to grow accustomed to piloting this camcorder. This is a good thing though—the HDC-SD9 will help you grow as a videographer. Focus, Aperture, Shutter Speed, White Balance, and Gain are all at the disposal of your thumb in the quick Joystick menu. With a little practice, you’ll be able to get the hang of manual image adjustment in no time. Although Panasonic made a very poor choice by stuffing the Joystick in the LCD cavity.
The HDC-SD9 utilizes one of the friendliest forms of media out there—flash memory. Just throw in a card, record, pop it out, and toss it in a reader and you’re ready to roll. Of course, if you want to edit videos, you’ll have to use a super power computer with an AVCHD-compatible editing program such as Ulead Studio 11 or Sony Vegas. Life is not so plush for this new codec yet, but by the end of the year we can expect to see more support for AVCHD. SDHC cards are damage resistant, extremely compact, and have a long shelf life. You won’t have to worry about finalizing a DVD or capturing footage in real time in a NLE with the HDC-SD9.
Handling (4.75)
Remember the ongoing “Quest for Smallness” instigated with the release of Panasonic’s first generation AVCHD flash camcorder, the HDC-SD1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1119.99)? Well, for a full year we’ve sat back and watched Sony and Panasonic battle it out like rabid, hell-bent lions in an electric cage. Sony’s answer to the HDC-SD1 was the HDR-CX7 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $849.99) (Review, Specs, Recent News, $849.99), which claimed to be the smallest AVCHD camcorder. Then, Panasonic bared its fangs and retaliated with the HDC-SD5, undercutting the HDR-CX7’s dimensions and weight significantly. At some point, Sony threw in the towel—there has been no update to the HDR-CX7 (though it’s expected some time in mid-2008). Just to be safe, Panasonic sliced about a centimeter off the length of the HDC-SD5 and shaved off about five grams to solidify its place in the world as the revamped HDC-SD9, the latest “World’s Smallest Full HD Camcorder.”
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Panasonic HDC-SD9 |
The first-gen HDC-SD1 |
After that history lesson, you’re probably wondering how this little piston feels in the hand. First off, don’t be intimidated by its size. The HDC-SD9 may seem like a stabilization and handling nightmare, but once you slide your hand into the ergonomic landscape that is the right side, you’ll soon abandon your initial reaction. This camcorder stays glued to your hand. It doesn’t flop to the side like some Canons and it conforms to the natural curvature of the hand. The hand strap is on the cheap side and lacks sufficient padding, but you won’t notice it as much since the HDC-SD9 is so darn comfortable. The one problem you’ll run into is overshooting the top with your fingers. The onboard microphone will fall victim to a muffling pinky finger, and you’ll have to shift your entire hand down just to align your thumb with the Record Start/Stop button. All in all, for a camcorder this small, it feels great in the hand.
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| The justly maligned joystick | |
Panasonic has carried over their preposterous port placement in the battery cavity, as well. This design leaves us baffled every time we get in their latest camcorder. What is the point of stuffing the DC and HDMI jacks behind the battery? You have to disrupt your shot to connect the power and you can’t review your footage on an HDMI-compatible monitor unless you have the power supply. On the bright side, Panasonic’s Zoom toggle is chunky and smooth compared to most miniscule rocking levers characterized by Sony, Canon, and JVC camcorders. The HDC-SD9 also includes a designated OIS button, which saves you the time it takes to forage through the menu.
Overall, this trend towards constantly shrinking the size is starting to hurt the usability. Soon the shooter will be expected to host some of the ports on their own hands just to save a few measly millimeters.
Menu (6.5)
Panasonic’s menu system is a force to be reckoned with, and the HDC-SD9 is a proud heir of those clean, concise menu interfaces we’ve seen throughout the years. Options are logically placed within their categories and Joystick navigation is rapid. Unfortunately, the HDC-SD9’s Joystick is located in the LCD cavity instead of the back, like almost every Panasonic within previous years. This stunts the ability to shift quickly and blocks the LCD screen. Nevertheless, the menu system will get the job done more painlessly than a touch screen.
