This Panasonic SDR-S26 camcorder is by far the best you can buy for the price, and is rated best camcorder of 2009 CES!

I have owned a few others and none of them had true O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilization) and I assure you that this one does. My others had E.I.S. (Electronic Image Stabilization) and believe me there is a big difference. I have noticed a few other reviews on this camcorder, and some say the image stabilization works great out to 20x and good to 40x 70x is still tripod territory. That's good advise as a tripod will assist in producing great videos with virtually no camcorder movement. Please don't be confused between the O.I.S and plain old camcorder movement, with camcorder movement at 70x optical zoom the object that you are looking at may move somewhat due to arm and body movement, BUT notice with O.I.S. the image remains clear and crisp, with great detail, even with some hand shakiness. With E.I.S camcorders, which usually have less zoom capabilities, approx. 40x optical zoom, you'd notice while zoomed out, not only is there camcorder movement BUT the image is also a bit blurry and has limited detail, due in part to hand shakiness. So don't be confused or fooled by plain camcorder movement or the difference between O.I.S vs. E.I.S, as Panasonic's SDR-S26 with O.I.S and 70x optical zoom will absolutely exceed your expectations, as did mine, and amaze you with a spectacular camcorder experience. I am an extremely satisfied owner of the Panasonic SDR-S26 Camcorder, and I know you will be also.

You can also search the WEB for the Panasonic sdr-s26 and view some of the you-tube video zoom tests that were performed by camcorder owners and see the quality of the O.I.S. and the 70x optical zoom for yourself.

P.S. Don't forget to pick up a SD/SDHC flash memory card (preferably a 16GB, priced around $40.00)and possibly an extra battery (part # B-9681, priced around $14.00) both at AMAZON.COM.

I have read all the reviews I could find here and elsewhere about this camcorder, and I came away with the impression that the more critical opinions stemmed from unrealistic expectations or poor reading comprehension from the reviewers themselves.
As it turns out, I was right.
This is an inexpensive and very compact and lightweight standard definition camcorder designed for the casual user who does not want to sink a whole month's pay into just to record some personal events.
First, the good and bad:
Pros:
1) Unusually small and lightweight, this is easily carried in a jacket pocket.
2) The startup time, even when not set in Quickstart mode, is five seconds. Nice way to capture surprises on the go.
3) The iA mode, which automatically sets the iris, shutter, white balance, and other major aspects of recording, works pretty well, even though resorting to the manual settings is still required for some unusual applications.
4) The incredible 70x optical zoom is unparalleled in a camera at this price point.
5) The Optical Image Stabilization is considerably more effective than the more common digital stabilization found in all other cameras in this price range. Just don't expect to get away with using the full 70x zoom while hand holding it, though!
6) The MPEG2 format used for recording is easily handled under my admittedly eccentric choice of operating system, Linux.
7) The SDHC storage medium allows random access to recordings, easy deletion, no moving parts, and a storage medium that is handled under even Linux with a cardreader. Also, the camcorder itself is recognized under Linux, so the files can be manipulated through the integral USB port if desired.
8) The manual settings allow the user to adjust for unusual conditions, such as low light, just as long as you READ THE MANUAL FIRST, then experiment a bit on your own.
9) The camcorder is almost noiseless in operation, so there is no clicking from a DVD, whirring of a hard drive, humming of a DVC drive motor, or motor from the lens being zoomed in and out.
10) The integral lens cover, which is built into the front of the camera surrounding the lens, cannot be lost.
11) The barrel surrounding the lens area is threaded, allowing accessories, such as wide angle and zoom lenses and filters, to be screwed in for special applications. Those accessories are easily found right here on Amazon.
12) Hey! It even comes with a proper printed manual, a rarity in this day of PDF manuals available only on CD-ROM or via websites.

Cons:
1) It would have been nice if Panasonic had added a microphone jack to allow a separate microphone to be used. However, the integral microphone works rather well on its own.
2) In certain applications, especially indoors, the image can take on a reddish cast when using the default iA setting. This is easily overcome by adjusting the white balance for incandescent lighting, though, so no real problem.
3) The battery life of ~1 hour is rather short, and requires opening a cover on the bottom to replace when discharged. I already ordered two spares and a standalone charger.
4) This may be looked at as good or bad, depending on your opinion, but the battery does not charge with the cable plugged in while the camera is in use. I actually look at this as a good thing, since it does not wear out the battery by discharging it while it is charging, which can cause premature failure of lithium-ion batteries. It simply runs directly from the power cord when plugged in, which is no real problem, as far as I am concerned.
5) Even at the MagicPix setting, designed for extreme low light, this camcorder will not work in a completely dark room. I don't really even worry about that. If I really wanted to record in such extreme conditions, I would spring for a considerably more expensive night shot camcorder. It still does pretty well, in low light, as long as there is at least 2 lumens of light present.

