/// HD Camcorder Comparison

Picture ?

Manufacturer

Panasonic

Samsung

Sony

Manufacturer

Name

HC-X909 (3D mit VW-CLT2)

SC-HMX-20

HDR-UX1

Name

European name ?

HC-X909 (3D mit VW-CLT2)

SC-HMX20C

HDR-UX1E

European name ?

US name ?

HC-X909 (3D mit VW-CLT2)

SC-HMX-20

HDR-UX1

US name ?

lowest US price

(1299) $

1700 $

lowest US price

On the market since

February 2012

May 2008

October 2006

On the market since

Manufacturers URL

link to Panasonic

link to Samsung

link to Sony

Manufacturers URL

Test preview

slashCAM rating ?

Sufficient

slashCAM rating ?

test picture 1200 Lux

Test image 12 lux auto-mode

Video

Video formats ?

MVC 3D

MPEG4/AVC

AVCHD

Video formats ?

Recording Medium

SD Card
SDHC card
SDXC card

SD Card
SDHC card
built-in flash memory

MiniDVD 8cm
MiniDVD-DL 8cm

Recording Medium

video resolutions EU ?

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i 3D

AVC 1920 x 1080i50
AVC 1920 x 1080p25

AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i

video resolutions EU ?

video resolutions US ?

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i 3D

AVC 1920 x 1080 60i

AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i

video resolutions US ?

Max Bitrate ?

28 Mbit/s

k. a. Mbit/s

12 Mbit/s

Max Bitrate ?

Compression format ?

MPEG4

Compression format ?

on-board memory ?

8 GB

on-board memory ?

Optics

Optics Manufacturer ?

Leica

Carl Zeiss

Optics Manufacturer ?

Optical Zoom ?

1,5 x

10 x

Optical Zoom ?

Wide Angle 16:9 ?

29,8 mm

50 mm

41,3 mm

Wide Angle 16:9 ?

Filter diameter ?

- mm

49 mm

30 mm

Filter diameter ?

Image Stabilization ?

optically and electronically

electronical

Image Stabilization ?

ND Filter ?

Exchangable optics ?

Image Sensor

Number of sensors ?

Size of image sensor ?

1/4,1 inch

1/1,8 inch

1/3 inch

Size of image sensor ?

image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?

2190000 Pixel

4000000 Pixel

1434000 Pixel

image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?

Image Sensor Type ?

CMOS

Image Sensor Type ?

Controls

White Balance ?

auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift

auto
manual

auto
manual
presets

White Balance ?

Focus ?

auto

auto
manual

Focus ?

Minimum shutter time ?

1/8.000

1/auto

1/425

Minimum shutter time ?

Maximum shutter time ?

1/25

1/2

1/3

Maximum shutter time ?

Apperture control ?

auto
manual
AE-Shift

auto
manual

Apperture control ?

Infrared recording ?

Yes

Infrared recording ?

Expanded Focus ?

Yes

Expanded Focus ?

Peaking ?

Yes

Peaking ?

Signal Processing

Zebra ?

100%

Off
70%
100%

Zebra ?

Histogram ?

Yes

Histogram ?

adjustable sharpness ?

Yes

adjustable sharpness ?

Adjustable color ?

Yes

Adjustable color ?

Cinegamma ?

Black Strech ?

Knee ?

Colorbars ?

Misc.

Shot Transition ?

Yes

Shot Transition ?

Custom Presets ?

Set Time Code ?

Configuration

Connections

FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite

Out

FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite

YC ?
synonymous: S-Video

Out

via accessories

YC ?
synonymous: S-Video

YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal

Out

YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal

HDMI ?

Out mini

Out

HDMI ?

DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394

In
Out

DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394

USB ?

USB 2.0

USB ?

Microphone / Audio input ?

Mini-jack

Microphone / Audio input ?

Headphones ?

Mini-jack

Headphones ?

Lanc ?

Yes

Lanc ?

Time-code interface ?

Genlock ?

Accessory shoe ?

Standard

Accessory shoe ?

HD-SDI ?

Misc.

Weight (without battery)

425 g

660 g

Weight (without battery)

Weight (with battery)

480 g

492 g

740 g

Weight (with battery)

Battery type

Panasonic VW-VBN 130

Sony NP-FM50

Battery type

Battery capacity

1250 mAh

1180 mAh

Battery capacity

Charger ?

internal
external

external

internal

Charger ?

