/// HD Camcorder Comparison

Picture ?

Manufacturer

Panasonic

Canon

Manufacturer

Name

HC-X900M

HDC-Z10000 (3D-Modus)

XA10

Name

European name ?

HC-X900

HDC-Z10000 (3D-Modus)

XA10

European name ?

US name ?

HC-X900M

HDC-Z10000 (3D-Modus)

XA10

US name ?

lowest US price

(3499) $

1869 $

lowest US price

On the market since

February 2012

November 2011

April 2011

On the market since

Manufacturers URL

link to Panasonic

link to Canon

Manufacturers URL

Test preview

slashCAM rating ?

Very good

slashCAM rating ?

test picture 1200 Lux

Test image 12 lux auto-mode

Video

Video formats ?

AVCHD
iFrame

AVCHD
MVC 3D

AVCHD

Video formats ?

Recording Medium

SD Card
SDHC card
SDXC card

SD Card
SDHC card
built-in flash memory
SDXC card

Recording Medium

video resolutions EU ?

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
iFrame 960 x 540

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p

AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/25p

video resolutions EU ?

video resolutions US ?

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60p
iFrame 960 x 540

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/30p

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/24p

video resolutions US ?

Max Bitrate ?

28 Mbit/s

24 Mbit/s

Max Bitrate ?

Compression format ?

MPEG4

Compression format ?

on-board memory ?

32 GB

64 GB

on-board memory ?

Optics

Optics Manufacturer ?

Leica

Panasonic

Canon

Optics Manufacturer ?

Optical Zoom ?

12 x

10 x

Optical Zoom ?

Wide Angle 16:9 ?

29,8 mm

30,4 mm

Wide Angle 16:9 ?

Filter diameter ?

49 mm

- mm

58 mm

Filter diameter ?

Image Stabilization ?

optically and electronically

optical

optically and electronically

Image Stabilization ?

ND Filter ?

Digital (auto)

ND Filter ?

Exchangable optics ?

Image Sensor

Number of sensors ?

Size of image sensor ?

1/4,1 inch

1/3 inch

Size of image sensor ?

image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?

2190000 Pixel

3050000 Pixel

2070000 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
presets

White Balance ?

Focus ?

auto
manual

Focus ?

Minimum shutter time ?

1/8.000

1/250

1/2.000

Minimum shutter time ?

Maximum shutter time ?

1/25

1/24

1/6

Maximum shutter time ?

Apperture control ?

auto
manual
AE-Shift

Apperture control ?

Infrared recording ?

Yes

Infrared recording ?

Expanded Focus ?

Yes

Expanded Focus ?

Peaking ?

Yes

Peaking ?

Signal Processing

Zebra ?

100%

50-105%

70%
100%

Zebra ?

Histogram ?

Yes

waveform

Histogram ?

adjustable sharpness ?

Yes

adjustable sharpness ?

Adjustable color ?

Yes

Adjustable color ?

Cinegamma ?

Yes

Cinegamma ?

Black Strech ?

Yes

Black Strech ?

Knee ?

Yes

Knee ?

Colorbars ?

Yes

Colorbars ?

Misc.

Shot Transition ?

Custom Presets ?

Yes

Custom Presets ?

Set Time Code ?

Yes

Set Time Code ?

Configuration

Connections

FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite

Out

FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite

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

USB ?

USB 2.0

USB 2.0 OUT

USB ?

Microphone / Audio input ?

Mini-jack

XLR

XLR
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

1600 g

Weight (without battery)

Weight (with battery)

480 g

Weight (with battery)

Battery type

Panasonic VW-VBN 130

Panasonic CGA-D54s

Canon BP-808

Battery type

Battery capacity

1250 mAh

5400 mAh

850 mAh

Battery capacity

Charger ?

internal
external

external

internal

Charger ?

Remote control

Yes

Remote control

Size

Height

67 mm

145 mm

144 mm

Height

Width

72 mm

195 mm

77 mm

Width

Depth

150 mm

350 mm

161 mm

Depth

Relative Size ?

Viewfinder

Viewfinder available ?

Yes

Viewfinder available ?

Color Viewfinder ?

Color

S/W

Color Viewfinder ?

Viewfinder format ?

16:9

Viewfinder format ?

Viewfinder pixels ?

263000 Pixel

1226880 Pixel

260000 Pixel

Viewfinder pixels ?

Display

Display available ?

Yes

Display available ?

