Customer Reviews
Panasonic SD90 Full HD 1920x1080p (50p) 3D Ready Camcorder - Black (SD Card Recording, x40 Intelligent Zoom, x26 Optical Zoom, 28mm Wide Angle Lens & iA + Face Recognition & New Hybrid OIS)

14 Reviews

5 star:		(9)
4 star:		(5)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
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Average Customer Review

4.6 out of 5 stars (14 customer reviews)

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Very Small and Light, 21 Aug 2011

HelenC - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic SD90 Full HD 1920x1080p (50p) 3D Ready Camcorder - Black (SD Card Recording, x40 Intelligent Zoom, x26 Optical Zoom, 28mm Wide Angle Lens & iA + Face Recognition & New Hybrid OIS) (Electronics)

I am really surprised how small and light this is, half the size of my old camcorder but the screen is bigger. Haven't had much of a chance to play with it properly yet but the picture quality is very good both when played back on the camcorder itself and on the HD TV. The battery life plus a 16GB SD card should suit my needs so all in all I think this will prove a good buy.

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4 of 5 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Camcorder, 26 Jun 2011

Julian - See all my reviews

Recently used the camcorder on a trip to Alaska. Excellent for wildlife viewing eg bears and whales. Very simple to use with an excellent zoom. Cannot recommend highly enough.

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5.0 out of 5 stars Really good once it worked properly, 28 Aug 2011

TR60 - See all my reviews

The first camcorder that was sent I used until the battery ran out, following its initial charge and was very pleased with it, but then found the battery would not re charge, despite everything I tried to do. I rang Panasonic, who were actually no help whatsover. Very disappointing and frankly pathetic customer service. I then rang Amazon and after they told me to ring Panasonic, which of course I had done, agreed to replace it, as it was such a recent purchase. The replacement process was very efficient as was the collection of the faulty camcorder. Well done Amazon!!

That all said (and I have breathed a sigh of relief when the new one appears to re charge ok (currently as I type!!), the camcorder records amazing pictures, both still and moving. I have a Panasonic television and the link up and play back is really good and importantly, simple!! The camcorder is straightforward to use and I am still finding additional things it can do. I love the fact that whilst I am filming, I can take still shots as well. You have to be very careful when zooming in to keep the image from shaking, but the amount it can zoom in on a subject is outstanding, with the resultant playback picture still impressive. If it keeps going without any further faults, I will be extremely satisfied with my purchase and glad that I paid the additional money for this model, which was originally over my intended budget.

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5.0 out of 5 stars SD90 perfection, 21 Aug 2011

tvbill - See all my reviews

After checking a lot of camcorders, decided on SD90. Did I make the correct decision, most definately YES. Great camera, handy to carry, just slip it into your pocket, but most of all the results are stunning. Using the manual features enhances the picture quality, especially on moving items. Perfect control of exposure to, with the iris adjustment. Having used 4 different camcorders over the years, this one is just perfect. Would highly recommend. However only a word of caution, you have to read the manual fully, and then it is a really easy to use. Outstanding results, even when played back on a 50" Panasonic viera screen.
Amazon delivery good. Well packed and promptly delivered.

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47 of 47 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Good quality camera perfectly suited to semi-amateurs,26 April 2011

M. P. Wallace (Sheffield, U.K.) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

Had the SD-90 for about a week and overall I'm impressed with it.

First off, the video quality is very good. Played videos back on a 37" HD TV via HDMI link direct to camcorder and the videos are crisp and clear (set at the default recording quality, which I think is the second highest its capable of). Maybe some slight blurring when panning very fast and colours could be at times more vivid, but there are a multitude of scene and manual setting I have fully explored yet. Generally, pictures look great. Camera works well in relatively low-light (tried inside under electric lights) and the auto focus is very quick.

Sound quality is OK via the twin microphones at the front of the camera. Seems to cope with ambient and near sounds well (not tried on a windy day so can't comment on noise pickup). Tested the range of the camera at picking speech, wasn't great, I'd estimate it was OK once within around 10 metres. Obviously sound issues could be addessed using the convinent mic port on the side of the camera and a directional mic on the shoe on the top of the camera.

Controls are simple and well placed. The touch screen works well, although using the menu to the side of teh screen (when video is displayed) can be a tiny bit fiddly. As with all touch screens the chunkier your fingers the tricker it will be. The camera is pretty feature packed. Detect faces in almost all cases, and you can have it recognise up to six faces (which you can set as a prioirty for focus, e.g. set the bride and groom as the priority focus at a wedding). The recognitions weren't 100% but was acceptable.

