Standard definition video just doesn’t seem to cut it anymore, so a number of manufacturers are now producing HD camcorders for the masses. Some of these come equipped with integrated hard drives, but there is definitely a demand for expandable memory. This is partly because of convenience, but it’s also because it makes the camcorders quite a bit smaller. The issue, then, is how you manage to get enough storage capacity for all that high-def content.

Panasonic is set to release one of the most massive memory cards on the market, despite the fact that this card is about the same size as a postage stamp. The SDHC format has become quite popular among digital camera users, so it’s an easy transition over to digital camcorders and other multimedia devices. The card shown here bumps the memory capacity up to a whopping 32 gigabytes. That’s way bigger than my 4GB SDHC card.

The data transfer rate on this card is quite impressive too. Although it’s listed as a Class 6 memory card, the Panasonic 32GB SDHC has a claimed rate of over 20MB/sec. That’s pretty speedy and it should be able to keep up with most current applications. Unfortunately for those of us on a budget, the Panasonic 32GB SDHC card — which is set for launch in April — will retail in the $700 range.