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- Waterproof to 2 meters (6.5 feet)
- Withstands dust and drops of up to 4 feet
- Pocket-sized
- Steady 10x optical zoom
- Mediocre performance on dry land
- Poor performance in dim light
- Expensive
On dry land, the Panasonic SDR-SW21 can't compete with the best standard-definition camcorders, such as the JVC Everio GZ-MG670 (*Est. $390). But the SDR-SW21 can do one thing most camcorders can't: It can film underwater, to a depth of 6.5 feet. Unlike the bulky waterproof housings you can buy for some camcorders -- which can leak, users say – the SDR-SW21 is streamlined, easy to handle and truly waterproof in tests. It is also dustproof and can survive a drop of up to 4 feet. Reviewers appreciate the electronic image stabilizer and 10x optical zoom -- both features you won't find on a cheap pocket camcorder such as the Pure Digital Flip Mino (*Est. $130). However, the SDR-SW21 is far more expensive, and testers say it doesn't handle dim light well.
Two British sources -- TrustedReviews.com and Which? magazine -- have both tested the Panasonic SDR-SW21 on dry land, but not underwater. Two expert U.S. sources, CamcorderInfo.com and CNET, fully test the previous Panasonic SDR-SW20 and CNET outlines the SDR-SW21's upgrades. We found user reviews only for the older SDR-SW20 at Amazon.com.
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Reviewer James Morris evaluates nearly every aspect of the Panasonic SDR-SW21, but he doesn't take it underwater. However, he notes that this camcorder's waterproof depth has increased from 1.5 to 2 meters from its predecessor, the Panasonic SDR-SW20, and it also shoots slightly better video.
Review: Panasonic SDR-SW21 Rugged Camcorder Review, James Morris, March 14, 2009
2. Gizmodo.com
Gizmodo.com's Brian Lam pans the Panasonic SDR-SW21 in this review. He says it's expensive, and has low resolution with lousy video images. In summary, he calls it "miserable."
Review: Panasonic SDR-SW21 Waterproof Camera Non-Review: NO NO NO NO NO!, Brian Lam, June 5, 2008
3. Which? magazineDetails/Subscribe
Which? magazine is a U.K. publication similar to ConsumerReports.org. Editors test the Panasonic SDR-SW21, but not underwater. This one-page review includes pros, cons and clear buying advice.
Review: Panasonic SDR-SW21, Editors of Which? magazine
This review tests the previous Panasonic SDR-SW20, but it is helpful to read, keeping in mind that experts say the new Panasonic SDR-SW21 is an improvement. Reviewer Michael Perlman says the video is OK, but he's more impressed by the SDR-SW20's ability to take falls and dunking with no ill effects.
Review: Panasonic SDR-SW20 Camcorder Review, Michael Perlman, April 23, 2008
5. CNET
CNET senior editor Joshua Goldman notes the upgrades on the Panasonic SDR-SW21, but he has not yet tested the new model. Instead, he links to his review for the previous Panasonic SDR-SW20. He says it does indeed withstand water, dust and abuse, but its video quality is unimpressive.
Review: Panasonic Shock-, Waterproof Camcorder Gets a Little Tougher, Joshua Goldman, Jan. 7, 2009
6. Amazon.com
There are only two reviews here so far for the Panasonic waterproof camcorder: one is a five-star rave and the other is a one-star pan. You won't get a balanced picture here for the SDR-SW21, since the five-star reviewer hasn't even tried it underwater yet.
Review: Panasonic SDR-SW21-S Shock & Waterproof Camcorder (Silver), Contributors to Amazon.com
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