Panasonic Camcorder /Digital Camera

Panasonic Camcorder /Digital Camera
Product Type: Home

Editorial Review:
Product Description
Here's everything you need to capture moving and still images. Palmcorder Camcorder has 2.5" diagonal color LCD monitor with built-in PhotoShot digital still camera (model shown has been changed, waiting for new image). Features 10X high-definition zoom and 700X digital zoom. Also features picture-in-picture, electronic image stabilization, built-in light, mini DV format and digital effects. Includes extra battery and carry case.

635255

Panasonic PV-GS320 3.1MP 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Average customer rating:

poor packaging
A downgrade from the GS300
Poor low lighting...
Some unnecesary "savings"
Closest Camcorder to HD quality!

Panasonic PV-GS320 3.1MP 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Product Features:

3CCD imager for vivid color, fine detail, and rich gradation
Leica Dicomar lens; Advanced Pure Color Engine
3.1-megapixel still-picture recording
One-Touch Navigation for easy, intuitive setting and shooting
Tele-Macro for sharp focusing, from a short distance

ASIN: B000M4LXIW

Product Description

For impressive video and still images, Panasonic PV-GS320 is small enough to fit in the palm of your hand, but is not short on innovative features. This camcorder incorporates the same type of 3CCD imaging system used in Panasonic's celebrated professional camcorders. Individual CCDs are used to reproduce the red, green and blue colors that compose an image for vivid, true-to-life pictures with remarkable depth and presence. The PV-GS320 also features the sophisticated Leica Dicomar lens, which has become known for its ability to capture and finely render the most delicate nuances of light and shade. The PV-GS320 also offers 16:9 widescreen format recording (to fill the screens of new widescreen TV models) as well as standard 4:3. It has a 2.7" widescreen LCD on camera for easy viewing. It uses Optical Image Stabilization, that compensates for normal hand movement, to reduce blur and assure that still and video images are beautifully crisp and clear. High-resolution digital still images can be captured via the GS320's built-in digital still camera feature, which records to a stamp-sized SD or SDHC Memory Card. The PV-GS320 features high-speed USB 2.0 for high quality full-motion video transfer, in addition to standard audio and video connecting ports. High-Picture-Quality 16 - 9 Wide as well as standard 4 - 3 visual screen record and play modes 2.7 Diagonal Widescreen Power LCD Monitor and Color Viewfinder Built-in SD / SDHC Memory Card Slot for inserting optional SD cards USB 2.0 High-Speed for image data transfer to a PC or Macintosh computer / May also be used as a Webcam Audio Dubbing (SP Mode Only) High Speed Shutter 5-Mode Program Auto-Exposure Manual Focus Ring Allows PictBridge Direct Print Compatibility Video is recorded on MiniDV tapes Record sound as a 12-Bit or 16-Bit digital soundtrack in stereo or mono Still picture resolutions up to 2048 x 1512 [4 - 3] and 2048 x 1152 [16

Customer Reviews:

poor packaging.......2007-05-30

Great budget camcorder! For the price you get what u pay for and this is worth every penny. It could have more features but then it would cost more.

The only problem i have is the way it was packaged by amazon, it wasn't even bubble wrapped! Instead it was lined on just three sides with what i can only describe as a three pocket airbag of which one of the pockets was busted when it arrived. I've seen far lesser known not to mention financially less resourceful internet vendors package their electronic products with more care than this. Had i known about the packaging procedures i would have never ordered it from here.

A downgrade from the GS300.......2007-03-31

Not only is the physical appearance of this model ugly, it is a complete downgrade. Panasonic takes off one of the most important features on the PV GS320 model,a MICROPHONE JACK! I currently own a 300 model and needed another camera to shoot different angels at the same time, since the 300 is discontinued I purchased the so called upgraded model. Now the only available model with MIC jack is the VDR 310, and I have heard DVD is quality on Camcorders is not what it should be. If you do any video prodcution and need to hook up your camera to a MIC, this camera is not for you.

Poor low lighting..........2007-03-11

My wife and I purchased this item to film our family events over the coming years. After a lot of research I narrowed it down to this and the Sony DCR-HC96 (in fact several online reviews compared these two as well). It came down to price, which was better at Circuit City. Unfortunatly I will be paying a 15% restocking fee now as we have decided to return it and go with the Sony. The Panasonic, I feel, is a really good camera. The colors are bright and crisp...during the day. However we felt that most of the use would be during the evening hours indoors. With all three lamps turned on in our living room, "Auto" mode showed faint images and shadows when not pointed close to a light source. After several adjustments in "manual" mode we managed to get a decently lit picture on the viewfinder (...the picture will not show up as bright on your tv). Poor lighting is a big problem with Digital Camcorders, so I was actually somewhat content with this picture quality. Where this camcorder falls short IMO is the lack of an onboard lightsource. It has a "cold shoe" on the top where you can add your own light. However it will have to run on it's own batteries since it's not powered by the camera (also the only lights I have found so far are on ebay). Knowing that this is a problem with every brand of camcorder, I simply don't understand why companies insist on not putting better, if any, light sources on their equipment. Oh well...at least the Sony has a "hot shoe" to add a light source if needed.
Overall I think that this is a VERY nice camcorder...if you plan on staying in well lit areas. Just my two pennies worth :)

Some unnecesary "savings".......2007-03-08

1)Good things
Image quality
Great Zoom with IS
Decent pictures for a camcorder
Automatic turn off when you put 90° down

2) Panasonic Savings (things to improve)

Plastic lens cap
No SD Card inlcuded
No microphone jack
No blue light in the jostick
No built in flash

It is not un upgrade for the PV GS 300. The image quality with the 3 CCD is great but "Panasonic savings" in such things...not a very smart move.
HD camcorders (Sony or Panasonic) with the same image quality cost addtional $400. Buy if you have no time to wait that the HD Camcorders prices decreases o try to get a PV GS 300...

Closest Camcorder to HD quality!.......2007-02-20

I have been in the market for a HD camera at the best price. I looked into the canon HV-10 which is priced at 1000 dollars which is HD quality. I compared this camera as a baseline.

Online I read about the Panasonic PV-GS320 which is the upgraded model of the GS300 released early 2006. This camera has 3CCD , what does that mean? each ccd is a processing chip that allows the image to display at it's best.

How do you test this? Go to your local Best Buy or Compusa where they have this camera. On the 1 CCD camera zoom in at 25-30X digital zoom. You will start to see blurry. Do the same with the GX320 you will see much clearer and crisp image.

You will notice the difference right away.

