Uploading from Panasonic HDC SD900

Golfister246

Newbie Joined: Oct 23, 2010 11:43 Messages: 28 Offline

Solved by

Feb 03, 2012 11:22

I'm trying to capture video from a Panasonic HDC - SD900 camera. When in capture mode the HDC camera icon is greyed out in PD10 so therefore isn't working.

As a test I have uploaded video from another HD camera via the Panasonic software and tried importing this into PD10 but there is a massive degradation of quality.

Can anyone help as to why PD10 won't allow me to import directly from the camera?

Thanks

bolda

Member Location: Liberec, Czech Republic Joined: Feb 02, 2011 15:10 Messages: 96 Offline

Feb 03, 2012 12:14

Hi,

I have a similar camera. It seems the camera can only communicate with Panasonic software (HD Writer) via USB. Neither does the camera show up as a storage device in a file management program when you connect it to your computer. I don't recall reading the SD card from the camera using a card reader but I think this could work.

What I do is load the recordings to the computer (video and still images) using HD Writer and then just read the files into the PowerDirector project library.

I don't know why you think the output resolution degrades. PowerDirector has the option of generating shadow files for the editing purposes. These are of lower resolution. Also the preview window can be set to three different resolution levels to adopt to your computer performance. These resolutions, however, do not affect the "produced" files' resolution...

PatC

Senior Member Location: Suffolk UK Joined: Nov 17, 2009 14:00 Messages: 156 Offline

Feb 03, 2012 12:44

Hi Golfister246

Using HD Writer is the way to go as it can be configured to save your video and photos
in Folders named Year/Month on your hard disk. (2011_10, --- 2012_01, 2012_02 etc)
Even if your video/photos have been taken over several months they will be stored in the
appropriate folder when loaded into your PC and given valid date/time file names that
relate to the time they were recorded. HD writer will also avoid duplicates!

PD 10 will then import your files into its library as required, there is NO loss of quality!

As the files are recorded onto an SD card "Capture" is NOT a valid method to use...

regards Patrick

ynotfish

Senior Contributor Location: N.S.W. Australia Joined: May 08, 2009 02:06 Messages: 9977 Offline

Feb 03, 2012 14:20

Hi there -

Bolda & Patrick have pointed you in the right direction. I don't have the same camera, but the process ought to be the same. When I'm transferring video files from my Canon, I bypass the bundled software completely (it's not even installed).

When your camera is connected to the PC, and turned on, go to Start > Computer > locate & open your camera's SD card

As Patrick indicated, transfer of files with HD writer (or the method above) has NO impact on video quality.

Cheers - Tony

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twincitybulldog

Senior Member Location: Winter Haven, Florida "Home of Legoland" Joined: Aug 03, 2009 14:59 Messages: 159 Offline

Feb 03, 2012 15:12

I have a AG-HMC40 Panasonic camera and my method is to simply take the SDHC card out of the camera and use a USB SD card reader and copy and paste the videos or photos to a file on my desktop where I can name them or delete the ones I don't want.
I can then put them in a folder on another hard drive.
I don't think I have ever used the software that came with my camera for copying or viewing the files from my camcorder connection.
You can locate the files as Tony suggested to find the files on the USB adaptor. Windows 8 Pro 64bit
Cameras. Panasonic AG-HMC40, GoPro Hero 3 Black
Edition.