Panasonic launches world’s first 3D consumer camcorder. Dynamic 3D images can now be recorded by anyone

In an exciting step forward for 3D technology, Panasonic has today launched the world’s first consumer 3D camcorder, due to hit stores in late September.  The HDC-SDT750 lets you easily capture and create 3D movies of family and friends by simply attaching a 3D conversion lens.

Incorporating Panasonic broadcast technology, this new 3MOS System camcorder lets users create their own vivid, lifelike 3D movies - something that only professional movie producers were previously able to do – and then enjoy watching them at home on their 3DTV.2

Sophie Barton, Group Marketing Manager, Audio Visual, Panasonic Australia, said: “This exciting new technology means that capturing 3D footage no longer needs to be left to the professionals.  Users can now capture their own memories and see them come to life in immersive lifelike images right in their own loungeroom. This further expands the enjoyment of 3D in the home.” 

Even without the 3D conversion lens attached, the SDT750 remains an impressive camcorder, which Panasonic considers the most advanced consumer model it has ever released.

The camcorder is equipped with a wide range of sophisticated functions, including the 3MOS System, which features improved noise reduction (NR) technologies; 1080/50p recording in AVCHD3; iA (Intelligent Auto) featuring the new HYBRID O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabiliser) for more effective hand-shake correction; and a manual ring that provides easy, fingertip control over the focus, zoom, exposure (iris), shutter speed and white balance4 settings.

The high-sensitivity 3MOS System has 7.59 million effective motion image pixels (2.53 megapixels x 3), so this advanced image sensor separates the light received through the lens into the three primary colours – red, green and blue – and processes each colour independently.  As a result, the Panasonic SDT750 produces beautiful images with rich colour quality, detail and gradation. Adding to the quality, the SDT750 also features a large-diameter F1.55 Leica Dicomar lens and Crystal Engine Pro, a high-speed processing unit – both are components which contribute to the effectiveness of the camcorder’s light gathering, increased sensitivity and reduced noise when shooting, even in dim lighting.

The 1,080/50p recording (Full-HD 1,920 x 1,080, 50 progressive recording) produces richly expressive images with twice the information of 1,080i (interlace) recording. It minimises the afterimages and flickering caused by subject motion and renders crisp, detailed images.

Panasonic’s highly popular iA (Intelligent Auto) mode7 is also included, making it easy for anyone to take beautiful videos. When the 3D lens is not attached and iA is engaged, the camcorder automatically selects the most suitable shooting mode with the press of a button. The camcorder offers six iA functions: AF/AE Tracking, Intelligent Contrast Control, Intelligent Scene Selector, HYBRID O.I.S, Face Detection and Face Recognition.

Pricing and Availability

HDC-SDT750 (Black)           $1999 RRP     Available late September 2010

Key Features

Shooting/Playback

3D Image Shooting with the 3D Conversion Lens

Dynamic 3D content can now be experienced first hand on the world’s first 3D consumer camcorder, the SDT750.  These powerful, true-to-life 3D images can now be created and viewed at home.

In natural vision, people see slightly different images with their right and left eyes. This difference is called ‘visual disparity’. The brain processes these images with visual disparity to reconstruct spatial conditions, enabling us to see things with three-dimensional depth and solidity.  This visual disparity is artificially produced for 3D images so that the brain will interpret it as depth and solid-appearing objects.

The SDT750 is sold with a special 3D conversion lens that records right-eye and left-eye images simultaneously through its two lenses. The right and left images (each with 960 x 1080 pixels) that enter through the lenses are recorded using the side-by-side method. By attaching the 3D conversion lens to the SDT750 and connecting it to a 3DTV, vivid and immersive 3D images can be viewed at home.8

Crystal Engine PRO

The SDT750 features Intelligent Resolution technology and is equipped with Crystal Engine PRO, a high-speed processing unit that records extremely clear, crisp motion images that exceed even Full HD 1,920 x 1,080-pixel images in quality. It eliminates the colour smear that tends to occur at subject edges and renders sharp, beautiful images. The Intelligent Zoom function enables 18x zooming. This function corrects image degradation in ordinary digital zooming to deliver stunningly clear Full HD images9 even with extreme zooming. Noise reduction (NR) technology minimises noise when recording in low light conditions, while Intelligent Resolution technology ensures sharp, bright, beautifully coloured motion images. Advances in the imaging engine also provide Full HD 1,920 x 1,080-pixel recording in all recording modes, including HE mode.

Leica Dicomar lens

The Leica Dicomar lens on the SDT750 is manufactured using measuring instruments and quality assurance systems that have been certified by Leica Camera AG based on the company's quality standards. This lens not only suppresses ghosts and flare, but also minimises the distortion and degradation of contrast and resolution that tend to occur at the lens periphery. This F1.5 lens has a large 46-mm diameter to offer brighter images than previous lenses. In addition, its 35mm wide-angle10 capability makes it ideal for many different shooting situations, such as self-portraits and group photos indoors, and landscape shots outdoors.

