Panasonic HC-V900 review: This little camcorder with a big zoom is ideal for budget moviemaking

You'd be forgiven for being as confused as I was upon hearing that Panasonic was releasing two new budget camcorders. After all, isn't this 2025, not 1995? Proving that the best camcorders are still in demand, the Panasonic HC-V900 (2K resolution) and HC-VX3 (4K) launched late last year to minimal fanfare.

I've been reviewing camcorders for years and have been using them in a home video setting for decades. It's more common to see consumer-focused camcorders being discontinued rather than launched. So, why has Panasonic launched these new models, and why would you buy one over the best camera for video?

Despite their ageing form factor, camcorders are still an ideal tool for amateur moviemakers who want the sort of long optical zoom range that's expensive to replicate with interchangeable lenses on mirrorless cameras, and terrible quality on a smartphone with digital zoom.

In this review, I'll be testing the slightly cheaper of the two newer releases, the HC-V900, which is a minor upgrade to the Panasonic V800 from 2018. It's not an entirely new model, then, but improvements to bring it up to date include USB-C charging (to allow charging from a computer or laptop), a remote control socket, and a touchscreen LCD.

Spoiler alert, I still love shooting on a camcorder. Their long, built-in zooms stop you from having to constantly change lenses, listen to the lens hunting for focus, or deal with it sticking out from the camera body, getting in the way.

The standout feature of the Panasonic HC-V900 (and the reason I'd use it for on-the-go shooting instead of my iPhone 15 Pro or Canon mirrorless camera) is the 24x optical zoom. This covers a huge 25-600mm focal length in equivalent 35mm camera terms, and in reality, means you can shoot most everyday moments, from sports games to wildlife.

What this camcorder isn't is a cinematic masterpiece. While many flagship camera phones now boast 4K (3840 x 2160), or even 8K video recording (7680 x 4320), the HC-V900 is limited to Full HD (1920 x 1080). Panasonic's more expensive camcorders, including the Panasonic HC-X1500, offer 4K resolution, but if you're an amateur, I wouldn't get hung up on a resolution you'll never use. A lower resolution also means smaller files that are easier and faster to transfer, edit, and share.

There are very few budget camcorders left to choose from. At the beginner end of the market, the major brands – Canon, Sony and Panasonic – have increasingly prioritised cameras for vlogging and left the camcorder format for prosumers and professionals.

On paper, that makes the HC-V900 a good option if you want something to shoot handheld video on – especially if your needs include long zoom, intuitive controls that budget vlogging cameras can't replicate and a sub-$700/£600 price.

I've taken Panasonic's compact camcorder for a two-week trial to see if it carves a budget niche in today's camcorder landscape, or if it's a nostalgic nod to a format that should probably quietly fade away.

Panasonic HC-V900: Specifications

Panasonic HC-V900: Price and Availability

The Panasonic HC-V900 is sold at an RRP of around USD 699.99, £529, and AUS$899. The now-discontinued Sony AX43 was previously one of the last budget camcorders. The Panasonic HC-V900 now fills the entry-level price bracket as one of the cheapest usable camcorders on the market (I say usable, because you can always find unbranded camcorders on Amazon for a fraction of the price, but I wouldn't recommend them based on poor build or video quality).

But is it a good value purchase? For a little less money, you could get a Sony ZV-1 mirrorless that outperforms it in terms of image quality (with a 1-inch sensor) and vlog-friendly features. But you wouldn't get such a comprehensive video recording solution, and you'd be limited to a 24-70mm effective focal length.

The comparison becomes harder to justify compared to smartphones. Even the best flagships – at more than double the price of the HC-V900 – offer a maximum of 5x optical zoom telephoto lenses compared to the camcorder's 20x.

For its price, I think the Panasonic HC-V900 is a competitive option (and indeed one of the last options) for someone who prioritises good, but not great, Full HD video in an easy-to-use all-in-one.

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Panasonic HC-V900: Build & Handling

The Panasonic HC-V900 comes in an unassuming cardboard box with a press shot of the camcorder on the side; the inside houses the main product, lens hood, battery pack, USB cable, micro cable, and a user guide (which I of course left in the box and never looked at again).

