Information Technology

Panasonic HDC-TM900

Panasonic HDC-TM900

Panasonic has a history of bearing solid prosumer camcorders that bear accomplished video affection and performance, but accept unexciting, anatomic designs. That attitude continues with the latest crop of models. Updates to aftermost year's 700 series, Panasonic's 800/900 models--the HDC-HS900, TM900, and SD800--are fundamentally the aforementioned as their predecessors with some bashful enhancements and hardly bigger video quality. They do, however, use the aforementioned leash of sensors and lens, as able-bodied as an about identical anatomy design.

Series information: We performed a hands-on appraisal of the HDC-HS900, the hard-disk adaptation of the camcorder, but abreast from the few anatomic differences inherent in recording to the altered media, the HS900 and TM900 should be identical.

The HDC-SD800, on the added hand, is basically a stripped-down adaptation of the TM900; it has the aforementioned sensor and lens as the others, so delivers the aforementioned video, but lacks an EVF, lens ring, and accent shoe, provides alone two-channel audio, and has a abate LCD and no congenital memory.

When it's activity correctly, the video affection looks actual good. It's got a almost ample tonal range, admitting ablaze highlights tend to blow and I couldn't antithesis them in software (probably because the camcorder has aeroembolism out any recoverable data). The blush and acknowledgment rendered by the three-chip arrangement are absolutely good, admitting the automated white antithesis can get a bit wonky--usually switching to addition ambience and again aback did the trick. Abreast from the white-balance issue, all the automated settings formed actual well, including exposures with backlight. I didn't see any moiré. And while there was a little bit of cyan abnormality on high-contrast edges, it apparent basal fringing.

Better bokeh is one of the capital affidavit you ability demand to opt for a dSLR or ILC over a cher camcorder; alike the added big-ticket customer camcorders accept airedale polygonal apertures.

In low ablaze there's about no blush noise, although you can see absolutely a bit of beating from the babble reduction. Still, the video looks decidedly acceptable and charcoal artlessly saturated.

The still photos are appealing characterless beheld at abounding size, but ability assignment as baby advertence images. You ability be bigger off afraid to anatomy grabs at 1,920x1,080 pixels.

The HDC-HS900 performs well, too, with fast, authentic autofocus that's not calmly confused, balmy sound, and a appropriate wind filter. There's basal lens baloney at its widest, but that's apparently because the lens doesn't get actual wide; Sony seems to be arch the backpack with that, which is one of the cogent means this accomplished chic of models could improve. That, as able-bodied as added adorable apertures. As far as I know, there's no abstruse acumen a $1,000-plus camcorder can't absorb a seven-bladed aperture.

As with best avant-garde AVCHD camcorders that alien in aboriginal 2011, application the best-quality 1080/60p approach is a bit of a pain. Because the AVCHD blueprint wasn't adapted until the summer to abutment 1080p (note that there is no 1080/30p), the camcorder makes you jump through some anachronous hoops and throws up annoying warnings back you about-face in and out of that mode. This is one of the few complaints I accept about the series. But I'd aloof about-face into it and stick there because you absolutely do demand to use the best bit amount and resolution.

Canon Vixia HF S21

Canon Vixia HF S21 Camcorder

Though I absolutely admired Canon's 2009 prosumer Vixia HF S1x series, I couldn't absolutely endorse the HF S10/S11 because it lacked an cyberbanking viewfinder, a affection that higher-end users appreciate. Camcorders with EVFs are easier to authority durably while recording video, and EVFs tend to be easier to see with than an LCD in ablaze sunlight. I'm absolutely blessed to apprehend that Canon autonomous to put an EVF on its highest-end model, the Vixia HF S21, for 2010. Unfortunately, the camcorder costs $200 added than than aggressive EVF-equipped models, authoritative it--and its lower-priced, EVF-free siblings--generally added big-ticket than their absolute competitors. (This analysis is based on testing of the HF S21.)

Canon's 2010 HF S alternation of AVCHD camcorders consists of three models that, as usual, alter by anamnesis agreement and the above viewfinder. Their key specs abide the aforementioned as their predecessors', with the aforementioned eyes and sensor, but they now absorb Canon's latest optical angel stabilization technologies, including the new Powered IS adequacy for bigger stabilization at the telephoto end.

As the better and heaviest models in their class, the HF S2 models are about adequate to authority and use and will still fit into a ample anorak pocket. Anniversary archetypal has a set of baby rubberized bumpers on the top in advanced of the zoom about-face that accord you a little added grip--a actual nice architecture touch. As with its predecessors, they use an odd congenital lens awning that uses a closing-eye blazon rather than aperture-blade architecture that we usually see. The aberration wouldn't be notable except that aback the awning is closed, the two artificial pieces bang adjoin anniversary other; aback the camcorder is off, it's not a problem, but it is a accent irritation.

Canon packs a lot of being in the LCD recess, including buttons for switching amid cutting and playback, video snapshot (4-second clips acclimated to actualize a "highlights reel" effect) and a brace of SD agenda slots. Though it's nice to accept a brace of slots, I doubtable this is partly Canon's way of compensating for the camcorders' abridgement of SDXC support; you'd charge two 32GB SDHC cards to get 64GB, the minimum admeasurement SDXC card. However, it does accredit abutment for Eye-Fi wireless uploading and it lets you downconvert HD video to accepted def video on the camcorder as able-bodied as archetype to an Eye-Fi SD agenda in the additional slot. Canon uses the bound bezel amplitude for one dual-function button. While arena aback video, it handles the wireless uploading; while cutting video, it lets you toggle amid the Powered IS and the accepted angel stabilization state.

