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Panasonic SDR-H18 Hybrid camcorder Review

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From , former About.com Guide

The Panasonic SDR-H18 is one of Panasonics line of Hybrid camcorders. The mid-range camcorder can be a great choice for people want to record long events or lots of video without switching out a DVD or tape.

Panasonic SDR-H18 Specs

The Panasonic SDR-H18 records video onto a built-in 30GB hard drive. The hard drive in camcorder allows you to record continuous video without changing out a tape or DVD as you would with a DVD or MiniDV camcorder. The SDR-H18 can also record video onto a SD/SDHC card at the same quality as it does to the hard drive.

The Panasonic SDR-H18 has a 32x optical zoom and 1000x digital zoom. The optical zoom is much larger than many other similar camcorders at this price point which can make it attractive for people who are often trying to shoot video a substantial distance away.

Video Quality

The Panasonic SDR-H18 records standard definition video and has a 1/6-inch CCD. For a single chip camcorder at this price point the video quality is pretty good.

Built-in Scene Modes

The Panasonic SDR-H18 has several built-in scene modes to help adjust your camcorders settings for different shooting conditions. The built-in settings include: sports, portrait, low light, spotlight and surf and snow.

Overall Thoughts

The Panasonic SDR-H18 is a relatively easy to use camcorder and can be a great choice for someone who is looking for a entry-level standard definition camcorder that can record a lot of video without switching out tapes or DVDs. The camcorders hard-drive recording and large zoom make it an ideal choice for family vacations.
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