Gizm0 - Gadget Blog for the Technology Obsessed.

It seems here at Gizm0.com all we talk about are cameras, maybe we should start a camera blog or hire a few more writers. Anyhoo, we can’t help it, cameras are the ultimate gizmos, shooting pics, recording audio and now shooting HD video?!  That’s right folks, meet the newest HD camcorder, the very svelt Panasonic DMC-TZ5K.

We’re not talking low-res, 15 fps here.  No, this is full blown 1280×720 HD resolution at 30 fps! You can even zoom around when you’re shooting that glorious HD video, and when you’re done, simply plug it into your HD plasma to watchurbate amongst your brethen, or roommates, or whatever.

The TZ5 is the most capable camera we’ve seen so far in the new class of point and shoot HD video. On the still picture side, it rocks 9 megapixels and a novel Clipboard function, which lets you take pics of hard to read things like maps in a way that makes it well, readable. There’s also of course the Leica 28mm lense and 10X optical zoom. We don’t think it records stereo sound, but we’re pretty sure it will eventually. If you need to replace that clunky camcorder, grab one of these now for about $349.

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Panasonic and Sony are always bitter rivals and while we appreciate the Panasonic HVX200, the Sony XDCAM EX-1 takes it up about 10 notches.  We love our Sony XDCAM EX-1 pro-level handheld video camcorder.   The XDCAM EX-1 knocks the socks off the Panasonic HVX200, so of course Panasonic had to step up.

Their latest offering, the MHC150 (terrible name), looks alot like the HVX200 except uglier and more generic. Their format of choice is AVCHD and the MHC150 boasts 1080p/60.  Its supposed to ship in the fall and should roughly match the XDCAM EX-1’s $6.5K pricing. We bet the specs and prices will be a bit lower grade then the XDCAM EX-1, specs which is a low budget shooter’s dream come true.

In other words, don’t get too excited about this Panasonic.  The good news is that it may be a hint of other things to come. Frankly we’d be disappointed if this was all they had to battle the EX-1 with.

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According to the most hardcore HD camera nerd out there, Senor Mike Curtis, the new Sony XDCAM EX-1, the so-called Baby CineAlta, maybe be the best video camera under $10K. (after that its the Red One but forget its starting $17K price, its nearly triple the cost of the Sony EX-1 if you figure in the lense and everything else).

If you haven’t heard by now, its loaded to the gills with pro specs - three 1/2″ CMOS chips, full raster 1920×1080, 1080/24p, solid state P-2, variable frame rate, 4.7 lbs, (steadicam Merlin friendly!). If you’re still holding on to that HVX200, Mike says the EX-1 is “significantly better” then the HVX.

Nerdy spec wars aside, “put the footage of the Ex1 next footage of the HVX and there is no two ways about it - the EX1 is the best looking image ever seen on a camera under 10k.” so sell that HVX, cop that EX-1 or rent it out for $200/day, what’s the problem?

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