I just spent a month using Panasonic's AG-HPX170rncamcorder. While its P2 storage makes it an expensive choice for most event shooters, it boasts several new features that I hope will become standard in future camcorders. Several of its features demonstrate the value of solid state storage that will become particularly relevant when AVCHD camcorders that utilize less expensive SD memory become widely available. Let's start with shooting-related features.rnOne of the biggest challenges of HD recording is trying to achieve a sharp manual focus using only the camera's CCD or tiny viewfinder. Some HD camcorders can zoom the preview image to 2X to assist focus, but this view is usually only available during preview, not while recording, which is like a GPS device that works only when you're stationary and turns off once you start driving.
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