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/// HD Camcorder Comparison

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models compared on this page: Panasonic HDC-SD707 and Sony HDR-XR520

display: 3 models per page sorted by score Best values highlighted
Model

Panasonic HDC-SD707Sony HDR-XR520
Picture ?
Manufacturer Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Sony Information on Sony

Name HDC-SD707HDR-XR520
European name ?HDC-SD707EGHDR-XR520VE
US name ?HDC-SD707HDR-XR520
lowest US price 949 $1700 $
On the market since March 2010 March 2009
Manufacturers URL link to Panasoniclink to Sony
Test preview

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD707Sony HDR-XR520
slashCAM rating ?Very good
Good
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD707Sony HDR-XR520
Video formats ? AVCHD
AVCHD
Recording Medium SDHC card
Built-in hard disk
Memory Stick PRO Duo
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
SD MPEG2 720 x 576
video resolutions US ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
SD MPEG2 720 x 480
Max Bitrate ?28 Mbit/s16 Mbit/s
Compression format ? MPEG4
MPEG2
MPEG4
on-board memory ? 240 GB
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ? Leica
Sony
Optical Zoom ?12 x12 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?35 mm42,9 mm
Filter diameter ?46 mm37 mm
Image Stabilization ?optically and electronically
optical
ND Filter ?No
No
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?31
Size of image sensor ?1/4,1 inch1/2,8 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?2530000 Pixel  
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift
auto
manual
presets
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/8.0001/800
Maximum shutter time ?1/251/50
Apperture control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Infrared recording ?No
 
Expanded Focus ?No
 
Peaking ?Yes
 
Signal Processing
Zebra ?100%No
Histogram ?Yes
No
adjustable sharpness ?Yes
 
Adjustable color ?Yes
 
Cinegamma ?Yes
 
Black Strech ?No
 
Knee ?No
 
Colorbars ?No
 
Misc.
Shot Transition ?No
 
Custom Presets ?No
 
Set Time Code ?No
 
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD707Sony HDR-XR520
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite
Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video
No
About Special Equipment
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal
Out
Out
HDMI ?Out mini
Out
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394
--
USB ?USB 2.0
USB 2.0
Microphone / Audio input ?Mini-jack
Mini-jack
Headphones ?3.5 mm mini-jack
3.5 mm mini-jack
Lanc ?No
No
Time-code interface ?No
No
Genlock ?No
No
Accessory shoe ? Standard
AI
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 380 g510 g
Weight (with battery) 440 g590 g
Battery type Panasonic VW-VBG 130
 
Battery capacity 1250 mAh 
Charger ?internal
external
internal
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 66 mm71 mm
Width 69 mm75 mm
Depth 138 mm134 mm
Relative Size ?67
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?123000 Pixel 123200 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,0 Inch3,2 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?230400 Pixel 307200 Pixel
Touch Screen ?Yes
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned
Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned
Manual Focus ?Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Manual Aperture ?Menu
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Focus switcher ?No
No
ND Filter ?No
No
Exp Lock ?No
No
Gain ?No
No
White balance ?No
No
Push AF ?No
No
Audio Levels ?No
No
Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons
No
No
Audio

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD707Sony HDR-XR520
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
Microphone ?Mini-jack external
5.1 Internal
Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Audio Control ?auto
manual
auto
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
 
Still

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD707Sony HDR-XR520
Recording Medium ?SDXC card
Memory Stick Duo
hard drive
Medium included ?No
 
Effective pixels ?2100000 Pixel  
Resolutions ?1920x1080
4000 x 3000 - Max
4000 x 3000 - Max
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD707Sony HDR-XR520
Specials optional 1080p50 recording with 28 Mbit/sGPS with geo-tagging functionality
Product Shots

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD707Sony HDR-XR520
View 1   
View 2   
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD707Sony HDR-XR520
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 ?GoodVery good
Resolution ? Excellent Very good
Color performance ?Very goodVery good
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodVery good
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSufficient
Wide Angle ?GoodPoor
Configuration / image ?Very goodSatisfactory
Configuration / sound ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Handling ?GoodGood
Portability ?Very goodVery good
Photo function ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Very good
Good
Total score ?
(maximal 570)
412364
Pros + Sharpness and colour at the upper AVCHD limit
+ Many manual controls
+ 1080p50
+ very good low-light sensitivity
+ iris control ring and touch-focus work together very nicely
Cons - setting focus manually is a little complicated
- display and viewfinder have low resolution
+ very few possibilites for manual control
Conclusion Not only does Panasonic offer 50p, it also brings enough wide angle (which even isn´t affected by the active image stabilisation), good low-light performance and colors, great sharpness and lots of manual control.The Low-light picture quality is very good and sets a new standard for the sub 1000 euro camcorder classBut there is no histogram, no zebra, no shutter-control, no focus assist and no picture adjustmentThis is sad, especially because Sony could probably unlock these functions via firmware
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD707Sony HDR-XR520
slashCAM Review
HDC-SD707 Review
HDR-XR520 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts Panasonic HDC-SD707 and Co.: When panning the image is smeared
Sell for SD707 Canon 550D? - Please reply!
Panasonic HDC-SD707 - Video files to SD Card
Panasonic SD707 and TinyMe - Noise?
Fisheye for Panasonic HDC SD707 / 46mm Fisheye
Problems playing MTS files on the PS3 / Panasonic HDC-SD707
Panasonic SD707 jitter with stability?
Panasonic SD707 with what setting (50p?) Film?
slow motion (, 25p) from 50p footage of Panasonic HDC-SD707
Panasonic SD707 1080/50p-Clips edit with iMovie -> output 1080/50p
Panasonic HDC-SD707 - successor in sight?
50p bike in the park - Panasonic HDC-SD707
Panasonic HDC-SD707, upper or lower field first?
Final Cut Pro plugin for SonyHDR-XR520VE
Camera Case for SonyHDR-XR520VE
SonyHDR-XR520VE flickering beam on BRAVIA TV
Buy Panasonic HDC-HS300 / Canon HG21 / SonyHDR-XR520VE
Wide Anglefür XR520 + Beginner Questions
HD video import of SonyHDR-XR520VE in Final Cut Express (Mac)
Lens / wide Anglefür SonyHDR-XR520VE


Please consider that these data have been entered into this database by human beings.Also, the technical information provided by the manufacturers are at times contradictory, incomplete and sometimes even incorrect.Although we take great care checking all information, we can not gurantee for its correctness.Should you find this data to have some omission or error, please let us know! Mail:



update am 12.Februar 2012 - 10:25
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