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/// HD Camcorder Comparison



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models compared on this page: Panasonic HDC-SD300 and Sony HDR-XR520

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Model

Panasonic HDC-SD300Sony HDR-XR520
Picture ?
Manufacturer Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Sony Information on Sony

Name HDC-SD300HDR-XR520
European name ?HDC-SD300EGHDR-XR520VE
US name ?HDC-SD300KHDR-XR520
lowest US price 950 $1700 $
On the market since March 2009 March 2009
Manufacturers URL link to Panasoniclink to Sony
Test preview

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD300Sony HDR-XR520
slashCAM rating ?Good
Good
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD300Sony HDR-XR520
Video formats ? AVCHD
AVCHD
Recording Medium SDHC card
Built-in hard disk
Memory Stick PRO Duo
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
AVCHD 1440 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 1440 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
SD MPEG2 720 x 480
Max Bitrate ?17 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 ?45 mm42,9 mm
Filter diameter ?43 mm37 mm
Image Stabilization ?optical
optical
ND Filter ?No
No
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?31
Size of image sensor ?1/4 inch1/2,8 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?2070000 Pixel  
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
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 ?Yes
 
Peaking ?No
 
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-SD300Sony 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) 385 g510 g
Weight (with battery) 445 g590 g
Battery type Panasonic VW-VBG130-K
 
Battery capacity 1250 mAh 
Charger ?internal
external
internal
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 70 mm71 mm
Width 72 mm75 mm
Depth 141 mm134 mm
Relative Size ?77
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ? 123200 Pixel
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 2,7 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 ? Ring
Menu
Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Manual Aperture ?Menu
Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Focus switcher ?Yes
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-SD300Sony HDR-XR520
Audio Formats ?AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Dolby AC-3 Digital 2 channel 48 KHz
Microphone ?Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Audio Control ?auto
manual
auto
Audio levels ?Viewfinder
Screen
 
Still

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD300Sony HDR-XR520
Recording Medium ?SDHC card
Memory Stick Duo
hard drive
Medium included ?No
 
Effective pixels ?2100000 Pixel  
Resolutions ?1920x10804000 x 3000 - Max
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD300Sony HDR-XR520
Specials  GPS with geo-tagging functionality
Product Shots

[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD300Sony HDR-XR520
View 1
 
View 2
 
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Panasonic HDC-SD300Sony 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 ?SatisfactoryVery good
Resolution ?Very goodVery good
Color performance ?Very goodVery good
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodVery good
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSufficient
Wide Angle ?PoorPoor
Configuration / image ?Very goodSatisfactory
Configuration / sound ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Handling ?GoodGood
Portability ? Excellent Very good
Photo function ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
Good
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		372364
Pros + Sharpness and colour at the upper AVCHD limit
+ Many manual controls
+ very good low-light sensitivity
+ iris control ring and touch-focus work together very nicely
Cons - No wideangle
+ very few possibilites for manual control
Conclusion Finally a camcorder which allows for a manual control of iris, shutter and gain (not by joystick) while indicating meaningful parameters in the display. Add to that a focus ring and useful helpers as focus zoom, zebra and histogram.Since it also offers a flawless (and even adjustable) image quality, the Panasonic SD300 can almost be recommended without any hesitation.It only leaves you wanting more external controls, a display with higher resolution and, above all, a wide angle lens.Also the low light performance is only average.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-SD300Sony HDR-XR520
slashCAM Review
HDC-SD300 Review
HDR-XR520 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts HD editing program for Panasonic HDC SD300 data
Hinterkamera remote control for the Panasonic SD300
HDC SD300 s.Laptop via Firewire
mirko s.panasonic Connect SD300 to ask ... quality!?
Panasonic HDC SD300 image quality just "ok" what I do wrong?
Panasonic SD300 - otg.Bridge
Panasonic SD300 25p (import, Cinema mode) with Final Cut Express?
HDC SD300 and SDHC Card class 4
Replacement - Batteries for Panasonic SD300 and SD cards. Experience
Zoom Remote for PANASONIC SD300
SonyHDR-or XR500V Panasonic SD300??
Panasonic SD300 and 25P (; Cinema mode)
Panasonic SD300 Lowlight at 1440x1080
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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