The Joystick menu is highly useful for quick image adjustments. To access the Joystick Menu, press the center of the Joystick. When in Manual/Manual Focus mode, the Joystick Menu will offer the following options:
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Joystick Menu |
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| Page 1 | Fades, Intelligent Contrast, Help Mode |
| Page 2 | Soft Skin Mode, MagicPix, Backlight Compensation |
| Page 3 | Low Light Mode, Self-Timer, Tele Macro |
| Page 4 | Iris, White Balance, Shutter Speed |
| Page 5 | Manual Focus |
In order to access the Administrative Menu, press the Menu button located below the Joystick. The Administrative Menu contains the following options:
| Administrative Menu | |
| Basic | Scene Mode, Digital Zoom, Guide Lines, Clock Set, Set World Time |
| Video | Record Mode, 24p Digital Cinema, Fade Color, Wind Cut, Mic Setup, Mic Level, AGS |
| Picture | Picture Quality, Hi-Speed Burst, Flash, Flash Level, Red Eye, Shutter Sound |
| Advanced | Record Lamp, Zebra, Color Bar, MF Assist, Auto Slow Shutter, Shooting Guide, Digital Cinema Color |
| Setup | Format Card, Display, Date/Time, Date Format, Power Save, Quick Start, Beep Sound, LCD Set, Component Out, HDMI Resolution, VIERA Link, TV Aspect, Initial Set, Demo Mode |
| Language | English, Francais, Espanol |
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A look at the main menu in action. Clockwise starting upper-left: |
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Portability (8.25)
As outlined in the handling section, the HDC-SD9 is the smallest “Full HD” camcorder on the market. This little bugger will fit in a large pocket or purse, but there will be a minor bulge factor to account for. The HDC-SD9 measures a petit 65mm x 67mm x 126mm (2.56 in. x 2.638 in. x 4.96 in.) and tips the scale at 337g (.743 lbs.). A small camcorder bag will suffice.
The other benefit is the HDC-SD9’s media. SDHC cards are among the smallest removable storage solutions out there. While tapes and DVDs have a tendency to bulk up the bag, you can fit an SDHC card in your wallet. Extra batteries are always a good idea, so be sure to stock up.
LCD and Viewfinder (5.0)
The HDC-SD9 is equipped with a 2.7-inch wide LCD screen that extends 90 degrees from the body of the camcorder and rotates up to 270 degrees. The LCD screen has a 300,000 pixel count which attributes to a crisp, vibrant display. You can adjust the brightness and color of the LCD screen using LCD Set, found in the Setup Menu, but why would you want to fool yourself? That’s what Exposure and White Balance are for. What’s the point of dialing a beautiful image on the LCD and then playing it back later only to find that it is the more underexposed, dark piece of cinematic garbage you have ever shot? There is also a Power LCD Extra which brightens the screen +1 and +2 brightness levels. Yet another pointless feature. The Power LCD Extra feature automatically engages when the camcorder is connected to the external power supply, so be sure to turn it off immediately when you plug in.
Due to the very small nature of this camcorder, there is no viewfinder on the HDC-SD9.
Battery Life (11.9)
We tested the life of the HDC-SD9's VW-VBG130 rechargeable Battery Pack by recording continuously in manual mode with the LCD flipped open and OIS disabled. Record quality was set to HA1920 (highest). The HDC-SD9's battery lasted 119 minutes and 8 seconds (1 hour, 59 minutes, and 8 seconds), which is a strong performance. The HDC-SD1's battery lasted 97 minutes and 2 seconds (1 hour, 27 minutes, and 2 seconds) while the Sony HDR-CX7's battery lasted 101 minutes and 14 seconds (1 hour, 41 minutes, and 14 seconds).