The Panasonic HC-V720 ($549.99 direct)( at Amazon) is a midrange camcorder with a modest (for its class) 26x zoom lens, a 5.1-channel internal microphone, Wi-Fi, and 1080p60 video capture. Its zoom range isn't as impressive as some lesser priced Panasonic camcorders, but it adds enthusiast features like a detachable accessory shoe and support for an external microphone. The V720 captures footage that is noticeably better than other camcorders in this class. When you couple that with its other features, it's an easy pick for our Editors' Choice award.
Design and Features
The V720 is on the large size compared with other camcorders in its class. It measures 2.7 by 2.4 by 4.9 inches and weighs 9.8 ounces. The standard hand strap is located on the right side of the camera, as is the the power input port (it can be covered by a sliding flap when not in use).The record button is on the rear, to the right of the battery, and top controls include a mode switch, a photo button, the zoom rocker, and push buttons to toggle iAuto mode and image stabilization.
There are a couple of ports on the left side of the camcorder, on the inside panel that's covered by the LCD when it is closed. These include mini HDMI and mini USB ports, a mic input, and an A/V output. There are buttons here to launch the Wi-Fi mode and to turn the unit on or off. There's also a switch to eject the accessory shoe (it mounts in the rear, above the battery), to save space when it's not being used. There's no built in memory, but there is an SD card slot. A 16GB card holds about 83 minutes of top quality 1080p60 footage and the battery can run for about 75 minutes on a full charge.
The lens is a 26x zoom design that covers a 28-728mm (35mm equivalent) field of view at a variable f/1.8-3.5 aperture. A digital zoom extends the reach to 50x (1,400mm) with only a slight drop-off in video quality. The optical stabilization does a very good job of keeping footage steady, even when zoomed all the way in. The V720 is quick to focus, even at its maximum zoom.
Similar Products
Panasonic HC-V520
Sony Handycam HDR-CX230
Sony Handycam HDR-PJ380
The V720 lacks manual physical controls, but you do have the option of disabling automatic operation and taking control of exposure and focus yourself. You'll have to do so using a touch-based menu. Adjusting white balance, the shutter speed, and iris using the touch-based menu is pretty quick, but manual focus control is tedious at best.
The LCD is a 3-inch panel with touch input capability. Its resolution is 461k-dots, which is perfectly adequate for monitoring and reviewing footage during and after capture. It's visibly sharper than the 230k-dot LCDs found on the Sony HDR-CX230( at Amazon) and HDR-PJ380( at Amazon).
Wi-Fi is built in, and there are a number of functions available. The camcorder works with the free Panasonic Image App for iOS or Android. You can use your phone or tablet to remotely control the camcorder, or to view recorded footage. You'll also be able to view footage stored on the camcorder, and select highlights to pull from the video and share to social networks. Other Wi-Fi features include broadcasting via UStream, home monitoring over the Web, and wireless playback to a compatible HDTV.
Video Quality and Conclusions
The V720 uses an image sensor that is large for a camcorder. Others in this class use 1/5.8-inch sensors, but the V720 has a 1/2.3-inch chip, the same size that's found in point-and-shoot cameras. Video quality is noticeably better, as the surface area that the video is recorded on is much larger. The zoom lens doesn't have as much reach as the 50x V520($349.99 at Amazon), but footage has more detail and there is less of a drop off in quality when moving into the range of the V720's 50x digital zoom. Dynamic range is impressive; the V720 was able to capture details in the sky at dusk, as well as in buildings across the Manhattan skyline that were in shadow. Still images are captured at 20-megapixel resolution, but the quality is not that great. The dynamic range is better than what I saw from the camcorders with smaller sensors, but photos lack the detail that you'd expect from a compact camera. The camcorder lens is optimized to capture 1080p video—about 2 megapixels in resolution—not high-resolution stills.
Audio quality from the 5.1-channel mic is impressive; there's very little wind noise in outdoor footage at wider angles, but as with other camcorders, the wind noise creeps back in when the lens is zoomed as the camcorder is attempting to pick up audio from further away. There is a mic input, so you can attach a higher quality microphone, which mounts on camera using the included shoe accessory.
The Panasonic HC-V720 is an impressive camcorder, especially when you consider its price. Its features aren't pro level, but the video quality is a step above others in its class, and there's built-in Wi-Fi for remote control and live streaming. The 26x zoom lens doesn't sound as impressive on paper as longer zooms found in other models like the 50x Panasonic V520, but the larger image sensor makes the 50x digital zoom a practical option, and the limit of its optical range (728mm) can still get you quite close to distant action. The V720 earns our Editors' Choice award for consumer camcorders; it's a solid choice for capturing home movies at 1080p.
The Panasonic HC-V720 captures sharp 1080p60 HD video and supports Wi-Fi remote control, earning it our Editors' Choice award.
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