Panasonic's HDC-SD100 and HDC-HS100 AVCHD camcorders, now with extra MOS

Ready for some new terminology? Good, try on "3MOS" -- Panasonic's newest sensor adaptation which, judging by machine translated text, is a trio sensors capturing twice the light of a single CMOS of the same 1/6-inch size. Think 3CCD applied to CMOS sensors. The result is said to be superior image quality and impressive low-light recording capability -- twice the sensitivity of its own 3CCD camcorders thanks to what Panny calls its new "heavy lifting iA" enabling them to shoot in a mere 2 lux of available lighting. That's just a glimpse at what you'll find inside the solid state HDC-SD100 (supporting up to 32GB of SDHC) and the HDC-HS100 hybrid offering both SDHC and a 60GB hard disk for storage. These 1080i AVCHD camcorders also features Panasonic's improved optical image stabilization, a 12x optical zoom, 5.1-surround mic, and HDMI-out.The ¥130,000 (about $1,205) SD100 and ¥150,000 (about $1,390) HS100 should hit the Japanese retail block on July 12th.

Update: English press release now available.

[McBUNT @ Jun 18th 2008 2:27AM]

CCCP!

[Lazerface @ Jun 18th 2008 3:11AM]

Long Live Soviet Russia!!!
Because in Soviet Russia, you heavy lift camera!

[neofolklore @ Jun 18th 2008 8:32AM]

Heavy camera lifts you, dumbass

[Lazerface @ Jun 19th 2008 1:52AM]

note that the camera already has the "heavy lifiting" feature, therefore the reversal of that is for you to do the heavy lifting. its sounds a little wonky, but thats the correct way

[Eugenia Loli-Queru @ Jun 18th 2008 2:54AM]

These look good except one thing: 1/6th sensor size. This is way too small to create any background blur. The HV20 has one of the biggest sensors in the consumer market with 1/2.7", and you still have to zoom in at around 75% to start get some background blur (so your video doesn't look totally like cheap a$$ video). But at 1/6th of a size, that's just a deal breaker for me as a serious hobby videographer.

[McBUNT @ Jun 18th 2008 2:58AM]

Does Citizen Kane look cheap? No. Is this a 'Prosumer' camera? No.

[Eugenia Loli-Queru @ Jun 18th 2008 3:10AM]

>Does Citizen Kane look cheap?

I don't care how it looked like. 99% of the big movies have lots of DoF, so I want my share of some background blur. Not much, but SOME. Besides, I am not asking for a 35mm or 2/3" sensor, I am just asking something like 1/2". That's totally doable and it can keep happy both home users and people who want a bit more out of their video hobby.

>No. Is this a 'Prosumer' camera? No.

I am not a prosumer. I suggest you read here to understand what I am talking about: http://www.osnews.com/story/18870
I belong to a new categorization of videographers: hobby filmmakers. Just like back in 2004 the "home" DSLRs exploded, I want something similar for video. Right now, there's nothing like that for us in the consumer market as there is for the cheap DSLRs.

[rlc:tk @ Jun 18th 2008 3:25AM]

*cough* Depth of Field *cough*

[LondonConsultant @ Jun 18th 2008 4:25AM]

Well, I suspect that increased low-light performance is higher up most people's wish lists than reduced DoF, so this new "3MOS" technology sounds a pretty good innovation. However, there are usually no free lunches, so what's the downside of "3MOS": does something else (sharpness, dynamic range, etc) suffer at the expense of better low-light performance?

[neofolklore @ Jun 18th 2008 8:34AM]

Depth of Field is nice, I'm a "blur-lover" myself, but for talk shows and interviews, this is more than great

[soundboy64 @ Jun 18th 2008 9:21AM]

The HV20 doesn't even have a manual focus ring, which takes your ability to have any control over dof and flush it down the crapper, I'm glad a company has finally woken up again and added a focus ring to a high end consumer HD cam... It's about time...

[Eugenia Loli-Queru @ Jun 18th 2008 3:16PM]

>The HV20 doesn't even have a manual focus ring,

The HV20 has a focus roller, just behind the lens.

>I'm glad a company has finally woken up again and added a focus ring

Excuse me, but I don't see anywhere being mentioned that these Panasonic models have a focus ring. Don't judge from the pictures.

Also, I don't see anywhere mentioned what is the thread size of the lens, and if it has a filter threading in the first place.

[BB518 @ Jun 19th 2008 9:34AM]

[[[[[[[[[[[[[[[ Eugenia Loli-Queru
Eugenia Loli-Queru @ Jun 18th 2008 3:10AM

>Does Citizen Kane look cheap?

I don't care how it looked like. 99% of the big movies have lots of DoF, so I want my share of some background blur. Not much, but SOME. Besides, I am not asking for a 35mm or 2/3" sensor, I am just asking something like 1/2". That's totally doable and it can keep happy both home users and people who want a bit more out of their video hobby.

>No. Is this a 'Prosumer' camera? No.

I am not a prosumer. I suggest you read here to understand what I am talking about: http://www.osnews.com/story/18870
I belong to a new categorization of videographers: hobby filmmakers. Just like back in 2004 the "home" DSLRs exploded, I want something similar for video. Right now, there's nothing like that for us in the consumer market as there is for the cheap DSLRs. }}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}}

Content and artistic approach will ALWAYS trump the look of the video alone. Good writing/direction or GTFO.

[Micanos @ Jun 18th 2008 3:02AM]

Yeah... I'm looking at the fat kid in pink....
and so are you

[McBUNT @ Jun 18th 2008 3:09AM]

Actually I'm taking note of that investment on the right...

[Micanos @ Jun 18th 2008 3:03AM]

you said that in place of
"FIRST!"
Boo you

[Geoball @ Jun 18th 2008 3:29AM]

Ty po vsemu miru nesesh odnu i tuzhe purgu :-D

[anabouboula @ Jun 18th 2008 3:59AM]

tranieski da gaspaza nouniet

[Cunthor @ Jun 18th 2008 5:22AM]

Love the fat kid in "before Levels Adjustment and after Levels Adjustment" Photoshop command picture at the top. Really makes a visible difference at how this camera records.

[neofolklore @ Jun 18th 2008 8:35AM]

THIS LOOKS SHOPPED, judging by the pixels and having seen many pixels in my day

[Shahryar @ Jun 18th 2008 9:47AM]

Yeah, this does look Shopped. Plus, a Bday party like this - at least at the cake cutting portion - would be well lit so the picture quality should be good on any HD camera.

If the advantage of 3MOS is better low light, it'd be better if they showed a before and after picture of recording an event outside at night or something.

And how good are these 5.1 recordings that the camera can do? I've always been curious about that.

[stephan @ Aug 13th 2008 3:53PM]

Physics still hold true: the bigger the sensor, the better the low light performance, since more light is captured by each Pixel area.