My opinions on this are that this is unusually good for a camcorder in its price range, especially for its two main selling points of its fantastic 70x optical zoom and optical image stabilization.
It is so simple to operate that even a young child could understand it, using the nicely automated settings.
Yes, there are some circumstances that call for manual intervention, but the people griping about this, especially those attempting (apparently) to take footage inside a cave, would be well advised to READ THE MANUAL and not expect the impossible from such an inexpensive camcorder.
I was able to take some nighttime footage with this, with only sodium and mercury vapor light illumination, and it did pretty well.
And while it is true that my naked eyes are good in light far lower than this can handle, I have a more realistic expectation of it than some of the more critical people out there.
I intend to have a family member use this next year for my wedding, and I am confident that it will work just fine for that, too.
Nice work, Panasonic!

factory sealed box flawless condition worked perfectly . My new Panasonic SDR-S26 SD Camcorder is fantastic. over 3.5 hours record at highest resolution with 16GB chip on amazon - battery life was hard to find info on but is about one hour of record time. so I would get a spare battery. I got mine @ duracelldirect.com for $15.38 (#B-9681) Says its a 3.7v on web site is listed for SDR-S25 but it is the right battery and works fantastic.
LOW LIGHT
I think you should learn to use manual focus- Iris and shutter for low light conditions but most cameras I,ve borrowed from friends wont even film in the same low light. Zoom is so good even the Stills of birds in the backyard are clearer than the lowly 3x optical of my 4 mega pixel. Stability is great out to 20x and good to 40x 70x is still tripod territory. For every day I can't find a better value - Love this camera and Sellers excellent service - highly recomend to friends - relatives - heck everyone!

The Panasonic SDR-S26 SD Camcorder is a gem. I bought the thing for many reasons, but one draw for me was the effective anti-shake feature it has. That element smoothes out the video considerably. The camcorder also has an optical zoom that is rated at 70x. I find that to be a bit of overkill, but what the heck, it is about the most `zoomy' of any camcorder on the market today and it gives me bragging rights. The SDR-S26 has a host of manual settings for various light, subject and composition conditions, but the intelligent auto mode feature does a great job at figuring out how to set things no-hands needed.

The camcorder is all digital (no tape) and is capable of storing over 25 hours of video with a 32 GB SD memory card installed. I have been using an 8 GB card and that has provided enough capacity for me so far.

Although there is editing software (VideoCam Suite 2.0) included on a disk provided in the box, I have been transferring my pictures to my computer via an SD card reader in order to utilize my Adobe Premier Elements editing program.

There is no hurky and heavy battery hanging on the back of the Panasonic SDR-S26. The battery is small (like a cell phone battery) and located in an internal compartment. The battery life is purported to provide over an hour of continuous recording time. I doubt that is possible in ordinary and real situations, but the battery life is pretty good none-the-less. I would suggest carrying a spare battery when using the camcorder for documenting a major and lengthy event or when traveling away from an electrical outlet.

The unit has both video and still photo capacity. That is standard on most camcorders. However, the still pictures that it produces are not very good. The default picture size provides only 640x360 pixels and that resolution is wimpy. I didn't buy the camcorder to shoot still pictures, but it is nice to have that option occasionally.

I must admit that I am not a big fan of home video. I have had a couple of camcorders over the years and now have stacks of family oriented and travel video tape that I can't get anyone to watch even if a VCR is still around in working condition.

Be that as it may, I originally decided to buy one of those little `Flip' type video cameras just in case I found myself in a situation where recording the action was called for. After extensive research I discovered those popular miniature camcorders have some serious limitations that the Panasonic SDR-S26 did not have and it really wasn't that much larger in size. I wanted a small camera that I could easily carry around just in case I found an appropriate action scene that should be recorded. I found that both were small enough to fit in a pocket--shirt for one, pants or jacket for the other.

The SDR-S26 cost nearly twice as much as one of those pocket sized units, but I thought it was worth the extra money even if I probably won't use it every day.

When all was said and done, I decided to buy the Panasonic SDR-S26 instead of a Flip or the new Kodak ZX-1 because it did more than either, had that anti-shake feature, an extraordinary zoom and it was not all that much larger. It was a choice between buying a trendy toy or buying a `full function' camcorder. I went with the grownup version by Panasonic and do not regret it.

I love the camcorder. Slight disappointment that it did not come with a 'starter' SD card but otherwise it runs well, great light adjustment, thoughtful design, EASY to use. Image stabilization works good - but don't expect stable images at 70x zoom unless you have a very steady hand. I recommend it to others and already have friends who purchased their own after seeing mine. Just pick up a 16gig card from Amazon and you'll be set.

You can't currently beat these features at this price-point. This Panasonic SDR-S26 camcorder represents my best effort to meet my needs at a price point I can afford. I shoot birding videos and was not happy with my tape/mini-dvd camcorders for several reasons. This 70x optical zoom is terrific on a good tripod. It makes all the difference when your subject is not close. This camcorder does have good stabilization, and facial recognition tracking, but you must have a tripod for best results with any zoom camera...especially one that offers 70x optical zoom. You won't find high optical zoom, HD video, and low price.

