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Panasonic HDC-SD9

Manufacturer: Panasonic Part number: HDC-SD9

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$579.99 - $1,499.95 at 3 online stores

CNET Editor rating:
3.5 stars Very good
Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 7 reviews

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: Despite its trio of CCDs, the video quality and performance of the Panasonic HDC-SD9 are a bit too inconsistent.
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CNET editors' review

Panasonic HDC-SD9

price range: $579.99 - $1,499.95

Reviewed by: Lori Grunin
Reviewed on: 03/17/2008
Updated on:05/06/2008
Released on: 01/09/2008

The good: Compact and lightweight; saturated colors.

The bad: Moderate to low-light videos look cloudy; some awkward design choices; smallish LCD with terrible color reproduction; awful bundled software.

The bottom line: Despite its trio of CCDs, the video quality and performance of the Panasonic HDC-SD9 are a bit too inconsistent.

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Editor's note 5/6/08: I've revised the bottom line and software comments after revisiting the issue of video-editing problems. These do not affect the ratings, since I did not factor software problems into the original ratings.

With its eye-catching, compact body and relatively low price, the Panasonic HDC-SD9 seems to be quite an attractive buy for a flash-based AVCHD camcorder. At 11.7 ounces with battery and SD card and only 3.6 inches long, it's certainly one of the smallest and lightest full-size camcorders we've ever tested, and is pretty comfortable to shoot. The zoom switch feels responsive, and all the controls seem logically placed and fluid to operate. Many of the buttons, especially the face detection and Pre-rec (for 3-second pre-recording) are a tad small, but that's to be expected on a device this size.

As with other compact camcorders, only a few controls remain under your right thumb: zoom, photo, capture/playback/power, and recording start/stop.

All the rest of the controls sit in the LCD enclosure. The joystick is in an especially odd place which requires some getting used to; for instance, pressing the joystick towards you produces the same result as moving it to the right in a traditional orientation, while pressing it away will navigate to the left. I was relatively comfortable with this design, but our Lab tech disliked it.

However, Panasonic made a few irritating design choices, especially with regard to the battery. To remove it, you have to open the LCD cover; that's fine, as long as you don't use Quick Start mode, which turns the power on when you open the door. In that circumstance, when you open the LCD to remove the battery--as you must to charge it, since you can't charge the battery in-camera--the camcorder naturally turns on, and removing the battery at that point leaves the electronic lens cover open. Furthermore, to download the files to your computer you must plug in the AC adapter (a pretty common requirement), but since the connector is in the battery compartment you have to remove the battery to do so.

Furthermore, Panasonic offers an optional Shooting Guide which prompts you with "Camera panning too fast," "Use Intelligent Contrast," "Use O.I.S.," and "Use Low Light Mode" messages. Unfortunately, each of these messages takes up a huge chunk of the already too-crowded 2.7-inch LCD, blocking your view of the scene entirely. In the case of contrast and panning, the messages seem to appear more frequently than not.

Panasonic manages to cram quite a bit into the SD9's tiny chassis. It contains a trio of 1/6-inch, 560,000-pixel CCDs with effective resolutions of 520,000 pixels each, as well as an optically stabilized 10x zoom lens. In addition to a handful of scene modes, you can manually adjust iris (aperture) and shutter speed, which is uncommon in its price class. There's also manual focus, but on the tiny LCD it's difficult to use. A face-detection mode optimizes exposure for people and a Pre-rec toggle records continually in the background, then saves the previous three seconds after you press the record button. It also includes a dubiously useful 5.1-channel microphone; I'd swap that for stereo with a headphone jack and mic input. However, you can adjust the volume for each of the five channels independently.

Like the Canon Vixia HF10 and its nearly identical little brother, HF100, the SD9 records 1080i HD video at a full 1920x1080 resolution with a maximum 17Mbps bit rate. That's about 2 hours of best-quality video on a 16GB card. Like the Canons, it requires a Class 4 or better SDHC card for highest-quality recording.

Overall, performance is good. The SD9 adjusts exposure and focus relatively quickly, though like many consumer models focus slows as lights get low. The image stabilization works fairly well, but there's still some shake when zoomed out to the 10x maximum. The LCD seems to be worse than usual, however, seriously misrepresenting the white balance and exposure.