Build quality is very good. The camera settles neatly into your hand. The zoom is outstanding, the clarity of detail of extreme distance objects blew me away. However, with such a small camera (with no shoulder support) a tripod (dirt cheap on ebay) is a must.

Battery life is not the SD-90's strong point. With the standard battery you get about an hour playing with it and using all the different features. The camera can be charged off the mains while still in use, but this isn't always ideal. Spare batteries and fairly pricey and not yet widely available. I intend to try using something like the Peeble (Veho VCC-A008-PBP-XT Pebble Portable 5000mAH Battery Pack Charger for iPad/iPhone/iPod/Smartphones/PSP/NDS/NDSi/GPS) but haven't got round to checking it has the correct adapter.

Memory is less than issue. The videos take up a heck of a lot space, but SD cards can be swapped in and out quickly and easily. 16 GB gets you about 2 and a half hours at high quality, which will set ou back £20-£30 per card. The Panasonic software is better than expected but still not amazing. Films in AVCHD format, which is decteded by Microsoft media player/movie maker by default. I'm sure there are convertors to mroe firendly formats (and it may be possible in the Panasonic software). If I find a solution I'll try to add it to this review.

Overall I give the SD-90 five stars. Basically it does the job I want very well, with several features I jhadn't expected. Of course its not a pro camcorder, and the battery life is an issue (as it probably is for many camcorders - if you want extended battery life you'd best check spares/mobile charger options before buying any camcorder). However, if your intended usage is along the lines of filming the kids at Christmas, a family wedding or a day at the seaside, then you will find the SD-90 extremely capable.

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31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Pretty Good, 1 May 2011

Thomas Hinchliffe "GMODERTOM" - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This camera is excellent in a lot of respects, I have summarized the areas below.

Video:
The video quality is very good, images are pin sharp but do lose their edge slightly (only slightly) when blown up on a HDTV but look excellent on a small computer screen. Color wise I was impressed considering this is only a 1CMOS camera. That means it has one sensor for all three colors of light (RGB) whereas higher end cameras have 3 separate sensors for each color.The colors were pretty accurate and looked very natural and defined overall which I certainly wasn't expecting from a 1CMOS camera.it did struggle slightly with the color black and it sometimes came out slightly "purply" at times. so overall it gets 8/10 for its image quality.

Motion:
Motion handling is very good until you zoom in. the OIS does a very good job of keeping the shots still but they start to get shaky when you zoom in or walk while filming. I think this is mainly due the fact that the camera is so small and light and it has no weight to it. However if you have a steady hand you can manage to get fairly smooth shots. there is also tripod mounting if you want it.

Still images: The still camera is by far the worst part of the camera, the colors came out completely wrong and the images looked 'smudged' but if your buying this camera then you are not likley to be too worried about still images, its a Video camera :)

Other points: The camera is very small and very light so it could easily fit in a small bag and just about fits in your pocket. This camera also films in 1080p as well as 1080i but the 1080p mode is pointless as it uses a file type that cannot be read on your PC (Ive tried numerous different software including Sony Vegas)so the only way you can view it is on a 1080P TV through the camera. another point is that it includes a shoe adapter which allows you to plug in all sorts of accessories such as lights and microphones. this is a nice feature.

In conclusion this camera is excellent, the images are sharp the colors pretty accurate and the fact that you can manually adjust a lot of settings to get the best picture is great. The only things that let this camera down are the fact that you cannot edit the 1080p video files, the fact that the video can be a little shaky when zoomed in and finally that there is no viewfinder.
They do not seem to make viewfinders on cheaper cameras anymore :(

If your serious about filming I would spend an extra £150 and get the SD800 which has a full 3CMOS, but for occasional filming or for filming Holidays and family moments this is an excellent pick.

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55 of 56 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Fantastic Image Quality, 13 Mar 2011

S. J. Hatt (London) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

Bought this after going to Focus on Imaging Show and seeing reviews on the internet from Techradar and Trusted Reviews and it certainly has not disappointed me. Its really nicely sized and fits in my hand perfectly, but what is fantastic is when i play to footage back on my TV the quality is unbelievable. When I zoom really far out the image is still amazing and there is hardly any handshake at all. I just use it in the automatic mode but I am sure you can change the settings if needed. Would definitely recommend this camcorder to anyone.

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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Panasomic SD90 camcorder, 30 May 2011

Franco (Midlands - UK) - See all my reviews

This is my first camcorder and I chose this one after comparing many. It really is light enough to carry in my pocket. It is easy to record, playback and erase. The image quality is excellent and the anti-shake really works. I particularly wanted the large optical zoom and using the intelligent zoom the image quality is still very good. I am using 16gb flash memory, which is adequate and inexpensive.