HYBRID O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabiliser) 

The newly developed HYBRID O.I.S. is a hybrid optical and electrical image stabilisation system which achieves powerful correction during zooming or when shooting on the move. In addition to the blurring caused by vertical or horizontal wrist movements, the SDT750 can also detect the subtle blurring that occurs when the entire arm moves vertically or horizontally, and correct it using a lens in the optical system and a sensor in the electrical system. When the 3D lens is attached, Panasonic’s standard O.I.S is available.

O.I.S. Lock12

In addition to the HYBRID O.I.S. system, the SDT750 provides even more powerful hand-shake correction with the new O.I.S. Lock. By pressing the O.I.S. Lock button on the LCD monitor, the blur detection sensitivity is maximised and all kinds of camera movements are detected as hand-shake and corrected. O.I.S. Lock is ideal for applications like bird watching, which call for zooming at a fixed angle.

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. The Focus Microphone function, which has been made possible by five highly directional microphones, picks up the sounds from sources in the area in front of the camcorder, regardless of whether the lens is focusing on a near or distant object. It also allows footage recorded in 3D to be enjoyed with lifelike images and dynamic sounds. A Zoom Mic function is also available for 2D shooting and13 links the microphone's action to the camera's action.

Other convenient features for best shooting results include:

·         Pre Rec – continually records three seconds of buffer memory so you don’t miss those spontaneous moments.

·         1.0-sec14 quick power-on also helps catch sudden shooting opportunities, and when combined with Quick Start mode, the camcorder can start up in             just 0.6 second. Eco mode automatically switches the camcorder off when it is not operated for five minutes.

·         Wind Noise Canceller - detects and suppresses only wind noise, to ensure natural sounds with lifelike ambience.

·         The Highlight Playback15 function is designed for users who want to view recorded images as quickly as possible. It detects zooming, panning, scene changes, faces, etc., in recorded images as "highlights" and automatically plays back the detected highlight scenes according to a set time interval. With the new Face Highlight Playback mode, the function can also detect faces registered in the Face Recognition function and give them priority.

·         Touch-screen icons16 displayed on the LCD let the user operate a variety of functions intuitively without taking their eyes off of the subject.

·         The Auto Power LCD automatically adjusts the LCD screen brightness according to the shooting environment so it is always easy to view.

·         Time Lapse Recording is a convenient function that plays a scene such as a sunset at an accelerated speed. By setting the recording interval to 1 sec, 10 sec, 30 sec, 1 min or 2 min, the user can view an otherwise long recording in a reduced time period – for example a 10-minute scene can be played back in around 12 sec.

·        Interval recording with lifelike 3D images is also possible by attaching the 3D conversion lens to the SDT750 –for example showing a blooming flower as it gradually opens.

·        50 Frames/sec High Speed Burst Shooting17 is designed for fast motion subjects and lets the camcorder snap up to 50 consecutive 2.1-megapixel still images per second for a total of 180 consecutive images in about four seconds.

3D/2D Connectivity

Playback

Users can play back 3D videos recorded on the SDT750 on 3DTVs, including Panasonic VIERA 3DTVs18 - either by connecting the Camcorder to the TV via the included 3D-compatible Mini HDMI cable, or via the SD card slot of any AVCHD-compatible player/recorder.

For 2D video playback, insert the SD card into the slot of a compatible VIERA TV or AVCHD-compatible player/recorder. VIERA Link19 compatibility also allows the user to simply connect the SD-T750 to a compatible VIERA TV via a Mini HDMI cable, and operate the camcorder using the TV remote control and following on-screen prompts.
                                                                                                       
PC Editing/Archiving

The SDT750 is supplied with HD Writer AE 2.6T PC Editing software for 2D and 3D editing.  Import your recorded 3D footage to your PC via SD card slot or HDMI cable. 3D footage can be viewed and edited on your PC and archived to SD Card, or Blu-ray disc for viewing on a 3DTV via a Blu-ray player/recorder, or DVD disc for viewing on a 3DTV via any AVCHD-compatible player/recorder.

Included accessories:

HDC-SDT750 – Li-ion battery, 3D compatible Mini HDMI Cable, AC Adaptor, AC Cable, DC Cable, Stylus pen, lens hood, 3D lens cap, shoe adaptor, IR Remote Control, Video Component Cable, USB Cable, AV Multi Cable, HD Writer AE 2.6T Software CD.

The new HDC-SDT750 will be available from consumer electronics retailers and photographic specialists.  For more information call Panasonic on 132 600 or visit www.panasonic.com.au