Video quality ranges from good to not-so-good. As you'd expect from a 3-CCD model, the SD9 renders very saturated colors. Exposures look good, but even when it underexposes to preserve highlights they still get blown out quite a bit. At its best--in good light--the video is a bit soft except when zoomed all the way in. In lower light, it looks either as if there's a film over the lens or simply overprocessed. Still photos are almost unusable; unsurprising given the low resolution of the individual sensors.

I based my quality judgments from viewing on the Sony KDL-46XBR4 HDTV and PC playback using InterVideo WinDVD; at review time, I had problems with the SD9's videos using virtually every editing package I tried. I subsequently succeeded with Ulead VideoStudio 11.5. You can read the details in my update to The hardware is willing, but the software is weak.

Though the Panasonic HDC-SD9 is a nice little camcorder, between the software issues--I'll update when they're resolved--and the inconsistent performance and video quality, I think you'll probably be happier in the long run by spending a little more for the competing Sony Handycam HDR-CX7 or one of the aforementioned Canon Vixia models.

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User reviews

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Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 7 reviews
My rating: 0 stars

Showing opinion 1 to 7 out of 7

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8 stars

A Gread AVCHD Cam.

by jepz422864 on April 27, 2008

Pros: Excellent HD videos, Good 2.1mp still shot, smooth zoom function, and excellent sound

Cons: Supplied Software, Have to remove Battery to connect to HDMI or download videos direct to PC

Summary: Most reviews put a negative on the SD9. But it does what it was advertised- shoot sharp AVCHD quality video. Even at the next resolution level, the videos were sharp. ...

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Summary: Most reviews put a negative on the SD9. But it does what it was advertised- shoot sharp AVCHD quality video. Even at the next resolution level, the videos were sharp. The 3 CCD's do really work!

As to still photos, CNET was wrong in saying its awful. Remember that this Panny only takes 2.1 megapixel shots. And will not compete with current high megapixel digital cameras. Always remember to lower the flash brightness as it can overpower your still shot.

The cam may not be the smallest in the market but it is a joy to use. It's light weight enables steady video shooting. The zoom function from wide to telephoto was smooth as silk. And the OIS really works! You will be amazed by the sound quality recorded by the video cam. Its crystal clear.

I have only 3 complaints- First,the supplied software is inadequate for video editing. Panny should have provided a special edition of Pinnacle Software for free. Second, you have to use the A/C adaptor to load videos to your PC. That requires you to remove the battery pack. Third, to view HDMI videos via HDMI cable, you have to remove the battery pack. The HDMI plug is located beside the A/C plug.

Overall, I rate this cam 8/10.

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4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
9 stars

Great video and sound quality, easy to use,

by drj444 on March 23, 2008

Pros: Great video quality.Great colour.Great sound.

Cons: Need to connect ac power when using usb and hdmi.Hopelesss software

Summary: Great little package.Have installed Corel Ulead 11.5 plus with Power Pack and Corel Win DVD 9 plus and have found that editing and playback is a breeze.Supplied ...

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Summary: Great little package.Have installed Corel Ulead 11.5 plus with Power Pack and Corel Win DVD 9 plus and have found that editing and playback is a breeze.Supplied software is a joke.I havn't found the playback filmy as suggested by the Cnet editor.
Overall,with the new software,i have found this to be a great little camcorder.Well priced

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3 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
5 stars

Disappointing Video Quality

by on January 13, 2009

Pros: Lightweight; primary colors are saturated; looks good with soft fluorescent light tube as source; uses SDHC memory card for quick video transfer.

Cons: Other colors are inconsistent in saturation; LCD's color and crispness does not match video when transferred to PC; software is not well designed; night mode is full of grains.

Summary: I'm on the lookout for a great camcorder to make independent pictures without spending over $1500. This device is going back to the store.

Summary: I'm on the lookout for a great camcorder to make independent pictures without spending over $1500. This device is going back to the store.
5 stars

Wait for the next release of AVCHD products

by hdnut on August 31, 2008

Pros: Size is exceptional, with just about all the right components (not necessarily placed in the right spot). Great potential going forward for 3 ccd plaform in this size format. Looking forward to future products from Panasonic.

Cons: Contrast, color saturation, no external connectors (mic, headphones), no hood for filming, no hotshoe for eternal components (oh ya, I already mentioned that), unacceptable editing software.

Summary: My application might be a little more harsher than most users so please take my observations with a little salt. My use is in recording motorbike trips of interest for ...