The only negative is that the only reserve battery I can find is Panasonic and costs about £50. This is too much.

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8 of 8 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Hits the sweet spot for great video at a good price., 9 Aug 2011

PixelPartner - See all my reviews

There's a reason this camcorder is one of the bestselling camcorders of 2011. Last year the Panasonic SD60 hit the spot for the best balance of quality and features at a sensible price, and the SD90 inherits this crown for the class of 2011.

THE HIGH POINTS:

Great quality full HD video, including the option for 50 progressive frames a second. It easily passes the eyeball test on a 42" Panasonic plasma.

A true wideangle lens: 28mm gives a field of view similar to that of most current compact cameras. There are very few camcorders offering anything close.

An astonishing, usable zoom. Up to 40x `intelligent' zoom looks fine for daylight footage, though you might prefer to stick to true optical zoom in lower light environments. Don't even think about using the digital zoom - Why ruin your footage?

Class-leading image stabilisation. It shouldn't really be possible to hold a steady shot at 40x zoom, but it is! This really will help you get shots previously impossible due to shake. The option to further `lock' the stabilisation when you have your subject in view is an additional bonus, but you need to keep a touchscreen button depressed for this feature which I feel limits it somewhat.

Good quality low light footage. Consumer cams can live or die by their abilities in less than perfect light. I've tested the SD90 under artificial office lighting and in a garden, dusk scene and i'm happy with the footage it produces in auto mode. Yes, there is noise, and if your footage is destined for full HD output or you will be shooting primarily in poor light you might want to consider moving up the range to a more expensive unit, but for the majority of users the quality is perfectly usable. The best tip is to minimise use of the zoom to avoid smaller apertures - get closer to your subject instead!

Manual control if you need it. Panasonic don't really need to add manual control to a cam at this price point, so be happy they do. If you're happy working with manual focus, iris and shutter controls you'll find them present and correct.

THINGS TO BE AWARE OF:

At time of writing, to do any proper editing of footage shot at 50p, your best starting points are probably either Sony Vegas Movie Studio 11 or Corel Videostudio Pro x4. The version numbers are important! Most other consumer software does not support this video format. The SD90 included software is very limited and not intuitive to use, so lets the side down somewhat. Demos for the above are available so grab them and search for `SD90 raw footage' or similar to download some 50p footage to test on your machine. More expensive video editors are available, but you're immediately heading into `hundreds of pounds' territory. Working with 50p is also very processor intensive so if you have a basic laptop or desktop it's definitely worth your time testing some footage in advance of a purchase. Corel Videostudio uses an HD proxy system which essentially means it automatically makes a low-res version of your clips to edit with then uses the original HD clips when you render your video. This means you may be able to edit SD90 50p footage on a modest PC or laptop - Worth a go!

Battery life is average. Numbers are a bit meaningless as everyone uses a camcorder differently, but I got through 2 fully charged batteries on a day videoing parachuting and skydiving. Budget for a second battery!

Still images are very average. This is not a surprise, but the SD90 cannot be considered a replacement for a decent compact camera. Images taken in the dedicated stills mode are usable for standard (6x4) prints and of course viewing on a screen, and images taken while videoing are probably good enough for sharing on the web but not a lot more. Of course, the long zoom mitigates the quality issues a little as you may get shots not possible at all with a short-zoom compact.

The touchscreen is`good' but not great. It takes a harder press than most of us are used to in this era of capacitive, light touch screens. I'm sure Panasonic will improve this in 2012 as it's one of the few areas of the SD90 with definite room for improvement.

OVERALL, I'm sure the SD90 is a top contender for the best mid-range consumer camcorder for 2011.

If you're tempted to drop down a level to the SD80, be aware that model features a smaller sensor and loses the 50p option.

Going up a level to the SD800 buys you a 3MOS unit with the caveats of a narrower wideangle and shorter zoom.

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3 of 3 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Nice little camcorder, 13 July 2011

Antonio - See all my reviews

Excelent picture quality, the only thing I dislike is the fact that the microphone picks up a lot of noise, so I have decided to by an external one as this camcorder has the mic input jack. Overall a good buy.

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19 of 22 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars On first use of the Panasonic SD90 HD camcorder, 22 April 2011

G. A. Edwards "Geoff" (Bath UK) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)

This is a very attractive camcorder and deserves more use before reviewing it, but I have been looking for spare batteries and there is an issue. I quote:

Panasonic VW-VBK batteries, VW-VBK180 or VW-VBK360

We still don't have replacement batteries for the Panasonic VW-VBK series of batteries, either the VW-VBK180 or VW-VBK360.

