Avis sur le produitPanasonic SDR-H40 (40 GB) Hard Drive Camcorder

Panasonic SDR-H40 hard disk drive camcorder

The camera is just the right size for an adult hand, not too small or bulky. I like this camera because there are no disks or tapes to change out, you simply record directly to a built in hard drive. I like being able to put the recordings into separate folders on my computer and then build DVD's. It is easy to use and easy to transfer files to my computer. The only thing that I might call a dislike is the fact that it can do way more than I need it to do, which is really not a bad thing, I just don't need all the extra features.Lire l'avis complet...

Panasonic SDR-H40

I bought this to do recordings of live classical music concerts. I like the HD, as it eliminates the need to deal with memory cards. I've used this for 2 concerts and am actually more happy with the audio quality than the picture quality. I haven't tried recording with the higher-quality picture setting yet, so maybe that will improve the picture quality. Transfer to DVD is very easy with imovie '08 or '09 (I have a Macbook). However, if you do any editing with the camera itself, the camera records .mod files which do not automatically open in imovie. You have to convert the files to mp4 first. (I use Handbrake.)
The camera is very lightweight and easy to use. Eventually I'll probably get a Hi-def camera, but this is a great camera for the price.Lire l'avis complet...

Some reservations

I am a loyal customer of Panasonic products and when considering a camcorder decided on the SDR-H40 hard drive model. The camera itself is a jewel and performs very well, that's the good news. Now for the reservations, I have owned the camera now for about a month and have yet to be able to get any data OUT of the camera's hard drive and into a PC for editing. Have thrown alot of extra money at the issue that stands unresolved as we speak. Panasonic tech told me that my PC operating system (XP Media Center Edition 2005 on a Compaq PC) was not compatible with the VideoCam Suite 1.0 that comes with the camera. So decided to purchase a refurb PC with Windows XP Professional OS (recommended) and dedicate it entirely to my photography hobby. Loaded the VideoCam software and STILL the camera is not recognized! Neither Corel VideoStudio Pro X2, Pinnacle Studio Plus 9.3, or the Windows Movie Maker will recognize the camera either! Am awaiting help in resolving the issue from Panasonic and other software techs as well as my local PC tech at the moment. The movies on the camera's hard drive played directly on my HDTV from the camera are wonderful. The 5.1 surround sound and 16:9 aspect ratio video through the Home Theatre system are great. Will get the issue of getting the data OUT of the camera resolved eventually I'm sure, but at the moment am totally frustrated and at a dead end. The main trouble with tech support of any product is that the blame for the problem is always the other guy's fault.Lire l'avis complet...

Light and Easy to use

Nice HD hard disc camcorder. Small, lightweight, and easy to use. SD card makes simple and cheap recording media. Would like a speed for zoom, but basically a good easy to use digital camcorder. Also, Hard Disk recording is a breeze and easy transfer to editing software.Lire l'avis complet...

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : aluckyfind01

Purchased it for the cables

My family had purchased this model of camera back in 2009 and recorded several years of video on it. We're cleaning and wanted to throw out the camera, but first we had to get the videos off of the hard drive. Then we realized we had thrown out the cables needed to do so and it was ridiculously expensive to get the cable needed. It was cheaper just to get this used camera provided it came with the original cords (which it did). This product just helped us preserve years of memories.Lire l'avis complet...

Achat vérifié :  Oui | État : occasion | Vendu par : miltongp

Good buy for medium level user

Easy to use, acceptable video quality,attractive price and fast shipment.Camcorder operates smoothly and menu easy to navigate and choose settings .I decided to buy it because hard drive recording is easy to manage and store 40GB is huge storage not mentioning SDHC card slot!
Optical image stabilization is perfect and superior to digital(I had it before).
All in All I am satisfied with Panasonic they didn't disappoint me!Lire l'avis complet...

Near-vintage Panasonic PalmCorder SDR-H40

What I love most is the deal I got on EBay for this little PalmCorder! I don't really need what the current model does and saved $100+ vs what's on the floor for the Holidaze at BestBuy.

I was disappointed when opening the box to see that the camera doesn't have a traditional viewfinder at all! I've always had a viewfinder on cameras and videocams in the past, and also on 8mm movie cameras, to give away my advanced age.

But, after using it to get some videos at the dog park this afternoon I'm finding it's not too hard to aim the thing using the flip-out LCD monitor, and that the reading lenses in my bi-focals make the display sharp. Even in sun or shade where the display is harder to see, there's enough visible for me to be able to track dogs in a chase on the other side of an acre lot.

The menus and controls are well-done, the printed or pdf'd manual might be optional to many. There's a little joystick to move around the menu, which I find easier than the plain old buttons on other cameras. They made an elegant and easy user interface, and the manual is good, too.

Coming home and trying to load the video to my PC, I found out that the AC adapter needs to be plugged in to xfer video via USB. This is a moderate inconvenience since there's not an open AC plug near where I usually do uploading and most other digital cameras let me do that deed with battery power, but we're rigged for it now. Also, the battery needs to go in the charger to recharge, where some of my cameras will charge while the USB is plugged into a computer.

What I get on the PC makes the little inconvenience worth it! The Optical Image Stabilization, and the quick and smooth 42X Optical Zoom make such a big difference in the image quality. It really makes the other, cheaper VideoCams I've been using look shabby in comparison. Handheld long shots from the first afternoon out look almost as good as if panning with a tripod, and I expect to get better with practice.

After-market batteries are easy to find on EBay, and they'll be needed. The battery that comes with the camera isn't good for very long, won't stand up for a day's use. The SanDisk and generic SDHC cards I've got for other HD cameras work fine.

Large SDHC cards, 32 Gig class 10, are still right expensive at the end of 2010 and it's nice to have the 40 Gig HDD built in, either works fine.

I hope this answers some questions about this almost-vintage little camera. IMHO, this model or any of its successors from Panasonic are a good bet for all but the most Pro applications.Lire l'avis complet...

Good camera

Good camera for a starter, if you don't need to spend much and want a handy camcorder with the standard features with a really light weight and small size definitely go for it... but you should limit your expectations vis a vis the price tag for this camera.

I don't use video that much, so I like this camera as a standby option whenever needed!Lire l'avis complet...

Panasonic SDR-H40 HD 40Gb storage

I wanted a reliable compact camcorder with a large storage capacity.
It's easy to use with simple operations. I'm sure their are better more complex camcorders out there, but this one...so far...will suite my needs.Lire l'avis complet...

I couldn't be happier.

i purchased this camcorder because we were going to Hawaii for a vacation. The camera worked great, the battery lasted for over two hours, and the picture quallity is great.The camera is very easy to use and never gave me a lick of trouble. It is also lite weight, and small enough not to be bothersom. I studied up for about a month before i purchased a camcorder, and i found the panasonic to be the best for the money.When trying cameras in stores, this camera worked better than other brand cameras at twice the price. I couldn't be happier.Lire l'avis complet...