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Summary: My application might be a little more harsher than most users so please take my observations with a little salt. My use is in recording motorbike trips of interest for placement on travel web sites and adventure rider. I ride in the north west (BC and Washington State). I mount the camera on a RAM mounting system and use considerable storage up until I get home to edit (with some on the road editing). The form factor is excellent but it ends there. I need to manage the sound, and two channel is all I need. I need to have excellent contrast and color and with a 3 ccd component, I should have it, Not there, and you can't add in whats not there in the first place easily. OIS has been addressed by previous reviewers. I'm am joining them is stating that I'm not impressed at all. Should be considerably better. Zoom is way to fast for most folks to utilize - wouldn't be bad if focus followed suit. When panning the habitual message is presented on the lcd instructing you to slow down. I like to think I have panning down to an art. Not by this camera's low standards.
For simply recording the family activities, I would not even recommend this camera, as the software for converting to something useful is lacking. Low light recording has the colors predominately washed out.
I do this activity as a hobbist with years in post production. My work flow has been compromised by this product - no enhanced. Unfortunately, two thumbs down for this camera.

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8 stars

very good camcorder, No complaints yet!!!

by brianzboyz on May 9, 2008

Pros: light weight, lots of great features

Cons: Software, and low light recording

Summary: this is a very good camcorder with a great price just be aware of who you buy from make sure that you don't use CAMERA ADDICTS they will rip ...

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Summary: this is a very good camcorder with a great price just be aware of who you buy from make sure that you don't use CAMERA ADDICTS they will rip you off!!!!!

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8 stars

Good HD video & sound. Horrible software.

by MrBunny72 on April 6, 2008

Pros: Small & lightweight. Outdoor videos are awesome.

Cons: Still pictures grainy. Needs plenty of light for video. Software support lacking.

Summary: This camcorder takes great HD video and the Dolby 5.1 sounds great. You will need plenty of light as the low light function makes the video look grainy. If ...

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Summary: This camcorder takes great HD video and the Dolby 5.1 sounds great. You will need plenty of light as the low light function makes the video look grainy. If you are buying this camcorder to also take still pictures you will be disappointed. The .jpeg pictures are also grainy which is why I deducted a point from the rating. This SD9 is ultra portable as it can fit into a fanny pack if you're into that sort of thing. It also has an automatic lens cap which can be unscrewed if needed though I don't know how this would affect the video. The video is grainy in low light conditions whereas a standard def JVC camcorder had no problems. Another point was deducted for the sorry editing program which came with the SD9. Don't even bother loading it unless you only need to cut and splice and ONLY output to .mpeg2. I also had trouble getting other video editing software to work. Both Pinnacle, Ulead or Sony would either not recognize the AVCHD format (.mts) or just flat out lock up when trying to import the files. The only program I could get to actually work was Nero Vision5 which had no trouble with editing and converting to .mpeg4. I am using Vista Ultimate with SP1 so that may have something to do with the programs not working. I used a Quad-Core notebook with 4GB ram so I don't think the problems were hardware related. XP users may not have this problem.
Overall this is a pretty good VIDEO camera. Just remember when purchasing that you will need to buy a flash card for it . I got a 16mb for around $100 but you can probably get one cheaper online. The great thing is that the card easily comes out of the camera and goes right into my notebook.

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8 stars

Great HD picture and awesome sound!

by lazarith007 on February 28, 2008

Pros: Small and light with fast start up time (0.6 seconds)

Cons: Joystick control a little difficult to use. Very Small.

Summary: The picture quality was excellent and the 5.1 sound was amazing. This camera is very small and would not work well for someone with very large hands. It handles ...

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Summary: The picture quality was excellent and the 5.1 sound was amazing. This camera is very small and would not work well for someone with very large hands. It handles low light ok and overall is a good buy for $800 bucks.

