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Panasonic SDR-H200 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Sep 3, 2007 5:00 PM
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Comparison
Panasonic SDR-H20
The SDR-H20 ($599 MSRP) is the SDR-H200’s cheaper little brother. We know a $200 price drop is an enticing factor, but let’s find out if the SDR-H20 is worth any green at all. First off, the SDR-H20’s video quality will shrivel next to the SDR-H200’s, due to its single 1/6-inch imager with 680,000 gross pixel count (versus three 800,000 CCDs). Yikes. Next in line is the SDR-H20’s maximum still resolution—a whopping 640 x 480, rendering the camcorder’s Camera mode essentially pointless. Lastly, the SDR-H20 ships with a smaller battery, external lens cap, and no remote control. So, do all of these aforementioned traits add up to $200? Three CCDs is a significant upgrade by any means. Most shooters can live without the glamour of a lens ring switch and remote control. So, it’s down to video performance, larger stills, and higher battery life. You’ll have to deal with the same preposterous port placement, hand strap, and barren LCD panel. Novice point-and-shooters: you’ll be fine with the SDR-H20. Advanced point-and-shooters: seriously consider the SDR-H200.
Panasonic VDR-D310
The Panasonic VDR-D310 ($699.95 MSRP) is the SDR-H200’s DVD equivalent. Both camcorders feature three 1/6-inch CCDs with a gross pixel count of 800,000 and matching compression and data rates. Expect strikingly similar video quality. As far as features go, the VDR-D310 has more to offer. The VDR-D310 is equipped with a cold shoe, extendable viewfinder, and mic jack. For $100 more, these should be standard on the SDR-H200. The only perks apparent on the SDR-H200 include a video light, fancy lens switch ring, longer battery life, and massive HDD recording time. The VDR-D310 is the clear winner, but those who loathe DVD camcorders will most likely opt for the SDR-H200.
JVC GZ-MG555
The JVC GZ-MG555 ($899.95 MSRP) is the top dog standard definition Everio, and needless to say, a fierce contender. The GZ-MG555 is equipped with the largest imager found within a consumer camcorder—a colossal 1/2.5-inch CCD with 2,322,540 pixel count, creating a beautiful image. Low light for both camcorders is severely lacking, but the GZ-MG555 offers an auto gain control function that acts as a lifejacket as the lux decreases. The GZ-MG555 features a video light, flash, cold shoe, mic jack, old-school program AE dial, and an LCD-mounted joystick. The SDR-H200 can only answer with better manual controls, slightly higher battery life, better playback control, and a higher 10 Mbps maximum data rate versus the GZ-MG555’s 8.5 Mbps. Regardless, the winner is the GZ-MG555, despite its $100 price jump.
Sony DCR-SR200
The Sony DCR-SR200 ($849.99 MSRP) is another source of prime intimidation with a 1/3-inch CMOS 2,100,000 gross pixel sensor and 40 GB HDD. Yes, the video quality is very good, though it lacks the vibrant color palette produced by the SDR-H200’s three CCDs. Still, it’s a close call. The DCR-SR200 features Sony’s classic Easy mode and touch screen LCD—two highly esteemed traits celebrated by the most basic point-and-shoot crowd. Manual controls will not match the advanced level of the SDR-H200, but you won’t have to deal with ridiculous port placement or a thin, uncomfortable hand strap. This is a toss-up. Head to the store and try before you buy.
Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters
The SDR-H200 is a mixed bag. Its simplified body, lack of LCD controls, and poor connectivity options appears to lock horns with its stellar manual controls, superior rear-mounted joystick, and top-notch handling. Point-and-shooters looking to take the director’s chair will most likely fall in love with the SDR-H200.
Budget Consumers
At $799.95, the SDR-H200 will not lure big bills out of your wallet. Budget consumers will want to look into the stepped-down SDR-H20.
Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid
The SDR-H200 allows you to record video or stills to the 30 GB HDD or an SD card at up to 2048 x 1512 in size. In addition, the SDR-H200 actually ships with a 512 MB SD card and offers optical image stabilization. However, there is no Burst or Bracket mode. Still photo/video camera hybrid fanatics—this cam may be for you.
Gadget Freaks
Gadget freaks will grow giddy over the SDR-H200’s sleek, chrome design, three CCDs, and mesmerizing illumination light. Other than that, this is just another HDD camcorder.
Manual Control Freaks
Between aperture, gain, white balance, shutter speed, and focus, what more could a consumer ask for? A cam control ring would be nice, but for a point-and-shooter, the SDR-H200 boasts a saturated manual control suite.
Pros / Serious Hobbyists
The SDR-H200 is geared toward a particular crowd: point-and-shooters. A pro is miles beyond this target.
Conclusion
The SDR-H200 is the top model in Panasonic’s freshman year for hybrid camcorders, combining HDD and SD/SDHC card recording capability. They have come out of the gate with a very strong camcorder. The SDR-H200 feels great in the hand, with well-placed buttons and those classic Panasonic handling touches like the rear-mounted joystick. Nuances like the clean lines and glowing light-up panel on top give it some much-needed visual appeal. The bright light performance is hard to top, and exactly matches that of the VDR-D310 DVD camcorder.
On the down side, the three small CCDs did not do much for low light performance. It seems high time that Panasonic offered shutter speeds slower than 1/60th to compensate for this fault. We didn’t care much for the low-slung hand strap, which necessitates keeping a tight grip on the body to hold it steady. Also, as a warning to those who’ve viewed the incorrect specs on Panasonic’s web site, the SDR-H200 does not come equipped with a manual focus ring.
Overall, this is the HDD or hybrid camcorder to buy for power users not looking to upgrade to high definition just yet, as long as you can deal with the poor low light performance. The Sony DCR-SR200 is likely to rival or beat the SDR-H200 in performance, but the manual control set is not as strong. It does offer an accessory shoe (proprietary fit), but as a counterbalance, the electronic stabilization is not as good as Panasonic’s OIS. If high definition is a possibility, we recommend checking out the Sony HDR-SR5 or holding off until the Canon HR10 starts shipping.
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