Panasonic TM 900 v SD900

[pete phillips]

Maybe this also qualifies for an entry in the "Help and Advice for Newcomers" Forum for other non-technical readers !
After deciding to replace my old,very basic Sony Handycam with something a little better I was interested in the views expressed by Col Lamb - another bike fan ?, John C and Tom Hardwick regarding the TM 900. I'd mentioned this to my dear wife, Mary, a few weeks ago who immediately responded with " what's the point in spending all that money, you hardly ever use the one you've got ". (so disarmingly practical aren't they! ). So I gave up the idea.
Much to my amazement on Christmas morning there was a present "From Santa" under the tree at my daughter's house where we are for the Christmas/New Year break. It wasn't a TM900, but an SD900.
"Santa" kept the receipts so I'll be able to return it and get the TM900 and still the £50 cashback from Panasonic, as it was purchased from a local retailer.
So, please, can you experts let me know how the two models differ and if it's advisable to pursue the TM900 ? I'm not interested in 3D which the sales assistant was pushing to Santa - not mentioning that of course you needed a 3D TV to view it ! The 3D lens was approaching the £300 mark - which fortunately was put on hold - and I wondered whether there is a suitable wide angle converter for the TM900 that would be useful ?

Pete

[TimStannard]

Hi Pete,

May I firstly congratulate you on having an excellent model ... of wife

I've looked into this in the past. I'm certain the only difference between the two is the fact that the TM comes with 32GB internal memory and will also take SD cards, whereas the SD uses only SD cards. The built in memory certainly has potential uses, but whether it's worth the extra (and possibly upsetting your generous and attentive wife) is something only you can decide. There will be no difference in what you shoot or how you shoot it.

Here's the "official" link http://panasonic.net/avc/camcorder/hd/900_800_series/

Of course if Tom, Col or others know of any other differences I'd be delighted to be corrected (and like to know how on earth they found out!)

Happy New Year!

[col lamb]

Cherrish, nurture, care for, and treat like a Queen (your Wife that is) and keep the SD 900

There is absolutely no difference in performance or quality. The only difference as Tim has advised in that there is no internal memory, but as there is quite a price difference you could always get a few SD cards to make up the difference.

I'm using female logic here.........Take my Wife (literally, its not a request) she sees something in a Sale for £50, originally it cost £125 so she sees that she has £75 to spend on something else.

The only thing wrong with the 900 range is wind noise, a Rode Videomike Pro + foam windgag + dead wombat will cure it. I also bought a large capacity battery for my TM 900 and I find that that lasts me all day

Is your PC and editing software up to the task of editing the AVCHD format video footage?

[For newcomers a "dead wombat" is Col's term for a wind-muffler or wind-gag: the soft covering you sometimes see on microphones when tv crews are working outdoors. No Australian marsupials are at risk here! - Editor]

[tom hardwick]

I'd go for the SD900 because it's better value than the TM - and both cameras (as the others have said) give the same results. But if the TM is alone in having the rebate, that might change the maths.

Non-Panasonic batteries are now starting to appear on the market. And I use a Kenko wide-angle converter with mine, though Panasonic sell their own of course. With a wide-angle end of 35mm (equiv) it needs an adapter.

tom.

[pete phillips]

Thanks Tim, Col and Tom for your thoughts on the SD900.

Yes, I've decided to keep it and fortunately the £50 Panasonic "Cash Back" also applied to this model.

Thanks Tim for congratulations on having an excellent model . . . of wife. and Col's advice to cherish, nurture, care for, and treat her like a queen. I do, I do.

As an example of this we were making a film for my cine society - remember Standard 8 ? - about a club member who is making an entry for the "My Home Town" competition. Inadvertently, in extreme long shot, he records a couple struggling on a canal tow path. The woman is stabbed and the killer rolls her body into the canal. He glances up and realises the cameraman has filmed the murder, and immediately gives chase.

As I was directing the film I had convinced long-suffering wife Mary that she would be ideal to play the part of the victim - particularly as no-one else was willing to float face downwards in the very oily "blood" tinged water for the close ups.

In those days there wasn't too much concern over the environment and some local factories in the industrial West Midlands were known to discharge quantities of waste into the canal and the nearby cooling towers and gas works use the water for cooling purposes.
So I think my careful choice of location to ensure the water wouldn't be that cold was a clear indication of my " cherishing " .

(Other members of the production team thought that using the heavy metal chains and breeze blocks was gilding the lily so I reluctantly decided not to use them.)

What still mystifies me is where that 17 year old 8 stone girl with the 22inch waist that I married over 50 years ago disappeared to.
(Why does the slogan "two for the price of one" spring to mind ? She may kill me. )

Pete

[TimStannard]

A lovely story Pete - thanks for sharing.