torn between Sony SR10 and Panasonic SD9

[mmace]

any got either of the camera's?

can you give me any pros & cons?

I will be using mainly indoors and occasionally outdoors and sometimes concerts (which is why I need 5.1 audio).

I know the pro of the sony is the HDD but it's also a con making the camera bigger

any others?

[rhubarbe]

I had an SD9 and it isn't much cop in low light, even in 25p mode.

HF10/100 is reckoned to be much better in low light.

I read the CCI reviews of the Sonys about being good in low light but so far all of the user reviews I have read contradict this.

[mmace]

I currently have the HC5 (Sony HDV) which I consider quite good in low light so am hoping one of these will be about the same, cheers rhubarbe

I'd consider the canon's, but I'm after 5.1 audio

[rhubarbe]

If I were you I should take a look at the new Panasonic HDC-SD100 thread....

One sold to me.

[mmace]

Originally Posted by rhubarbe

If I were you I should take a look at the new Panasonic HDC-SD100 thread....

One sold to me.

yeah, read about them on engadget this morning, will be too expensive for me when they come out plus there's no mention of 5.1 audio

[rhubarbe]

This page says there is - 2/3 way down.

http://translate.google.com/translat...80618/pana.htm

[mmace]

Originally Posted by rhubarbe

This page says there is - 2/3 way down.

http://translate.google.com/translat...80618/pana.htm

I can only view what's on the forum, my work blocks translation pages for some reason

[rhubarbe]

It says:

"Mike, 5.1 ch surround and zoom / Mike Gunn can choose from three modes. Prepare for the front of the microphone inputs. 2.7"/300,000 LCD monitor is 2.7 inches / 30 million pixels. EVF also features a dedicated switch to change."

Lucky Mike Gunn, I say.

[dave_bass5]

Can i ask why you need 5.1 from a small camcorder?
If its just for ambience you can add that in PP.

Personally i would go for the cam with the better low light performance.

I'll hopefully have some footage of my band in the next few weeks, shot on my HF10. Ill post it on Vimeo when i do.

[mmace]

cheers but I still won't be able to afford one

dave, I make all my videos into Blu-rays, I want real 5.1 audio, not faked which I can do now (done it on a few concerts before and it's not the same!). I'm wanting 5.1 in just normal home movies too, it's more for futureproofing than anything else, I got HD before anyone had anything to play them on, now I make more Blu-rays than DVDs for my family, now I want to go the next step and have 5.1 audio.

Anyway, back on topic, any more pros and cons for the 2 camcorders I mentioned?

[mattr]

I'm wondering about the SR10 and SD9 too. The negative on the SD9 is availability of batteries I think. At least you can get loads of 'fake' Sony one's cheap. Some samples from the SR10 look nice too

http://www.megaupload.com/?d=YG8PI5VC
http://www.megaupload.com/?d=IYP4VMCJ

But then the SD9 looks nice too.

[][Uzzy][]

Bump!

I'm also contemplating on whether to get the Panasonic SD9 or the Sony SR10. Any views on which to get, pros and cons of each would be welcome.

[redsox_mark]

Let's split it between: video quality, features, and media/size.

Video quality: Is close between the two. From what I have seen, the SR10 seems to have an edge. This site http://www.camcorder-test.com/camcorder.html agrees; the SR10 scores 333, the HC9 scores 298.

Features: The SD9 has the option of a progressive mode, the SR10 does not. The SR10 can shoot in SD or HD, the SD9 only in HD. Apart from that they are similar in features.

Media/Size: Sony, with the HDD, is larger/heavier than the SD9. With HDD you can shoot for a long time with no changing media. But if the HDD fills up you are stuck until you can empty it. With SD9, you can buy as many SDHC cards as you need.

[mattr]

According to the sony site the SR10 can record video to a memory stick. Some German site said the SR10's daylight video is very close to the SR11/12. Its low light blows chunks though.

http://www.camcorder-test.com/camcorder.html has some samples images. I thought the SD9 looked a bit better in low light than the SR10. Not sure if the SD9 is in 25p mode, or is using bias and a slower shutter speed.

[rhubarbe]

There are far more in the way of manual controls on the Pana than on the Sony, and this does help to overcome its native (on auto) lousy performance on low light (I have had one).

I don't think that either of the models you have selected are going to do particularly well in low light - I would have suggested SR11 versus Canon HF100.