If you've used or seen a camcorder before, you'll find nothing surprising or unusual about the Panasonic HC-V900's design. Its classic barrel-shaped form factor is far easier to handle compared to larger professional video cameras or hybrid mirrorless setups, to sit neatly in my smaller hands and in a more contained way in my partner’s.

The construction is standard matte black plastic (with a texture on the right-hand side for better grip), making it lightweight at 431g without feeling too brittle or rattly. From experience, you're far more likely to use something when it's easy to carry, and the compact HC-V900 fits in my Barbour jacket pocket, my handbag, my camera bag and my work satchel. That’s a massive tick for portability, and a major contrast to the more advanced Panasonic HC-X1500 at 1.2kg.

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The Panasonic HC-V900 can afford to be small because it doesn’t have to accommodate as many buttons as prosumer models. There's no hotshot mount up top, nowhere to attach a handle (you don't need to, as it's so light), but there is a 1/4"-20 tripod thread underneath.

This is a back-to-basics camcorder operation, and the raised zoom rocker that moves left to right (very smoothly, I might add) is up top for your index finger to access comfortably, in front of a raised shutter button. The microphone is flush at the front of the camcorder above the lens. The microphone is integrated flush at the front, directly above the lens. Again, as is typical, the memory card slot (for full-sized SD cards, not MicroSD, thank goodness) is revealed when you flip open the screen.

There's a tiny power button, a button to flip between record and playback, and an HDR and menu button. All refreshingly simple, and my only complaints are a) that these buttons are harder to access without looking at them and b) harder to press in if you have big fingers. Conversely, I could say I like how flush everything sits, including the battery, which just adds to you being able to stow this camcorder away as soon as you've finished filming.

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Like most beginner camcorders and vlogging cameras, you only get an LCD screen – no viewfinder – for composing shots and reviewing footage. I don't think many buyers will miss this, and it's not something to be expected for the price. The 3-inch monitor is touch-sensitive, bringing the camcorder into the modern age while also speeding up menus and tweaking settings. It's still not as zippy as my Canon mirrorless camera, but it is far more responsive than camcorders I tested even a few years ago at this price.

Recording and playback felt colourful and detailed enough, too. Most consumer camcorders have screens between 2.7 to 3.5 inches. For any serious applications with the HC-V900, where composition is critical, you'd need an external on-camera monitor (but I can't see this being the case with a camcorder this affordable).

It is worth noting that there’s no official protection rating against the elements, rainy days, sandy beaches or dust. In short, the HC-V900 is not rugged, and I’d be cautious about using it outside when the weather isn’t fair. If you’re mainly an indoor shooter, no worries, but this isn’t the video companion for you if you’re hoping to be out in all weather.

Panasonic HC-V900: Sample video

Above: sample video shot with Panasonic HC-V900

I tested the Panasonic HC-V900 for several weeks, taking it on daily walks in nature, into the city and even using it during a wedding and cricket match. I didn't have the necessary permission to share the latter clips, unfortunately.

Panasonic HC-V900: Performance

Above: sample video shot with the Panasonic V900 camcorder

The Panasonic HC-V900 is technically a newer camcorder on the market, but much of the technology inside it has been around for much longer (it builds on models from 2018).

The Panasonic HC-V900 is here to focus on core camcorder strengths that get less fanfare in the age of smartphones and mirrorless cameras, the standout feature being the 24x optical zoom. I love shooting wildlife on my daily walks in the countryside, and I was at times blown away by how close this camcorder could get to deer, hares, and even birds in the distance.

While shooting from the back of a church wedding, I was able to zoom in on a crying groom, and at a cricket match, fill the frame with my favourite player from the other side of the pitch.

You’d need a very powerful, heavy lens to cover the same 25-600mm focal length on a mirrorless camera, or more likely several expensive, heavy, powerful lenses. I found the HC-V900’s range versatile, while being smooth to zoom in and out, and fast, should you need to move between near and far rapidly.

