Panasonic (PVGS15) Mini DV Palmcorder. Digital Camcorder with Built-In Digital Still Camera
Blending innovative technologies with new, simple-to-operate controls, Panasonic's PV-GS15 camcorder is an affordable and powerful entry into digital video. Panasonic continues to innovate, adding more optical zoom capability while reducing the overall size. This MiniDV camcorder features a 24x optical zoom, ultra-fast 1.3-second start-up time, 8 MB SD memory card for digital stills, webcam capability, and color viewfinder. It also comes with a 3-hour battery, remote control, and editing software.
Optics
The PV-GS15 is equipped with a 1/6-inch, 680,000-pixel CCD and 22x optical zoom It also features a 800x digital zoom that allows you to zoom in on incredible close-ups.
Digital Stills
In addition to shooting video, the PV-GS15 can also capture digital still images up to 640 x 480 pixels--good for sending photos to friends and family over e-mail or posting to your Web site. They are stored to the Secure Digital (SD)/MultiMedia (MMC) memory card slot. The Direct Mode Dial can be used in digital still mode lets you quickly select the desired digital camera mode, such as Record, Playback, Card Record, or Card Playback.
More Features
The 2.5-inch LCD screen can be opened a full 120 degrees away from the camcorder's body, making it easier to view motion images as theyÕre being captured.
The Quick Start feature enables the PV-GS15 to begin taping 1.3 seconds after turning the power on so those unexpectedÊmoments wonÕt be missed.ÊAfter pressing the Quick Start button, the camcorder will bring up the previous settings that you were shooting with--even if they were manually entered.
The Soft Skin Detail function detects the different skin tones being recorded and softens the focus to create a realistic blend.
Other features include:
- The image-enhancing MagicPix feature allows for rich videos under low-light conditions.
- Digital Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) helps take the jitter out of hand-held video recording and compensate for unintentional hand and camcorder movement.
- Web cam capability, which is ideal for video conferencing with friends or family, or use as a simple monitoring device when consumers are away from home.
- The unsnapping hand strap doubles as wrist loops, enabling you to carry the camcorder like a small bag or purse.
- Color viewfinder
Inputs and Outputs
The PV-GS15 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, and it is highly regarded for its high audio and image quality. With up to 540 lines of horizontal resolution and minimum color noise, MiniDV delivers a 2 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.
1 GREAT CAMCORDER
Ok, first of all...I see people saying this camcorder has bad "low-light" conditions and bad digital still picture quality. Seeing these reviews on a few websites almost made me not purchase the camcorder but thankfully I went ahead and bought it.
The low-light thing people are saying is far-fetched, a decently lit room will be enough light to get good video, I don't think any of us film in complete darkness, right? I filmed some stuff in my big studio room which only has a 3 bulb fan and I got great video with only that lighting. If you do want to film at night you can always buy a light attachment (http://cgi.ebay.com/ws/eBayISAPI.dll?ViewItem&category=43440&item=7504140977&rd=1)
And to comment on the digital still pictures, yea this isn't a digital camera so don't expect amazing digital pics from this thing, but who buys a camcorder for pictures? It gets the job done if you want to take some quick shots for the web, but I don't think low quality digital pics should make you not buy this camcorder. Most of us already have film cameras/digital cameras so don't make your decision based on its picture taking quality, 95% of camcorders take crappy pictures anyways.
The video picture quality is great, I took some video inside and outside and both were very good. The audio is better than I thought it would be, it picked up everything clearly. This is a great camcorder and if you look on EBay or Amazon you can find a used one for under $350. I got mine for $318 and it was basically brand new!
If you want to transfer your video onto your computer you'll need to purchase a firewire cable (look on ebay, you can find them cheap), video software, and make sure your computer has an input for firewire(IEEE/1394 input). The camcorder has a 4 pin output (DV Output) and it's simple as plugging in the firewire cable and hitting capture on your video software. I transfered video from the camcorder to my HP computer using Pinnacle Studio 9 and it all came through perfect, the quality was GREAT.
I'm very pleased with this camcorder and would recommend it to anyone.