Panasonic SDR-H200 30GB 3CCD 3.1MP Hard Disk Drive with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Average customer rating:

Great picture, easy use
The 3CCD lens is worth every dollar, and Panasonic makes a QUALITY product! ...even better than SONY!
Panasonic SDR-H200 - No Regrets

Panasonic SDR-H200 30GB 3CCD 3.1MP Hard Disk Drive with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Product Features:

Built-in 30 GB hard disk drive
3-megapixel, 3CCD imaging system
Capture video and 3.1 MP digital stills
Large 2.7-inch widescreen LCD
One-Touch Navigation for easy, intuitive setting and shooting

ASIN: B000M4KJV4

Product Description

The Panasonic SDR-H200 3CCD Hard Disk Drive/SD Palmcorder Camcorder is perfect for recording long events. It features extended recording for extended shooting fun. The internal 30 GB hard disk drive holds as much video data as about 22 8-cm DVD discs. That means you can record for around 27 hours non-stop. This SD Card/Hard Disk camcorder is perfect for people who want to shoot for hour after hour without worrying about memory space. 3CCD Camera System / Optical Image Stabilizer /Minimum Illumination 1 Lux (Magic Pix) High Speed Shutter - 1/60 - 1/8,000 sec. (Moving Picture) / 1/30 - 1/2,000 sec. (Still Picture) / Iris AF/Manual / Backlight Compensation LCD Monitor - 2.7 wide (123K pixels) /Manual Focus Ring /Microphone - Stereo Zoom Mic /Wind Noise Reduction / Date Recording Wide Mode (16 - 9) / Digital Zoom - 10x - 700x /Recording Modes - XP/SP/LP Still Picture - JPEG / Built-in SD Slot (SD/SDHC) / DPOF Max. 999 stills PictBridge Compatible / S-Video Out / Video Output - AV out / USB 2.0 High Speed (mini B) Dimensions (H x W x D) - 3.27 x 2.98 x 4.76 inches Weight - 1.01 lbs

Customer Reviews:

Great picture, easy use.......2007-06-08

We bought the SDR-H200 for my church to use in our multimedia program and couldn't be more pleased. The 3 CCD imaging system gives you an excellent picture--sharp and clear with vivid, true colors. Image stabilization keeps minor shakes and jitters from making it to the screen.

The files on the camera's hard drive are easy to transfer, though the included software is nothing more than OK. It won't tempt you to give up your current editing program, whatever it is.

We have a variety of folks using the camera. It's easy enough to operate that our amateurs can pick it up and start shooting, but has enough extra bells and whistles that some of our more proficient volunteers are happy with it, too. All in all, the SDR-H200 has been a great investment.

My only complaints, both small, have to do with design. In order to access the USB port, you have to remove the battery and run the camera on AC power. And while the LED screen is large and bright, I'm just a relic and miss having an optical viewfinder to use.

The 3CCD lens is worth every dollar, and Panasonic makes a QUALITY product! ...even better than SONY!.......2007-05-27

I just purchased a JVC Everio GZMG130 last week, and was so upset by the 1CCD, 1/6", 340 effective pixel, piece of crap lens and camcorder that it was. First off, the colors were awful. As a graphic designer and artist, I am trained in color theory. It's so obvious that this JVC lens wasn't producing a accurate colors. Also, the finished movie files, even at highest quality, are really really grainy. This camcorder was just awful. So anyway, I decided to upgrade. It was between this Panasonic SDR-H200 and the SONY Handycam DCR-SR200. I knew this would be a hard decision, and I had to do my research. Considering it's very hard to find reviews for this Panasonic camcorder, I hope my review will answer any of those questions you're asking yourself. First off, the SONY has a CMOS lens (CCD is slightly better quality than CMOS), but the SONY has a large lens (1/2") so it seems it'd be good for dark shots. WRONG! Panasonic has a 1 LUX rating (meaning the minimum amount of light to get a shot) while the SONY has a 1&1/2 LUX rating... hmmm.... wierd that the Panasonic has a smaller lens but can take in more light. If you're wondering what the deal is about a 3CCD lens, it produces much more accurate colors than a 1CCD or CMOS lens. Each of the 3 filters in the lens filters in the blue, red, and green colors. After trying both the SONY and PANASONIC outdoors and indoors, it was obvious why they say a 3CCD is used for Professional Broadcast. The colors on the Panasonic were just perfect. The auto WHITE BALANCE is great too. No shots are too bright or too dark. The SONY is a 4 mega pixel, and the Panasonic is a 3 mega pixel. The 3CCD's color quality more than just makes up for that missing mega pixel. The color is close to accurate on the SONY's Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, but just not nearly as nice as the Panasonic. Both camcorders have full manual capabilities (shutter speed, aperture, manual focus... etc.). The only difference is that the SONY can do a slower shutter speed manually, but the Panasonic makes up for that with the MagicPIX feature, which slows the shutter speed. You will want a tripod for this feature or else it will probably come out blurry. Obviously this is the same with the SONY. The Panasonic is much nicer to hold and it's only 1 pound heavy. The SONY's battery extrudes from the back and its very awkward to hold. I can't stress enough how amazing the Panasonic's OIS (optical image stabilization) system works. Even at a 10X Optical zoom, and no tripod w/ shaky hands, the OIS gets rid of the shaking very well. The SONY shakes like crazy when zoomed. Not good... The Panasonic also comes with a 512 MB SD card, which allows you to take 3 mega pixel still shots while recording video. The video will save on the 30 GB hard drive, while the photos save on the 512 MB SD card. So cool! The macro mode on the Panasonic is so much nicer than SONY's. You can get closer (by like 20-30 mm) than the SONY and the quality is so gorgeous! There is very little graininess in both camcorders. The only time you'll see it is in low light situations, and the SONY is worse off. To be honest, both camcorders are kind of a pain to connect to the computer. The Panasonic connects through USB and it has to be powered by the AC Adapter (can't use a battery because the AC Adapter and USP port are where the battery goes which is very weird). The SONY is even worse, because it has the station that it has to connect to. Why can't either just be as simple as battery powered and one USB connection? Lastly, the auto and manual focus on the Panasonic is soooo much better than the SONY. For some reason, especially when zoomed, the SONY will take many seconds to adjust focus, while the Panasonic is instantly. The Panasonic has a pretty bright light for close shots, while the SONY only has a flash for still images. You will also really notice the difference between a 3CCD versus a CMOS/1CCD when you're outdoors. The colors from plants, the sky, clouds, soil, etc. are so close to what you see with your own eyes. Like I said earlier, the SONY's colors are not as nice. The only thing I can really notice that makes the SONY better than the Panasonic, is its resolution for the finished movie. It's not better quality for say, it's just a higher resolution. Also, the SONY saves .mpegs to your computer while the Panasonic saves those annoying .mov files. To easily convert the .MOV files to AVI, DVD, or DIVX, use CyberLink PowerDirector. It is so easy to learn and does a great job. Also, it keeps the wide screen ratio. In my opinion, & for the price, the Panasonic SDR-H200 is the best camcorder you can buy. I give it a 9.5/10, while the SONY DCR-SR200 lacks behind with a 8/10. Don't get me wrong, the SONY is a nice camcorder, but for the same price, you should get the 3CCD lens, because it's soooo much nicer. Hope this review helps, and enjoy your new toy!

Panasonic SDR-H200 - No Regrets.......2007-04-14

I took the plunge and bought two of them (One for my brother). My reason for this is:

1. the predominance of editing software available for MPEG2, MPEG4, AVI, etc. as well as the ability to play on practically any regular DVD player. My Aunts, Uncles, relatives and friends do not care for, nor ever will buy a BluRay Player and a 42"+ Panny, although I do (more about that in a sec). Thus sharing compatibility is more important to me than obtaining the latest AVCHD, although I may for other reasons in the future. I know I can down convert but the extra steps, increased price, limited industry supported software (for unconverted .mt2s files), the new h.264 compression standard and the increased horsepower required for PC use are all compelling reasons to stick with SD in the home and for sharing - not only the finished product but also raw footage with others and having zero complications.

