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Panasonic HDC-SD20

alaTest has collected and analyzed 95 reviews from magazines and websites. Reviews about the portability and battery are generally positive. The image quality and value for money are also mentioned favorably. There are some critical comments about the color.

usability, value for money, image quality, battery, portability

color

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Camcorders the Panasonic HDC-SD20 is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 85/100 = Very good quality.

See all Panasonic Camcorders

Review analysis

(Based on 95 reviews)

Expert Reviews  

User Reviews  

Review Ratings

  (28% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews   (43% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews   (14% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews   (10% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews   (4% of reviews)
Show all 1 star reviews

Features

Usability
  Show positive (67%)None yet(Show all)
Value for money
  Show positive (29%)Show negative (10%)(Show all)
Image quality
  Show positive (37%)Show negative (6%)(Show all)
Battery
  Show positive (21%)Show negative (2%)(Show all)
Portability
  Show positive (64%)None yet(Show all)
Memory
  Show positive (47%)None yet(Show all)
Design
  Show positive (45%)None yet(Show all)
Size
  Show positive (36%)None yet(Show all)
Color
  None yetShow negative (33%)(Show all)
More features

Showing 11 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews
Showing 1 - 10 of 11 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (43)

Expert review by:

Panasonic HDC-SD20

 

If you're in the market for your first HD camcorder, the HDC-SD20 Flash camcorder makes an excellent choice. It's packed with features, reasonably-priced and built with Panasonic quality. Panasonic has made a name for itself in digital photography...

Record full HD 1920x1080 video16X optical zoomOptical Image Stabilization5.1 channel surround sound9 lux (1/30 low light mode) / 1 lux

The Panasonic HDC-SD20 HD Flash camcorder is a new 16X zoom HD camcorder...

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Expert review by:

Panasonic HDC-SD20 Camcorder Review

 

The Panasonic HDC-SD20 is one of three models designed by the company to appeal to the more budget-conscious entry-level camcorder user. With an MSRP of $549, it's several hundred dollars less expensive than many models from the competition. What you...

The Panasonic HDC-SD20 offers a truly entry-level high definition camcorder experience. The video performance isn't in the same league as the Canon HF20, but neither is the price tag. For $300 less, we weren't expecting the smooth motion or vivid...

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Expert review by:

Panasonic HDC-SD20

 

The Panasonic HDC-SD20 is an mid-level HD camcorder that should appeal to budget-conscious consumers. With an MSRP of only $549, the camcorder is a much cheaper alternative to the higher-end Panasonic HDC-TM300 ($1299) and numerous top-of-the-line...

The HDC-SD20 records HD video to SD/SDHC memory cards, and one of the reasons the camcorder is so inexpensive is the fact that it offers no internal memory. The camcorder captures video using the AVCHD codec, which is essentially the standard for all...

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Expert review by:

Panasonic HDC-SD20

 

Can't compete with pricier models, but offers a strong, intuitive experience for beginners

Incredibly low noise; Intuitive auto modes

Poor sharpness; Few extras

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Consumer review by:

Amazon review summary for Panasonic HDC-SD20

 

alaTest has collected and analyzed 9 user reviews of Panasonic HDC-SD20 from Amazon.com. The average user rating for this product is 4.7/5, compared to an average user rating of 3.9/5 for other Camcorders on Amazon.com.

battery, value for money, usability, memory, portability

100% of the reviews on Amazon.com give this product a positive rating.

This summary is based on the products: Panasonic HDC-SD20 HD Flash Camcorder (Black) • Panasonic HDC-SD20 HD Flash Camcorder (Silver) • Panasonic HDC-SD20 HD Flash Camcorder (Red)

Expert review by:

Panasonic HDC-SD20-K camcorder

 

The Panasonic HDC-SD20-K is an affordable high-definition camcorder that records AVCHD video to SD/SDHC memory cards. Like previous models in Panasoni...

Portable design, user-friendly interface, effective optical image stablisation

Outdated specifications, cheap aesthetics, image quality could be better

The Panasonic HDC-SD20-K is a reasonable high-definition camcorder that manages to impress thanks to its low price tag. It distinguishes itself from the SD crowd thanks to the inclusion of O.I.S and lots of user-friendly features.

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Expert review by:

Panasonic HDC-SD20

 

James finds out how the budget Panasonic HDC-SD20 Full HD camcorder performs.

This aspect of the SD20 is no different from the SD9, but the control system has changed considerably. Panasonic has extended the touchscreen we first saw in the HS300 down to the SD20 as well, so the LCD sports just two physical buttons for calling up...

