[camelkingsize]

I need to buy my first camcorder and would need help on my decision.

I am down to two choices now as seen above. What are your experiences with the following.

1. Panasonic uses SD cards which are available but are they practical to store and organize? How many do you need when you go on a one week holiday?

2. Panasonic is 3CCD and Sony is single CCD. Will I notice the difference

3. Image stabiliser on the Panasonic is reported to behave better than Sony's. Is that really so? What's your experience?

4. What do you do when you transfer hard disk files into the PC and wanted to view on the TV when friends are over.. Do you need to keep a HTPC in your living room all the time. or do you burn everything into DVD and keep it that way. Can you burn HD format onto DVD? SDHC sounds easier to hook it up on my Panasonic TV like a DVD.

[camelkingsize]

forgot to mention..

my aim is to shoot family moments, baby etc. when I have time later on I want to try experimental stuff as well but initially its for family use.

[redsox_mark]

1. Panasonic uses SD cards which are available but are they practical to store and organize? How many do you need when you go on a one week holiday?

In highest quality mode you will get 10 mins per GB (40 mins for a 4 GB card). How many you need depends on how much you will shoot.

2. Panasonic is 3CCD and Sony is single CCD. Will I notice the difference

Probably not. The Sony has a large CMOS, Panny 3 small CCDs. Panny may have slightly better colour; Sony better in low light. Overall video quality is similar.

3. Image stabiliser on the Panasonic is reported to behave better than Sony's. Is that really so? What's your experience?

Both have OIS. I don't think there is much difference between the 2.

4. What do you do when you transfer hard disk files into the PC and wanted to view on the TV when friends are over.. Do you need to keep a HTPC in your living room all the time. or do you burn everything into DVD and keep it that way. Can you burn HD format onto DVD? SDHC sounds easier to hook it up on my Panasonic TV like a DVD.

You have various options, depending on what players you have. You can put HD onto ordinary DVDs with the right software but need a HD-DVD player to play them. You can play AVCHD clips on a PS3 (but you can't output from any editor to AVCHD format). If you get a Blu-ray burner and player there are other options.

[rhubarbe]

Isn't there still a question mark over whether the PS3 plays Pana AVCHD files?

This will play them:

http://www.kjglobal.co.uk/acatalog/TVIX_M4100.html

If you are using the HDC-SD1 I would have thought that the nearest comparison would be the Sony HDR-CX6 which also records to removeable memory cards. The HDR-SR7/8 are HDD camcorders and I think you'll need to move the clips over to your PC with USB which can be slooooowww.

Biggest advantage of SR7/8 over SD1 (and CX6) is a viewfinder with dioptric adjuster, useful if you need reading glasses for close up work. Biggest advantage of CX6/SD1 is that they are a lot smaller, and you may find you can't be bothered to take a larger camcorder with you all the time. Result: no footage at all.

With an SD card, or a Memory Stick, you just take it out of the cam and slip it inot a card reader - most laptops nowadays have card readers - and Bob's your uncle. Move the files over to the TVix via USB or Ethernet (while you are asleep) and then they are all ready to play. OK, they won't be edited but the TVix plays then one after the other so they look like an edited movie.

[redsox_mark]

I'm not aware of any problems specific to the SD1 and the PS3. It always supported it via a DVD, but in the past it didn't work running it from the HDD or flashcards (that was fixed in a firmware update). But I think this also applied to Sony cams.

There is an issue where Sony Vegas 7.0e won't edit Panasonic AVCHD, only Sony. And new Vegas Movie Studio 8 says it supports "Sony AVCHD", so I expect it doesn't handle Panasonic either. Ulead and Pinnacle do.

Yes the sony software can not handle SD1 AVCHD currently.

Why not wait for panny SD3? which enable 1920X1080, which can be the extra reason you choose it over sony.

[camelkingsize]

Originally Posted by rhubarbe

Isn't there still a question mark over whether the PS3 plays Pana AVCHD files?

This will play them:

http://www.kjglobal.co.uk/acatalog/TVIX_M4100.html

If you are using the HDC-SD1 I would have thought that the nearest comparison would be the Sony HDR-CX6 which also records to removeable memory cards. The HDR-SR7/8 are HDD camcorders and I think you'll need to move the clips over to your PC with USB which can be slooooowww.

Biggest advantage of SR7/8 over SD1 (and CX6) is a viewfinder with dioptric adjuster, useful if you need reading glasses for close up work. Biggest advantage of CX6/SD1 is that they are a lot smaller, and you may find you can't be bothered to take a larger camcorder with you all the time. Result: no footage at all.

With an SD card, or a Memory Stick, you just take it out of the cam and slip it inot a card reader - most laptops nowadays have card readers - and Bob's your uncle. Move the files over to the TVix via USB or Ethernet (while you are asleep) and then they are all ready to play. OK, they won't be edited but the TVix plays then one after the other so they look like an edited movie.

If I go for the SR8, will I be able to store my footage onto the PS3 or do I need to write them on DVD all the time to play it on PS3.

Organizing SDHC cards seems very hard with them being tiny, no labels etc. therefore the SD1 seems more remote..

[rhubarbe]

According to Camcorderinfo the Pana SD3 is discontinued along with the SD1. A new model is expected in August. A large dose of breath holding in order.

[rhubarbe]

Originally Posted by camelkingsize

If I go for the SR8, will I be able to store my footage onto the PS3 or do I need to write them on DVD all the time to play it on PS3.

Organizing SDHC cards seems very hard with them being tiny, no labels etc. therefore the SD1 seems more remote..

I don't know. The DVico TViX M4100SH media player though is much cheaper than the PS3, you can bung in any big SATA drive you like and transfer the raw m2ts files across by USB.

If my HTPC MKVI turns out to be as big a letdown as MKI - MKV, I'll be going DVico M4100SH.

[camelkingsize]

Originally Posted by rhubarbe

I don't know. The DVico TViX M4100SH media player though is much cheaper than the PS3, you can bung in any big SATA drive you like and transfer the raw m2ts files across by USB.

If my HTPC MKVI turns out to be as big a letdown as MKI - MKV, I'll be going DVico M4100SH.

thanks a lot.. i will be getting an SR8 and tvix m4100.. panasonic is tough to deal with cards of 30mins.

i also looked at sony vaio 302 today .does a lot of stuff, hdmi,1080p, bluray recording, etc..seems very compelling in my living room..