Color display ?

Color

Color display ?

Display size

3,5 Inch

Display size

Display format ?

16:9

Display format ?

Display pixels ?

1152000 Pixel

922000 Pixel

Display pixels ?

Touch Screen ?

Yes

Touch Screen ?

External controls

Manual Zoom ?

Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned

Rocker
Ring

Rocker

Manual Zoom ?

Manual Focus ?

Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

Ring

Ring
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

Manual Focus ?

Manual Aperture ?

Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

Ring

Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

Manual Aperture ?

Focus switcher ?

Yes

Focus switcher ?

ND Filter ?

Exp Lock ?

Gain ?

White balance ?

Yes

White balance ?

Push AF ?

Yes

Push AF ?

Audio Levels ?

Yes

Audio Levels ?

Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons

Audio

Audio Formats ?

AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz

AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
2 channel PCM

Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz

Audio Formats ?

Microphone ?

5.1 Internal

external XLR
5.1 Internal

Stereo internal
external XLR

Microphone ?

Audio Control ?

auto
manual

Audio Control ?

Audio levels ?

Viewfinder
Screen

Audio levels ?

Still

Recording Medium ?

SD Card
built-in flash memory
SDHC card
SDXC card

Recording Medium ?

Medium included ?

Effective pixels ?

2370000 Pixel

Effective pixels ?

Resolutions ?

1920x1080
5120 x 2880 - Max

1920x1080

Resolutions ?

Standard ?

JPEG Exif 2.2

Standard ?

Flash ?

Yes

Flash ?

Misc.

Specials

-Optional 1080p50 recording at 28 Mbit / s
Optional 3D-conversion lens, 3D FullHD recording
-2D to 3D conversion
stereoscopic touch-screen / 3D
-the hybrid image stabilizer now also compensates for lateral tilting movements

2 memory card slots

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 ?

Very good

Good

Very good

Lowlight ?

Resolution ?

Excellent

Very good

Resolution ?

Color performance ?

Very good

Color performance ?

subj.Picture impression ?

Very good

subj.Picture impression ?

Optical Zoom ?

Sufficient

Optical Zoom ?

Wide Angle ?

Excellent

Very good

Wide Angle ?

Configuration / image ?

Very good

Configuration / image ?

Configuration / sound ?

Satisfactory

Excellent

Very good

Configuration / sound ?

Handling ?

Good

Very good

Good

Handling ?

Portability ?

Very good

Satisfactory

Very good

Portability ?

Photo function ?

Satisfactory

Poor

Sufficient

Photo function ?

Optics ?

Good

Very good

Good

Optics ?

Dynamics ?

Good

Very good

Good

Dynamics ?

Conclusion slashCAM

slashCAM rating ?

Very good

slashCAM rating ?

Total score ?
(maximal 570)

442

440

438

Total score ?
(maximal 570)

Pros

+ Sharpness and colour at the upper AVCHD limit
+ Many manual controls
+ 1080p50

+ Extreme manual control options
+ Very good image quality
+ Good 3D control

+ Manual control over image characteristics
+ Low-Light Properties
+ XLR
+ Manual buttons, wheel and lens ring
+ Touch focus in manual mode

Pros

Cons

- No Expanded Focus
- No touch focus in manual mode
- Audible ventilation

- No ND filter
- Autostereoscopic display mode

- ND-filter function toothless
- 4:2:2 codec is not "activated"

Cons

Conclusion

The immaculate sharpness, very good wide angle, as well as much manual control and convenient, visual adjustment aids leave little to be desired.In our opinion, the camera would profit from an expanded focus, a touch-focus in manual mode and a fan-less design.But apart from that the camera really is convincing.Together with the new 3D adapter VW CLT2 the duo can not keep up with real dual lens cameras, but still delivers a better performance than the previous combination.

Even as a 2D camcorder the Z10000 is absolutely competitive thanks to the professional features and excellent image quality.The additional 3D capabilities are currently unique in this price range (and even much further) (as of 11/2011).

In terms of manual control Canon leaves comparable consumer camcorders behind: the three custom keys, the dial and the lens ring make for the best camera operation we have seen for a long time in the price range under 1500 Euro (March 2011).The possibility to use touch focus in the manual mode is also a great plus.Even the extra charge of 500 Euro for the XA10 seems fair, as the added value not only inludes XLR, but also an accessory shoe, improved ergonomics, and an infrared mode.

Conclusion

More information

Reviews and Forums