There is a data chip in the camcorder which communicates with the battery in models which take these batteries. To date the only replacement third party batteries on the market have been the type which require a lead to be connected from the camcorder to the battery, can't be charged on the camcorder and don't support the data functions on the camcorder.

We have sold these in the past as replacements for other models of battery and although they work to a point the feedback has been mixed and we have been hoping that a wireless equivalent would have become available by now. For the time being the only fully compatible replacements are still going to be the original Panasonic batteries but to be honest I don't know where you'll find these at the moment as Jessops no longer list them. I'm afraid I don't have a date as to when a wireless third party version of this battery will be available. (From Mail Order Batteries)

Spare batteries can be bought from Panasonic UK but at a cost of £[] each, inc VAT and postage. The battery has been listed in some places as high as £[] or more!

To continue with the review: The camcorder is uncomfortable to hold and the control are a bit too small, for example the Power on/off button is recessed and the size of the recess means that most users will need to use their little finger - or keep their finger nails long in order to switch it on or off! However, once on the camera can be turned on or off by just opening the monitor screen. The camera zoom is very good, it can be used in such a way as to zoom very slowly. The swivel monitor is very good showing a high degree of detail. The touch screen, the first I have used is easy to use - I didn't even need to consult the manual. The text is large enough to read - a nice surprise. There are some remarkable features, I'll just mention one: Facial Recognition with this feature set to On the user can select a person in the field of view and then if that person moves the camera will keep the point of focus on that person as they move around.

I am about to use the supplied software to upload some test footage and will report back later also with a more comprehensive review. I have bought an HDMI cable on Amazon to connect to my digital TV and I am eagerly awaiting delivery.

At present I rate the camera 3 stars, one off for being uncomfortable and one off for needing such an expensive battery. Otherwise, this camcorder seems to be a wonderful buy.

I have revised my initial evaluation to 4 stars as the issue over battery price is not just a Panasonic issue the other manufacturers are charging similar prices for the Lithium ion batteries.

I do not like the absence of an EV (electronic viewfinder) as in bright sunlight the camcorder is virtually unusable viewing the monitor.

I altered the brightness to maximun and made a note to wear plain clothing as a patterned shirt is reflected in the viewfinder! However, not withstanding my reservations this is a very good camcorder.

I received the HDMI cable today and was astonished by the quality of the HD footage as seen through my Toshiba 32 inch TV!

I''ll be recording some live music shortly and will report on the sound quality.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT CAMERA FOR THE PRICE, 20 Aug 2011

STEVIE - See all my reviews

BOUGHT THIS TO REPLACE OUR OLD TAPE DECK CAMERA. SUPERB IN LOW LIGHT AND IN BRIGHT LIGHT. PICTURE QUALITY IS EXCELLENT. EASY TO USE AND THE TOUCH SCREEN IS GOOD BUT HAVING AN IPHONE ITS NOT AS SENSITIVE AS THAT BUT DON'T LET IT PUT YOU OFF. MOVIES EASY TRANSFERED TO MY APPLE MAC COMPUTER AND I USE iMOVIE TO EDIT WHICH IS EASY. OVERALL VERY PLEASE WITH THE PURCHASE AND FOUND IT THE CHEAPEST ON AMAZON. BUY YOUR SDHC CARD ON HERE ALSO. I BOUGHT A KINGSTON 16GB CLASS 10 AND IT WORKS PERFECT.

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2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Satisfied buyer, 6 Jun 2011

Geoff Wallace - See all my reviews

Purchased this ready for my son's wedding. Amazing camcorder. Very easy to use, superb pictures and versatile zoom feature. The playback quality on HD tv is perfect. Recording to 16gb cards is so straightforward. The stabilisation feature really helps.
Why did I stick with my old camcorder so long.

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1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Excellent device but you'll need a powerful PC to edit the footage,24 Aug 2011

cyrilslugg - See all my reviews

I bought a camcorder so that I could record interviews with clients and was drawn to the Panasonic SD90 because it has the facility to take an external mike. I've tested it extensively and I'm very happy with the results.

It has an in camera simple editing facility which is useful for chopping off useless bits of footage (I've produced plenty of those!).

The downside is that I completely underestimated the computing power needed to do a proper edit of the avchd format video it produces and now have to buy a new computer! To be fair though, I'd still have bought this camcorder even if I'd known it.

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