Help finding the right camcorder

Panasonic TM900 fits your list of requirements.

18 x zoom - yes
zoom while recording- yes
HD recording - yes
microphone jack - yes
headset jack - yes
a shoe - yes
a camcorder that is not too small - yes
priced between the small pocket ones and the professionals - about $600

The TM900 has 12X optical zoom, but it also has an "Intelligent Optical Zoom" capable of 20x with no image degradation. Check the specs in your country for IOZ.

"but then I checked the manual and it appears like the intelligent zoom is only available for still images."

You are incorrect. Intelligent zoom works in video mode. Do not confuse this with digital zoom, which degrades the quality. You have misread the manual; I have used iz and it works seamlessly with optical zoom. 18X it is. If you look in the TM900 thread, you will see examples of the use of intelligent zoom, both links to videos and frame grabs (birds and sports).

The intelligent zoom option is located in the "record setup" section of the cam's menu. You enable it there. Once enabled it stays in that mode until you change it, whether you turn the camera off or not. I only shoot in 1080/60p mode, the highest quality mode.

I was at a recital last night and "intelligent zoom" only works in video mode on my TM900. In picture mode it will only zoom to 12X.

"From what I see elsewhere then such a an intelligent zoom is only available when I am shooting in a lower quality as otherwise it would also just be called optical zoom."

You are incorrect: HD video, which is only 1920x1080, only uses a portion of the pixels of the sensor. Thus, the extra pixels allow digital cropping at the same HD resolution in video mode.

This is what the Panasonic blurb says: "The 900 Series and SD800 feature an Intelligent Zoom function that goes all the way up to 20x. When using Intelligent Zoom, Intelligent Resolution technology lets you shoot at high zoom rates while preserving the image resolution. You get sharp images of highly detailed objects without the blurry edges."

I understand why you are confused: the manual on the Panasonic site does not give any info on the role of intelligent zoom in video mode; there is only a still picture discussion, where one must lower the *still* picture resolution to get the extra zoom. The fact that there is only a still picture discussion does not mean this trick only works in still picture mode.

All you do is to enable the intelligent zoom in video mode and you get the extra extension, without loss of resolution. The main difference is slightly higher noise (undetectable in good light) and in the extended part no additional shortening of dof (which can be a good thing).

The zoom question has been well answered. But, for what it's worth, there are actually 4 zoom settings in the "Record Setup" menu.


1. Opt.Zoom 12k: Optical zoom only (Up to 12x). This of course limits the zoom to 12x and is required for some functions like Time Lapse.

2. i.Zoom 20x: This zoom function allows you to maintain high-definition picture quality. (Up to 20x). This is where I normally leave it set. The video quality through 20x is constant.

3. D.Zoom 30x: Digital zoom (Up to 30x). There are situations where this can be used. I was on a cruise ship and saw other ships at a distance. I could not read the names or see much detail with my standard issue eyeballs. Video at 30x significantly improved what I could see and read even though the video quality was not as good as the "normal" range. At the moment I was trying to document some bad weather and high waves. It worked for that.

4. D.Zoom 700x: Digital zoom (Up to 700x). I don't know why this setting is in the camera. Certainly video quality declines past 20x. I shot a clip of a bald eagle at very high zoom and you can tell it's an eagle, but it is fuzzy.