CNET editors' review
-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 02/15/2007
- Released on: 08/20/2006
It sounds like the perfect vacation camcorder: weighs 10.2 ounces, three CCDs, a 10X zoom lens, 3-megapixel still photos, optical image stabilization, and SD-card recording, all for significantly less than $1,000. And that includes the 2GB SD card and the remote that ship in the box. But while the Panasonic SDR-S150 might seem like the traveler's dream come true, it doesn't really live up to expectation, especially at its current price.
I have few complaints about its design, however. Light, compact, and comfortable to hold, the S150 even has a rubber nub at the bottom of its grip that allows you to quickly place your hand without accidentally putting your finger over the lens--a big problem with units this small--though I find frequently that I don't know where to put my index finger while shooting. It also feels surprisingly sturdy and well made. An automatic sensor turns the S150 off when you fold down the LCD. The zoom and navigation controls are easy to operate with your thumb. You connect to a PC via the USB 2.0 port, and a single proprietary-connector multi-A/V cable delivers composite or S-Video output plus audio.
The SDR-S150's modest feature set makes the menus and manual controls easy to understand and navigate. You can activate the wind filter or enable zooming for the mic; choose from among three different recording-quality options--best quality (25 minutes on the bundled 2GB card), medium quality (50 minutes), and lowest quality (100 minutes); jump between wide-screen and standard 4:3 aspect modes; enable the optical image stabilization and digital zoom; and boost the sensor gain for low-light shooting (MagicPix). When shooting in Auto mode, your options are limited to backlight compensation, Soft Skin mode, and a zoom macro mode. The Soft Skin mode seems a bit redundant, since the video is never sharp enough to show the kind of detail that makes a mode like this necessary.
Continue readingMost helpful user reviews
- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 7 reviews
- My rating: 0 stars Write review
-
Showing 3 of 7 user reviews
-
4 out of 5 people found this helpful
-
2 out of 2 people found this helpful
-
1 out of 1 people found this helpful
- See all 7 user reviews Write review
Submit your review
Where to buy
Panasonic SDR-S150:
$649.88
| store | price | in stock? | rating |
|---|---|---|---|
|
Amazon.com Marketplace
|
$649.88 | Yes |
|
