/// HD Camcorder Comparison

Picture ?

Manufacturer

Sony

Panasonic

Name

HXR-NX5

HDC-SD3

European name ?

HXR-NX5E

HDC-SD3

US name ?

HXR-NX5U

HDC-SD3

lowest US price

2799 $

On the market since

January 2010

May 2007

Manufacturers URL

Test preview

slashCAM rating ?

Very good

not yet tested

test picture 1200 Lux

Test image 12 lux auto-mode

Video

Video formats ?

AVCHD
SD MPEG2

AVCHD

Recording Medium

SDHC card
Memory Stick PRO Duo

SD Card
SDHC card

video resolutions EU ?

AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
MPEG2 720 x756/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/50p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/25p

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

video resolutions US ?

AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/60p
AVCHD 1280 x 720/24p
SD MPEG2 720 x 480

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

Max Bitrate ?

24 Mbit/s

13 Mbit/s

Compression format ?

MPEG2
MPEG4

MPEG4

on-board memory ?

Optics

Optics Manufacturer ?

Sony

Leica

Optical Zoom ?

20 x

12 x

Wide Angle 16:9 ?

29,5 mm

38,5 mm

Filter diameter ?

72 mm

43 mm

Image Stabilization ?

optically and electronically

ND Filter ?

Exchangable optics ?

Image Sensor

Number of sensors ?

Size of image sensor ?

1/3 inch

1/4 inch

image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?

1037000 Pixel

560000 Pixel

Image Sensor Type ?

CMOS

CCD

Controls

White Balance ?

auto
manual
presets
WB-Shift

Focus ?

auto
manual

Minimum shutter time ?

1/16.000

1/8.000

Maximum shutter time ?

1/2

1/50

Apperture control ?

auto
manual
AE-Shift

Infrared recording ?

Yes

Expanded Focus ?

Yes

Peaking ?

Yes

Signal Processing

Zebra ?

70-100%

Histogram ?

Yes

adjustable sharpness ?

Yes

Adjustable color ?

Yes

Cinegamma ?

Yes

Black Strech ?

Yes

Knee ?

Yes

Colorbars ?

Yes

Misc.

Shot Transition ?

Custom Presets ?

Yes

Set Time Code ?

Configuration

Connections

FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite

Out

YC ?
synonymous: S-Video

About Special Equipment

YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal

Out

HDMI ?

Out

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

USB ?

USB 2.0

Microphone / Audio input ?

XLR

Headphones ?

Mini-jack

Lanc ?

Time-code interface ?

Genlock ?

Accessory shoe ?

Standard

HD-SDI ?

Out

Misc.

Weight (without battery)

2100 g

430 g

Weight (with battery)

2300 g

490 g

Battery type

Battery capacity

Charger ?

external

Remote control

Yes

Size

Height

173 mm

74 mm

Width

187 mm

69 mm

Depth

342 mm

142 mm

Relative Size ?

110

Viewfinder

Viewfinder available ?

Yes

Color Viewfinder ?

Color

Viewfinder format ?

16:9

Viewfinder pixels ?

1226880 Pixel

Display

Display available ?

Yes

Color display ?

Color

Display size

3,2 Inch

3,0 Inch

Display format ?

16:9

Display pixels ?

921600 Pixel

251000 Pixel

Touch Screen ?

External controls

Manual Zoom ?

Rocker
Ring

Manual Focus ?

Ring

Manual Aperture ?

Ring
button

Focus switcher ?

Yes

ND Filter ?

Yes

Exp Lock ?

Yes

Gain ?

Yes

White balance ?

Yes

Push AF ?

Yes

Audio Levels ?

Yes

Custom Keys ?
synonymous: User buttons

Audio

Audio Formats ?

2 channel PCM

AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.

Microphone ?

Stereo internal
external XLR

Audio Control ?

auto
manual

Audio levels ?

Viewfinder
Screen

Still

Recording Medium ?

Memory Stick Duo

SD Card

Medium included ?

Effective pixels ?

1037000 Pixel

Resolutions ?

1920x1080

Standard ?

JPEG Exif 2.2

Flash ?

Misc.

Specials

"Smooth Slow Record" slow motion.128GB flash recorder is available (optional)

Product Shots

View 1

View 2

Test results

Test pictures