For those who need a compact, weatherproof camcorder that can take some abuse and only plan on sharing the results online, the Panasonic SDR-SW20 may be of interest. Otherwise there are plenty of pocket camcorders that produce the same or better video for less money.

Waterproof to 5 feet with decent results

Poor performance and image quality; insecure handstrap; relatively expensive

The Panasonic SDR-SW20 is a pretty small camcorder and very light. The reason why I choose this camcorder is because it's smaller than some of the point and shoot camcorders out there.

Camcorders that will work in hostile places can tend to be very expensive. Sun, snow, dust, rain and humidity can all affect the ability to shoot by varying degrees, and the protection that needs to be afforded in the form of specialized housings can be the equivalent of a deposit on a small...

Look, this is a very "fun", portable, waterproof video camera, and we have gotten some great clips in the past 17 mos. using it...ABSOLUTELY no regrets! This is NOT a high-quality still camera, a camera that was designed for making motion pictures, or even commercial quality videos.

A very nice camcorder. It was a gift for my daughter and then i inherit it because the panel where the pictures does not tilt all the way so you could not record yourself and see yourself at the same time. But it is ok, it zooms very nicely and above all it is easy to use.

This is a handy, easy to carry, simple to use with reasonable quality pictures. Can plug into newer TV sets and play the pictures quite easily. Only drawback is I have an intel duocore iMac - I cannot download the movies to the mac. The instructions are limited for a mac as well.

Panasonic has a reputation for getting tough with its products. Its range of hardened portable computing devices has become legendary. Now it has applied this experience to its camcorders. The result is the SDR-SW20.

Taking your camcorder to the beach or on a camping trip is, almost without exception, a terrible idea. Sand, water and dust mix with lenses, tapes and electronics about as well as ice cream and ketchup. But now Panasonic is claiming to have torched the rulebook with its SDR-SW20.

As we enter the simmering heart of summer (it says here), most camcorder enthusiasts would rather be swimming in the water than shooting on land. On the one hand, beach and poolside frolics offer a perfect opportunity for memorable home movies, but on the other, you naturally want to be part of the...

Waterproof/shock-proof/dust-proof design; underwater footage is surprisingly clear; cheap asking price

No hand strap hampers on-land shooting; screen is too reflective; swapping SD cards can be difficult in wet conditions

I didn't make a purchase/was just window shopping--its useing a USB PORT instead of a Firewire[1394]..its a Family-type Camera..takes STILL Photographs--this seems the really good part../the complete package..Panasonic does make a very good product.

Its durability is a nice thing to have in a Family CamCorder

Has BEST FILE application instead of DV