I have a 2GB RAM, P4, 3.0 Ghz, etc. laptop but 8 out of every 10 others I know use centrino technology, 1.8 Ghz, 256-512 RAM, etc. which just isn't gonna drive h.264 footage nicely is it. Same goes for desktop setups. Try downloading and watching 720p video from the Windows Media HD Video website if your computer leans more towards the latter to see what I mean. SD footage won't encounter these snags. Once again, I am speaking from the point of view of sharing with the people I know who for the most part will never upgrade to the latest PC / Home theatre (or at least not in the next 5-10 years).

2. USB 2.0 Hi Speed Transferring, i.e. 100 MB files transferred from card/ HDD in about 15 seconds. Editing, Rendering, Authoring is a breeze.

3. I wanted a MEMORY MAKER, not a home movie studio. This unit fits in the palm of your hand (almost bordering on too small) and easily slips into a LowePro camera bag.

4. I have a 32-bit PCMCIA SD/SDHC card reader (not 16) that I bought to replace my laptop 4-in-1 media reader. Standard readers that most people have today on their desk or built in to their laptop will not read the new SDHC cards available at 4GB+ capacities. More mention of this should be made in my opinion. Also, these new cards will not work in older devices that do not support SDHC. The SDR-H200 does support SDHC.

I experimented recording to the card and then transferring footage to my laptop. The 32bit cardBus adapter is 10-16X faster than USB 2.0. It is just awesome. The reason I mention this is because of the 1 major gripe I encountered, Namely...

...Transferring HDD footage requires disconnecting the battery from the unit and connecting a DC cable to it from the AC power adapter. Then USB 2.0 cable out to computer. Sooooooo, this means always needing to be around power instead of just turning on the camera and transferring the HDD footage randomly anywhere. It's not that big of a deal but I like having Zero restrictions ;) So using SDHC cards frees me from that restriction, hence the mention of the 32bit cardBus reader (YES they exist - interfirm - http://www.synchrotech.com/products/media-adapters_01.html)! ***If you follow suit and get this adapter make sure you download and install the correct driver from the website because there's no Windows XP/ Vista substitute that will do it for you like we're used to!!

Another Note - if you transfer files directly from the card they show up as .mod files. Windows media player 11 recognizes them and plays. Other players don't, so you simply change them to .mpg. Sektionschef created a great program that automatically converts multiple .mod files (i.e. all of your stored clips) to the .mpg extension all at once! Very cool. It's called

5. 3CCD over single chip, this unit uses 3CCD RGB, nice. A handy F1.8 for dimly lit environments works pretty good. The 10x optical zoom is very smooth, speed contollable by the amount of pressure used on the toggle switch and there was no focus hunting in Auto mode. The O.I.S. doesn't help much when zoomed in on a subject and you're moving around so staying wider helps unless you're into using tripods. But zooming in fully on a WestJet airplane taking off produced good results.

Another nice feature is the auto fade in and fade out when you start and stop recording. It effectively smooths over those slight but noticeable camera movements that sometimes occur when the record button is pressed non-gently, awkwardly, haphazardly or whatever. This setting can be switched on or off. I like it, but you may not want to use it if you're into utilizing post-editing software because you can't remove an already recorded fade.

Here is a few clips I uploaded you can check out. I recommend downloading and playing the clips on your computer video player over using the website streaming player because the web player compresses the video resolution...

Indoor, Available Light, Auto, Setting = XP (higest SD quality) - Outdoor light is completely overcast.
http://files.filefront.com/MOV007mp...;/fileinfo.html

Outdoor - Auto, Zoom in on airplane, XP, Completely overcast sky
http://files.filefront.com/MOV009mp...;/fileinfo.html

Low Light, Indoor, Coffee Shop, XP Mode, Auto
http://files.filefront.com/MOV002mp...;/fileinfo.html

Finally, does the footage measure up? YES. There is no comparison to watching footage on the laptop as compared to a monitor, TV or Plasma. When I watched it on my laptop I was like hmmmm, oh yeah, that's pretty good. But when I ran my footage from the camera through a Yamaha RX-V2700 Receiver with 1080i/1080p upsacling to a 42" Panasonic Plasma via HDMI I was blown away! You will be extremely PLEASED if you run your footage through a home theatre HDMI setup. The same goes for a DVD disc.

I also tried S-Video out directly to TV with included AV cables (no HDMI/ no receiver) and I would still rate the footage as GREAT. Fortunately, you can do this running on straight battery power and a remote control is included! I also ran it through my 23" Samsung LCD HDTV computer monitor and... you guessed it, great. In all cases the picture turns out to be very crisp, clean and vibrant.

So although I love the new HiDef footage, etc. I took my chances in sticking with SD for home video purposes and am more than pleased. No regrets. The unit shoots in 16:9 or 4:3 and has no problem saturating my entire 42" screen. Even my mother who is expecting plenty of baby footage from my brother was more than impressed and could tell that it was a quality pic.

So, if you are looking for a memory maker and anticipate bringing it along on trips or to the ball game or whatever you'll be happy to own this unit.

The menu is simple and clean, and you can easily switch from recording to HDD/ SD/ SDHC card at the push of a button. There is plenty of manual settings you can tinker with but auto mode does the trick nicely.

It is simple, handy and fun which is exactly what I wanted. This unit delivered that. 4 out of 5 stars for not being able to transfer HDD footage to computer without power adapter (but to its credit, the adapter is conveniently small). Since it also holds 7 hours of highest quality footage this shouldn't be too much of a bother unless you're a frequent downloader. I peronally will buy an 8GB SDHC card (110 minutes) off of eBay and leave it in the unit so that I'll have options baby :)

The unit comes with ImageMixer editing software and is very easy to use and import your video with directly from the camera - it's a good added value piece of software.

This is my first review here and always appreciate when others have taken the time to share their experience with new products that I'm interested in buying too. I hope my taking the plunge this time helps. Enjoy!

One more thing... READ the manual you lazies, there are things you should and need to know.

P.S. It takes decent one push 2MP still photographs too in a pinch (not outstanding but not too bad - it's nice knowing that it's there if necessary)! You can find a still I posted here...
http://www.pana3ccduser.com/showthread.php?t=14208&page=4&pp=10

Bruce

Panasonic PV-GS85 MiniDV Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Average customer rating:

Easy to use, great image stabilization, snapshots on the fly
Panasonic Pv-GS85
Great so far
Nice entry level - one surprise, and one decision
Awesome camcorder

Panasonic PV-GS85 MiniDV Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Product Features:

Features 32x optical zoom
Pure Color Engine
Large 2.7-inch widescreen LCD
One-Touch Navigation for easy, intuitive setting and shooting
Use an SD/SDHC Memory Card to transfer image easily

ASIN: B000M4GT68

Product Description

When you carry the tiny Panasonic PV-GS80 Palmcorder Camcorder with you, you'll capture every unique moment on film. This amazingly small and sharp digital camcorder gives you clear, sharp, stable photos and video. The optical image stabilizer and 32x optical zoom ensure you always get the best shot. Record to your MiniDV tape or store images to an SD Card with the built-in slot. Professional tools like a noise reducing microphone, low-light shooting (with MagicPix) and white balancing make this little camcorder competitive with bigger models. When you see how compact it is, you'll wonder why you bought anything else. It's the Palmcorder that does it all. 16 - 9 Wide Mode recording Digital Zoom - 32x - 1,000x Records to MiniDV tape or SD Card Stereo Zoom Mic with wind noise reduction Backlight compensation Functions as a webcam White Balance - Auto/Indoor/Outdoor/Manual Minimum Illumination - 2 Lux (with MagicPix) Manual Focus Ring Soft-Skin Mode Date Recording Recording Modes - SP/LP Still Picture Size - 640 x 480 (4 - 3), 640 x 360 (16 - 9) DPOF - Max. 999 stills USB 2.0 connection Languages - English / French / Spanish Mini DV in/out Accessory Shoe - Cold Dimensions(HxWxD) - 3.09 x 2.86 x 5.36 Weight - 1 lb.

