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Panasonic SDR-H200 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Sep 3, 2007 5:00 PM 
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The Panasonic SDR-H200 is the company’s leading camcorder in their new hybrid hard disk drive (HDD) / SD card camcorder. Featuring an identical imaging set to the VDR-D310, their top DVD camcorder, and the PV-GS320 (Specs, $0), their top MiniDV camcorder, Panasonic obviously places a lot of stock in their quality. The trust is not misplaced. We’ve loved the other camcorders, and the SDR-H200 matches that performance with the convenience of two media. There are some considerable trade-offs with its cousin camcorders, however, and Sony’s DCR-SR200 offers some still competition. The Front (6.5)
Up front, the Panasonic SDR-H200 boasts a 10x optical zoom lens with a 37mm filter diameter. The lens has a focal length of 3 to30mm and an f/1.8 to f/2.8 aperture. One of the SDR-H200’s most exclusive design traits is the ring around the lens that opens and closes the lens cap. This is not a manual focus ring, as stated on Panasonic’s online specs sheet. As far as built-in lens caps go, this is one of the most advanced we’ve seen due to its rapid response and optimal placement. External lens caps can clank around during a shot, and lens switches can easily be forgotten. Automatic lens enclosures eliminate lens cap stress entirely, but what happens when the delicate motor finally conks out? Although we would have preferred the SDR-H200 to sport a cam control ring, the manual lens enclosure ring is a solid design.
Below the lens is the built-in stereo microphone, a wise placement for a camcorder this size. Compact camcorders with top-mounted microphones are almost always prone to sound muffling because the fingers tend to overshoot the top side. The third and final feature on the front end is a high-powered video light with two brightness settings. Unlike most camcorders that feature weak, keychain-grade LCD video lights, the SDR-H200’s LCD light is a veritable beacon.
The Right Side (4.0)
Ah, the right side of an HDD camcorder. This is about as arid and desolate as you can get. On the SDR-H200, a peculiar hand strap is the only fodder for conversation. Panasonic has a habit of equipping most of their camcorders with a thin, uncomfortable, oddly-positioned strip of cheap plastic. The SDR-H200 distinguishes itself with a thin, uncomfortable, oddly-positioned strip of faux-leather material. When in hand, the camcorder flops to the side a trifle, but ratcheting the hand strap to a significant degree should minimize the tilt. Still, on a hot day, your hand will sweat and this strap will not help the situation. Panasonic’s latest unreleased AVCHD model, the HDC-SD5, is significantly smaller but features an ample strap that conforms ergonomically to the back of the hand via a teardrop design. Transfer this architecture over to the SDR-H200, and we’re in business.
The Back (6.0)
In back, the SDR-H200 features a fairly eccentric structure. There is no viewfinder to speak of, which is to be expected given the camcorder’s target audience of slightly advanced point-and-shooters. In its place is a significantly large, highly inconspicuous port cover that is devoid of a proper label. Once you finally jack it open from the left side, you’ll find a little AV terminal surrounded by a whole lot of space. Now here’s the kicker—Panasonic places the USB and DC in terminals within the battery chamber instead of filling up the ample AV port area. This isn’t so much a simple design problem as it is the result of a much larger issue. Footage cannot be exported through the USB by battery power. Placing the USB jack within the battery cavity is a safeguard to make sure you don’t try it. If you want to export footage in the field, be sure to bring all three power supply components—the AC cable, AC adapter, and DC cable. Yikes. At least JVC Everio camcorders have an all-in-one AC adapter. This is an absurd design that needs some retooling—not just on the SDR-H200, but on most of Panasonic’s consumer camcorders.
Since there is no viewfinder, the battery extrusion should not be an issue, and the ability to upgrade to a larger pack is possible. To the right of the AV port is a horizontally sliding on/off switch that is a bit tough to reach with the thumb. Beneath the on/off switch is a tiny menu button with a larger circular mode dial to its right. Embedded within the mode dial is Panasonic’s trademark rear-mounted joystick, which enables rapid and one-handed camcorder operation. The record start/stop button rests to the lower left side of the mode dial and is readily available for the thumb. Lastly, a small delete button is located toward the bottom, which is reachable only if you are double-jointed.
The Left Side (3.0)
When you pop open the SDR-H200’s 2.7-inch LCD screen, the welcoming committee is rather sparse. The LCD panel is lacking any sort of controls, including record start/stop, zoom in/out, or playback. In addition to the auto/manual switch and playback speaker, the LCD cavity hosts three buttons: DVD copy, Power LCD plus, and video light. The SDR-H200 features an SD card slot housed by a hinged plastic door that flings open via a horizontally sliding switch. The only problem is that the SD card slot door opens downward, meaning you have to remove the SDR-H200 from a tripod if you want to swap or extract cards. Between the SD card slot, the ridiculously gratuitous AV terminal zone, and the battery cavity-mounted ports, Panasonic has excelled in perplexing us with some truly cumbersome architecture. Is it that much of a stretch to make use of the SDR-H200’s ample unused surface area by placing ports, jacks, and card slots in more opportune areas? Only Panasonic has the answer.
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The Panasonic SDR-H200's left side |
The LCD cavity on on the left side |
The Top (6.0)
On top you get your typical zoom toggle and photo button combination, located toward the battery end of the SDR-H200. The zoom toggle is smooth and rapid to respond, much like that of a higher-end Sony or Canon. Now, the only other function atop the SDR-H200 is something that seems to be geared solely toward the camcorder’s coolness factor. At the very end of the SDR-H200’s top, just above the battery, is a black plastic strip that emits a stealthy orange glow in tandem with certain operations, such as recording and turning the camcorder on. This feature, activated in the Administrative menu, is simply referred to as “illumination” and will be a prime selling point for those who crave shiny, fancy gadgets.
