Panasonic usually makes a good camcorder, and thankfully, that’s no less the case with the Panasonic SDRH40, and even though it’ll run three hundred and thirty bucks (or less, depending on, as always, where you shop), it’ll be well worth the cost.

The Panasonic SDRH40 comes with a 42x optical zoom, enough capacity to hold thirty six hours of footage, at least some marginal shockproofing (it’s actually called the Anti Shock Shield, but this thing really isn’t that robust), image stabilization systems and a Pure Color Engine.

The design is definitely nice enough; everything’s laid out in easy to use fashion, and the overall look is good even if I personally can’t believe there’s a lot of shock protection involved with it.  Even better, the zoom is sufficient to read small print from at least ten feet away.  The attached LCD screen is also of high quality, and makes the whole unit seem that much better.

All in all, this is a fantastic camera that provides an incredible value for a comparatively low price.