CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 06/01/2009
- Released on: 04/15/2009
Panasonic's trio of top-of-the-prosumer-line HD camcorders--the flash-based HDC-TM300, and hard-drive-based HDC-HS300 and HDC-HS250--in many ways vastly improve over older models like the HS100 and SD100. Panasonic jettisoned most of what I disliked about those models, including the too-low-resolution CMOS sensors, connector placement, and how the manual controls function, and retained everything I liked, notably the breadth of manual controls and eye-level viewfinder, at least on the two highest-end models. While the company replaced the awkward ring-based manual operation with an equally awkward touch screen, the improvement in video quality and performance make these a far better bet.
The three models incorporate the same 12x zoom f1.8-2.8 lens--the same lens as the HS100/SD100--as well as the same trio of 1/4.1-inch 3-megapixel 3MOS sensors, with an effective resolution of 2.07-megapixels each for 16:9 video. The real 3-megapixels for the predownsampled AVCHD video finally breaks the resolution barrier; normally, three-chip systems use lower-than-HD resolution sensors, which don't seem to produce terribly sharp HD video. Because of the different media, the camcorders have slightly different designs, but the same feature sets, and should have identical video quality. (As such, for the purposes of this review, we only ran our standard video tests on the TM300.) The highest video quality they offer is 1,920x1,080-pixel resolution at 30fps at 17 megabits per second, and can record about 8 minutes of video per gigabyte of storage space or almost 16 hours hours of video on the hard disk. The next level down, 13Mbps, gets about 10 minutes per gigabyte.
The TM300 and HS300 share the same higher-end features as the HS100--manual focus ring, EVF, accessory shoe, and microphone input--while the HS250 trades those for a more compact design. Both the HS250 and HS300 have a 120GB hard disk. They all include the optical image stabilization and Intelligent Automatic features of the older versions.
Weighing just more than a pound, with dimensions of 2.9 inches wide by 2.7 inches high by 5.0 inches long, the HS250 is the smallest, though not the lightest, of the three and is larger than competitors like the Canon Vixia HG20. It's comfortable to hold, especially with the slight upward curve toward the back that makes the zoom switch and photo button easier to reach.
Only the optical image stabilizer and Manual buttons live inside the LCD recess, and most of the controls operate via a hybrid button/touch-screen interface. Within the recess, under hard covers, are all the connectors--AV, component video out, mini HDMI, and USB--and the SD card slot. (Panasonic recommends a Class 4 card.)
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