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Panasonic HDC-SD9 AVCHD 3CCD Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom | 
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| Brand: Panasonic
Category: Photography
List Price: $799.95
Buy Used: $449.99
You Save: $349.96 (44%)
New (37)
Avg. Customer Rating:  47 reviews
Color: silver
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Batteries Included: Yes
Floppy Disk Drive: None
Monitor Size: 270
Includes Software: Yes
Optical Zoom: 10
Digital Zoom: 25
Connectivity: AV
Display Size: 2.7
Maximum Focal Length: 30
Minimum Focal Length: 3
Maximum Resolution: 1560000
Shipping Weight (lbs): 5
Dimensions (in): 5.4 x 2.9 x 2.6
MPN: HDC-SD9
Model: HDC-SD9
UPC: 037988256655
EAN: 0037988256655
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Capture high-definition video to flash memory; 1920 x 1080 progressive recording | | • | 10x optical zoom; Advanced Mega Optical Image Stabilizer | | • | Face detection technology; Intelligent Shooting Guide | | • | 5.1-channel surround sound; Zoom mic feature | | • | Compatible with SD/SDHC memory cards |
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| Accessories:
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
high-definition SD card camcorder * records high-definition AVCHD video (at 1080i resolution) to SD memory cards (not included) * one 8-gigabyte SDHC card holds approximately 1 to 3 hours of high-definition footage, depending on the video setting * 3 separate CCD sensors for red, green, and blue *
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| Customer Reviews: Read 42 more reviews...
 First impressions (4.75 stars, really, but I had to balance the other review) February 29, 2008
115 out of 116 found this review helpful
I just received my camera today. Of course, I've been researching this little gem since it was first announced for production by Panasonic a few months ago. Along with that research, I've been playing with it now for several hours and I wanted to run by some first impressions:
Pros:
* Lightweight! Panasonic touts this as the smallest, lightest HD camera available for HD recording (as of 1/2008). That's certainly no joke. You're expecting this to weigh like a brick given it relatively compact size, but it's extremely light. I'm not expecting any arm fatigue here!
* Exceptional image quality. HD recording at 17 MBPS (variable bit rate) is exceptional and image artifacting that occurred in previous generations (SD1 and SD5) are pratically eliminated. I typically burn to DVD, but I'm assuming that image quality should be good considering my eventual plan on burning to Blu-Ray through Sony Vegas Pro. The video compression uses AVCHD (Advanced Video Codec High Definition) which is based on the very efficient H.264 compression.
* Flash media storage. No more dropped frames/corrupted media on magnetic tapes! No limitations imposed by a fixed hard drive! No more wasted DVD media for footage that I want to edit anyway! More importantly for me, NO MORE MOTOR NOISE. Now I can film an art gallery in true silence. Also, with the only motor in the camera servicing the camera lens (which can't be heard at all), there will be considerably less wear and tear on the camera overall. The SDHC cards are pricey, but you can get an 8 GB SDHC Sandisk Extreme III card for about $[...] - $[...] through independent sellers on Amazon, although I suspect the price for this media will be headed down. I bought 3 that way. An 8GB card will store about 1 hour of video footage at the maximum bitrate setting. Note: It is IMPORTANT to get at least a Class 4 card to record at the substantially quick bitrates. Personally, I just went ahead and got Class 6 cards (faster) since it wasn't that much more. Pony up the extra cash for the SDHC cards - at the rate that I film, it will pay for itself after several usages. Try and make the same claim about using a tape more than 2 times without some noticeable degradation.
* Image advisor. Are you panning too quickly? Subject too dark? Too much backlight? Are you not holding the camera still (pops up if you have the image stabilizer off)? The advisor identifies these issues and brings a menu option up immediately to rectify the issue; all you have to do is simply accept the advice and you're good to go! I've exposed the camera to several unfriendly environments and the advisor was quick to chime in with problem identifications/solutions.
* OIS. The image stabilizer on this camera is exceptional...and I have NEVER said that about any stabilizer for cameras that I've owned in the past. Image stabilizers are typically exaggerated on most cameras (i.e., super steady-no-motion claims), but this one does a "wow" kind of job. At 4,000 times a second, the optical stabilizer does an impressive job at stabilizing an image even at the full 10x optical zoom. This is approximately 5 times faster than Panasonic's predecessor's. I've tried the system on and off and it's extraordinarily impressive. Don't expect the same results, however, on digitially enhanced zooming which I never use anyway.
* Pre-record. Ever catch yourself saying, "Man, I wished that I had hit record about a second sooner to catch my kid saying that!" Well, with pre-record enabled, the camera keeps the last 3 seconds of video buffered in standby mode so if you do hit record at the opportune time, you can "go back 3 seconds in time to capture what you might have missed!"