Customer Reviews:

Easy to use, great image stabilization, snapshots on the fly.......2007-06-10

I was looking at buying this camcorder or the comparable Sony. I am so glad I went with the PV-GS85. The OPTICAL IMAGE STABILIZATION IS KEY! This little piece of tech keeps your videos nice a stable even when you are zoomed way in. The SD card slot is a hidden gem. It is so easy to hit the snapshot button while recording and get some great (although low resolution 640x480) shots WHILE you are recording. The only downside is that it cannot record in very low light conditions like the Sony can. The PV-GS85 does not have the capability to see infrared very well like the Sony can. One day I will probably be annoyed by not having this feature, but it hasn't been an issue yet. Overall, the optical image stabilization far outweighs the NightShot technology... unless you are going to recreate Blair Witch or something like that!

Panasonic Pv-GS85.......2007-05-24

this product is great,the zooming is amazing this neat compact camera is great, I have just got my panasonic PV-GS85 for my son graduation, it only came yesterday I have gone through some of the features but for what i am seeing man this camera is cute, focus is amazing nighttime seeing great still pictures magnificent daylight great, that zooming, seeing the subject from far away so near.

I will test more and write more review on it.
Ps just haded to share my excitement on this sweet panasonic camcorder.
or by the way my son graduation is in June, will test more on sound and video.

Great so far.......2007-05-12

Great picture quality, better than I expected indoors. Had to buy a tripod to record son's soccer game (my hand was too shaky when trying to zoom, and it's kind of fatiguing to hold a camera up the entire game!) With the tripod the zoom quality is very good, great stability. Obviously an entry-level camera but I think it will be perfect for the occasional user like me.

One problem: I bought this particular camera because I thought I could transfer video to my computer over USB -- not true! The USB cable can be used in order to use the camera as a webcam, or to transfer still images. You need to use a firewire cable (not included, just like all of these cameras) to transfer video. My laptop does not have a firewire port -- but I am purchasing a new desktop soon so I'm not going to mess with trying to get my laptop updated.

By the way, the still images in outdoor lighting are actually pretty good (better than a cell phone camera) -- although my expectations were very low. I didn't care about having the ability to take pics but now I'm glad I have it.

Despite the problem mentioned, I give it 5 stars because of the good video quality and utility of the zoom for a very good price. Good luck in your search!

Nice entry level - one surprise, and one decision.......2007-05-01

I just bought this camcorder. My older Sony miniDv finally died. And needed a cheap one quick. You can't really get the old Gen of Canon ZR500 etc. (wihch were the best cheap ones) So I went with this.

Still not sure having the SD card and light make it worth $XX more than the 80.
Some comments
1. I WAS SHOCKED - to get to the FireWire or USB you HAVE TO REMOVE BATTERY and use the electricity- stupidist thng I have seen
2. Stills can only be 640*480 wihch is REALLY quite low-
3. BUT you get a 32X optical zoom which is really cool with stills
4. You can NOT make video clips for the SD card just stills
5. Gives a lot of manual control
6. Light is good only for 1 meter of so

Overall a good camera nice quality. If Idea is to go chepa look carefully at delta between this and 80.

Awesome camcorder.......2007-03-26

This is my first camcorder and I am very pleased with it. I had thought about purchasing a DVD or HD based camcorder, but stuck with the time tested mini-dv version. This one is great. The video looks good, the zoom is cool and the stabilization works like a charm. The only complaint is the packaged battery. I purchased the one that lasts 6 hours long to compensate for the short battery life one it came with.

Panasonic VDR-D230 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Average customer rating:

Very good camera
Finalization - a painful process
Don't buy the Memorex mini DVD RW in the combo offer

Panasonic VDR-D230 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom (Black)

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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8CM Write-once DVD-R Removable Disc for DVD Camcorders
Sony 3" Rewritable DVD+RW for Camcorders - 3pk

Accessories:

Lowepro Edit 110 Camcorder Bag
NoMEM Li-Ion Camcorder Battery
Lenmar LIP-21 Equivalent Rechargeable Battery
3-Year Extended Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $201-$500 - Repair
Mach 1® "alpha" Speed Charger for 3.6-7.4V Li-ion Camcorder and Digital Camera Batteries

Product Features:

DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R DL, DVD-R compatible
32x optical zoom; O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer)
Large 2.7-inch widescreen LCD
One-Touch Navigation for easy, intuitive setting and shooting
Use an SD/SDHC memory card to transfer image easily

ASIN: B000M4M48A
Release Date: 2007-02-15

Product Description

32x Optical Zoom / Built-in SD Slot / Records to 8cm DVD Disc / LED Light Bulb / USB / 4:3 Standard and 16:9 Widescreen Record Modes / 2.7" LCD

Customer Reviews:

Very good camera.......2007-06-02

Product is very easy to use with a good manual included and movie pictures are very clear especilally when made in daylight. Zooming option is excellent but a bit difficult to control when maximized. Camera option to use light at night improves picture quality significantly. However, not all discs are compatible with this camera. Can't use Sony DVD-R and Sony DVD+RW dsics for handycams. Was successful so far with Maxwell DVD-R discs for camcorders.Info which discs to be used is lacking when purchasing this camera.

Finalization - a painful process.......2007-05-23

I don't have too much complaints about DVD camcorder initially. I thought it's a good idea to directly get things done. But after playing it a while I got big concerns with DVD camcorders. For DVD-R/RW materials, this camcorder requires you to finalize the DVD which takes "MINUTES" to finish. After that you can view it on DVD player. I accidently move the DVD-R to play in a external player without finalization. The result is this disc got damaged(can not be finalized) and I can only view it in the camcorder. This is a very painful experience. What if this is your treasure? I think this is going to happen when you have several kids. They'll sure to mess up someday. I don't know what the hell can I do to get videos out from the disc to computer. Its software is not capable of getting things out of the disc either(why the camcorder can?). Since I only got it for a day, I'll return it to B&H.
It seems DVD format(a bad IEEE product) is very painful to deal with even with the DVD camcorder. I really miss the tape camcorders. I think HDD camcorder should be much easier than DVD camcorders. I really feel sad about those competation about different DVD formats, DVD-r/rw, dvd-ram, dvd+r/rw. Why manufactures can not get a agreement to make things easier?

