Panasonic announces "world's smallest" SDHC-based camcorder

Panasonic has announced what it claims to be the world's smallest SDHC-based camcorder, following up its SDR-S200 with the decidedly more pocketable (and presentable) SDR-S10. Measuring a scant 1.2 x 2.5 x 4.5 inches, the cam nonetheless manages to squeeze in a 10x optical zoom, as well as 2.7-inch LCD, which you'll have to make do with given that there's no optical viewfinder. While you'll supposedly be able to get up to 100 minutes of MPEG-2 video on the maximum 4GB SDHC card, you'll have to drop some extra cash to put that to the test, as Panasonic's only seen fit to include a non-HC 2GB SD card with the camcorder, which will only give ya 50 minutes of recording time. Being SD-based, the cam also has a considerable advantage in start-up time, with a promised 1.7 second delay from the time you switch it on to the first frame captured. Unfortunately, there's no word yet on what it'll cost, although you can look for it to be available this May, in Europe to start with it seems.

[Via Camcorder Info]

[Sfast @ Feb 16th 2007 4:50PM]

Amazing cam, however, I'll stick to my Sony HDR-HC1 for my HD MPEG-2 fun! ^_^

[Scooter @ Feb 16th 2007 4:54PM]

You supposed to hold this thing like a flash light?... Man that's small...

Scooter
http://www.gadgetgrid.com/

[StuFF mc @ Feb 16th 2007 5:31PM]

http://www.produkte.panasonic.de/product/product.asp?sStr=4@-@10@21@122@@@@@@SDR-S10EG-K@SD|Camcorder@&altMod=N&upper=&prop=

Retail Price : 429,00 EURO

This info was brought to you by Pomcast.com :)

[Anthony @ Feb 16th 2007 7:08PM]

I have the S100 & find the zoom function to be totally hard to use (maybe it's because I'm left handed or maybe it's because my hands aren't giant hands). If this thing can work out that flaw I'm in- though from the photo it's the same "circle" unlike the old lever action of the AV100.

[rawr @ Feb 16th 2007 9:34PM]

I had an old SV-AV10 and that thing was awesome. Except the video format didn't play on anything without an obscure, hard to find codec. But I expect that's changed since then.

[engadam @ Feb 17th 2007 4:27PM]

I have a smaller one: http://www.samsung.com/Products/Camcorder/DigitalMemory/SC_X105LXAA.asp?page=Specifications

2.31" x 3.65" x 1.15"

[Dadawan @ Feb 21st 2007 3:49AM]

Agree with Anthony and with Rawr; nevertheless this new Panasonic sounds not too bad but "JPEG picture size : 640 x 480 0.3 MEGA" is low res.

[mlambert890 @ Oct 21st 2007 3:24AM]

the samsung is smaller, but has no card slot... article says smallest ----SD---- cam