12 x Optical Zoom with 18 x Intelligent Zoom

You can zoom close to catch dynamic shots of distant objects. And because the zoom is optical, there's limited image degradation. Also, Panasonic's Advanced O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilisation) helps prevent blurring - typically a big concern when shooting with a zoom. This combination of optical zoom and Advanced O.I.S. gives you the ability to take fantastic zoom shots.

Advanced Intelligent Auto

Intelligent Scene Selector

This function analyses the shooting situation and automatically switches the camcorder to the Scene mode that will give you optimal results.

Face Detection

Face Detection automatically senses the ambient lighting and adjusts the exposure accordingly, so faces are bright and easy to see. The focus also prioritises the faces, and skin tones are smoothed. Faces in the center of the frame serve as the reference for adjustments, but the function can detect up to 15 faces in all.

Intelligent Contrast Control

Detects the ambient light level and adjusts the exposure accordingly, helping to prevent blown highlights and blocked shadows. You capture natural-looking, highly nuanced images with proper contrast.

AF/AE Tracking

Touch the LCD screen to indicate the subject, such as a person or an animal, that you want to focus on,and let AF/AE Tracking do the rest. The camera locks on the subject and follows it around, keeping it in sharp focus and properly exposed. It keeps tracking even if the subject turns to the side. This advanced function makes it easy to get a continually clear, beautiful shot of the subject in the scene you care most about.

Pre-Recording Feature

Don't worry about the sudden shooting chance! With many camcorders it is easy to miss capturing a critical moment, such as a goal being scored. The Pre-Rec function eliminates this problem. When this feature is activated, the camcorder continuously records three seconds of images onto an internal buffer memory. Then when the record button is pressed, the three seconds immediately prior are added at the beginning of the clip recorded.

Quick Power On in 1.0 sec

Switch the power on and the smart HDC-SD60 is in standby mode in just 1.0 seconds, ready to shoot when you are. This fast start -up also helps reduce battery consumption.

New Wind Noise Cancelling feature

A new feature in 2010, Wind Noise Canceller automatically isolates and suppresses wind noise only, so natural ambient sounds and voices are still recorded. This is ideal for recording in locations such as a beach, and in a wider variety of weather conditions.

Leica Dicomar Lens

Photographers around the world know Leica Camera AG as a maker of superb cameras and lenses. This company's advanced optical technology has been fused with Panasonic's leading-edge digital technology to create the Leica Dicomar lens. The Leica Dicomar lens provided in the HDC-SD60 features 10 lens elements in 8 groups and uses Extra low-dispersion optical glass to reduce colour blurring. A special multi-coating process is applied lens element surfaces to minimise chromatic aberration, so images are crisp, clear, and free of flare and ghosting.

_{*Leica is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH, and Dicomar is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG.}  

5.1-Channel Surround Sound System

Only Panasonic offers a 5.1-channel sound system that uses five microphones. When voices recorded from the front, right, left and back are played on a 5.1-channel home cinema system, viewers are surrounded by clear, detailed sound that makes them feel as if they are right in the middle of the action.

Touch-Screen Operation

Touch-screen icons displayed on the LCD lets the user operate a variety of functions intuitively without taking their eyes off of the subject they are recording.

Auto Power LCD

The Auto Power LCD automatically adjusts the brightness of the LCD screen according to the shooting environment. In dark places, the screen brightness is automatically reduced to 1/3 the normal level. In bright outdoor places, the screen brightness is double the normal level, to make the screen easier to see.

New Crystal  Engine Pro

The new Crystal Engine Pro at the heart of Panasonic's FHD camcorders instantly processes the huge amount of FHD image data, and produces clear, crisp motion images. It produces smooth, high-resolution zoom shots when 18x zoom is used. Crystal Engine Pro clearly delineates even the tiniest details of your subject, with true-to-life beauty. New Noise Reduction (NR) Technology minimises noise when recording in low lighting conditions, while Intelligent Resolution Technology ensures sharp, bright, beautifully coloured motion images. Advances in the new imaging engine also provide Full-HD 1920 x 1080/50p recording in all recording modes, including HE mode.

1.0-sec[i]Quick Power-On Helps Catch Sudden Shooting Opportunities

Switch the power on and the SD700/HS700 is in recording standby and ready to shoot in just 1.0 seconds. When combined with Quick Start mode, the camcorder can start up in just 0.6 second[ii]. In addition, with Eco Mode, the power automatically turns off when the camcorder is not operated for five minutes, reducing energy wastage and conserving battery power.