Of course, that zoom range is no use if your footage is too shaky to view. The HC-V900 is supported by a now-standard five-axis image stabilisation system that corrects camera shake (but won’t suppress all movement). In reality, that meant at full zoom, I was able to capture a couple of pheasants tottering across a field without too much movement up and down.

Walking shots are far more susceptible to unwanted vertical shake, which means if you’re recording pieces on the go, you may want to slow your pace slightly to avoid giving viewers vertigo. But I think most users will be pleased with how well Panasonic’s HYBRID O.I.S. + keeps things steady.

The HC-V900 has a basic autofocus system, far behind the AI-powered wizardry of the latest mirrorless and phone cameras. While filming, I found it generally struggled to switch between subjects in the mid to full zoom range (10-24x) on its own. Here, though, you can tap on the screen to pick a focus point, which makes it quicker to shift between subjects where the camcorder struggles.

Manual focus is also an option from the menu (there’s no physical switch or button), although I don’t think beginners will use this much. The minimum focusing distance varies depending on the zoom level. In ‘Normal Mode’ (at a wide-angle), it’s about 10 cm (3.9 inches) from the lens, while an Intelligent Auto Macro mode is meant to allow even closer focusing at the wide-angle end (5 cm / 2 inches). I wasn’t able to get as personal to the bugs and bees as this when filming, though.

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If you’re mainly recording other people, or yourself vlogging, at arm's length, the camcorder can follow faces around the frame really effectively, but it works best with an abundance of light.

There are very few features to cover in the performance section – the HC-V900 has no ND filters or fancy video settings – so I’ll come straight to the visual quality of clips. I wasn’t bowled away, but I wasn’t disappointed either.

The HC-V900 pairs a 1/2.5-inch BSI MOS sensor with a bright f/1.8 lens, and it outperformed my expectations in low-light situations (shooting indoors or at sunset). I was also amazed by the shallow depth of field I could achieve, and the hints of bokeh when focused on a smaller subject while zoomed in midway. The footage was perhaps more cinematic than I ever captured with the HC-X1500.

Okay, it doesn’t perform miracles in pitch black, but on a typical balmy summer evening, it can produce cleaner and brighter footage than entry-level smartphones, and the "Active Contrast" helps with contrast in challenging lighting. The white balance was always neutral and balanced, if not vivid, and would give users a good base to edit from if they were interested in post-processing.

Panasonic HC-V900: Verdict

I find it hard to get excited about the Panasonic HC-V900. The compact camcorder design offers nothing new, and it isn't retro enough to have a vintage appeal. The video specs and its 1/2.5-inch sensor are basic too, eclipsed by most compact vlogging cameras of a similar price.

But that doesn't mean I wouldn't recommend the HC-V900. It's pretty much the cheapest camcorder you can buy nowadays, but it still managed to deliver in all the core areas. The zoom is smooth and incredibly impressive at the full range. And the 5-Axis HYBRID image stabilization helps you to capture footage far beyond the shaky nightmares of my childhood camcording sessions, even at 24x.

Most importantly, it's incredibly easy to use. Even total beginners should be able to get footage in a range of situations, from the low light of an indoor gig to a sports day. By focusing on the essentials and delivering nothing more, Panasonic has made an affordable camcorder that most can pick up and use in minutes.

The HC-V900 produces the kind of video for hobbyists who will never use all the features in a vlogging camera, and don't want the faff of a mirrorless camera and separate lenses.

On its website, Panasonic markets the HC-V900 to families for capturing the 'Moments That Matter,' and it's a product that I think does just that, creating acceptable, accessible video at a price that everyday users can justify.

Alternatives

The Canon Legria HF G70 is for more serious users who need 4K resolution. It's double the price, but incredibly versatile with slow-motion recording for sports and action and HD live streaming for creators.

The Nikon Z50 is a similarly priced hybrid mirrorless camera with specs balancing stills and video. The arrival of the Z50 II has pushed prices down further, although you have to factor in the cost of lenses separately, and even then the zoom range will be more limited than with a true camcorder.

Still not sold? Check out our complete guide to the best camcorders, and for an introduction to video-making options, look at our guide to the best camera for video.