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/// HD Camcorder Comparison



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models compared on this page: Sony HDR-XR550V and Panasonic HDC-SD300

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Model

Sony HDR-XR550VPanasonic HDC-SD300
Picture ?
Manufacturer Sony Information on Sony

Panasonic Information about Panasonic

Name HDR-XR550VHDC-SD300
European name ?HDR-XR550VEHDC-SD300EG
US name ?HDR-XR550VHDC-SD300K
lowest US price 960 $950 $
On the market since March 2010 March 2009
Manufacturers URL link to Sonylink to Panasonic
Test preview

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VPanasonic HDC-SD300
slashCAM rating ?Good
Good
test picture 1200 Lux
Test image 12 lux auto-mode
Video

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VPanasonic HDC-SD300
Video formats ? AVCHD
SD MPEG2
 AVCHD
Recording Medium Built-in hard disk
SDHC card
Memory Stick PRO Duo
SDHC card
video resolutions EU ?AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
SD MPEG2 720 x 576
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/50i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/25p
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/25p
video resolutions US ?AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
SD MPEG2 720 x 480
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1920 x 1080/24p
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/60i
AVCHD 1440 x 1080/24p
Max Bitrate ?24 Mbit/s17 Mbit/s
Compression format ? MPEG2
MPEG4
MPEG4
on-board memory ?240 GB 
Optics
Optics Manufacturer ?Sony
 Leica
Optical Zoom ?10 x12 x
Wide Angle 16:9 ?29,8 mm45 mm
Filter diameter ?37 mm43 mm
Image Stabilization ?optically and electronically
optical
ND Filter ?No
No
Exchangable optics ?No
No
Image Sensor
Number of sensors ?13
Size of image sensor ?1/2,9 inch1/4 inch
image sensor effective pixel count 16:9 ?4150000 Pixel 2070000 Pixel
Image Sensor Type ? CMOS
CMOS
Controls
White Balance ?auto
manual
presets
auto
manual
Focus ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Minimum shutter time ?1/10.0001/8.000
Maximum shutter time ?1/61/25
Apperture control ?auto
manual
auto
manual
Infrared recording ? No
Expanded Focus ? Yes
Peaking ? No
Signal Processing
Zebra ?No
100%
Histogram ?No
Yes
adjustable sharpness ? Yes
Adjustable color ? Yes
Cinegamma ? Yes
Black Strech ?No
No
Knee ?No
No
Colorbars ?No
No
Misc.
Shot Transition ?No
No
Custom Presets ? No
Set Time Code ?No
No
Configuration

Connections
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VPanasonic HDC-SD300
FBAS ?
synonymous: RCA, composite		 Out
Out
YC ?
synonymous: S-Video		About Special Equipment
No
YUV ?
synonymous: Component Signal		 Out
Out
HDMI ? Out
Out mini
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 ? AI
Standard
HD-SDI ?No
No
Misc.
Weight (without battery) 510 g385 g
Weight (with battery) 590 g445 g
Battery type Sony NP-FV50
Panasonic VW-VBG130-K
Battery capacity  1250 mAh
Charger ?internal
internal
external
Remote control Yes
Yes
Size
Height 70 mm70 mm
Width 74 mm72 mm
Depth 143 mm141 mm
Relative Size ?77
Viewfinder
Viewfinder available ?Yes
Yes
Color Viewfinder ?Color
Color
Viewfinder format ?16:916:9
Viewfinder pixels ?201600 Pixel  
Display
Display available ?Yes
Yes
Color display ?Color
Color
Display size 3,5 Inch2,7 Inch
Display format ?16:916:9
Display pixels ?921000 Pixel 230400 Pixel
Touch Screen ?Yes
Yes
External controls
Manual Zoom ?Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned
Rocker
Zoom ring multi-assigned
Manual Focus ?Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
 Ring
Menu
Manual Aperture ?Wheel
bi-functional focus or aperture wheel
Menu
Focus switcher ?No
Yes
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-XR550VPanasonic HDC-SD300
Audio Formats ?AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
AC-3 Dolby Digital 5.1 640 kbit max.
Microphone ?Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Stereo internal
Mini-jack external
Audio Control ?auto
auto
manual
Audio levels ? Viewfinder
Screen
Still

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VPanasonic HDC-SD300
Recording Medium ?Memory Stick Duo
hard drive
SDHC card
SDHC card
Medium included ?No
No
Effective pixels ? 2100000 Pixel
Resolutions ?4000 x 3000 - Max
1920x1080
Standard ?JPEG Exif 2.2
JPEG Exif 2.2
Flash ?Yes
Yes
Misc.

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VPanasonic HDC-SD300
Specials GPS with geo-tagging functionality 
Product Shots

[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VPanasonic HDC-SD300
View 1
View 2
Test results

Test pictures
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VPanasonic HDC-SD300
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 ?Very goodSatisfactory
Resolution ?Very goodVery good
Color performance ?GoodVery good
subj.Picture impression ?Very goodVery good
Optical Zoom ?SufficientSufficient
Wide Angle ? Excellent Poor
Configuration / image ?SatisfactoryVery good
Configuration / sound ?PoorSatisfactory
Handling ?GoodGood
Portability ?Very good Excellent
Photo function ?SatisfactorySatisfactory
Optics ?GoodGood
Dynamics ?GoodGood
Conclusion slashCAM
slashCAM rating ?Good
Good
Total score ?
(maximal 570)		390372
Pros + multi functional ring
+ focus and exposure control via touchscreen works well
+ good lowlight sensibility
+ wide angle
+ Display with high resoultion
+ Sharpness and colour at the upper AVCHD limit
+ Many manual controls
Cons - image characteristics cannot be modified
- no focus or exposure assist
- No wideangle
Conclusion The wide angle (which shrinks a little with active image stabilization) as well as the low light performance is better than on all competing modells.But in terms of sharpness, manual control options and color reproduction the Sony is not quite on par with the class winners.The automatics work solidly in a Sony-typical way.Remarkably good is the high-resolving display, but a focus assist option is nevertheless missed when setting the focus manually.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.
More information

Reviews and Forums
[ top ]Sony HDR-XR550VPanasonic HDC-SD300
slashCAM Review
HDC-SD300 Review
external reviews/tests   
Forum posts HDR-XR550VE and saving on external media
SonyHDR-XR550VE or Panasonic HDC-HS700?
SonyHDR-XR550VE or at Panasonic HDC-HS700
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


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 24.Mai 2012 - 14:40
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