Important feature of H250 and H20: New SD Video Cameras from panasonic

30GB HDD
The built-in 30GB HDD of the SDR-H250 or SDR-H20 has a storage capacity that is 22 times as large as that of a single DVD. Unlike tape or DVD recording media, the HDD in LP mode enables continuous video recording for up to 27 hours without additional recording media. The HDD is equipped with Anti-Shock Shields that protects important video recording data from external shock. Furthermore, the video recording data can be copied to PCs or DVD writers over the USB cable. The 30GB HDD ensures both reliability and user-friendliness.

�EAnti-Shock Shield
1: Drop Detect Function
Incorporates a 3D sensor that detects falls from a height of approximately 20 cm or over and automatically keeps the head away from the hard disc drive, thus preventing disc data damage resulting from the collision of the head.

2: Floating Structure
The four corners of the hard disc drive are filled up with thick vibration-proof gel, which suppresses external vibration and shock transmitted to the drive.

3: Buffer Memory
When the drop detect function is activated while recording and the head is kept away from the drive, the recording data in progress will be automatically backed up* in the built-in buffer memory. When the hard disc drive returns to normal, the data will be automatically transferred to the drive. Therefore, even if the user should drop the video camera while shooting images, the video recording of the video camera will not break off.
*As long as there is battery power.

3CCD Camera System (H250)
The SDR-H250 is provided with a 3CCD camera system that has been used by most professional broadcast equipment. Panasonic's professional 3CCD video cameras, which have brought breathtaking images to viewers around the world since 1992, when they were first selected as the broadcast equipment for the Olympic Games. Panasonic has downsized its professional 3CCD camera system for use in consumer models. In a 3CCD camera system, the light received through the lens is split into its three primary colour components (red, green and blue), and the signal from each is processed by one of the three CCDs. Compared with conventional 1CCD camera systems, Panasonic's 3CCD system provides more vivid, true-to-life colours, greater detail and richer gradation.

O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer)
The shaking and blurring that can occur when shooting with unsteady hands may be often annoying when the images are viewed on TV screens that have been rapidly increasing in size in recent years. Moreover, the development of telescopic functions has involved an adverse influence of the shaking and blurring on the recording screen more remarkably than ever before. The SDR-H250 and SDR-H20 are equipped with Panasonic's O.I.S., which makes it possible to minimize the influence of the shaking and blurring without loss of image quality. Furthermore, the MEGA O.I.S. will start automatically at the time of still-picture shooting, thus performing further image stabilization that is twice as effective. Therefore, digital video cameras incorporating the O.I.S. and MEGA O.I.S. make it possible to record beautiful still images as well as animated images. The O.I.S. and MEGA O.I.S. are truly necessary in an age of large-screen, high-resolution TVs, when every image imperfection is easily visible.

Leica Dicomar Lens (H250)
Photographers around the world know Leica Camera AG as a maker of superb cameras and lenses. This company's advanced optical technology has been fused with Panasonic's leading-edge digital technology to create the Leica Dicomar lens. The Leica Dicomar lens provided in the SDR-H250 features 12 lens elements in eight groups and uses low-dispersion optical glass to reduce the blurring of colour. A special multi-coating process is applied to the 14 lens element surfaces to minimize chromatic aberration, so images are crisp, clear, and free of flare and ghosting.
*Leica is a registered trademark of Leica Microsystems IR GmbH, and Dicomar is a registered trademark of Leica Camera AG.

32x Optical Zoom (H20)
Enjoy remarkable 32x zoom magnification in a camera that fits comfortably and securely in one hand. Since the zoom is optical, it captures both moving and still pictures with exquisite beauty.

Crystal Engine & Pure Colour Engine
The Crystal Engine is a special image processing circuit for 3CCD camera systems that process the R, G, and B signals from three CCDs individually to remove the noise and improve colour processing accuracy. Pure Colour Engine is the same one for high-zooming cameras. Each engine achieves truly superb colour reproduction for high-quality pictures.

Source : http://www.panasonic-europe.com