Remote control

Yes

Remote control

Size

Height

67 mm

66 mm

76 mm

Height

Width

72 mm

67 mm

89 mm

Width

Depth

150 mm

140 mm

165 mm

Depth

Relative Size ?

Viewfinder

Viewfinder available ?

Yes

Viewfinder available ?

Color Viewfinder ?

Color

Color Viewfinder ?

Viewfinder format ?

16:9

Viewfinder format ?

Viewfinder pixels ?

263000 Pixel

123200 Pixel

Viewfinder pixels ?

Display

Display available ?

Yes

Display available ?

Color display ?

Color

S/W

Color

Color display ?

Display size

3,5 Inch

2,7 Inch

3,5 Inch

Display size

Display format ?

16:9

Display format ?

Display pixels ?

1152000 Pixel

230000 Pixel

211200 Pixel

Display pixels ?

Touch Screen ?

Yes

Touch Screen ?

External controls

Manual Zoom ?

Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned

Rocker

Rocker
Ring

Manual Zoom ?

Manual Focus ?

Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

Manual Focus ?

Manual Aperture ?

Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

Manual Aperture ?

Focus switcher ?

ND Filter ?

Exp Lock ?

Gain ?

White balance ?

Push AF ?

Audio Levels ?

Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons

Audio

Audio Formats ?

AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.

Audio Formats ?

Microphone ?

5.1 Internal

Stereo internal
Mini-jack external

Microphone ?

Audio Control ?

auto
manual

auto

Audio Control ?

Audio levels ?

Viewfinder
Screen

Audio levels ?

Still

Recording Medium ?

SD Card
SDHC card
SDXC card

SD Card
built-in flash memory

Memory Stick Duo

Recording Medium ?

Medium included ?

16 MB

Medium included ?

Effective pixels ?

2370000 Pixel

2100000 Pixel

Effective pixels ?

Resolutions ?

1920x1080

3264 x 2448

2304x1728
2304x1296

Resolutions ?

Standard ?

JPEG Exif 2.2

Standard ?

Flash ?

Yes

Flash ?

Misc.

Specials

- In 3D mode, the number of options (see table values)

+ slow motion recording

3 sec. slow motion

Specials

Product Shots

View 1

View 2

Test results

Test pictures

luminance resolution

chrominance resolution

lens distortion

test small ISO image

noise / internal microphone

test picture 1200 Lux

Test image 12 lux auto-mode ?

Test image 12 lux optimized ?

slashCAM rating

Lowlight ?

Satisfactory

Lowlight ?

Resolution ?

Poor

Sufficient

Resolution ?

Color performance ?

Satisfactory

Good

Sufficient

Color performance ?

subj.Picture impression ?

Sufficient

Satisfactory

subj.Picture impression ?

Optical Zoom ?

Poor

Sufficient

Optical Zoom ?

Wide Angle ?

Good

Poor

Sufficient

Wide Angle ?

Configuration / image ?

Satisfactory

Sufficient

Configuration / image ?

Configuration / sound ?

Satisfactory

Sufficient

Configuration / sound ?

Handling ?

Satisfactory

Good

Sufficient

Handling ?

Portability ?

Very good

Portability ?

Photo function ?

Poor

Satisfactory

Photo function ?

Optics ?

Satisfactory

Good

Optics ?

Dynamics ?

Satisfactory

Good

Dynamics ?

Conclusion slashCAM

slashCAM rating ?

Sufficient

slashCAM rating ?

Total score ?
(maximal 570)

271

266

264

Total score ?
(maximal 570)

Pros

+ good price

+ good Display
HDMI out

Pros

Cons

- Little sharpness
- No wide angle
- lens distorted

- SD-quality only average
- bad color resolution
- Only short clips recordable on DVD

Cons

Conclusion

Low-light capabilities only average despite big sensor sizeImage sharpness, lens distortion and audio-features are almost all below averageAnd there seem to be no revolutionary concepts at work at the touchscreen-controlsThe fact that the Samsung camera mostly is priced a little below other models is no big comfort, since you also get notably more for the additional charge by the competion.

For a AVCHD model the Sony HDR-UX1 offers only average brightness resolution, the color resolution is beneath SD-level.Occasionally significant (colored) moirees can be seen on fine details.The subjective image impression is satisfactory, which may be due tothe maximum data rate of 12 Mbit.Color-wise the UX1E is pleasantly coherent.The wide angle is very small, on the other hand there are few lens errors.In low light situations the UX 1E performs satisfactory.

Conclusion

More information

Reviews and Forums