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Expert review by:

Panasonic HDC-SD20 review

 

You wouldn't know the HDC-SD20 is a budget AVCHD camera to look at it.

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Consumer review by:

Amazon review summary for Panasonic HDC-SD20

 

alaTest has collected and analysed 13 user reviews of Panasonic HDC-SD20 from Amazon.co.uk. The average user rating for this product is 3.5/5, compared to an average user rating of 4.1/5 for other Camcorders on Amazon.co.uk.

usability, portability, image quality, memory

value for money

77% of the reviews on Amazon.co.uk give this product a positive rating.

This summary is based on the products: Panasonic HDC-SD20 High Definition Flash Memory Camcorder with Intelligent Auto Mode & 16x Optical Zoom - Black • Panasonic HDC-SD20 High Definition Flash Memory Camcorder with Intelligent Auto Mode & 16x Optical Zoom - Black

Consumer review by:

Panasonic - not pro perfection, but still a pleasing past time

 

As a professional photographer I've never really had much of an interest in video – until last year I still owned a Sony Hi8 camcorder that used to be my mum's and hadn't been put to use for about 4 years. If ever the urge took me to video anything I'd...

easy to use, fits well in hand, good quality results

software doesn't work with new computer systems ie. Windows 7/8, photos not great

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Product Specifications

Worldwide, there is a strong and growing trend toward large-screen, high-image-quality televisions and high definition (HD) broadcasting. In line with this, manufacturers are transitioning to HD quality in all other types of video equipment too. Panasonic, consistent with its long-time position as a leader in the video field, is now introducing its Full HD Camcorders including the HDC-SD20. The iA function automatically activates several convenient shooting functions. These include Advanced O.I.S., which compensates for hand-shake to eliminate blurring; Face Detection, which adjusts the exposure so faces are captured perfectly; and Intelligent Contrast Control, which helps ensure proper contrast. Also included is the Intelligent Scene Selector, which determines the shooting conditions and automatically selects the scene setting that will provide optimal results. And AF Tracking keeps the subject in focus even if it moves around to ensure continuously perfect image quality. The SD20 records on both SD and SDHC Memory Cards. Because SD Memory Cards require no transport mechanism, the SD20 is highly resistant to external impact. This combines with its small size and weight to achieve unmatched mobility.

Audio Input

Microphone Operation Mode:Surround
Microphone Technology:Electret condenser
Type:Microphone

Battery

Battery Form Factor:Manufacturer specific

Camcorder Features

High Definition Video Support:1080i
Low Lux / Night Mode: Yes
Widescreen Video Capture: Yes

Camera Flash

Red Eye Reduction: Yes
Type:Built-in flash

Digital Camera

Supported Flash Memory:SD Memory Card / SDHC Memory Card/SDHC Memory Card

Dimensions & Weight

Depth:5in
Height:2.6in
Weight:9.5oz
Width:2.5in

Display (Projector)

Diagonal Size:2.7in
Diagonal Size (metric):6.9cm
Display Form Factor:Rotating
Technology:TFT active matrix
Type:LCD display

Exposure Parameters

Shooting Programs:Beach / Fireworks / Low light / Portrait mode / Scenery / Snow / Sports mode / Spotlight / Sunset

Header

Manufacturer:Panasonic
Model:HDC-SD20/HDC-SD20K
Packaged Quantity:1
Product Line:Panasonic

Lens System

Lens Aperture:F/1.8-3.3
Max Focal Length:47.2mm
Min Focal Length:2.95mm
Optical Zoom:16
Type:Zoom lens

Miscellaneous

Color:Black

Optical Sensor

Camcorder Effective Still Resolution:1.17Megapixel
Camcorder Effective Video Resolution:1.17Mpix
Camcorder Sensor Resolution:1.47Mpix
Optical Sensor Size:1/6"
Optical Sensor Size (metric):4.2 mm ( 1/6 ) / 4.2 mm ( 1/6" )/4.2 mm ( 1/6" )
Optical Sensor Type:CMOS
Sensor Qty:1CMOS

Optical System

Built-in Optical Image Stabilizer: Yes
Image Stabilizer:Optical (Advanced O.I.S.)

Storage Floppy Drive

Type: None

Video Input

Analog Video Format:NTSC
Digital Video Format:AVCHD / H.264/H.264 / AVCHD
Digital Zoom:1000
Face Detection: Yes
Media Type:Flash card
Shooting Modes:Digital photo mode
Still Image Format:JPEG
Type:Camcorder
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