TEST CENTER HARDWARE
VERDICT
IT'S GREAT ON FAMILY VACATIONS, BUT DEFINITELY NOT FOR VIDEOPHILES.
CAMCORDER
PANASONIC HDC-HS20 FOR: Great build quality, good image stabilization. AGAINST: Grainy results in low light, full HD claim is false, oversaturated colors.
he Panasonic HDC-HS20
T
of storage from that. Of course you can
boasts full HD video recording
also keep things simple by storing videos
capabilities all over, but the
on the hard drive and still images on the
fact is that it can shoot at the
SD card, or whatever else suits you.
That's because the HS20 shoots at an
microphone embedded on the top the
effective resolution of 1.17 megapixel.
camcorder. Unfortunately you have no
Inside, the sensor is CMOS based and
option but to use that, as there's no jack
1/6 inches. There is however, 16x optical
to plug in an external microphone, or
zoom with optical image stabilization.
even a hotshoe for that matter.
maximum resolution of 1080i, not 1080p.
The build quality of the HS20 seems
There's a nifty little 5.1 channel zoom
The camcorder performs best in
SPECIFICATIONS
Rs 49,990
quite sturdy with a firm yet comfortable
bright conditions, where it can shoot at
www.panasonic.co.in
hand grip, and easy to reach button
lower ISOs and give sharper and clearer
layout. The button clutter on the inside
images. In low light, however, there is
has been reduced with only the essential
noticeable compression and graininess
three buttons visible. The reason for this
in image quality. The colors in our test
is that Panasonic has finally included a
videos seemed over-saturated, making
Dimensions: 64 x 69 x 128 mm; Weight: 360g; Media: HDD (80GB), SD/SDHC Memory Card; Display: 2.7 Wide LCD (230,400 pixels); Video: 1080/60i MPEG4AVC/H.264; Audio: Dolby Digital (5.1ch); Still Picture: 2.1 megapixels (1920 x 1080); Optical Zoom: 16x; Digital Zoom: 40x-1000x; Image Sensor: 1/6" CMOS
touchscreen interface in the HS20.
them look bright and 'happy'.
HS20 uses its internal 80GB hard
There's no denying that even with
CONTACT PHONE EMAIL
drive for storage, but it also supports SD
its drawbacks, Panasonic has done a
cards for expansion. With the camcorders
number of things right with the HDC-
BUILD QUALITY
maximum recording quality restricted at
HS20 camcorder.
ERGONOMICS
17 mbps, you'd easily get around 10 hours
Panasonic India 0124 - 4596800 rajat.sharma@npi.panasonic.co.in
RATINGS FEATURES
- gagan@tech2.com
PERFORMANCE OVERALL RATING VALUE FOR MONEY
INTELLIGENT COMPUTING CHIP
11/2009
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