Panasonic's HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder has a number of high quality features and functions packed into a camcorder designed for the consumer market. The HS700 captures 1080/60p HD video footage and is capable of taking still photos up to 14.2MP in size. Video or still images are stored to the camera's immense 240GB hard disk drive (HDD) and additional footage can be captured to SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards.
At the heart of the HDC-HS700K you'll find Panasonic's 3 MOS image sensor. This CMOS sensor provides a total of 9.15MP (3 x 3.05MP) for capturing stunning footage. The sensor works together with the camera's Leica Dicomar lens, 18x Intelligent Zoom, and 3" LCD to get the most of each and every shot. Other respectable features of the camera include Power O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) and microphone and headphone connections. In addition, a cold shoe provides on-camera mounting of lights or microphones and a remote enables hands-free operation.
| Optics | |
|---|---|
| Sensor | 3x 3.05 Megapixel 1/4.1" CMOS Sensor |
| Lens |
3.45 - 41.4 mm f/1.5 - 2.8 |
| Zoom |
Optical: 12x Intelligent (Optical): 18x Digital: 700x |
| Filter Size | 46 mm |
| Recording | |
|---|---|
| System | NTSC |
| Recording Media |
Hard Disk Drive 240GB SD/SDHC, SDXC |
| Video Format |
High Definition MPEG AVC/H.264 1920 x 1080p (60 fps) |
| Still Image Resolution |
JPEG: 14.2 Megapixel JPEG: 13.3 Megapixel JPEG: 12.2 Megapixel 1 Please Note:12.2MP= 3:2, 13.3 MP= 16:9, 12.2MP= 4:3 close |
| Audio Format |
2-Channel Stereo
2
Please Note:User selectable surround mode 5.1 or 2-channel close |
| Display | |
|---|---|
| Display Type | LCD |
| Screen Size | 3" |
| Touchscreen | Yes |
| Features | |
|---|---|
| Image Stabilization | Optical |
| Lux | 1400 |
| Built-in Mic | Yes |
| Built-in Speaker | Yes |
| Built-in Light/Flash |
Light - No Flash - Yes |
| Accessory Shoe | Cold |
| Tripod Mount | 1/4" |
| Input/Output Connectors | |
|---|---|
| Inputs | 1x Microphone In |
| Outputs |
1x HDMI C (Mini) 1x USB 2.0 1x Headphone Out 1x A/V |
| Microphone Input | Yes |
| Headphone Jack | Yes |
| General | |
|---|---|
| System Requirements | Not Specified By Manufacturer |
| Battery | Rechargeable Lithium-Ion Battery Pack |
| Dimensions (WxHxD) | 2.56 x 2.72 x 5.43" / 65 x 69 x 138 mm |
| Weight | 0.99 lb / 450 g |
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Most Liked Positive Review
Maybe the best high-end small HD to date
This highly refined, small "point-and-shoot" HD camcorder has features and capabilities even very old professional videographers like me can appreciate. The price is relatively high (but still a good value) bec...Read complete review
This highly refined, small "point-and-shoot" HD camcorder has features and capabilities even very old professional videographers like me can appreciate. The price is relatively high (but still a good value) because it's similar to bigger, much more costly pro-type (prosumer?) cameras that also have headphone jack, external mike input, extensive audio control including manual level setting, a manual focus ring on the lens, a wide angle zoom (finally a camera with a wider angle of view than the world's first native 16:9 consumer camcorder from the 90s, the Sony DCR-TRV510 Digital 8 camcorder, also with a manual focus ring), and almost complete other manual controls. I say almost because the biggest disappointment for me is you cannot have manual focus and variable manual iris (aperture) at the same time. You can preset an f/stop but you cannot change it while also in manual focus mode. The adjustment then shifts to the lens ring, preempting the focus control. And when you do manually change the iris it's in big electronic increments, not continuously smooth. Other cons: The viewfinder resolution and optics are poor but the "blue outline peaking" focusing aid works well, allowing fairly accurate adjustment even at the widest focal length (but almost nonexistent in uniform low light conditions). The DC in jack is behind the battery, preventing a smooth transition from battery to the power supply if you must change while still recording (plan ahead). The gain can only be manually changed when the manual iris is open