Panasonic SDR-H60 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Nov 18, 2008 1:20 PM
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Ease of Use (6.0)
Panasonics are easy to use once you get the hang of them. The handling is excellent, and the menu navigation is sensible. However, there is a steep learning curve, no doubt about that. The fact that the functions are split across multiple menus, and that the icons in the menus are often indecipherable, can make the beginner's experience frustrating. Also, the manual controls are geared more towards experienced users.
Fortunately, the Auto mode on the Panasonic SDR-H60 eliminates some of these problems. The menu is truncated to remove some non-critical options, and even the remaining options can be ignored. The operation of all camcorders can be reduced to simply pointing it and hitting the record button. It only gets complicated if you want to go beyond pointing. Unfortunately, Panasonic is not the best for beginners.
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| The Panasonic SDR-H60 in hand... | ...it's comfortable and handles well. |
Handling (7.25)
The Panasonic SDR-H60 is a comfortable camcorder to hold. Like its step-up sibling, the Panasonic SDR-H200, the H60 feels tailored to the hand of the advanced shooter. The joystick is conveniently located on the rear of the body, positioned for the thumb. With the record button and mode dial in easy reach, and the zoom toggle positioned above for the index finger, this is the rare camcorder designed for one-handed operation.
The joystick and mode dial
are conveniently located on
the back for your thumb.
Though the hand strap is not of the highest quality, the overall weight is lower than the SDR-H200, and the weight is distributed in such a way that the body does not possess that annoying tendency to tip away from the hand.
One-handed operation may not be for everyone; we think it favors advanced users. Beginners will want for something to do with their left hand. On Canon, Sony, and JVC camcorders, the left hand operates a joystick or touch screen system on the left side, as well as providing a steadying grip that ensures the stability of the shot and the safety of the camcorder. Many users of the SDR-H60 will no doubt continue to use the left hand as a steadying force, but it's nice that you don't have to.
Once again, we find ourselves frustrated with the battery and charging issues. Thankfully, Panasonic does not hide the USB jack inside the battery cavity, as it does on so many of its camcorders. However, you still cannot recharge the battery and power the camcorder at the same time. Also, rather than a small, thin cord to carry around as a charging cable, the SDR-H60 comes with a huge, gangly, battery-shaped block that fits into the battery slot. We wish all charge cables were as neat and portable as the ones included with JVC Everio camcorders.
Menu (6.5)
The menus on the Panasonic are relatively straightforward, once the learning curve is overcome. Once you know your way around, it becomes clear that the joystick menu – closest at hand – contains all the critical manual controls. The Admin menu, which is less accessible but still nearly, contains all the other functions.
The Manual Control menu is composed of the following items:
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Manual Control Menu |
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| Page 1 | Fades, BLC, Information |
| Page 2 | Soft Skin Mode, MagicPix |
| Page 3 | Iris, White Balance, Shutter Speed |
| Page 4 | Focus |
The Manual Control (Joystick) Menu
The Admin menu contains the following items:
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Video Administrative Menu |
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| Basic | Scene Mode, Guide Lines, Record Mode, Aspect, Clock Set |
| Advanced | Digital Zoom, Fade Color, Wind Cut, Zoom Mic, Auto Slow Shutter, Aspect, Fade |
| Media Select | HDD, SD Card |
| Setup | Display, Date/Time, Date Format, Quick Start, Power Save, Beep Sound, LCD Set, Initial Set, Demo |
| Language | English, Espanol, Francais |
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| Clockwise starting above: 1) Admin Menu, 2) The Basic submenu, 3) The Advanced submenu |
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Portability (4.0)
The Panasonic SDR-H60 is certainly not the most compact camcorder around. If this is your biggest concern, Panasonic has the answer for you: the SDR-S7 is amongst the smallest full-feature camcorder around, although it only records to SD and SDHC memory cards.
The SDR-H60 measures 67 x 70 x 116mm (2.68 x 2.8 x 4.64 inches) and weighs 340g (12 ounces). This is only slightly smaller than the step-up SDR-H200, which is nearly the same size as many high definition camcorders.
The 2.7-inch LCD has a 123,000-pixel resolution.
LCD and Viewfinder (4.0)
The Panasonic SDR-H60 has a 2.7-inch LCD with a 123,000-pixel resolution – the basic package for a low-end camcorder. Unfortunately, it has a tendency to polarize at angles, which can make shooting during daylight problematic, especially given that there's no viewfinder. The low resolution also makes manual focus a problem. It's tough to complain too much, because you won't find a decent LCD in this price range.
The Panasonic SDR-H60 ships with the VW-VBG070A rechargeable battery pack, which fits into an internal cavity that loads at the bottom. This is a shame, as an internal design prevents you from upgrading to a larger battery.
We tested the battery for longevity by shooting continuously until the battery died. The LCD was left open, and no manual controls were engaged while shooting. In total, the battery lasted for 131 minutes and 35 seconds (2 hours, 11 minutes, and 35 seconds).
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