Compare Prices : Panasonic VDR-D150

Review summary: Despite being released back in January of this year, the 1920 x 1080, 10x optical zoom SD9 is (still) the top performer. Touted by Panasonic as the world's smallest full HD cam, its slimmed down profile makes it a real winner with the portability ...

Pros: Small, well-built design. Simple menu system. Top notch battery life.

Cons: Moving the joystick to the LCD bridled shooting ease. Shrunken size compromised comfort and usability.

Review summary: No cassette is an asset with this camcorder.

Pros: Effortless ease of use; Essential manual features; Huge zoom

Cons: Average image quality; Very poor picture in low light conditions

Verdict: This makes movie-making and playback a breeze, but images aren't the best.

Pros: Large zoom, wide range of supported discs, easy to use, price

Cons: Washed out colour indoors and in low light, grainy footage, not natively widescreen

Verdict: Although the VDR-D150 offers heaps of functionality at a reasonable price, the quality of its video footage is a letdown.

Pros: A simple to use camcorder that will find favour with newbies looking for the convenience of DVD recording and digital stills functions with good file management.

Cons: Some compromise in quality when shooting in low light. 4:3 "cinema" widescreen mode is a bit of a waste these days, and the 1000x digital zoom is superfluous. Image resolution on the low side.

Verdict: A reasonable choice for the complete beginner with a limited budget, no desire for complex features and the convenience of direct-to-DVD disc recording with no fuss. The inclusion of an SD card slot for stills is a plus, although resolution is ...