I tried DVD-RAM which doesn't need finalization. It's a good alternative. I got Panasonic 3pack for $7.99 at Fry's today. You'll need to burn the content to another DVD-R/RW for viewing in a DVD player(sony player support DVD-RAM format). Though Hard Disk camcorders can serve in this way better.

Finally I returned this unit to B&H for the reason of Date&Time stamp not working on external DVD player and PC player. Called Pana tech support and knew that the Date & Time is not phsically recorded. In order to play it back you'll need to play it back in the camcorder currently. My DVD player and powerDVD software can't support it.

In summary: I returned it for the following reasons:
1. Date & Time stamp can't be played back on external DVD player and powerDVD software.
2. For DVD-R/RW, it requires a process "Finalization" to be able to play on DVD player.
3. The DC power in is under the battery pack. Which means you have to detach the battery pack to be able to use the DC. There are many cases that the camcorder refuse to work without external DC.
4. The resolution is good, but the color is really blank. Don't like it as well.

Hope my experience is helpful to someone. I'm going to try Canon ZR-700(cheap miniDV). Hope it can work out for me.

Don't buy the Memorex mini DVD RW in the combo offer.......2007-03-28

Do not buy the Memorex mini DVD RW pack with this Panasonic camcorder. They're incompatible.

Panasonic VDR-D210 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Average customer rating:

Panasonic VDR-D210 DVD Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Apple 80 GB iPod video Black (5.5 Generation)

Accessories:

Lowepro Edit 110 Camcorder Bag
NoMEM Li-Ion Camcorder Battery
Lenmar LIP-21 Equivalent Rechargeable Battery
3-Year Extended Service Plan - Covers Electronic Items $201-$500 - Repair
Mach 1® "alpha" Speed Charger for 3.6-7.4V Li-ion Camcorder and Digital Camera Batteries

Product Features:

DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R DL, and DVD-R compatible
Features 32x optical zoom
Pure Color Engine; MPEG2 engine
Large 2.7-inch widescreen LCD
One-Touch Navigation for easy, intuitive setting and shooting

ASIN: B000M4KBBC

Product Description

Forget about tapes. Panasonic VDRD-210 DVD Camcorder records directly on 8cm DVD formats which can be played on virtually any DVD player. You can even insert it into your computer's DVD drive for easy transfer into your PC for editing, enhancement, and sharing on the Internet or email, Got a new widescreen TV? The VDR-D210 recorrds in both 4:3 standard and 16:9 widescreen modes. Images are naturally preserved. The stereo microphone on the VDR-D210 features a zoom funtion that focuses the sound as you zoom the lens onto a desired subject for clear, realistic audio quality. This model incorporates Soft-Skin Mode for more faithful skin tones. Be it for home or travel, this compact camcorder offers value and features that make it easy to own, use, and enjoy. Optical Image Stabilizer (O.I.S.) Minimum Illumination - 2 Lux (Magic Pix) Manual Focus Ring Image Sensor (Effective) - 4 - 3 -- 340K x 3, 16 - 9 -- 460K x 3 / CCD = 680,000 pixels Aperture - F1.8 (Wide), F3.7 (Tele) White Balance - Auto, Indoor, Outdoor, Manual High Speed Shutter - 1/60 - 1/8000 Second (Moving Picture) Iris - AutoFocus/Manual Backlight Compensation Electronic Viewfinder (EVF) - 0.33 Wide (113 Pixels), Color Soft-Skin Mode MagicPix Images Stereo Zoom Microphone with Wind Noise Reduction Date Recording - Auto Date (in Date Code) Shoot in Standard Mode 4 - 3 or in Wide Mode 16 - 9 On-Screen Display Languages - English, French, Spanish Uses these DVD Discs - 8cm DVD-RAM Ver. 2.1, 8cm DVD-R, 8cm DVD-RW, DVD-R for DL Ver. 3.0 Cue and Review - Forward/Reverse Skip - Forward/Reverse Recording Mode - XP, SP, LP Unit Dimensions - 3.76 W x 3.36 H x 5.96 D; Weight - 1.078 lbs.

Panasonic Pro AG-HSC1U AVCHD 3CCD Flash Memory Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom

Average customer rating:

This cam should come with a warning label.

Panasonic Pro AG-HSC1U AVCHD 3CCD Flash Memory Camcorder with 12x Optical Zoom

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Tiffen 43MM UV Protector Filter
Tiffen 43mm Photo Essentials Filter Kit
Panasonic Pro AG-LW4307 Wide Angle Lens Adaptor 7x for AG-DVC7/30/60 Camcorders
Adorama 43mm Circular Polarizer Glass Filter
Lowepro Edit 120 Camcorder Carry Bag with Shoulder Strap

Product Features:

Record HD video direct to SDHC cards; up to 1 hour on a 4 GB SDHC card
3CCD system delivers improved color, detail, and gradation
Leica Dicomar lens with 12x optical zoom; built-in O.I.S.
5.1-channel audio recording; Zoom mic function adjusts audio to match camcorder movement
Includes 40 GB portable hard disk drive and 4 GB SDHC memory card

ASIN: B000NAW2PS

Product Description

Included Accessories: Panasonic AG-HSC1U Camera, 4GB SD card, AC adaptor, power & DC cables, A/V cable, battery, wireless remote, USB cable and software CD-ROM.

Panasonic's AG-HSC1U PROLINE Camcorder is the world's smallest, lightest 3 Chip HD Camcorder around. This little Palmcorder has all kinds of professional features. On board is a three inch Widescreen (16:9) LCD monitor. It can capture 2.1 megapixel 16:9 still pictures, even during video recording. The AG-HSC1U comes standard with a portable 40GB media storage unit for off-loading content from the 4GB SDHC memory card. A 12X Leica Dicomar lens captures vibrant, accurate color and minimizes harmful reflections -- making images crisp, clear and free of flare and ghosting. It also provides slow, smooth zooms for remarkably professional playback. Audio is recorded to 5.1 channels, immersing you in sound and bringing you into the action. A Zoom Mic zoom in and record the sounds related to your shot's main subject. The lightweight, imaginative design makes it easy to carry and use anywhere - even mounted on a helmet, robot or a small animal! Use your imagination; the possibilities are endless. Faster record startup. (only 1.7 seconds from the time the monitor is opened) Record high quality widescreen still images (even during video recording) Fast, accurate Auto Focus (Manual Focus as well) No noise from a tape or disc transport to get into the on board microphone 5.1 channel surround sound audio recording with 5 microphones on board (Dolby AC-3) Super directivity Zoom Mic function. 2 channel external Mic input (3.5mm phone plug) 3 widescreen LCD side screen, Digital Zoom Off, 1-30X, 1-700X Uses the latest MP4 compression scheme (MPEG-4 AVC/H.264) Five program AE modes in manual mode, Fades to Black or White with Audio Fade Three modes of Audio - Auto / Manual / Manual + AGC audio levels Directional keys make it easy to navigate

Customer Reviews:

This cam should come with a warning label........2007-06-13

Record all you want just don't try to edit any of the video. The color saturation is excellent unless backlit in which case everything washes out. The focus is very good. Any motion creates a slight staccato like vibration in the picture which I believe is coming from the internal camera stabilization device. I would love to demonstrate all of the above, but my final cut studio based edit bay does not support AVCHD. There is the possibility of going out from the HDMI port with a lot of ifs, if you have a tower that supports the capture cards that support HDMI. Since I don't have any of those, my most excellent footage of exotic wildlife from Costa Rica will live inside the camera.