* Exceptional sound. Yep, the camera comes with Dolby Digital 5.1 sound. I'm a bit of an audiophile, so I truly appreciate being immersed in a home movie environment that has sound around me as if I was still there filiming it. There are 3 options with the micorphone: surround, zoom mic, and focus mic. The regular surround options records all ambient noise equally, although you can actually change the gain, if you want. The zoom mic actually directs more input to the front microphone if you zoom in closer to an object further away; this allows you to "zoom" in on sound originating directly ahead. I haven't had a chance to fiddle with the focus mic, but I'm sure that it works just as well.
Cons:
* Battery life. According to the manual, the supplied battery can optimistcally handle 1 hour and 45 seconds of continuous record time (a full charge does register at 119 minutes). Realistically, the manual says, it would last about 1 hour, if you factor in zooming, switching it on but not recording for a few minutes between shots, lighting conditions (and compensation), etc.; Panasonic's predicted time is probably close. I would recommend getting the Panasonic VW-VBG260 battery from a 3rd party dealer which will last twice as long (got mine for $129.95 - Panasonic charges $169.95). You could get the VBG6 battery which lasts a LOT LONGER, but it requires a separate pack to carry the power supply since the battery is so large. Not worth the hassle, in my opinion.
* No viewfinder. Minor inconvenience for me, but I prefer the old style viewfinder. However, the camera is so small and comfortable that using the LCD screen works fine. I'm willing to concede that this is a non-issue.
* No accessory shoes. You want to hook up a camera light? Forget it - nowhere to put it unless you rig something to it (shoestring anyone?). Again, though, I'm fed up with trying to light a completely dark room and I find myself not really wanting it. That said, the low-light function on the camera as well as Magic Pix (full color in both modes, not the green washed out night vision with scary eyes!) does surprisingly well with 1 lux of light available.
Overall, the camera is extremely impressive for the price and the 3rd generation of HD cameras from Panasonic are a cost-effective way to enjoy high quality images. For standard DVD usage, this camera is more than perfect. However, as a caution, check that your video software is capable of using the AVCHD video format. It's still in its infancy, but an increasing number of software vendors are adopting it is a viable alternative. If you're serious about video editing, I would highly recommend Sony Vegas Pro Version 8.0 (current version as of 2/08) or later.
 Pretty disappointing camcorder March 8, 2008
19 out of 38 found this review helpful
After reading the other 3 reviews, I was pretty excited to get this camcorder. I was super excited when I opened the box and saw the size of this camcorder - it's definitely a very nice small size and handles well (although the joystick is hard to use)
After I charged the battery and started shooting a few sample videos - that's when the disappoinment started. I have a 47" Visio LCD HDTV, and if I play the video directly from the camcorder to to the HDTV it looks pretty good - so long as you're not shooting after the sun goes down. The problem is that's not how you watch videos you record with this camcorder (unless you plan on buying a new SDHC for every hour of video you shoot) - you need to encode the videos.
This camcorder comes with a trial version of Pinnacle Studio 11. I encoded the videos I shot (which come off the SDHC cards as *.MTS files) using Studio 11 using a variety of formats - and they all look grainy when played back directly on my 24" 1980x1024 LCD monitor or streamed to my HDTV. In fact, even using the 'HD Writer' software that comes with the camcorder (which can play the *.MTS files directly) the video looks grainy with lots of artifacts. I can't tell if this is AVCHD or this camcorder, but I don't really care - it doesn't look good.
I also downloaded trial versions of Nero 8 and Sony Vegas Movie Studio Platinum Edition hoping to compare their outputs with Studio 11, but sadly both of them could not import the *.MTS files that this camcorder produces - so good thing Studio 11 could.
I should point out that I even bought the Extreme III SDHC SD card that has a 20MB write speed so I could shoot video at the highest quality setting (this camcorder can encode at 17MB). Sadly, this made little difference - even shooting video outside.
The video appeared more grainy and choppy than I would expect from an HD camcorder. I upgraded from a two year old DVD camcorder - and sadly the video from this camcorder looks only ~20% better when played back on my quad-proc computer with a 1900x1080 monitor - or on my HDTV.
All in all, a big disappointment. The camera looks very cool and small - but first and foremost I want to be able to record great looking HD video - and this little camcorder doesn't do the job. I'm going to send it back and wait for the Canon VIXIA HF10, which releases in April and has a bigger chip (1/3 CMOS as opposed to the 3 1/6 chips in this unit).
If all you're going to do with the video you shoot is encode standard definition DVDs you're probably fine. But if you want to encode Blu-Ray or stream high definition video to your HDTV, I'd pass.
TINY and awesome camera March 17, 2008
16 out of 16 found this review helpful
I got this camera as soon as it came out. I'm extremely happy with how small and light it is - i can carry it around in a coat pocket and record easily. The pre-record function is very nice, especially if you don't want to be recording all the time.
