Panasonic HDC-HS9

The HDC-HS9 is arguably the best high-definition camcorder in its price range; with the possible exception of its stablemate; the HDC-SD9. For our money, the HDC-HS9 comes out slightly on top due to its 60GB hard drive. Highly recommended.

The HDC-HS9 is arguably the best high-definition camcorder in its price range; with the possible exception of its stablemate; the HDC-SD9. For our money, the HDC-HS9 comes out slightly on top due to its 60GB hard drive. Highly recommended.

The Panasonic HDC-HS9 ($1099 MSRP) is another of the manufacturer’s third generation AVCHD camcorder. Nearly identical to the HDC-SD9, the HS9 adds a 60GB hard disk drive (HDD) and a hefty $300 price hike. It’s a sleek, compact design that feels good in the hand, but the size reduction brings some handling troubles. Performance is generally improved over previous Panasonic AVCHD models. When compared against the competition, however, the HDC-HS9 does not fair well. The Canon HF10, in particular, offers far superior image quality and a more powerful set of features for the same price. In the cutthroat world of consumer HD camcorders, the HDC-HS9 has a hard time making a case for itself.

This year's high-def hybrid camcorder from Panasonic is of the much more useful SD card/hard-disk variety. There's 60GB of on-board storage and 1080p recording at 25fps.