Archive notice: This article was originally published on January 8, 2008. Links and embedded videos are preserved as part of the historical record.
It promises sufficient storage capacity for several hours of recording even with Advanced Video Codec High Definition (AVCHD), a high data rate and good performance.
The new memory card doubles the capacity of the predecessor model in Panasonic’s Pro High Speed line, which was released only in November, and its 32 GB of storage will place it among the capacity giants in the SD-card sector. As the first 32 GB card, it will meet the Class 6 speed specification, which requires a minimum transfer rate of six MB/s with an empty card. In practice, the model is intended to reach rates of up to 20 MB/s. This is particularly interesting for transferring data to a computer. “With the appropriate PC adapter card, close to 20 MB/s can actually be achieved,” said Raimund Barthel, Head of SD Media Marketing at Panasonic.
For high-definition video at a resolution of 1,440 by 1,080 pixels, Panasonic says the 32 GB capacity provides enough storage for around eight hours of recording time; at 1,920 by 1,080 pixels, more than five hours should still fit on the memory card. Even longer recording times are possible at lower resolution and quality. For example, in MPEG-2 recording in LP mode with the SDR-SW20 camcorder, also introduced at CES, almost 27 hours of recording time can be achieved. This combination could be particularly interesting for adventurous users: Panasonic’s SDR-SW20 is dust- and shock-resistant and waterproof in both fresh and salt water to a depth of 1.5 metres. Landscape recordings in 16:9 widescreen format are intended to be possible at the highest quality through electronic image stabilisation. A ten-times optical zoom completes the outdoor camcorder’s feature set.
According to Panasonic, the SDR-SW20 camcorder will reach stores in February 2008 and will be supplied with a 16 GB memory card; a recommended price has not yet been set. A sales start for the 32 GB memory card had not yet been specified.
