| |
Model
|
| Sony HDR-TG3 | Panasonic HDC-SX5 |
| Picture ? | | |
| Manufacturer | Sony 
| Panasonic
|
| Name | HDR-TG3 | HDC-SX5 |
| European name ? | HDR-TG3E | HDC-SX5EG |
| US name ? | HDR-TG3 | HDC-SX5 |
| lowest US price | 979 $ | 1088 $ |
| On the market since | May 2008 | September 2007 |
| Manufacturers URL | link to Sony | link to Panasonic |
|
|
Test preview
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-TG3 | Panasonic HDC-SX5 |
| slashCAM rating ? | Satisfactory
 | not yet tested |
| test picture 1200 Lux | |  |
| Test image 12 lux auto-mode | | |
Video
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-TG3 | Panasonic HDC-SX5 |
| Video formats ? | AVCHD
| AVCHD
|
| Recording Medium | Memory Stick PRO Duo
| MiniDVD 8cm
MiniDVD-DL 8cm
SD Card
|
| video resolutions EU ? | AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
| AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
MPEG2 720 x756/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
|
| video resolutions US ? | AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
| AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
|
| Max Bitrate ? | 16 Mbit/s | 13 Mbit/s |
| Compression format ? | MPEG4
| MPEG2
MPEG4
|
| on-board memory ? | | |
| Optics |
| Optics Manufacturer ? | Carl Zeiss
| Leica
|
| Optical Zoom ? | 10 x | 10 x |
| Wide Angle 16:9 ? | 42,9 mm | 42,9 mm |
| Filter diameter ? | | 37 mm |
| Image Stabilization ? | electronical
| optical
|
| ND Filter ? | No
| No
|
| Exchangable optics ? | No
| No
|
| Image Sensor |
| Number of sensors ? | 1 | 3 |
| Size of image sensor ? | 1/5 inch | 1/6 inch |
| image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ? | 1430000 Pixel | 520000 Pixel |
| Image Sensor Type ? | CMOS
| CCD
|
| Controls |
| White Balance ? | auto
manual
| auto
manual
presets
|
| Focus ? | auto
manual
| auto
|
| Minimum shutter time ? | 1/auto
| 1/8.000 |
| Maximum shutter time ? | auto
| 1/25 |
| Apperture control ? | auto
manual
| auto
|
| Infrared recording ? | No
| Yes
|
| Expanded Focus ? | No
| Yes
|
| Peaking ? | No
| |
| Signal Processing |
| Zebra ? | 70%
100% | |
| Histogram ? | No
| |
| adjustable sharpness ? | No
| |
| Adjustable color ? | No
| |
| Cinegamma ? | No
| |
| Black Strech ? | No
| |
| Knee ? | No
| |
| Colorbars ? | No
| |
| Misc. |
| Shot Transition ? | No
| |
| Custom Presets ? | No
| |
| Set Time Code ? | No
| |
Configuration
|
| Connections |
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-TG3 | Panasonic HDC-SX5 |
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite | Out
| |
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video | via accessories
| |
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal | Out
| Out
|
| HDMI ? | Out
| Out
|
DV / HDV (FireWire) ?
synonymous: ILink / IEEE-1394 | | |
| USB ? | USB 2.0
| USB 2.0
|
| Microphone / Audio input ? | No
| No
|
| Headphones ? | No
| No
|
| Lanc ? | No
| |
| Time-code interface ? | No
| |
| Genlock ? | No
| |
| Accessory shoe ? | No
| Standard
|
| HD-SDI ? | No
| No
|
| Misc. |
| Weight (without battery) | 240 g | 540 g |
| Weight (with battery) | 300 g | |
| Battery type | Sony NP-FH50
| |
| Battery capacity | 900 mAh | |
| Charger ? | internal
| |
| Remote control | No
| |
| Size |
| Height | 32 mm | 83 mm |
| Width | 119 mm | 93 mm |
| Depth | 63 mm | 151 mm |
| Relative Size ? | 2 | 11 |
| Viewfinder |
| Viewfinder available ? | No
| Yes
|
| Color Viewfinder ? | - | Color
|
| Viewfinder format ? | - | 16:9 |
| Viewfinder pixels ? | | |
| Display |
| Display available ? | Yes
| Yes
|
| Color display ? | Color
| Color
|
| Display size | 2,7 Inch | 2,7 Inch |
| Display format ? | 16:9 | 16:9 |
| Display pixels ? | 211200 Pixel | 300000 Pixel |
| Touch Screen ? | Yes
| No
|
| External controls |
| Manual Zoom ? | thumb wheel
| Rocker
|
| Manual Focus ? | Menu
| |
| Manual Aperture ? | Menu
| |
| Focus switcher ? | 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 ] | Sony HDR-TG3 | Panasonic HDC-SX5 |
| Audio Formats ? | AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
| Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
|
| Microphone ? | 5.1 Internal
| Stereo internal
|
| Audio Control ? | auto
| |
| Audio levels ? | No
| |
Still
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-TG3 | Panasonic HDC-SX5 |
| Recording Medium ? | Memory Stick Duo
| SD Card
|
| Medium included ? | 4 GB
| |
| Effective pixels ? | | |
| Resolutions ? | 2304x1728 | |
| Standard ? | JPEG Exif 2.2
| |
| Flash ? | Yes
| |
Misc.
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-TG3 | Panasonic HDC-SX5 |
| Specials | Outside Europe the Cam is named Sony HDR-TG1 | |
Product Shots
|
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-TG3 | Panasonic HDC-SX5 |
| View 1 | | |
| View 2 | | |
Test results
|
| Test pictures |
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-TG3 | Panasonic HDC-SX5 |
| 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 | |
| Resolution ? | Satisfactory | |
| Color performance ? | Good | |
| subj.Picture impression ? | Good | |
| Optical Zoom ? | Sufficient | |
| Wide Angle ? | Poor | |
| Configuration / image ? | Sufficient | |
| Configuration / sound ? | Poor | |
| Handling ? | Satisfactory | |
| Portability ? | Excellent | |
| Photo function ? | Sufficient | |
| Optics ? | Good | |
| Dynamics ? | Good | |
| Conclusion slashCAM |
| slashCAM rating ? | Satisfactory
| not yet tested |
Total score ?
(maximal 570) | 288 | |
| Pros | | |
| Cons | | |
| Conclusion | While the new Exmor CMOS technology and the Bionz signal processor provide great results with the SR-12, their benefits are leveled by the smaller chip area of the TG3.Demanding filmmakers will find too many compromises in terms of lowlight, ports and manual controls, preventing them from using the camera seriously.Ambitious filmmakers on the other hand will like the nice interface via touch screen. | |
More information
|
| Reviews and Forums |
| [ top ] | Sony HDR-TG3 | Panasonic HDC-SX5 |
| slashCAM Review | | |
| external reviews/tests | | |
| Forum posts |  Buy TG3 camcorder or similar
SONY TG3 synonymous HDT-suited for short films?
Successor to the Sony HDR-TG3
| Lapel microphone for Panasonic HDC-SX5
SonySR7/SR11 or Panasonic SX5; Who has LANC?
Panasonic HDC-SX5 playhead problem
Questions about Panasonic HDC-SX5
Canon HV20 vs Panasonic SX5
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