Panasonic SDR-SW20 Waterproof Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom (Red) (Discontinued by Manufacturer)

Many reviews have berated the video quality of this camcorder but I have no complaints. If you are big on videos and buying new video cameras every 1-2 years then you might complain about the quality. However I find the video quality good since the last camcorder we owned was from the late 90's and used tapes. This camera is very easy to use and I've had nothing but compliments from people who have seen me using it. The picture quality is poor but this is not a camera designed to take pictures so that's to be expected. I have yet to get it wet as in putting it under water or used in a heavy rain. I have used it during a light sprinkle, and have had it in sandy conditions. I plan on using it when we go snorkeling next summer. As long as you read the owners manual carefully and use the camera the way Panasonic designed it to be used. Yes the water packing has to be replaced, but that only has to be done every 18 months. That is a year and a half.. those that complain about having to do that are the ones who expect everything to last forever without maintenance when a reasonable normal person knows that is impossible. If the maintenance requirements bother you then don't buy the camera, it's America, buy something else and stop complaining. If you want it to work the way it was designed to work and you want it to last as long as possible then do what the manufacturer recommends. I'm happy with it, I have no complaints, it is a great camera that looks great. Extra batteries are needed but due to the design of the camera then it's easy to understand why battery life had to be sacrificed. Again, if that bothers you then don't buy it, it is that simple.

This thing is awesome. Just got back from vacation and it worked great. Since I got it just before vacation, I figured out how to work it on the plane. (very simple). No problem under water in the ocean, in the air parasailing, on dune buggies and at the beach. I really put it to the test. I bought it because it is so rugged and waterproof. Went beyond my expectations. The only downfall I found is downloading video on the computer. If your computer doesn't fit the sd card then you have to plug in the camera to the computer and wall. Also, you have to use their software to download videos or they won't play unless you change the file extension. I am still working with this to get it to play on my dvd player. Overall great buy for the money. Oh yea, received it quickly too

I really like the portability, durability, and features of this little unit. I am happy with my purchase, still, there are a couple weaknesses potential buyers should be aware of.Battery Life is abismal. You may want to order another battery. Also, turning the unit off, rather than just closing the door (which puts it into standby), will save additional battery life.The unit needs a fair amount of light to take decent video. There have been several low light situations where there was enough ambient light to see, but the video came too out dark.Video quality is good for such a highly portable unit, but falls a bit short of standard camcorders. Video stabilization isn't very good. Overall I'd rate the quality somewhere between digital cameras and standard camcorders.

UPDATE: Evidently ... this camera does work on some Macs. I am using Mac OS 10, and iMovie HD... and it did not work on my system. However, I have heard that it DOES work with iMovie 08... sorry for the confusion.I just got my camera in today, and have been trying to figure out all day how to get video onto my mac from this camera.I have NEVER had this much trouble connecting anything to my mac.I am using OS 10 on my Macbook.I called customer support, and the rep was just as shocked as me... this camera is NOT campatible with a Mac.It is unfortunate that Panasonic would not make this camera compatible, because it actually is a really cool camera.So anyways... mac users... you may want to try another alternative.I hope this review helps... I will be returning this camera tomorrow!

Look, this is a very "fun", portable, waterproof video camera, and we have gotten some great clips in the past 17 mos. using it...ABSOLUTELY no regrets!This is NOT a high-quality still camera, a camera that was designed for making motion pictures, or even commercial quality videos.It's a great little video camera that you will get your moneys worth out of, just watching people's expression when you "drop it" in the water! Hoef

I have used this camera since early 2008. The best things about the camera are the small convienent size, waterproof and it uses SD cards. The camera has turned out to be our camera of choice unless we want good quality still photos. I used the camera underwater in Aruba and St. Johns. The 8gb SD card lasts a long time and requires at least two battery charges to fill the SD card with pictures. A typical weeks vacation does not fill one SD card for me. Just in case I bought 2 SD cards and 3 batteries and I never run out. 3rd party batteries work well and are inexpensive.

I bought this to use at the pool and with ATV's. At the pool it works fine in the water and out. I'm still waiting to use it off-road. The software sent with it takes some getting used to, and the video is not recorded in MPEG and must be converted with the supplied software. A hassle, but it works.It is tough and waterproof, and that is what I needed.

I bought this camera for the summer, because I spend lots of time in and around the water. I used it before, though, for taping and taking pictures around the house, never getting it wet. It worked great, with excellent picture quality and was very convenient to have in my hand. In June, I took it to the pool for the first time. I pressed the underwater button, started the video, and then put it in the water about 3 inches under for about 5 seconds. worked great for about a minute, when the screen turned white. It hasn't turned on since, even after letting it dry out. Screen is totally black, nothing happens. I was sorely disappointed in the waterproof quality.