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Panasonic SDR-S7A - camcorder - flash card

Panasonic SDR-S7A - camcorder - flash card

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Reviews from around the WebPowered by alaTest

  • alaTest.com

    Editors' rating: 89

    Summary: alaTest has collected and analyzed 347 reviews of Panasonic SDR-S7 from international magazines and websites. Experts rate this product 64/100 and users 80/100. Comparing these reviews to 104865 other Camcorders reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 89/100 = Very Good.

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  • techradar.com

    Editors' rating: 80

    Summary: The S7s dinky size does have a few drawbacks, though. Its not easy to operate like a regular camcorder, by resting it in the palm of your hand with your thumb on the record button. As there is no wrist strap it feels liable to slip out of your grasp ...

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  • news.com.au

    Editors' rating: 80

    Summary: The Panasonic SDR-S7 is clearly not for everyone, but if you're looking for a cheap, user-friendly and highly portable camera, this is one of the better buys on the market. (It looks ferociously cute, too.)

    Read full review

  • goodgearguide.com.au

    Editors' rating: 75

    Summary: The Panasonic SDR-S7 is clearly not for everyone, but if you're looking for a cheap, user-friendly and highly portable camera, this is one of the better buys on the market. (It looks ferociously cute, too.)

    Read full review

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.

ADVANTAGES
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)

DISADVANTAGES
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

Where to buy

Panasonic SDR-S7A - camcorder - flash card: $186.95
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Amazon.com Marketplace
$186.95 Yes 5.0 star rating

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Panasonic SDR-S7A - camcorder - flash card