Panasonic PV-GS35 MiniDV Camcorder w/30x Optical Zoom

Average customer rating:

Great camera but with a serious defect
Good camera, bad product support
Poor Performance, Warranty a joke
I think it was a good purchase for the price
Buy the Canon if Low Light is your Need

Panasonic PV-GS35 MiniDV Camcorder w/30x Optical Zoom

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Samsonite Worldproof 4.2 Blue/Black Intermediate Camcorder Bag
Panasonic MiniDV Tapes (Pack of 5)
Panasonic Lithium Ion 4-Hr & 30-Min 1360mAh Battery for PV-GS19, GS31, GS35, GS65, GS150 & GS250 Camcorders
Panasonic Lithium Ion 2-Hr & 15-Min 680mAh Battery for PV-GS19, GS31, GS35, GS65, GS150 & GS250 Camcorders
Panasonic CGA-DU12A/1B Rechargable Battery for most Panasonic Camcorders

Accessories:

Samsonite Worldproof 4.2 Blue/Black Intermediate Camcorder Bag
Samsonite Journey Camcorder Bag for Most Camcorders
Panasonic MiniDV Tapes (Pack of 5)
Lenmar Equivalent to Panasonic CGA-S002 Camcorder/Digital Camera Battery
Panasonic Lithium Ion 2-Hr & 15-Min 680mAh Battery for PV-GS19, GS31, GS35, GS65, GS150 & GS250 Camcorders

Product Features:

1/6-inch CCD imager with 680K resolution
MiniDV recording format offers up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution
30x optical zoom with digital image stabilization
2.5-inch diagonal LCD
MagicPix feature enhances images shot in low light

ASIN: B0007QN874

Product Description

Includes: AC adapter, battery pack, shoulder strap, AV cable (RCA-Multi), USB cable, IR Remote, & lens cap. The Panasonic PV-GS35 creates the most vivid, true-to-life pictures with a remarkable degree of depth and presence. The 30x optical and 1000x digital zoom deliver high-quality digital still and moving images for novices and professionals alike. Electronic Image Stabilization(EIS) provides you with perfect pictures and video. Soft Skin Detail creates a realistic skin tone Records to SD card Digital Still Image Capture - JPEG 640x480 Web Camera Function Hi-Speed USB 2.0 port MiniDV output Unit Dimensions - 2.5 (h) x 3.25 (w) x 4.5 (d) Unit Weight - 0.90 lbs.

Customer Reviews:

Great camera but with a serious defect.......2006-07-18

For the price the picture is certainy great.

An earlier reviewer had written about a problem with the tape getting tangled. One solution would be to record to the PC directly. As it is quite impossible to decipher the instructions from the manual I will briefly describe the procedure. Hook up the camera to the PC using the USB cable. Then start MotionDV Studio (which comes with the camera). Hit the play button, twice if necessary. What the camera sees should appear in the MotionDV window. Next click Capture and it will start recording directly to your PC, neat!

One serious defect of the camera is that if you use the microphone jack, it records only to the left channel!!! I tested a couple of cameras and they both have the same defect. I wrote to Panasonic, but no reply. I had to extract the video track from the AVI using VirtualDub, then convert to mono and back to stereo using Soliton and finally adding it back again using VirtualDub.

Good camera, bad product support.......2006-07-12

I've had this camcorder now for 6 months and it shoots great video. If you are looking for something for family type use it is perfect for that. The zoom is very nice and the image stabilization feature makes a huge difference.

My only problem with this camera is the product support that Panasonic provides. I was able to successfully load two full tapes onto my computer before it simply doesn't recognize that the camcorder is even plugged in now. Panasonic doesn't offer a video driver for this model on their website so for now I am stuck recording to tapes and just storing them until I can find a fix.

Other than that, I would recommend this camera for those looking to capture family type events.

Poor Performance, Warranty a joke.......2006-06-01

I bought this camera 7 months ago and used it only rarely. (My total recording time was less than 2 hrs.)

This week I opened the camera to find out that it is dead. No display, nothing. Called the customer service and they asked me to ship the camera to their Camera Repair company. And the fee for that service: 161.5 Dollars. This is a flat fee according to them, no matter what happens to the camera.

I had a Sony 8mm camera for last 8 years and it still works fine. I am going to buy a Sony camera instead of wasting so much money on repair.

I think it was a good purchase for the price.......2006-03-28

I like the camera very much... it serves my purpose.. It was hard to find a camera in my price range that had an external microphone connection... that was a priority... The light is amazing... picture quality good.... not too please with the stability option... when you move the camera around.. like walking while filming... not very good quality... if I had to buy it again.. I would.

Buy the Canon if Low Light is your Need.......2006-03-25

I bought this item and tested in low light against an old 8mm camcorder. It was terrible. I returned this and purchased the Canon Elura 70 (older version of the elura 90). The Canon is much better - no comparison.

Panasonic SVAV10 MPEG4 e-Wear Digital Camcorder w/ Still Mode/MP3/Voice Recording & 64MB SC Card (Silver)

Average customer rating:

This camera is good depending on what you want it for...
Not worth the $ if you're doing more with your camera later
Not professional, but not that bad either
cool camera
An ok gadget for the techphile, definitely needs zoom

Panasonic SVAV10 MPEG4 e-Wear Digital Camcorder w/ Still Mode/MP3/Voice Recording & 64MB SC Card (Silver)

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Viking 64 MB Secure Digital Card (SD64M)
SimpleTech STI-SD/64 64MB SecureDigital Card (SD Card)
SanDisk SDSDB-128-A10 Secure Digital 128MB (Retail Package)
Viking 256 MB Secure Digital Flash Card (SD256M)
Adobe Photoshop Album

Product Features:

MPEG4 recorder
Fixed-focus lens
2-inch color LCD
Records both digital stills and voice onto the included 64 MB SD card
Plays back MP3 and AAC files

ASIN: B0000643XU

Product Description

Panasonic's e-wear line of tiny, wearable music players started a sensation. Packed with even more technology, the unique e-wear players add multi-media recording and playback capabilities... and more fun than you can imagine.All this, from wearable units that fit in the palm of your hand, or around your neck, or strapped to your arm - thanks to the super portability and huge data capacity of the SD Memory Card.The amazing SV-AV10 heads up the new e-wear line. It's a 4-in-1 A/V SD recorder and player with a flip-out, 2-inch LCD screen. Of course, this versatile e-wear unit can play back MP3 and AAC audio. It can also record and play back MPEG-4 video and digital still photos, chronicling the action as it happens. It even has a built-in flash. And, it can also function as a voice recorder, to capture and play back quotes, lectures, or just your friend's jokes. Incredibly, the unit's footprint is smaller than a business card. Weighing less than 3.5 ounces (without battery), this unique device is always ready-to-wear and primed to party.The SV-AV10 e-wear A/V recorder/player can hold approximately 30 minutes of MPEG-4 video, or about 880 JPEG images, in the standard mode (QCIF, 200kps) on an included 64MB SD Memory Card.