Video editing was a little sluggish, but that's not hte camera's fault - just takes a lot of muscle to edit HD video. I started out with the included software (Pinnacle 11 trial) with a Quad-core 2.4Ghz machine with 2GB of ram, 800mhz FSB, and the computer just about died. I upgrade the RAM to 3GB and it is still sluggish but works. So definately should make sure you have a FAST computer.
I would agree with other reviewers that having the HDMI port behind the battery is bad. Also, you ahve to have the camera on AC power to move video from the card to the computer. Otherwise, you can just unplug the SD card and plug it straight into the computer througha card reader - seems to be alot faster that way anyhow.
Battery life seems pretty good, especially since you are using the LCD screen all the time. Which, by the way, even in bright sunlight is very visisble.
Overall, very happy with the camera, and looking forward to taking lots of videos of our upcoming newborn. But i will definately be looking to upgrade the software package to get better editing.
 Exceptional hardware let down by totally inadequate software March 25, 2008
16 out of 30 found this review helpful
The good: everything related to the hardware. The images captured by this camera are exceptional. It works very well in low lighting conditions, I was able to shoot at night with the "Magicpix" feature and got outstanding images.
The bad: the SOFTWARE. The camera comes with two discs: one contains Panasonic's home grown HDWriter and the other one is a 15 day trial version of Pinnacle Studio 11 Plus.
Let's start with HDWRiter: this is typical crippleware. HDWriter allows you to transfer scenes between the PC and the media (flash card or DVD), do some very basic editing (split/merge scenes, create top menu) and play the videos on the computer ONLY from the flash card or DVD. As strange as it may seem, the software says it cannot play a clip stored on the hard disk of the PC! In reality, if you open the clip in edit mode (it can take a few minutes for this to happen) it does play, but at a reduced resolution. HDWriter also offers the option to save a clip in mpeg2 format. The punch line is that it always saves the clip in mpeg2 format at a reduced resolution (720x480), even with "Maximum Quality" setting. There is no way to convert the AVCHD clip to a 1920x1080 mpeg2.
Pinnacle Studio 11 Plus: This software simply does not work. It imports AVCHD clips from the camera, but the video it plays is garbled and when it renders it after the edits it is garbled too. I tried this software on 4 different computers, some extremely powerful that exceeded the minimum requirements by quite some margin. The result was identical - this editor cannot import, play and edit correctly AVCHD files produced by the HDC-SD9. The video is always garbled. All the computers are PCs with Windows XP SP2 or Vista.
Pinnacle Studio 11 Plus can import, play and edit the mpeg2 file that was produced by HDWriter. For this one it worked well. However, this is a file in standard definition (720x480), not high definition.
Pinnacle Systems wants $79.99 to upgrade from the trial version to the full version of Studio 11 Plus. Given that the software has proven itself unable to edit the high definition footage produced by this camera, this would be a $79.99 gamble with the odds against you.
At the end of the day, it is not possible to edit any high definition footage beyond the basic split / merge operations in HDWriter. You cannot add text, background music, adjust brightness / contrast or any other basic operation one might expect to do with raw footage. Morevoer, it is not possible to play the high definition footage directly from the computer - you need to burn it on a DVD or transfer it to a flash card.
Because of these shortcomings I am returning my HDC-SD9 back to Amazon. I am really sad because the hardware is top quality, when played from the camera the images are nothing short of exceptional. But what's the point if you cannot edit them in any meaningful way?
 Very nice camera with some limitations April 28, 2008
15 out of 16 found this review helpful
There are already several very good reviews here, so I'll only hit on a few points that should be emphasized:
1.) Very small and light; almost unbelievably so. This camera is already getting much more use than our older one simply because it fits easily into my wife's purse or a fanny pack.
2.) Quick startup. I haven't timed it, but the startup is so quick that many spontaneous events, which you'd usually miss, get recorded.
3.) Removable SD card. Very easy for transferring files to the PC for editing or backup. My wife and kids love the ability to shoot something, remove the SD card, plug it into the PlayStation 3, and watch it. DON'T pay for the built-in 16gb memory; it costs too much, but more importantly you lose considerable ease of use.
4.) Awful low-light performance. The camera works like a dream in bright light, but suks donkey b*lls in anything less; It does work, but the quality is barely acceptable. I really really hope that a company will some day realize there are consumers who are willing to pay a significant premium for high-quality low-light performance in consumer (small and easy to use) camera.
5.) Almost too light. The image stabilization is barely adequate offset how much this thing bounces around. I guess everything is a tradeoff (see point #1)
All-in-all a wonderful camera as long as it's used within its limits. The low average score really represents the poor state of AVCHD editing software and, to some extent, the camera's poor low-light performance; it seriously mis-states the quality and usefulness of this camera.
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