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Introduction
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01.Product Tour
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02.Colour & Noise Performance
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03.Motion & Sharpness Performance
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04.Low Light Performance
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05.Compression & Media
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06.Manual Controls
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07.Still Features
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08.Handling & Use
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09.Playback & Connectivity
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10.Audio & Other Features
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11.Canon HF S21 Comparison
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12.Sony HDR-XR520 Comparison
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13.Panasonic HDC-HS300 Comparison
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14.Conclusion
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15.Specs and Ratings
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16.Comments
Panasonic HDC-TM700
Previous: Part 12
Sony HDR-XR520 ComparisonNext: Part 14
Conclusion
Panasonic HDC-TM700 versus Panasonic HDC-HS300
• The HDC-TM700 replaces the HDC-HS300 as Panasonic's new flagship model.
• The TM700 did better on our testing, has more unique features, and costs less than the HDC-HS300.
• Unless you can find a great deal on the HS300 or prefer a harddrive, there's no reason to purchase it over the TM700.
The HDC-TM700 is the replacement model for last year's HDC-HS300, which won our camcorder of the year award in 2009. The updates made by Panasonic on the HDC-TM700 make it a significantly better camcorder than last year's HDC-HS300, but the HS300 is still a strong model.
Unlike the Sony HDR-XR520, however, the HDC-HS300 is hard to find at a real bargain price—despite the fact that it is an outdated model. This is simply nonsensical because there is no reason you should buy the HS300 over the TM700 unless you're looking to cut costs.
So, what kind of updates did Panasonic make on the HDC-TM700? Well, for starters, the inclusion of a 1080/50p mode gives the HDC-TM700 something that almost no other consumer HD camcorder has. Panasonic also increased the size of its LCD (up to 3 inches from 2.7 inches), improved the versatility of the lens ring, bumped up the effective pixel count, and implemented a larger lens than what was featured on the HDC-HS300. All of these features, as well as improved video performance, make the HDC-TM700 a worthy successor to the HDC-HS300.
| Comparison Specs | ||
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| Panasonic HDC-TM700 | Panasonic HDC-HS300 | |
| Price | £930 | £1,039 |
| Primary Recording Media | 32GB internal flash memory | 120 GB HDD |
| Secondary Recording Media | SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card | SD/SDHC memory card |
| Image Sensor | Three 1/4.1-inch CMOS | Three 1/4.1-inch CMOS |
| Effective Pixel Count | 7.59 megapixels (3.05 megapixels x3) | 2.07 megapixels (video) 2,32 megapixels (stills) |
| Mic Input | Yes | Yes |
| LCD | 3-inch with 230,400 pixels | 2.7-inch with 230,400 pixels |
| Viewfinder | Yes | Yes |
| Weight | 440g with battery | 445g with battery |
| Dimensions | 66 x 69 x138mm | 72 x 70 x 141mm |
| HD | Yes | Yes |
| Frame Rates | 50p, 50i, 25p (Digital Cinema) | 50i, 25p (Digital Cinema mode) |
| Compression | MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 (AVCHD compliant, except for 50p mode) | MPEG4-AVC/H.264 (AVCHD) |
| Maximum Bitrate | 28Mbps (1080/50p) 17Mbps (1080/50i) |
17Mbps |
| Optical Zoom | 12x | 12x |
| Stabilisation | Optical with Power OIS mode | Optical |
| Scores | ||
| Panasonic HDC-TM700 | Panasonic HDC-HS300 | |
| Colour | 11.99 | 8.01 |
| Noise | 11.27 | 11.89 |
| Video Sharpness | 13.57 | 10.97 |
| Low Light Sensitivity | 6.3 | 8.38 |
| Low Light Colour | 7.36 | 4.24 |
| Low Light Noise | 11.91 | 11.3 |
| Stabilisation | 11.47 | 9.41 |
| Battery Life | 107 minutes | 102 minutes |
| Noise at 60 lux Auto | |
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| Panasonic HDC-TM700 100% Crop |
Panasonic HDC-HS300 100% Crop |
| Low Light Colour Score Comparison |
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