Panasonic SDR-H18 30GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Perfect for taking on a trip or recording long events. Extended recording for extended shooting fun.

The internal 30 GB hard disk drive holds as much video data as about 22 8-centimeter DVD discs. That means you can record for around 27 hours without changing a disc, tape or anything else. This SD Card/Hard Disk camcorder is perfect for people who want to shoot for hour after hour without worrying about memory space.

SDR-H18 Highlights

High-Quality Pictures

O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) Panasonic's O.I.S. minimizes the hand-shake that can be such a problem with handheld shots. Because Panasonic's system is optical, there is no image quality degradation.

Pure Color Engine The Pure Color Engine converts the CCD output signal from a complementary color signal into an RGB signal at an early stage and extracts the low-frequency luminance component from the RGB signal. This innovative engine also achieves truly superb color reproduction for high-zoomed pictures.

MPEG2 engine Panasonic's MPEG2 engine is a wide-range, highprecision engine that produces smooth, beautiful moving pictures. Because it precisely records the differences in each frame, it can render fast, complex motions with exceptional precision. The MPEG2 engine also uses the Variable Bit Rate system that Panasonic adopted for the high-end DIGA DVD recorder. Giving LP (long play mode) recordings nearly twice the resolution captured with previous Panasonic MPEG2 recording video cameras, this lets the DVD camcorder record clear, smoothly flowing pictures.

32x optical zoom This 32x zoom can fill the screen with even a distant subject. This lens is not only the powerful zoom offered in a home-use digital camcorder, it also features low distortion. And because it's optical, there is no quality loss -- you get the images in all their natural beauty.

Ease and Versatility

Large 2.7-inch widescreen LCD The large, 2.7-inch LCD monitor displays bright, clear images. You can see even tiny details. It's more fun to shoot and view images on a wide monitor, and it's easier to picture just how the images will look on a TV screen.

One-Touch Navigation for easy, intuitive setting and shooting With One-Touch Navigation, just press the center of the joystick to display an operating menu. The operations you use most often are right on the monitor, so it's easy to change settings or operate the camera without looking away from your subject.

Mode dial Just turn the dial and you're ready to shoot or to view the images afterward. Just rotate the dial with your fingertip to select the icon that corresponds to the mode you want.

Trilingual menu The menu can be displayed in any of the following three languages. You can switch it to view all menus in the language you prefer for easy, comfortable operation.

Capture crisp, vivid images, even in low lighting, with MagicPix Leave the light off. MagicPix gives you images with color even in dim lighting (1 lux). Light is gentle and easy on the eyes, so you can snap shots of sleeping children without waking them up.

Soft Skin mode When this function detects skin tones, it softens the focus in that area. This has a skin beautifying effect, which makes wrinkles and lines appear less noticeable. When turned on, this function makes blemishes and moles look less conspicuous, while preserving resolution in areas of the picture outside of the skin.

Instant LCD/EVF saves battery life When you open the LCD, the power switches on. Shut it and the power goes off. Pull out the viewfinder and the power switches on. Store it and the power goes off. Instant LCD/EVF reduces the time required for operating the camera.

Networking

USB 2.0 (HS Mode) and Video Class compatibility USB 2.0 compatibility lets you upload DV data to a PC at high-speed over a single USB cable. Video Class compatibility allows real-time transfer of DV moving picture data over the same USB cable.

Use an SD/SDHC memory card to transfer image easily SD/SDHC memory cards are the ideal recording and storage media for today's visual communication and networking. They make it easy to instantaneously transfer image data to a PC or printer.