Panasonic SDR-S26 SD Camcorder (Gold)

Panasonic SDR-S26 SD Camcorder (Gold)
by Panasonic

List Price: ~~$299.95~~
Our Price: $189.00
You Save: $110.95 (37%)
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
Category: Digital Camera
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Customers in the UK, buy this product at amazon.co.uk for British Pounds

Digital Photo Product Details

Manufacturer: Panasonic
Release Date: 2009-04-15
Model: SDR-S26-N
Color: Gold
Product features:

1CCD camera system
Records to SD/SDHC memory cards
70x optical zoom; 100x digital zoom
Intelligent Auto Mode automatically selects Face Detection, Scene Selector, Optical Image Stabilizer and Intelligent Contrast Control
2.7-inch widescreen touch-panel LCD

Accessories:

Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Panasonic SDR-S26 SD Camcorder (Gold)

Customer Review: Panasonic SDR-26 SD Camcorder
Summary: 5 Stars

I spent quite a bit of time shopping for a standard definition camcorder and landed on this Panasonic. I gave it five stars due to the ease of use, the incredible 70X Zoom,the optical stabilizer, and the price. If you've looked for a digital camcorder, you already know that there are lots of choices and tradeoffs in terms of features, format, and performance. I did read through the reviews on this camera and believe that some of the low ratings are coming from folks that expect a $200 digital camera to perform like a $1000 digital camera. No, the quality from this camera isn't up to what my $1000 Sony 8mm rig used to produce, but it is LIGHT YEARS ahead of my $110 Flip Video camera (not even comparable). Only negative I've noted thus far is short battery life (about an hour), which I mitigated by ordering a couple of batteries with charger off Ebay for less than $20 delivered. In addition to internet research, I did spend an hour or so at Best Buy trying out the various comparable Canons, Sonys, Panasonics, Samsungs and noted that the optical stabilizer on this Panasonic was more effective at eliminating camera shake during high zoom shots than many of the other brands.

Two to three years from now when I have a more powerful PC and when Canon / Panasonic and the others produce less expensive HD video cams with software and file formats that are easy to manage, I'll go that route. For now, $228 for this camera is a bargain.

UPDATE: 1. The SDR-26 is a nice snug fit inside a LowePro Rezo 50 camera bag / case that can be had from Amazon or Best Buy for less than $15. It fits best with the lens up and the hand strap moved to the bottom of the camera body. Tried lots of bags for this camera and this one was the best nice snug fit in a small package. No extra room in the camera compartment, but room for a spare battery and memory cards in the outer pouch. The bag is weather resistant, but the zipper for the camera compartment runs across the top of the bag. What were they thinking :-) ...

2. The supplied software enables a higher quality video than simply copying the files over and using Windows Media Player. I'm not sure why, but several mention other downloads that make Windows work better. Suspect I'll eventually buy Sony Vegas as many have recommended on this and other camcorders, but for now, the Panasonic software is OK since I'm not doing extensive editing.

3. Been using the camcorder in marginally lit natatoriums (indoor pools) to film swimming events. I'm using a monopod and leaving the camera on automatic and thus far, the videos have exceeded my expectations. Using the monopod, I'm able to be all the way across an Olympic 100 meter pool in the stands .. up high .. and can zoom in for super close ups on my kids. The 70X zoom and the optical stabilizer are the primary reasons I bought this camera and they really do work well.

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