Panasonic shows smallest HD camcorder

The HDC-SD7 measures 52 by 110 by 87mm, giving it a volume of 330 cubic centimeters

By Martyn Williams

August 9, 2007 12:00 PM ET

Comments

IDG News Service - Two days after unveiling in the U.S. what it said was the smallest high-definition video camera in the world, Matsushita Electric Industrial Co. (Panasonic) took the wraps off an even smaller camcorder last week.

The HDC-SD7 measures 52 by 110 by 87mm, giving it a volume of 330 cubic centimeters -- that's smaller than the 375cc of the HDC-SD5 that got its international launch earlier. It weighs 350 grams with the battery and memory card against 400 grams for the SD5.

The two cameras look very different. Unlike the SD5, which is longer than it is tall or deep, the SD7 is taller than it is wide or long, so it has the appearance of being held vertically.

They have almost identical technical specifications. Both pack 3CCD (charge coupled device) sensors behind a 10X zoom lens and have a 2.7-in. widescreen LCD monitor.

One of the secrets to the small size is the use of an SD memory card as a recording medium. The electronics and socket needed for a flash card takes up much less space than a DVD or hard disk drive and thus contribute to the size and weight savings over other high-def models.

Both record full HD (1,920 by 1,080 pixels) MPEG4 AVC/H.264 video at a range of quality levels. At the average 9Mbit/sec. rate, a 4GB SD card can hold up to 60 minutes of video, said Panasonic.

The cameras will both cost around $1,175 when they go on sale in Japan. The SD5 will launch on Aug. 25 and the SD7, which will only be available in Japan, will hit shelves on Sept. 8.

Comment Recommend Digg Twitter ShareThis

Email Print Send Feedback Reprints

Reprinted with permission from

IDG.net
Story copyright 2009 International Data Group. All rights reserved.

Jump to comments

panasonic

Additional Resources

WHITE PAPER

EFD vs. HDD - What You Need to Know

Enterprise flash drives provide a new Tier 0 storage layer capable of delivering high I/O performance at a very low latency. Proper use of EFDs in an Oracle environment can deliver increased performance compared to fibre channel drives. Read the recommendations for identification of the best DB components for EFDs.

WHITE PAPER

Gartner Research Report: Magic Quadrant for Application Delivery Controllers, 2009

The market for products to improve the delivery of application software over networks remains dynamic and innovative. Vendors focused on solving enterprises' most-pressing application problems have become the top players.

WHITE PAPER

Eight Criteria for Server Load Balancing

Server load balancers are a simple yet highly effective means to scale an application environment while ensuring its availability. Today's solutions should also address application performance and security. Read about the top eight criteria you should consider when choosing a server load balancer and how Citrix NetScaler meets those requirements.

What People Are Saying

0 comments | Add new

See all comments (0) | Add new

White Papers & Webcasts

How to Calculate ROI & TCO of Enterprise BlackBerry and iPhone Uses
Download Now

Accelerating Your Mobile Workers: Controlling the Uncontrollable
Today's workforce is truly mobile. Unlike the managed environment of the office LAN, remote users face many challenges to being productive while out...

eGuide: Enterprise Security
Smart Security Strategies for 2010. Read now!

Managing Laptops Outside the Office
Learn how you can reduce costs by tracking mobile computers no matter where they are located.

How to Improve Remote User Satisfaction and Maximize ROI by Using SSL VPNs
Download this white paper today!

Mobile U Webinar
Watch Now!

The New Mobile Order
Download Now

4G Ahead Video Program
Uncover the features and benefits of the two leading 4G technologies for enterprises considering future deployment.

WAN Application Delivery for Executives
Learn how to simplify server and application administration without creating performance problems for distributed users.

Horror stories: Managing IT Across Multiple Locations
How one extra sharp IT manager eliminates daily agony, hassle and repetition.

All White Papers | All Webcasts