The Panasonic SDR-H18 is an ultra-compact Digital Video camcorder that offers precise image quality and color accuracy. The superior quality of digital video yields higher horizontal resolution, sharper picture detail and component color sampling, which preserves more color information than analog.

The SDR-H18 gives you two ways to capture video, on hard disk drives (HDD) and on SD/SDHC memory cards. The 32x optical zoom lets you zoom in on items that are barely discernable to the naked eye without losing any image quality like you would with digital zoom. The integrated Optical Image Stabilizer, or O.I.S., detects even the slightest amount of shaking, and adjusts the lenses accordingly, to keep the image crisp and clear. Unlike a digital image stabilizing system, O.I.S. counteracts the shaking before the image enters the CCD; this allows the CCD to be used to process a virtually unmarred image.

The SDR-H18 also allows you to take still images and store them on SD and SDHC memory cards. This makes it a lot easier to share your pictures with family and friends.


Key Features

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PCM Digital Stereo Sound


12/16-bit audio: 16-bit offers one set of stereo tracks and achieves the same quality as CD, while the 12-bit mode creates two sets of stereo tracks. Audio dub is possible when recorded in 12-bit mode.
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Optica Image Stabilization (OIS)


Optical Image Stabilizer, or O.I.S., detects even the slightest amount of shaking, and adjusts the lenses accordingly, to keep the image crisp and clear. Unlike a digital image stabilizing system, O.I.S. counteracts the shaking before the image enters the CCD, this allows the CCD to be used to process a virtually unmarred image.
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i.Link (IEEE-1394) FireWire


Using the industry standard IEEE-1394 PC interface, it allows you to connect the digital camcorder to a compatible computer for advanced editing. Also allows you to produce duplicate copies of your recordings without any loss in picture quality with similarly equipped camcorders or VCRs.
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Zoom


Equipped with an optical zoom that magnifies the image up to 32x by increasing the focal length of the lens, this feature acts like a telescope to produce closeup shots with extraordinary clarity.
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2.7" LCD Monitor


Provides excellent viewing clarity in full vivid colors and rotates 270 degrees, allowing you to hold the camcorder at many different angles. Features a built-in speaker for playback with sound.
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Color Viewfinder


Provides a clear full color view of video subjects.
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Compatible with Standard and SDHC Secure Digital (SD) Cards


The SDR-H18 is compatible with Secure Digital (SD) Memory Cards, and is compatible with the mass-storage SD standard based on FAT32 and the SDHC super-high-capacity SD Memory Cards with capacities of more than 2 GB.
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USB Terminal


Universal Serial Bus is a computer industry standard that is designed to simplify interconnection between digital equipment, such as A/V devices and computers. It makes quality, higher-volume data transfer possible between your video walkman and PC, printer or other equipped device, via a simple, one-cable connection.
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MagicPix Images with LCD Light Panel


MagicPix is a great way to record still images, even in low-light settings. Now you can capture still images in full color onto the camcorder's mini DV tape. Subject illumination can be further enhanced, since the versatile LCD panel can also be used to provide additional light.
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Digital Effects


You can add exciting picture effects in both recording and playback modes, to make your videos come to life.
Digital Zoom (Playback): Enlarges the center of the playback image by 2x.
Digital Mirror (Record and Playback): Creates a mirror-like symmetrical image.
Strobe (Record and Playback): Digitally freezes a series of images.
Mosaic (Record and Playback): Turns the image into a mosaic pattern.
Slim (Record and Playback): The image expands vertically.
Stretch (Record and Playback): The image expands horizontally.
Trail (Record and Playback): Forms multiple impressions of all images in motion which gradually fade out as the motion comes to a halt, creating a trail effect.
Monotone (Playback): The image plays back in black and white.
Sepia (Playback): Creates the impression of antiquity by applying a sepia (brown) tone.
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Easy Cassette Eject


A one-touch, side-eject system makes it easy to insert or remove a tape, even when it's mounted on a tripod.
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Zoom Mic


As you zoom in on the picture, the audio will also zoom in - so that you can pinpoint distant sound emanating from your subject.
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Cinema Mode


Gives the ability to record video in wide screen mode, giving you a 16:9 aspect ratio that's the same as a movie screen. When played back on a television, the result is dramatic looking cinema-like movies at home.