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We are very impressed with the Panasonic HDC-TM700 (MSRP $999), and the camcorder appears to be in prime position to capture our coveted year-end awards—although we do still have a lot of 2010 camcorders to test from other manufacturers. So far, however, the HDC-TM700 has blown everything else out of the water in terms of video performance, and the camcorder showed significant improvement over last year's exceptional HDC-TM300. There's been a lot of buzz surrounding the TM700's 1080/60p record mode, and rightfully so. The mode records at a very high bitrate and it produced some of the finest video images we've ever seen from a consumer camcorder. The big downside, however, is that the TM700's 60p mode isn't compatible with most editing programs. Panasonic's provided software does allow you to view the 60p footage on a computer (PC only), but we couldn't get the clips to work with any of our third-party editing programs (like iMovie, Adobe Premiere, or Final Cut Express). So, if you shoot with the 60p mode on the HDC-TM700, you should be prepared for the difficulties of working with the footage. The other updates made by Panasonic on the HDC-TM700 are less extreme, but are still nonetheless useful. Panasonic added a big wide angle lens to the camcorder, increased the LCD to 3 inches, and implemented a few new features and design improvements (like the ability to use the lens ring when the LCD is open). It appears that Panasonic also tweaked the color settings on its new models, as the HDC-TM700 managed more accurate and higher-saturated colors than last year's HDC-TM300. Our only disappointment with the HDC-TM700 is the fact that Panasonic didn't increase the size or resolution of the LCD enough. We would have liked to see a 3.5-inch screen on the TM700, which is the size of the LCD on new flagship models from Canon, Sony, and Samsung. We also still aren't crazy about Panasonic's touchscreen LCD, but the presence of the lens ring on the HDC-TM700 make this criticism almost pointless. Overall, the HDC-TM700 is a solid camcorder that is sure to be one of the best—if not the very best—camcorder of the year. If you can get around the fact that the 1080/60p footage is difficult to work with, then you're going to be pleasantly impressed by the quality the HDC-TM700 is capable of. The $999 price tag is also a very reasonable cost for such a top-notch camcorder, as it comes in significantly cheaper than the flagship models from other manufacturers. If you like the idea of recording to an internal hard drive instead of flash memory, Panasonic also has the HDC-HS700. The camcorder is identical to the HDC-TM700 except it has a larger body and some other design alterations due to its 240GB internal hard drive. It also lists at a much higher cost (MSRP $1399) camcorderinfo.comRead full review
I bought this used camera to replace my 10 year old one, that finally gave up the ghost after thousands of hours of operation. Love the imagery, it's flexibility in shooting modes and exceptional build quality.
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This is one of the best camcorders that have been made. Yes, it is almost 10 years old, but it has remarkable detail, beautiful detail, and good battery life. I had a TM700 about 12 years ago and loved it. I don't know why I sold it, but I wanted to get another one. I found the TM900 at a great price here and couldn't pass it up. Here are the reasons that I love it: 1. Sharpness is remarkable at 1080 60p. 2. Color is absolutely beautiful 3. Low light sensitivity (compared to some new camcorders) is pretty good 4. Battery life is good. 5. Very well constructed - Made in Japan 6. Takes SDHC cards 7. Internal 32 GB memory. Handy if you left your SD cards back at camp!
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
This is by far the best consumer camcorder on the market to date. It's three MOS image sensors provide superb, accurate color reproduction and impressive edge definition. Add to that the ability to shoot clean, grain free video in very low light conditions, and the only thing preventing the use of this camcorder for professional applications is that it's small size won't impress most clients. Recording is done to either an internal memory or to a standard SD card. You can copy video from one memory to the other right in the camera. This is great for backing up your valuable footage before you even return home. In total automatic mode, the camera provides an excellent image under most conditions. For situations that require manual control, it's all there. You can set this camera in full manual control of shutter speed, iris, white balance and focus, or any combination of manual and automatic. The menu driven controls on the TM700 allow plenty of control over other image settings, including 24p, 30p and 60p at 1920x1080 for images that rival professional camcorders. In fact, when compared to the entry level HMC40 in their broadcast line, the TM700 is better in low light. The manual focus ring is electronic, and can be programmed to control other functions, too. The optical image stabilizer has two settings. With practice, the operator can achieve truly smooth footage while in motion with the TM700. The Leica lens is sharp and chromatic distortion-free from edge to edge, a feat not matched in any other consumer camcorder in it's price range. Simply put, it's a great lens. Something often overlooked in most camcorders is the sound. Not here. There is full manual control of audio level and low-end bass control. Or, you can simply leave it in automatic. While many camcorders distort the audio of a loud live rock band at close proximity, the TM700 has enough AGC range to prevent any distortion, at least from the camcorder's mike. You can also set the audio to pick up a whisper from across the room. The 5.1 surround sound mode is not only good for live audio, but by cutting out the rear channels in post production, you can significantly improve the directional capability of the audio from the front of the camera. Most importantly, the camera has an external audio input and a headphone output for greater audio flexibility. The flip out viewfinder is average. But there is an HDMI output for connecting an external monitor if needed. A separate electronic eyepiece viewfinder is there too, but it does not have enough resolution to obtain critical manual focus. Still, it is useful, and most camcorders don't even have one. Some other features worth mentioning are the ability to record three seconds before you press the record button. The electronic buffer stores the images coming in through the lens at all times, and adds them ahead of the video you record when you press the red button. This way, you can start recording a speech from the beginning without missing the first word, and without rolling wasted minutes of video to prevent losing the first words spoken. In addition, the TM700 can be up and running from the total off position to recording in less than three seconds. The only thing I don't like is the multiple layers of menus. I would prefer a simpler menu structure.Read full review
Had this camera for 12 years and accidentally donated it to charity! Because I knew what a great product it was, I bought it used from someone on EBay. Ended up with a bag and extra batteries
Verified purchase: Yes | Condition: Pre-owned
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