and it becomes an extension of the iris control. In the auto-iris mode it has both backlight compensation and, like the big cameras, spotlight mode. The camera uses lots of battery power (it's the same for both the memory card only or HDD versions) and it runs very hot. It may have a tiny fan but the definite noise from the HDD doesn't seem to get into the built-in mic. Buy at least one of the VW-VBG260 big batteries (the biggest one, the VW-VBG6 requires a separate holder that has a cord. See my review). The LCD fold-out screen can't be closed or turned off if any cables other than the DC cable are connected so, other than presetting the "Power LCD" and brightness levels, you can't further conserve battery use. Like most HD cameras sensitivity is not as great as SD chip cameras but from reading reviews and with my limited experience I am impressed with its low light performance. The push-to-white-balance on a white object (remember that, old-timers?) seems to produce the most accurate colors. The supplied stylus makes it easy to operate the touchscreen but the operation manual cautions against using your fingernail. Unlike recording onto tape, unless you are continuously recording one scene or event you don't know the total accumulated time of your "clips/files/titles". Some other brands/models solve this problem and have a way to display the total running time. The "PRE-REC" mode is terrific for capturing the previous three seconds before you start recording. The "memory" battery for settings is a built-in rechargeable battery that holds a charge for six months. Years from now, though, I'll wish it took a button battery like the very big cameras still do. The genuine Panasonic VW-W4607H zoom-through Wide Angle Converter may still be very useful to make this already widest angle of view (59 degrees?) camera even wider, approaching that of the big pro cameras' super wide angle zoom lenses that cost up to $20,000. The Sony VCL-0752H, a big, (for this camera's lens) old x0.7 zoom-through SD wide angle converter lens seemed to work pretty well with no barrel distortion and a minimum of chromatic aberration and slight vignetting that was only evident when the optical stabilizer was working hard. I had to use a step ring to mount the lens' 52mmm threads to the camera's 46mm. I suspect the specific Panasonic VW-W4607H zoom-through converter may be sharper because it will be compatible with this camera's size chips and its HD resolution. And it certainly will be smaller, too. The tiny, expensive companion writer/reader, the Panasonic VW-BN2 "burner" (the VW-BN1 is the same except it can not use +R or +RW discs) is very useful to save recordings to DVD, either as AVCHD in the HD quality you originally recorded (also playable on some Panasonic Blu-ray players) or as SD that is playable on most DVD players (stay with single-side DVD-R). Like FireWire or i.LINK the special for this unit mini USB cable interfaces are sometimes finicky and require reconnecting/re-powering to get things to work. The tiny drive must not be moved or bumped when writing or the disc will be spoiled. The one unintended annoying anomaly I found on playing the SD DVDs is the continuous superimposition of the date and time in the video (not the player's display or data). Some makes and models players (readers) do, some don't. The VW-BN2 writer/reader does not. Nor does the Pioneer PRV-LX1 recorder and the DVR-520H recorder and the DVR-810H TiVo. The Pioneer DVR-633H and 640H do show the superimposed date and time. So do the Pioneer DV-260 and the Panasonic DVD-S27 players. I haven't tested the Panasonic DMP-BDT350, one of two 3D Blu-Ray players that is known to play the 1080P recordings from SD memory cards made from either version of this camera. If you don't have a player for your saved to AVCHD DVDs then the VW-BN1 or VW-BN2 "burner" is the way to play them back through the camera out to your HD display via the camera-supplied HD component cable or an HDMI mini to HDMI cable that, unfortunately, is not supplied. I found the HDMI connection significantly sharper than the supplied HD component cable with the camera output set to 1080i on my five-year-old Panasonic 42" plasma. Playing 1080P recordings out from the camera are only via the mini HDMI cable.
