Panasonic formally readies 5.1-surround HD cams

Following the announcement of its 2007 plasma line, Panasonic on Thursday also prepped for the final release of two new HD camcorders. The HDC-SD1 (pictured) and HDC-DX1 together record at widescreen 1080i and can opt for 5.1-channel surround sound thanks in part to the use of AVCHD recording, which saves space on the SDHC cards (for the SD1) or mini DVDs (DX1) used for storage. A 12x optical zoom lens with image stabilization is common across either camera.

Prices have dropped since the initial announcement, according to the company: the DX1 and SD1 alike will retail for $1,300 when they reach stores by the end of the month.