The component, composite/headphone, and active alien jacks are beneath a slide-down awning in the alcove as well. I anticipate the headphone jack area is awkward for shooters who use the headphones and EVF while recording, not to acknowledgment the cesspool on the already underpowered array of application the EVF and the LCD at the aforementioned time.

The top of the camcorder looks a lot busier than it absolutely is; it consists of the archetypal power, photo, and zoom switches, additional a agglomeration of lights and labels. Farther advanced are the accent shoe and a pop-up flash-video ablaze combo. The stereo mics blow on either ancillary of the ample lens barrel, with a mic ascribe aloof beneath the advanced band connector. On the anchor ancillary of the camcorder is a baby auto/manual about-face and a flip-up awning beneath which the Mini-HDMI and USB connectors reside. As with the earlier models, the band tends to get in the way aback abutting devices. The array alcove is acutely advised to authority a beyond battery. I advance you account $75 to $100 for the higher-capacity BP-819 array because the supplied 890mAh archetypal usually lasts beneath than an hour.

Canon Vixia HF G10

Canon Vixia HF G10 (black)

With a artery amount able-bodied aloft $1,000, the Canon Vixia HF G10 needs to bear a lot added than aloof its all-encompassing chiral affection set--especially aback Canon is creating a potentially ambagious calendar by putting its HD CMOS Pro sensor in this model, absence the abutting one down, and again application it in the midrange HF M4xx series. The sensor is the one currently acclimated in the company's entry-level pro models, admitting by itself rather than in a trio. Because it's beyond than a archetypal customer sensor, with 2.75 micron pixels rather than 1.7 micron pixels, Canon claims a 280 percent advance in activating ambit over antecedent prosumer models, with a new minimum recommended ablaze akin of 1.5 lux.

There's additionally a decidedly added big-ticket "pro" adaptation of this camcorder, the Canon XA10, which adds a advertisement handle that includes bifold XLR inputs, audio switches, an bittersweet light, a account lamp, a disposable microphone holder, zoom and almanac switches, and a pass-through accent shoe.

Canon Vixia HF G10 angel samples

The aggregate of the larger-pixel sensor and a high-quality lens after-effects in some of the best video affection I've apparent in a customer camcorder. While the video can be aloof a beard softer than I like, all-embracing it's absolutely good--and aback you comedy it aback anon on a TV, it looks sharp. Overall, the G10 offers an accomplished activating range, with alone the brightest of white highlights clipped. If you're editing, you may demand to drove the blacks a little to advance the contrast, but for video activity beeline to TV it will attending great. While the automated white antithesis tends to be a little bit acknowledgment than I like, the colors are good: bright, saturated, and almost accurate.

While I would accept accepted the G10's eight-blade iris to aftermath hardly bastard bokeh, it about looks absolutely good. There's little fringing, alike on the edges of ablaze highlights. I did see a bit of haloing on the edges of saturated colors, though, and acutely bright, saturated oranges and yellows abutting to anniversary added access indistinguishability.

At its top amount of 24Mbps, the G10 displayed no compression artifacts except in absolutely low light. What you will see is some aliasing acquired by the cobweb of 60i video. However, one of the appropriate appearance of the G10 compared with the blow of Canon's camcorders is abutment for accurate 24p video; not aloof the 24 frames per additional captured as accelerating but encoded as 60i, as is best accepted for AVCHD models, but 24p encoding. You can use that to get about complect issues. (The European adaptation of the camcorder, the Legria HF G10, supports 25p.)

The G10 renders accomplished low-light video, to a point. In my analysis arena of about 17 lux, it yielded some of the best after-effects I've apparent in its class. Aloof a little darker, though--dim living-room-level light--and it's the archetypal blatant mess, at atomic with automated accretion ascendancy enabled.

The audio affection is absolutely acceptable as well. The acute stereo mics accommodate appropriate break and a nice balmy accent after the tinniness of the lower-end models.

One abstract check of the sensor--and acceptable the capital acumen for a agnate archetypal with a altered sensor, the HF S30--is that the low resolution may not clothing some folks' charge for ample still photos. The G10 does bear aciculate stills which abatement aloof abbreviate of attractive too digital; they attending accomplished onscreen and printed, but I wouldn't acclaim press them beyond than 4.5x8 inches.

By best measures of performance, the G10 does well. It meters and exposes accurately and consistently. The angel stabilization is solid; the Activating ambience works able-bodied up to about 75 percent of the way through the focal range, and Powered IS is rock-steady at best telephoto. It focuses quickly, admitting you can acclimatize how gradually that happens (Instant, Medium, and Normal), and you can adapt both the zoom speed, which is common, and softness--how bound the zoom stops and starts--which is rarer. The autofocus works well, but not decidedly bigger than we've apparent in antecedent models, and like all camcorders can afield lock on the accomplishments instead of the subject.