The Digital Camera Store

Written on the 2011-03-06

rating of 4.0

The camcorder performs just as described in the ads and in the reviews. The 73X optical zoom is fantastic but I will need a tripod. The camera has many nifty features that I am still learning. As stated in other reviews, the performance in low-light is not great and the manual lens cover is easy to forget but nevertheless this is great value for a low price. [...]
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2011-03-03

rating of 4.0

This camcorder also works well as a high-quality webcam, and that was my biggest hope. The RCA output cables are also just what I needed to connect to other equipment. So this has been perfect for us, and at a good price.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2010-12-30

rating of 5.0

We use the camcorder for family gatherings and we love the convenience. It's small and light and the stabilization feature keeps the image very still. The quality of the video is great. I would recommend this camcorder.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2010-12-28

rating of 4.0

We use the camcorder mainly for family functions and the like. Its super easy to carry around, put in your purse even, and to use. Another reason I like it is because its 'user friendly' I find. The only thing that would make it a little better is if the menu for options was on a touch screen but I imagine therein lies the reason for a little cheaper price and is the only reason why I don't give it five stars instead of four. I would highly recommend this camcorder.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2010-12-04

rating of 5.0

This has a great zoom. The video is not HD, but still very good. The button to control the menu is very small at takes a little getting used to. Took this to Disney Worl 3 days after receiving. I still need a bit of practice with it. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-11-29

rating of 5.0

Just bought the Panasonic SDR-S50 (black) for our daughter. The camera is very similar to the SDR-H60 that we have for ourselves, but is is lighter, has 50% better zoom, and only runs on SD cards. SD cards can hold more than enough video unless you are shooting an single 60 minute shot. I prefer using SD cards over the hard disc on our SDR-H60 because transfer to the laptop is much simpler with no hardware or cables. Just remove the SD card from the camcorder and insert into laptop. The SDR-S50 comes with Panasonic VideoCam Suite 3.0 which make it simple to upload to PC, Record directly to your DVD, or simple to upload to YOUTUBE. The only downside to this camera is that if you wish to upload to YOUTUBE using the simple YOUTUBE wizard in the software, you MUST REMEMBER to switch your video recording setup to WEB MODE every time you turn the camera power on. The WEB MODE recording gets reset when the camera is turned off. You can still upload to YOUTUBE, but not with the YOUTUBE wizard. Other than that we are extremely pleased with the SDR-S50. Note, don't fool yourself... if you think the 78x zoom will not be useful to you in your recordings, you are wrong. If you buy a camera without great zoom, then you find yourself looking for a new camera with better zoom! Panasonic also has the best OIS (optical image stablization)to take the jitter out of your zooms. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-10-04

rating of 4.0

we bought if for our childs soccer games.<br />love the steady button.. running up the field w the cammera would normally look very shaky but it dosent with the steady mode. its so light weight. has a pretty good zoom. <br /><br />only had it about two weeks but havent found anything i dont like yet...
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2010-09-25

rating of 5.0

this product is just great for anyone who doesn't care about all the bells and whistles of the more expensive camcorders. the price is great, as well. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)

Written on the 2010-08-15

rating of 1.0

Many reviews (here and CNET and other places) had indicated that the video quality was barely passable. <br /><br />I thought "How bad could it be? After all, I am upgrading from a 7 year old DV camera." My answer? Poor, very poor.. and worse than my 7 year old DV camera in moderate to low light. Barely adequate in bright light.<br /><br />I will use for now - if I hadn't already sent in the warranty card, I would have returned it.<br /><br />Size is fine, although it is almost *too* small. Viewfinder has awful resolution. Not much experience with battery life.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2010-08-04

rating of 5.0

I wanted a camcorder for my recent trip to Mexico I did not want to spend alot of money. I found this camera very affordable and I loved the small size and the quality was also great. I am very happy with my purchased.
(Source: www.bhphotovideo.com)

Written on the 2010-06-17

rating of 3.0

The best feature of this camcorder is the 78X optical zoom. Actually, it is about the only redeeming feature. There are plenty of zoom tests on You-Tube which convinced me to buy this model. If you are a birdwatcher and want to really get up close, this is the camcorder for you. I haven't yet tried it to record my daughter's soccer games, but I expect it will be ok, especially for closeups. <br /><br />Picture quality is mediocre and somewhat dark. Low light results are poor. It could use an LED light like Sony has on some of its models. If you need the 78X zoom lens it is a great buy. Otherwise, save your pennies and go with an HD camcorder that offers better quality or a good still camera with video capability. <br /><br />For everyday use, I go with a compact 12 megapixel camera that also shoots short HD 720 video. <br />
(Source: www.amazon.com)