Panasonic SDR-S150

The biggest gripe about digital camcorders is the same problem users had with digital cameras just a few short years ago: getting files off the camera. With its SDR-S150 digital camcorder, Panasonic believes it has come up with a good answer: simply remove the memory card.
 
Pulling our MPEG-2 video and JPEG still-image files off this extremely portable camcorder was as easy as Panasonic says it is. Using the included MotionSD Studio software (which is Windows only), we were impressed with the quality of the MPEG-2 files produced by the SDR-S150.
 
Thanks to the camcorder's excellent 3CCD image sensor, which records reds, greens, and blues separately, color was vivid and realistic in the video we took of costumed revelers at a medieval festival. On the other hand, the MPEG-2 video from the SDR-S150 doesn't quite measure up to the less compressed video captured by MiniDV camcorders; our footage didn't have the same dynamic range, especially in low light, where image noise was a problem. Still, managing the MPEG-2 clips was far easier with the SDR-S150.
 
After you're done shooting, each clip will appear as a thumbnail on the SDR-S150's crisp, 2.8-inch screen. Just use the camcorder's multicontroller to scroll over the clip you want, hit the center Select button, and your video will start playing. Our only quibble was that it took the SDR-S150 several seconds to generate a page of thumbnails, which can be frustrating if you're in a hurry and have a bunch of clips.
 
Another advantage of recording to solid-state flash media, as opposed to MiniDV tape, is that because there are no moving parts, the SDR-S150 is virtually silent while recording and playing footage. Sound quality from the camcorder's built-in stereo mic was only so-so, however.
 
Recording capacity is limited to the size of the SD Card. The SDR-S150 ships with a 2GB card, which can record about 50 minutes of footage in the medium-resolution SP setting. In the high-resolution XP setting, you can capture about 25 minutes of footage. At the lowest resolution LP setting-where quality degrades noticeably, especially in fast motion sequences-you can shoot approximately an hour and 40 minutes of video. With a fully charged battery, the SDR-S150 can record video for approximately an hour and 20 minutes. With intermittent use, recording time drops to about 45 minutes.
 
We really like the SDR-S150's petite, extremely portable design. Though it took some getting used to, the camcorder's upright pistol-grip style eventually grew on us. Best of all, the SDR-S150 was light enough to take anywhere. The automatic lens cover is another nice touch.
 
The camcorder was a surprisingly nimble performer, powering on in a lightning-quick 1.5 seconds, so we always felt ready to start shooting. The SDR-S150's Optical Image Stabilizer also performed well, helping to steady close-ups we captured with the camcorder's adequate 10X zoom. The SDR-S150 switches easily between 4:3 and 16:9 formats with the latter fully viewable on its widescreen LCD.
 
The only area where the SDR-S150 really stumbled was in its still-image capability. Though it can capture 3.1-megapixel pictures, images were overly blue and noticeably soft in the corners.
 
Nonetheless, shooting video is what the Panasonic SDR-S150 is really all about. Its MPEG-2 compressed files may not rival the quality of cheaper models that record to MiniDV tape, but the SDR-S150's three-chip sensor captures better-looking footage than many DVD camcorders. And it does so with a more pocket-friendly design.