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Most Liked Negative Review
Great camera with useless hot shoe
The camera is wonderful, far beyond anything I have seen in it's class. I returned the camera because the hotshoe of the camera is sunken and you can not mount anything such as an ...Read complete review
The camera is wonderful, far beyond anything I have seen in it's class. I returned the camera because the hotshoe of the camera is sunken and you can not mount anything such as an eternal mic on this camera. I have ordered the HDC-TM700 where the hotshoe is on the side.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
Purchased this camcorder for an upcoming family gathering. I've used it only once so far to record a professional rodeo. Previous camcorder was Sony DVD camcorder. Very easy to use, touch screen was easier to use and more responsive than expected. Picked up audio very well. Was most interested in HD feature. Biggest complaint is that for one of the most expensive cameras in its class, it does not come with an HDMI to TV cable. I found one for about $4.00 on-line. After receipt of HDMI cable, compared it to AV connection and HDMI quality is impressive. At 1.5 hours, battery lasted 30 min. longer than specified.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
Straight out of the box - this camera is amazing.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
[...] this camera is a joy. There is no one camera (yet) that will have every great feature combined that all the manufacturers have added to their own lines, but the HS700 is an outstanding performer in its' price class. This is my first camcorder purchase since 1997 since using Hi-8 so I am thrilled to not have to use tape anymore. Some petty annoyances are;1. Small ports and buttons (but this is the price you pay for subminiaturization)2. Viewfinder does not elevate to 45 degree angle3. Input is not available for upload to hard drive (you can upload to SD card first, but only certain video and still formats are supported)4. Hand strap hinders tactile performance5. Battery life is marginal and charging time is longWish List;1. Preset user configuration (at least 3) would be useful.2. Upload capability for Hard Disk and multi format support.3. Better editing software (but we buy the camera not the software)I still think it is a 5 star product.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
Everything is outstanding! Great product!
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
The camera is wonderful, far beyond anything I have seen in it's class. I returned the camera because the hotshoe of the camera is sunken and you can not mount anything such as an eternal mic on this camera. I have ordered the HDC-TM700 where the hotshoe is on the side.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
I got this to tape some family events. I used it for a Bridal shower 2 days after I got it. I read the manual to get it started and it turned out to be very easy to use. One of the rooms had windows all around and there was no problem with back lighting. I love the face recognition feature. The battery lasted about an hour so I was glad I bought an extra, bigger battery with more hours of taping on it. The manual does not give instruction on downloading the videos onto an Apple computer and says to call Apple. I did but it was so easy I could have figured it out on my own. I love iMovie but have much to learn about it. The camera has 24 hrs of memory built in so I did not get extra memory cards. This thing is addictive!
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
the best of the best
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
I just got it for a couple of family events coming up. It was easy to figure out since I took the time to sit down with the manual. It did great at my niece's Bridal shower. The room had floor to ceiling windows and there was no back-lighting problems. It has the face recognition feature and zeroed in on her face during the opening of the gifts. I got a spare battery since the one that came with the camera was for 1+ hr of recording. The other battery gave me several additional hours. I have an iMac computer and the manual did not give any instructions for Apple computers. It simply said call the Apple support folks but it was EASY to download the movies. I am not computer savvy so I called them before I downloaded the videos but I think I could have done this on my own. My next challenge will be to call them with help with iMovie. I want to put a title at the beginning of the movie and some other fun editing. This thing is addicting!
