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2 out of 2 people found this helpful
"Light weight, rugged, water resistant camcorder. Easy to use. Easy to share footage. Fair price."
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Recent user reviews
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 5 reviews
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Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest
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alaTest.com
Editors' rating: 86
Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 108 reviews of Panasonic SDR-S10 from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 66/100 and users 78/100. Comparing these reviews to 103109 other Camcorders reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 86/100 = Very Good.
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techradar.com
Editors' rating: 80
Summary: Choosing the top-quality XP setting will only allow you to store around 25 minutes of footage to the 2GB card, but the S10 is also compatible with the higher capacity SDHC card
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camuser.co.uk
Editors' rating: 80
Summary: If it's quality you're after, pound-for-pound a mini DV cam will give you better footage, more features and longer recording time. But for sheer carry-anywhere convenience, the S10 offers a neat solution with acceptable image quality that will be at ...
CNET editors' buying advice
We have not reviewed this product but here is CNET's buying advice on Digital Camcorders. This content was chosen based on the features included with this model of digital camcorder.
Memory card format
Video cameras using a memory card format are able to achieve an ultracompact design. Because they record highly compressed video, they're best suited for gadget lovers who want to use their footage mainly on Web sites and in e-mail. Digital camcorders that record MPEG-2 or MPEG-4 to memory cards may be picky about the cards you use since those encoding schemes require the ability to write to the card more quickly than most standard cards can handle.
Best for: Trendsetter.
| Allows for very compact camcorders |
| Easy searching and random access to video segments |
| Selectable image-quality levels, including high-quality variable-bit-rate recording |
| Both video and still images are recorded on disc (instead of on a cassette and a memory card) |
| Relatively short recording times |
| Video is highly compressed |
Supporting manufacturers: Panasonic; Sony.
Read more in the Digital Camcorder Buying Guide
See more Memory cards products
Exposure control
Every digital camcorder has a fully automatic mode that lets you simply point and shoot, but it's best to be able to adjust your exposure setting a little. Special shooting modes for capturing subjects lit by a spotlight or other specific sources can be helpful. For full control over exposure, you'll need a camera that lets you manually set both the aperture and the shutter speed. Advanced camcorders offer zebra stripes, which highlight overexposed areas with a striped pattern so that you can fine-tune exposure. Low-light performance is the Achilles' heel of many digital camcorders. Look for a model with a minimum lux rating of seven or lower. Many camcorders offer special low-light shooting modes, but they don't all work the same way. Some simply slow down the shutter speed so that you get full-color but impressionistic-looking footage. Others use an infrared emitter to capture greenish monochrome video in total darkness.
LCD and electronic viewfinder info
More pixels usually mean better viewfinder and LCD image quality. Look for a sharp LCD that's easy to see in bright light; adjustable screen brightness helps, too. The larger the LCD, the easier it will be to see (and the more power-hungry it will be); for all but ultracompact camcorders, look for at least 2.5 inches. An EVF that you can tilt with a diopter lever for adjusting focus will give you more shooting flexibility. Almost all EVFs and LCDs on consumer camcorders display color, although some video enthusiasts prefer black-and-white EVFs, which can make it easier to judge exposure. Touch-screen LCDs have begun to appear on a few consumer video cameras, usually for menu navigation and spot focusing. Some users find them convenient, while others prefer not to have to use the LCD to access camcorder controls.
See more LCD products
CNET product brief
Description: The Panasonic SDR-S10 is a flash card-based, ultra-compact camcorder.Compared to other ultra-compact camcorders on the market, it is relatively expensive at around $400.
Pros: Supports manual focus, which helps savvy users to shoot in hard-to-focus situations.
Cons: None noted, given available product data.
Suitability: Made for capturing the everyday moments, since it easily slips into your jacket or bag.This camcorder is quite small, even for a compact.That makes it ideal when portability is paramount.
Value: Overall, this camcorder's features are as expected for this price.
Suggestions: For more help selecting the right digital camcorder, visit CNET Reviews' buying guide.
CNET's Product Briefs are generated by a software tool that combines product specifications with knowledge of our editorial experts. They do not reflect hands-on assessment or labs testing. For more information about how we create Product Briefs, contact us.