Amazon.com Review

The Panasonic SV-AV10 is one of the many new convergence devices on the market today. This particular device captures digital stills, shoots MPEG-4 movies, acts as a voice recorder, and plays back MP3 and AAC files. Plus, the machine itself is about the same size as a Motorola StarTac cell phone. The package includes various software to support the multiple functions, an SD card reader-writer, and 64 MB SD card.

Initial Impressions
Small. This thing is just small. Really small. It's the first thing people mention when they see it for the first time. Cute is usually the second word applied. And it's both of those things. It fits easily in small hands, and I was using it to make a quick movie and shoot some stills within minutes of picking it up.

Interface
The SV-AV10 is essentially a big battery with a lens and SD card reader-writer. As such, the control system is rather limited, consisting of two buttons and a rocker switch on the back, and a large trigger button on the top. On the back, the menu button doubles as the power button. The power won't turn on or off unless you hold the button for two to three seconds, making it hard to accidentally turn on the phone while it is in your pocket. Upon powering up, you're confronted with the various modes (movie mode, still mode, etc.) for recording or playback. You use the rocker switch to choose between them, and the mode button to switch between the playback and recording menus. Whatever recording mode you're in, the trigger switch at the top starts and stops. In playback modes, you rely heavily on the rocker switch. Depressing the switch performs multiple functions, and makes me wish they'd added another button. The system works well for the most part, however, and is relatively simple.

It's clear that Panasonic intended the user to manage files by using the included software and memory card reader. It is extremely difficult to delete individual files, and to actually playback items is a bit cumbersome, as the SV-AV10 only displays a list of files stored, requiring you to pick blindly (file names are automatically generated, and usually appear similar to this: MOL001.ASF). The only exceptions are the MP3 and AAC files you transfer to the memory card, but those file names are truncated after 17 characters, so you need to be concise.

Movie Mode
I'll admit, I was quite excited about the promise of an MPEG-4 in such a small package. This new codec stuffs really large video files into exceedingly small spaces, and is being used by entertainment companies to provide new video-on-demand services over the Internet. And, the codec is so efficient that even in the "fine" mode, you can store about 20 minutes of footage on the included 64 MB SD card. Unfortunately, the footage you get from the SV-AV10 is jerky: the frame-rate is probably about 15 fps, far short of the 24 fps that movies are shot at, or television's 29.9 fps. What it is good for, though, is sending e-mails to friends, and making little mini-movies for fun. I'd hoped for a little more than this, as Kodak's MC3 supplied as much a year earlier (with a smoother frame rate). Similar to the MC3, you can shoot until the card is full (about 20 minutes with the included 64 MB card), whereas most digital camera movie modes have a 30 or 40 second time limit per clip.

Frame-rate limitations aside, the SV-AV10 is a fun toy. There's a certain amount of kitsch value with something like this, but the price might end up being too prohibitive for some.

MP3 Playback
There's not a whole lot to discuss here. Once you've used the included software (RealJukebox) to transfer files to your SD card--digital-rights management is in effect, so you need to check music in and out--you place the card back in the SV-AV10, go to the MP3 playback mode and go. There's no EQ, and the headphones that come with the machine are of the cheap earbud variety, which means you'll probably want to use a better set. Obviously, the machine's not geared toward audiophiles, but it performs its functions admirably.

Digital Photo Mode
The SV-AV10 is fine for taking lower-resolution snapshots. In that respect, it's kind of fun to use. The lack of any sort of zoom hurts you here; you'll have to get in close for most shots. Once you turn the flash on, you'll blow out most of your subjects, so use it sparingly.

Software
I was disappointed in the software that came with the SV-AV10. RealJukebox was fine, albeit not the most current version, and I was happy with how it worked. It was the Panasonic SD-MovieStage software that gave me nightmares. The software was good for pretty much one thing: viewing your movies on a computer. Trying to do anything else was problematic, and extraordinarily difficult to figure out, even with the manual's help. It's not particularly adept at making cuts, or editing together various movies, but then, I'm not sure most people will want to do that with this particular machine.

Final Analysis
The Panasonic SV-AV10 is a unique device with a lot of appeal for those who need a camera that does a lot of things. While it isn't a high-end digital camera, MPEG camcorder, or MP3 player, all the functions are performed adequately or better. The one thing you'll want, particularly if you have an interest in MP3 playback, is extra memory: high-quality MP3s eat up your memory quickly.

Customer Reviews:

This camera is good depending on what you want it for..........2004-07-22

I carry this camera everywhere. I bought mine when it was still pretty new and I didn't really know much about other cameras.

The size is definitely convenient. As a few other people said, it definitely impresses people because of it's size and design.

I was also impressed with the sound recording, but the quality of the pictures and video isn't at all near great.

If you care about picture quality, DO NOT get this camera. For the same amount or a little more, you can definitely get something better.

I've owned mine for a while and the screen has developed two little black dots in it, and I've never done anything to it to cause it. I've also noticed that some images seem to be domed or curved. The flash also will wash anything out if it is too close, and not help that much at all if the subject is sort of far.

If you just want it for random snapshots, I think you could definitely find a different cool, small camera that has the same calibur resolution for possibly for less.

Not worth the $ if you're doing more with your camera later.......2004-01-05

This camera may look ultra cool, but believe me, it's not. Unless you don't care much for how your picture quality is, then this camera may be ok, but if you do or eventually will, you are better off getting a better quality camera.

There aren't many options for your pictures that you're taking meaning you can't change the lighting effect (inside, outside, cloudy, snow, night, etc), size, picture type (black & white, etc) or many of the other things that you can on other cameras. I found that when pictures were loaded onto the computer, they looked grainy and dull, and if you used the flash, that also seemed to ruin the effect of the picture. There is also no zoom which is one thing I forgot to check out when purchasing this camera. I was not happy with this camera at all after a couple months when I needed better quality photos.

The video recorder of the camera was also a disappointment to me. The recording was very choppy and colors again were poor. On the bright side, it recorded the sound well.

I had no problem with the MP3 player or audio recorder, they both worked fine and were the quality that one would expect.

I now own a Sony Cyber-Shot camera which I am VERY pleased with. Basically you really need to think about what type of pictures you will be taking with your camera and if you want them to be the best quality possible, or if it simply doesn't matter to you to decide if you will be happy with this camera.

Not professional, but not that bad either.......2003-12-10

Ok, it may not take pictures/movies like professional digital cameras can, but it's still a good camera if you looking for something to do for fun. It's small enough to carry in your pocket, you can operate it on the fly when you need to, so its pretty reliable there. You have to mess around with the software a bit, and experiment with the camera a bit too but once you get the gist of how it works, you wont regret buying it. However, this camera is NOT worth paying full price for($200-$400). I bought a used one at Circuit City for only $125, I've had it for about a year and it still works great!

cool camera.......2003-07-15

this camera is awsome i love it my dad bout it for me so i didnt have to use his and i love it . I can take digital still pics and take videos of cool stuf tht happens . And also listen to mp3s and also take voice recordings.

