Panasonic has announced the release of two of what it describes as the lightest HD camcorders ever made.
Each model weighs just 0.5lbs (0.2KG) but boasts high-powered 16x optical zoom capabilities and can shoot 1920 x 1080 Full-HD videos.
The HDC-SD10 uses an SDHC/SD Memory Card as recording media while the Twin Memory Type HDC-TM10 records onto both an 8 GB Built-in Memory and an SDHC/SD Memory Card.
The 16x optical zoom of the HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 is supported by the Advanced O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer) function for clear zooming – it minimizes the hand-shake that often impairs video quality.
Panasonic says its Advanced O.I.S. detects and corrects for hand-shake around 4,000 times per second and works with the optical zoom to produce clear, stable zoom shots.
The new Active mode also extends the hand-shake correction range to allow the shooting of images while walking or moving.
Chuck Kirkman, senior product manager, Imaging, Panasonic, said: "We recognize that users are looking for camcorders that capture high-quality, High Definition video, but they also want something lightweight that has advanced, yet easy-to-use functions."
The suggested retail prices of the HDC-SD10 and HDC-TM10 are USD $549.95 and $599.95 respectively.Both will be available in September 2009.