At your next backyard barbecue, not only can you zoom in from afar on Grandma's extra long chin hair, you'll be able to hear her moan and groan about your no-good cousins thanks to the Zoom Mic function on both of Panasonic's HDC-SD1 and HDC-DX1 high-definition camcorders. When zooming in on your subject, be it Gram or your little brother doing his best Chewbacca imitation (guh-ronk!), the audio directly related to that subject is also captured.

On the HDC-SD1, you'll record onto postage stamp-sized, where-the-hell-did-I-put-them SDHC memory cards, while the HDC-DX1 immortalizes your cinematic genius onto DVDs (we're over the rewind/fast-forward buttons). Both cameras feature the world's first 5.1 channel surround sound system with five microphones for that you-are-there feeling and an Optical Image Stabilizer, perfect for those with shaky hands or who've had too many cold ones. Cue up the videos in your home theater and be prepared for a visual and aural feast, as the recordings are best suited for playback your big-screen HDTV. — Drew Thompson

Panasonic, via SlashGear