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
I researched camcorders for two weeks before pulling the trigger and buying the HS700K. The picture quality is outstanding and it is easy to use. Because I do videos for my marketing clients I was very concerned with making the right choice. I've done a few shoots and edited the clips into programs. All was easy and the quality better than I had hoped. I also use wireless lavalier microphones and had no issue with the AGC. My biggest problem is its size. It is so small sitting on top of my tripod that clients have a hard time believing that it is HD. Some reviews made comments about using the onscreen menu but it has been no problem. I can't wait to do more complex projects with this camcorder. Some reviewers recommended against the camera with a hard drive. I opted for it because the price difference was so little. I'm glad that I did. It makes shooting and downloading clips simple. In my opinion it is the best buy in this category[...]
Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
I got the camcorder around January 17, 2011.
The product is great. I did not think it's so compact until I had it in my hands.
Easy to use, but still learn the features. It is small but powerful.
Did not find weak points, yet.
I will definitely buy another product from B&H.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
I have used professional equiptment. The resolution and sound from this hand held is equal to Professional Equiptment. It is stunning. Excellent for beginner or advanced. The 60 fps, progressive gives a sharp, clean picture. This is easy to transport. Try taking Professional Equiptment to Europe of South Pacific. I first used this at a Race Track. The footage was equal to the HD television.. Very impressive. If you have a good graphics card. You will have no difficulity rendering this 60p footage. Additionally, the software that is included is friendly with you-tube. You can upload a 10 min clip almost instantly. Then you-tube will take about 10 min to render it to it's system. I would very happy with this. I have taken video of snow in the dark with this camera and was surprised how many compliments I received.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
The Image Stabilization on this cam is amazing. Tons of HDD. The picture quality is supurb.. I shot in 1080/60 mode and had to convert to lower quality due to iMovie's inablity to edit 1080/60. Still the quality is superior. I also took many still photos with excellent results. My one complaint is that the battery life is not enough.. with the battery that it comes with the life is around 1 hr and the additional one I ordered has about 1.5 hrs.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
Great camcorder that works well in low light. It isn't perfect and the white balance isn't always spot on but it is good.
I think the extra storage of the hard drive is worth some price differential from the HDC-TM700K I was also considering.
I used this for my new daughter and I'm happy with the 60P video. You can always convert it to an easier to edit format using the image processing chip in the camera until editing software catches up. I was concerned about this before the purchase but it is a non-issue.
The fan noise is a non-issue. You can work and try to hear it but I don't notice it in video shot in a silent room.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
I film weddings. This is a handy second or third camera. Great quality video.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
Fantastic product, small, powerful and with all the resources needed to make a good video.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
This is by far the best camcorder I have owned. The color is beautiful and it was fairly easy to learn how to use it. I used it to record my son's indoor soccer game last week in a school gym, and was startled on how great the results were. Used the camera to shoot stills while recording and I was very pleased with the results. Battery life really isn't bad but don't skimp and buy a spare. I got the camera when it went on sale for under $800 at B&H several weeks ago so this only made my whole experience even better.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
Just picked this camcorder up after researching a long time and I'm very happy. Switched from a Canon DC20 and it's night and day in so many ways.
Pro:
- very light and easy to handle (zoom button has good response)
- large storage (240GB internal harddrive)
- addtl. storage via SD card possible
- good zoom
- great feature set
- excellent low light recording
- fantastic picture even in 1080/60i, super easy editing in Mac iMovie (ver. 8);
Con:
- Unfortunately recording in 1080/60p while an amazing picture it seems that it is not yet easily editable on PC/Mac;
- connection locations are odd: for HDMI out LCD needs to be open; connecting to AC power battery needs to be out; when running camera on AC battery charger doesn't charge
- standard battery runs only about 75 min
Overall a great camera. Highly recommended!
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
this is a [*] camera! only drawbacks I've found is that you have to open the door to turn it on...
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
This is one of the best HD compact Camcorder that I had. Very easy to use. For the price it was one the best value and excellent price for the Prosumer use and certainly one of the cheapest price we can get only from B&H.
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Comments about Panasonic HDC-HS700K High Definition Camcorder:
Easy to use, crisp image ...very pleased. [...]
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