I like a well featured camera and tracked down the Panasonic HDC-SD 100 that records to SDHC cards only; no hard drive or DVD recording. It comes with 3 x 1/6 CMOS chips, microphone input, headphone output and a good selection of manual controls. Thanks to the Internet I was able to download the manual before I placed my order so had a good idea of what I was getting.

This is last year’s model, originally $1,000 now knocked down to $590 at B&H. The manual told me that this camera is small and light, I ordered a “handle” so that hand held shots would have a chance, also an additional battery and a wide angle lens adaptor. The camera comes with an 8 GB SDHC card, holding one hour of highest quality recording (17 mbs, 1920 x 1080). One of the advantages of this camera is that it has both an LCD screen and a viewfinder. In the bright light of the South West LCDs are washed out and a viewfinder is essential; although quickly disappearing from many cameras, both video and still.

The camera arrived via UPS and my first reaction was that it seemed even smaller than the manual suggested. The problem with this level of miniaturization in a reasonably well featured camera is that our fingers haven’t been downsized to match the controls. Setting up the camera through the menus requires using the joystick control, far too small for finger adjustment, the tip of a ball pen just about does it, but not easily. It is necessary to access the menu from time to time to make changes to meet the conditions of use so this is something of a negative, particularly as the levels of adjustment are wide and excellent.

Later I discovered that the remote will activate and set all the items in the menus without the need for fingers on tiny controls. Turn on the camera, open the LCD activate the menus, pick up the remote and we are off and running. As they say, when all else fails read the instructions! However, I still believe this camera is too small for its level of ability.

	In addition to the problems of making adjustments to the controls, miniaturization has also created cameras that are very light. The result is that they are difficult to hand hold effectively, and although this camera has an excellent optical stabilization system hand holding is difficult. The handle I purchased makes a difference so great to the stability that I am surprised that manufacturers don’t include them. It is the Bescor V8-50 and comes with two universal shoes and cost $11.95. A small investment with a good return. The handle attaches to the tripod socket and by holding the handle and the edge of the LCD a remarkably stable platform is created. Here one of the shoes is accommodating a directional Sennheiser microphone with fuzzy. The handle folds back for loading into the camera case.

No moving parts!!

I set the camera up to record at the highest quality of 1920 x 1080 60i, the 8 MB card will hold one hour of shots at this quality. There is a wide selection of qualities at both “Full HD”, 1920 x 1080 and HDV 1440 x 1080 plus 24p; all are some form of HD, there is no provision to shoot SD. The quality is determined by the bit rate, it is claimed that at a bit rate of 7 mbps AVCHD gives an equivalent picture quality to that of HDV. The highest bit rate available on this camera is 17 mbps and the professional Panasonic AVCCAM cameras have a max of 21 mbps.

Shooting with the camera is absolutely normal once I was used to the light weight and the technique of using the handle to best effect. The LCD delivers a very clear picture, the viewfinder and LCD have to be selected, they are not available simultaneously. Manual focus with an enlarged centre for fine focus works well and is essential for HD where focus is unforgiving.

There is a full range of manual settings many of which are adjustable using what appears to be the focus ring but which is also a multi-purpose manual control.

The results are excellent; with the very small imagers the low light performance is poor but with decent lighting the pictures are vibrant and detail well defined. This is a capable camera and in skilled hands can deliver amazing results from such a tiny package. But herein lies the main problem, this camera is just too small for its level of ability. Controls need to be easily accessible and adjustable without using instruments. As one of my old colleagues used to say “with fingers like matchsticks and the skill of a brain surgeon you can set this camera up.” However, it does bode well for the future of the AVCHD CoDec recording to SDHC cards.

The handle is a great and simple device, the Bescor version is poorly manufactured and the shoes have to be re-jigged to get a fit, but then for $12 what did I expect? Here is an opportunity for a manufacturer, I know there are $100 handles available but I would like something of better quality in the $20 range.

The Impact 0.45x wide angle adaptor delivers a reasonable picture with some barrel distortion. To prevent vignetting it is necessary to remove the front section of the lens housing as the first element is fairly deep inside. Another odd inconvenience.

”No moving parts” isn’t strictly true as there is a zoom lens and focus but the absence of a tape/disc/HDD drive does make an enormous difference, particularly to the weight and inherent sound recording of the camera. There is no doubt that this, or some version of it, is the future. If you are in the market for a new camera then look carefully at cameras recording to SDHC cards.

Conclusion

This is an amazing and capable camera, apart from its relatively poor low light performance due to the very small CMOS chips. In the right hands you could shoot a wedding with it and deliver stunning results, there is of course the embarrassment of having a camera that can be slipped into a coat pocket.

The Panasonic SD HDC100 is now discontinued and most of the new models have no viewfinders. This would be OK if there was a hood permanently attached that opened when the LCD is opened, remember the hood that sprung open on the Rolleiflex?

The system - My view is that this method of recording to widely used and readily available SDHC storage cards is the way to go. The editing work flow is different from that we have been used to with DV. An 8 GB card will hold 1 hour of maximum resolution picture and sound and can be downloaded to a laptop, reformatted and back in the camera. So two 8 GB cards will meet the needs of most of us. At first the cost of the cards seems high but they are not a replacement for miniDV tape at $2.50 a shot.

The cards are the equivalent of the film magazines used on traditional 16 mm and 35 mm movie cameras; they are just storage devices and need to be emptied and re-used. We can expect the cost of cards to come down and the capacity increase.

The recording of individual data clips rather than a continuous flow of information that has to be redigitized makes post production much easier. Providing you have a program that handles AVCHD and a computer with the horse power to process the data this creates a rapid and simple set up for editing. Without a doubt this is the system of the future for n-c and low budget professional movie makers.

Click here for more on Going Tapeless...

1. A New Breed of Camera
2. No Moving Parts
3. A Practical Trial
4. Post Production
5. Reviews & Questions