/// HD Camcorder Comparison

Picture ?

Manufacturer

Panasonic

Canon

Manufacturer

Name

HDC-Z10000 (3D-Modus)

XA10

XH A1s

Name

European name ?

HDC-Z10000 (3D-Modus)

XA10

XH A1s

European name ?

US name ?

HDC-Z10000 (3D-Modus)

XA10

XH A1s

US name ?

lowest US price

(3499) $

1869 $

2799 $

lowest US price

On the market since

November 2011

April 2011

December 2008

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
MVC 3D

AVCHD

MiniDV
HDV

Video formats ?

Recording Medium

SD Card
SDHC card
SDXC card

SD Card
SDHC card
built-in flash memory
SDXC card

MiniDV/HDV-Cassette

Recording Medium

video resolutions EU ?

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

HDV 1440 x 1080/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/50i
MiniDV 720 x 576/25F
HDV 1440 x 1080/25F

video resolutions EU ?

video resolutions US ?

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

HDV 1440 x 1080/60i
HDV 1440 x 1080/24p
HDV 1440 x 1080/30p
MiniDV 720 x 480/60i
720 MiniDV x480/24p
MiniDV 720 x 480/30p

video resolutions US ?

Max Bitrate ?

28 Mbit/s

24 Mbit/s

25 Mbit/s

Max Bitrate ?

Compression format ?

MPEG4

DV
MPEG2

Compression format ?

on-board memory ?

64 GB

on-board memory ?

Optics

Optics Manufacturer ?

Panasonic

Canon

Optics Manufacturer ?

Optical Zoom ?

10 x

20 x

Optical Zoom ?

Wide Angle 16:9 ?

29,8 mm

30,4 mm

32,5 mm

Wide Angle 16:9 ?

Filter diameter ?

- mm

58 mm

72 mm

Filter diameter ?

Image Stabilization ?

optical

optically and electronically

optical

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 ?

3050000 Pixel

2070000 Pixel

1560000 Pixel

image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?

Image Sensor Type ?

CMOS

CCD

Image Sensor Type ?

Controls

White Balance ?

auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift

auto
manual
presets

White Balance ?

Focus ?

auto
manual

Focus ?

Minimum shutter time ?

1/250

1/2.000

1/16.000

Minimum shutter time ?

Maximum shutter time ?

1/24

1/6

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 ?

50-105%

70%
100%

Off
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 ?

Yes

Shot Transition ?

Custom Presets ?

Yes

Custom Presets ?

Set Time Code ?

Yes

Set Time Code ?

Configuration

Connections

FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite

Out

In
Out

FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite

YC ?
synonymous: S-Video

YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal

Out

YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal

HDMI ?

Out

HDMI ?

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

In
Out

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

USB ?

USB 2.0

USB 2.0 OUT

USB ?

Microphone / Audio input ?

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)

1600 g

2100 g

Weight (without battery)

Weight (with battery)

2200 g

Weight (with battery)

Battery type

Panasonic CGA-D54s

Canon BP-808

Canon BP-950G

Battery type

Battery capacity

5400 mAh

850 mAh

5200 mAh

Battery capacity

Charger ?

external

internal

external

Charger ?

Remote control

Yes

Remote control

Size

Height

145 mm

144 mm

163 mm

Height

Width

195 mm

77 mm

189 mm

Width

Depth

350 mm

161 mm

350 mm

Depth

Relative Size ?

107

Relative Size ?

Viewfinder

Viewfinder available ?

Yes

Viewfinder available ?

Color Viewfinder ?

Color

S/W

B/W and color

Color Viewfinder ?

Viewfinder format ?

16:9

Viewfinder format ?

Viewfinder pixels ?

1226880 Pixel

260000 Pixel

269000 Pixel

Viewfinder pixels ?

Display

Display available ?

Yes

Display available ?

Color display ?

Color

B/W and color

Color display ?

Display size

3,5 Inch

2,8 Inch

Display size

Display format ?

16:9

Display format ?

Display pixels ?

1152000 Pixel

922000 Pixel

207000 Pixel

Display pixels ?

Touch Screen ?

Yes

Touch Screen ?

External controls

Manual Zoom ?

Rocker
Ring

Rocker

Rocker
Ring

Manual Zoom ?

Manual Focus ?

Ring

Ring
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

Ring

Manual Focus ?

Manual Aperture ?

Ring

Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel

Ring

Manual Aperture ?

Focus switcher ?

Yes

Focus switcher ?

ND Filter ?

Yes

ND Filter ?

Exp Lock ?

Yes

Exp Lock ?

Gain ?

Yes

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
2 channel PCM

Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz

MiniDV: 2x48kHz 16bit PCM
MiniDV: 4x32kHz 12bit PCM
HDV: 2x48kHz 16bit MPEG 1

Audio Formats ?

Microphone ?

external XLR
5.1 Internal

Stereo internal
external XLR

Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
external XLR

Microphone ?

Audio Control ?

auto
manual

Audio Control ?

Audio levels ?

Viewfinder
Screen

Viewfinder
Screen
display

Audio levels ?

Still

Recording Medium ?

SD Card
built-in flash memory
SDHC card
SDXC card

SD Card

Recording Medium ?

Medium included ?

Effective pixels ?

1560000 Pixel

Effective pixels ?

Resolutions ?

1920x1080

1920x1080
1440x1080
848x480
640x480

Resolutions ?

Standard ?

JPEG Exif 2.2

Standard ?

Flash ?

Misc.

Specials

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 ?

Good

Very good

Good

Lowlight ?

Resolution ?

Excellent

Very good

Resolution ?

Color performance ?

Very good

Color performance ?

subj.Picture impression ?

Very good

subj.Picture impression ?

Optical Zoom ?

Sufficient

Satisfactory

Optical Zoom ?

Wide Angle ?

Very good

Wide Angle ?

Configuration / image ?

Very good

Configuration / image ?

Configuration / sound ?

Excellent

Very good

Excellent

Configuration / sound ?

Handling ?

Very good

Good

Very good

Handling ?

Portability ?

Satisfactory

Very good

Satisfactory

Portability ?

Photo function ?

Poor

Sufficient

Photo function ?

Optics ?

Very good

Good

Optics ?

Dynamics ?

Very good

Good

Very good

Dynamics ?

Conclusion slashCAM

slashCAM rating ?

Very good

slashCAM rating ?

Total score ?
(maximal 570)

440

438

433

Total score ?
(maximal 570)

Pros

+ 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

+ Excellent resolution in brightness and color
+ Exceptionally well equipped

Pros

Cons

- No ND filter
- Autostereoscopic display mode

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

- Occasional image errors due to the lens

Cons

Conclusion

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.

The Canon has XHA1s CCDs with excellent resolution in both brightness and color.The dynamic behavior can be changed to outstanding values with knee, noise suppression and -3dB gain, which combined with the sober colors ensures a very clean image impression.Only the lens with its 20x zoom shows occasional distortion and chromatic aberrations.Partly due to much noise, the XH A1 is only "good" in low-light situations.

Conclusion

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