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Showing opinion 1 to 7 out of 7

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Specifications

Manufacturer: Panasonic
Part number: HDC-SD9
Description: Use of the super-small SDHC/SD memory card helped Panasonic to create the world's smallest and lightest 3CCD full-HD camcorder. The SD9 fits comfortably in the hand and can be used for long periods without causing fatigue. Panasonic full-HD camcorders record horizontal pixels at an HD resolution of up to 1920 pixels, which results in a total of around 2,070,000 pixels. And with progressive scanning, the hi-def camcorders provide twice as much data per picture as conventional interlace scanning. This means you get breathtaking images with exceptional resolution and detail. Combine that with a 1080/24p format, which lets you capture scenes with a rich, film-like quality, and you can see why Panasonic full-HD camcorders take visual expression to the next level. With face detection - offered for the first time for recording moving pictures with a video camera - Panasonic makes it easy to capture beautiful faces and clear backgrounds even in dim or backlit scenes. This function, which can detect up to five faces at once, automatically adjusts the exposure and smooths skin tones according to the ambient brightness, so faces are bright and easy to see. The intelligent shooting guide function helps you get magnificent shots by displaying a text message in the LCD monitor, telling you which settings are best for the current shooting conditions. With intelligent selection playback, poor or inadvertent shots (such as shots of the ground or overly dark scenes) are skipped and all normal scenes are played while viewing. Panasonic's advanced Optical Image Stabilization (O.I.S.) suppresses the effects of hand shake as you shoot. The system uses gyrosensors to detect hand shake, then shifts a lens and adjusts the optical axis to compensate. This all happens a remarkable 4,000 times per second, and because the system is optical, no image quality is lost. Thanks to Advanced O.I.S., the images you capture look incredibly clear, sharp and beautiful on a big TV screen. Developed specifically for full-HD digital camcorders, the world-class Leica Dicomar lens system is made using a multi-coating process that prevents light reflection and glare, which can make colors bleed and images appear washed out. It also prevents rings of light, or "ghosts."

General
Product Type Camcorder
Enclosure Color Silver
Digital Zoom 700 x
Optical Sensor Size 1/6"
Optical Sensor Type 3CCD
Min Illumination 1 lux
Digital Video Format AVCHD
Image Stabilizer Optical (Advanced O.I.S.)
Min Shutter Speed 1/25 sec
Max Shutter Speed 1/8000 sec
Shooting Modes Digital photo mode
Shooting Programs Low light, Spotlight, Sports mode, Surf & snow, Portrait mode
White Balance Custom, Presets, Automatic
White Balance Presets Indoor, Outdoor
Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
Camera Flash Built-in flash
Widescreen Video Capture Yes
Main Features
Camcorder Interpolated Still Resolution 2.1 megapixels
Color Support Color
Face Detection Yes
Still Image Format JPEG
Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
TV Tuner None
Memory / Storage
Supported Flash Memory SD Memory Card
Floppy Drive None
Image Storage JPEG 1920 x 1080
Media Type Flash card
Camera Flash
Effective Flash Range 3.3 ft - 8 ft
Lens System
Type Zoom lens - 3 mm - 30 mm - F/1.8-2.8
Focal Length 3 mm - 30 mm
Lens Aperture F/1.8-2.8
Optical Zoom 10 x
Lens system type Zoom lens
Lens Construction 8 group(s) / 12 element(s)
Min focal length 3 mm
Max focal length 30 mm
Lens Manufacturer Leica
Features LD glass, Built-in lens shield
Filter Size 37 mm
Focus Adjustment Manual, Automatic
Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
Low Lux / Night Mode Yes
Digital Still Camera Function Yes
Additional Features DPOF support, Face detection, PictBridge support, USB 2.0 compatibility, Backlight compensation, Takes photos while movie recording, Dolby Digital 5.1 channel recording
Remote control Remote control - Infrared
Software Panasonic HD Writer 2.5E
Viewfinder
Viewfinder Type None
Display
Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.7 in - Color
Digital Player (Recorder)
Type None

Microphone
Type Microphone - Built-in
Microphone Features Zoom
Connections
Connector Type 1 x HDMI output, 1 x USB, 1 x Component video output, 1 x Composite video/audio output
Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card
Audio Input
Audio input type Microphone
Microphone type Built-in
Microphone Operation Mode Surround
System Requirements for PC Connection
Peripheral Devices USB port, CD-ROM drive
Miscellaneous
Cables Included USB cable, Component video cable, A/V cable
Power
Power Device Power adapter - External
Battery
Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Viewfinder / Display
Display Form Factor Rotating
Display Format 300,000 pixels
Physical Characteristics
Width 2.6 in
Depth 5 in
Height 2.6 in
Weight 9.7 oz

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Panasonic HDC-SD9

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Specifications

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Display

Digital Player (Recorder)

Microphone

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Miscellaneous

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