An ok gadget for the techphile, definitely needs zoom.......2003-07-05

I bought this gadget for it's many functions although I mostly used it to take video and pictures, sometimes record audio. I really did like it, but after a while I couldn't justify the cost versus the quality... The video quality was ok, about what you get with a medium resolution avi file, but nowhere close to divx quality. Picture resolution at 640x480 was decent, but you'd definitely want better if you want quality pictures. Sound recording was good, but I could only playback on the unit. With SD cards you don't have to worry about memory. My main gripe about this gadget though is the absence of a zoom. I was using it one time when a friend asked me if it had a zoom feature. I told him "this is the zoom" and ran up closer to the subject. If Panasonic added a zoom feature I would definitely recommend it, but overall it doesn't excel in any area. You're probably better off picking up a megapixel digital camera that also takes video.

Panasonic PVGS50S MiniDV Ultra Compact Digital Palmcorder (Silver)

Average customer rating:

Small package and small performance
Great Camera
Very nice...however......
Really slick

Panasonic PVGS50S MiniDV Ultra Compact Digital Palmcorder (Silver)

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Product Features:

MiniDV camcorder with 10x optical and 700x digital zoom with electronic image stabilization
680K pixel resolution
2.5-inch color, swivel LCD, cinema mode, MPEG4 video
Saves digital stills to SD memory card; 8 MB card included
Connects to PCs and Macs via Firewire (IEEE1394); USB transfer for stills

ASIN: B00008RUER

Product Description

Panasonic's vision of the digital future is driven by the needs and aspirations of its business customers and millions of consumers around the world who use its products every day. The company shares their dream to live a fuller life by providing ways of working smarter and enjoying the rewards of technological advances.PV-GS50 is an Ultra-Compact Digital Palmcorder MultiCam Camcorder with 2.5" Color LCD Monitor.

Amazon.com Product Description

The stylish, ultracompact Panasonic PVGS50S offers advanced features, including digital still photo capability, image stabilization, and the ability to create MPEG-4 video clips. The PVGS50S offers a 680K CCD, 10x optical zoom, 700x digital zoom, and 2.5-inch color LCD.

Optics
The PVGS50S is equipped with a 680,000-pixel CCD and 10x optical zoom It also features a 700x digital zoom that allows you to zoom in on incredible close-ups.

Digital Stills and MPEG4 Video
The PhotoShot built-in digital still mode is capable of capturing crystal-clear still images at high resolution. It has a high speed shutter when taking photos and can even take progressive phots which can be saved onto the MiniDV tape or to the included 8 MB SD memory card. You can also record MPEG4 video, which uses a higher compression setting and is great for posting to a Web site or e-mailing to friends and family.

Still images and MPEG4 video are stored on the included 8 MB Secure Digital (SD) memory card, and can be transferred to your PC via USB connectivity (compatible with both USB 1.1 and 2.0).

More Features
The picture-in-picture feature allows you to insert a previously taken digital still image into the video that is being recorded, to enhance the aesthetics of the final cut of the video. The cinema mode enables you to record video in wide screen mode, giving you a 16:9 aspect ratio that's the same as a movie screen. When played back on a television the result is dramatic looking cinema-like movies at home.

Other features include:

2.5-inch tiltable LCD screen.
External microphone jacks allow for professional sound recording.
Remote control features include playback with special effects, zoom, and slow motion.

Inputs and Outputs
The PVGS50S comes with the standard DV IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire; Panasonic refers to this connection as iLink) for a super-fast, lossless connection to a PC or other DV machines.

MiniDV Format
MiniDV is the preferred format for personal and broadcast-quality video, highly regarded for its high audio and image quality. With 540 lines of horizontal resolution and minimum color noise, MiniDV delivers a 20 percent clearer picture than analog camcorder formats. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of 2 full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.

Contents
This package includes the PVGS50S camcorder, 8 MB SD memory card, AC adapter, battery pack, shoulder strap, A/V cable, USB cable, wireless remote control, wired remote control, lens cap, and software.

Customer Reviews:

Small package and small performance.......2004-09-09

This camera specs well and packs a lot of features. Using the features can be difficult and in some cases, too easy. On several occassions, I have hit the photo button while trying to find the zoom button. The IEEE 1394 (firewire) port failed. While mounted on my tripod, you cannot replace the battery. The battery release is on the bottom of the camera which is obstructed by the tripod. The sound quality is marginal. I am being generous with a three star rating. If you plan to use the camera frequently, invest time understanding your objectives and match the capabilities of the camera. This camera is small and awkward for me to use. I was happy to receive it as a gift but would not have purchased it for myself.

Great Camera.......2004-02-16

This Panasonic DV camcorder is a solid performer and a great value. I've been using it for several months, and it hasn't let me down at all. Battery life is good, picture quality is great, and audio quality is acceptable.

The basic features of this camera are intuitive and easy to use. You can have it out of the box and recording in no time (after you charge the battery). Video quality is high, and playback on the LCD screen is easy and watchable. It comes with nearly every imaginable cable, so you can hook it to whatever you want. However, I highly recommend a firewire (IEEE 1394) card for capturing video to a PC. I've used Pinnacle Studio software flawlessly with this camera, and produced very high quality results.

This camera is chock full of features. To be honest, I haven't used many of them, not yet having learned how. The instruction manual is 102 pages long, and you'll every last page if you're going to exploit all the features of this camera. However, it's not necessary to do so to get your money's worth. One note: still picture quality won't match that of a good regular digital camera, so I wouldn't recommend using it for that purpose, although it comes equipped with an SD card slot that enables the capture of stills.

This is a small, lightweight camera that will just barely fit in your hand. It'll go everywhere without being a burden. It's worked great for me, and I can highly recommend it. Enjoy.

Very nice...however.............2003-12-08

I love the camera for the purpose of recording those unforgettable moments, but when using to take digital photos....it's not so good. The pictures have a very low resolution and when the photos are printed (from both photo center and my home printer) they look like a computer screen picture. Even with the light feature on, they aren't very nice printed.

Really slick.......2003-07-30

This is a great camcorder and a great buy. It's tiny, full-featured, and well designed with the usual Panasonic attention to ergonomics and practicality. The battery life is extraordinary for a battery this size. On the downside, the digital photo mode has fairly low resolution, but remember that any camcorder you're using as a digital camera will NOT have a flash, and that's very limiting anyway. So don't buy this (or any camcorder) to be an all-in-1 device or you'll be disappointed. On the plus side, the ability to record MPEG-4 video to either the DV tape or the SD card is great, although it will be an *.asf file and not .mpg (and no, you can't easily convert), so your file sharing may be limited. You'll likely prefer to record in regular mode instead and then capture it on your PC (via firewire) and save it to mpg. Overall a very impressive camcorder and a good operating manual, although you won't even need it to do the basics. And that's rare these days! Well done, Panasonic.

PANASONIC VDR-M95 DVD-RAM -R DIGA Palmcorder Digital Camcorder

Average customer rating:

PANASONIC VDR-M95 DVD-RAM -R DIGA Palmcorder Digital Camcorder

Manufacturer: Panasonic
ProductGroup: Photography
Binding: Electronics

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Product Features:

2.1 megapixels - 10x optical zoom - 2.5 inch screen - Digital image stabilization - Dolby Digital - SD card slot - USB!

ASIN: B0009XZ0AI

Product Description

Video Records on DVD-RAM and DVD-R Media / 10x Optical Zoom / 2.1 Megapixel Still Imaging / 2.5" LCD / Image Stabilizer / SD Memory Slot / USB 2.0

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