See my 7 minute video on You Tube. Do a search for "2009 Pileated Woodpecker Nest". Note the excellent sound. I specifically chose the SD card version of this camcorder over the hard disk choices to avoid mechanical noise interfering with the sound. You must spend big bucks to get an external microphone option and a good external microphone so that you can get away from the internal noises caused by internal hard drives, mini-DVD, and tape drives. This camcorder also offers manual focus assistance, a must-have when your auto-focus can't give you correct focus because other people, objects, or tree branches and leaves surround your true target.

Battery life with small camcorders is about one hour in the best quality standard video mode. Get extras.

I'm not sure why the other guy had problems. I got mine today. I also bought a 16gb Class 6/SDHC card from Amazon for $35 and it worked right off the bat. All you have to do is format the SD disk and you're on your way. This camera is Sooooo simple to use. It's clear, crisp and really light weight. The manual is very easy to read and understand and pretty much covers everything you'll need. I haven't got much to compare it to because this is my first camcorder. But, I have to say, I sure like it.

This camera does a good job of being a camcorder. I like the SD because I don't want the data that comes with HD. The SD cards are pretty cheap too. It's a small device, but I got used to it quickly and pretty well like the quality of the videos that it produces. Great zoom/focus. I decided to keep it as a camcorder.

Downsides to consider:
Low light gives this trouble focusing and producing clear images
Still photos are low meg/pixel. And you have to be STILL - to get a decent shot.
When you turn in on, you also have to press record - then if you press pause, you have to remember to press the record button twice. A feature you get used to, but missed some footage due to thinking I was recording.
The PC software is useable, but you would think they could have at least considered a more logical approach to interfacing. We are spoiled by Apple - and even windows logic.


this is an entry level no frills camcorder. Perhaps if I had thought about it more I would have sent it back.

I spent quite a bit of time shopping for a standard definition camcorder and landed on this Panasonic. I gave it five stars due to the ease of use, the incredible 70X Zoom,the optical stabilizer, and the price. If you've looked for a digital camcorder, you already know that there are lots of choices and tradeoffs in terms of features, format, and performance. I did read through the reviews on this camera and believe that some of the low ratings are coming from folks that expect a $200 digital camera to perform like a $1000 digital camera. No, the quality from this camera isn't up to what my $1000 Sony 8mm rig used to produce, but it is LIGHT YEARS ahead of my $110 Flip Video camera (not even comparable). Only negative I've noted thus far is short battery life (about an hour), which I mitigated by ordering a couple of batteries with charger off Ebay for less than $20 delivered. In addition to internet research, I did spend an hour or so at Best Buy trying out the various comparable Canons, Sonys, Panasonics, Samsungs and noted that the optical stabilizer on this Panasonic was more effective at eliminating camera shake during high zoom shots than many of the other brands.

Two to three years from now when I have a more powerful PC and when Canon / Panasonic and the others produce less expensive HD video cams with software and file formats that are easy to manage, I'll go that route. For now, $228 for this camera is a bargain.

UPDATE: 1. The SDR-26 is a nice snug fit inside a LowePro Rezo 50 camera bag / case that can be had from Amazon or Best Buy for less than $15. It fits best with the lens up and the hand strap moved to the bottom of the camera body. Tried lots of bags for this camera and this one was the best nice snug fit in a small package. No extra room in the camera compartment, but room for a spare battery and memory cards in the outer pouch. The bag is weather resistant, but the zipper for the camera compartment runs across the top of the bag. What were they thinking :-) ...

2. The supplied software enables a higher quality video than simply copying the files over and using Windows Media Player. I'm not sure why, but several mention other downloads that make Windows work better. Suspect I'll eventually buy Sony Vegas as many have recommended on this and other camcorders, but for now, the Panasonic software is OK since I'm not doing extensive editing.

3. Been using the camcorder in marginally lit natatoriums (indoor pools) to film swimming events. I'm using a monopod and leaving the camera on automatic and thus far, the videos have exceeded my expectations. Using the monopod, I'm able to be all the way across an Olympic 100 meter pool in the stands .. up high .. and can zoom in for super close ups on my kids. The 70X zoom and the optical stabilizer are the primary reasons I bought this camera and they really do work well.

We had a Flip Mino HD and it was a fun toy until we lost it. Problem with the Mino was the image was shaky, zoom sucked, sound was mediocre. Before just buying the same thing again we looked around and got this. After only a few hours its clear we made the right choice. Zoom with optical stabilization is fantastic (On the mino watching our 2 year old run around made us sick with all the shaking, on this it isn't bad), Zoom is incredible, and its easy to use. Its no HD but we watched the images on a large LCD TV and it looked fine. We also love the SD card for memory (P.S. we bought the 16 gig sdhc card on amazon, formatted it for fat 32 and had no problems - we figure the people complaining below must have formatted incorrectly)

Way better than the Mino - hands down and actually not that much more.

We love it!