2 Non-Existant Night Shot Mode
This is my biggest complaint for this camcorder, absolutely pathetic performance in low-light. They have a built in light which is ineffective for distances over 5 ft, yes it is not a mistake - according to their manual don't use it if it is more than 5 ft.
And that is the only option for night shooting, the Magic pix mode is only for taking pictures and not video so it does not work either as you have to manually adjust focus as you move the camera which is next to impossible.
They have a low-light AE mode which is another joke as it is plagued with the same problems about manual focusing and Auto EIS is disabled when using it, it hardly makes any difference in the video quality as everything is still dark and is a pain to use.
If you will ever shoot at night in low-light situations, you may want to test this unit for your self to see it will work for you or not. It did not for me, I have had an older Sony camcorder which is 5 yrs older than this unit and it still does an exceptional job in low-no light situations.
This unit is lame in that area, I had a big outdoor party at night that was ruined because I couldn't get this damn thing to shoot anything when needed.
3 Not bad but I still think it's too pricy
We bought this camera a week ago. We recorded our daughter's first christmas. The picture quality could have been better, but maybe it had to do with the poor lighting in the living room.
Be aware that you have to buy the fire connect software if you want to download the video onto your computer to burn dvds. We haven't bought that yet, but we will.
Also, don't buy this camcorder for its photo taking capability. Keep your digital cameral around for photos, this takes poor photos. That's the only thing we were not aware of when we bought this combo camcorder.
I wish I could be of more help, but this is our first digital camcorder experience.
4 Poor picture quality with many digital artifacts
This is my first MiniDV camcorder. I liked it until I actually played back the pictures on my TV. The battery life is good and the unit is very easy to use.
But the picture quality is awful. The images are full of digital artifacts, appearing pixellated and jerky with the slightest of motion. This camera has a 24x zoom lens which is unusable without a tripod. The image stabilization is fine until you start zooming, then things start jumping all over the place. Without a tripod, I don't see much point in this much zoom.
Aside from the digital artifacts and pixellated video, the user manual is a low-point for this unit. The manual is more of a reference manual, offering little advice as to "why" one might be interested in each feature. There is no troubleshooting guide to explain how to compensate for pixellated video, for example. The index is only 2 pages for a 83 page manual, meaning that a vast majority of topics are not even listed in the index. Overall the manual is far too dry and technical to be useful.
5 Best buy in the $400-600 range
I have had the GS15 for a week now. I was looking for a Camcorder in the $400-600 range and got the Panasonic PV-GS15 after a lot of research. I chose the GS15 over the higher end Panasonic PV-GS55 or GS-120 models because of its higher optical zoom (24x vs 10x). Also, those other Panasonic models are "Ultra-Compact" and I find the GS15 compact enough already.
I also considered the Sony DCR-HC40 but was not happy with the 10x optical zoom limitation. Also the GS15 comes with a longer lasting battery than the Sony. The GS15 also comes with a remote control and both view screens are color.
I did consider a Canon (e.g., the ZR90) but found to many reader reviews about Canon camcorders in general complaining about motor noise coming through the microphone and also electronic problems with condensation. Also, Consumer Reports ("Consumer Reports Best Buys For Your Home 2004") finds that Canons "are among the more repair-prone brands of digital camcorders". In comparison, Sony & Panasonic models do well. I looked at JVC models as well, but again they are more repair prone.
I do not hear any motor noise on the GS15. I am amazed at how much sound it picks up. It makes you realize how much noise you "tune out" after you listen to a video taped outdoors. It seems to pick up sound equally well whether the person you are taping is talking or the person holding the camcorder is talking.
I am happy with the indoor video quality. This is my first camcorder though so I have no comparison. Keep in mind that the GS15 does not have a "Nightshot" feature like Sony and also that you CANNOT record short video clips to the memory card as you can with other camcorders (only photos).
So I feel that the GS15 is a great deal because it is actually $100-200 less in price than models that I was comparing it with. Overall, a great little camcorder that I hope will last for 10 years!
6 Great Camcorder with some drawbacks
This is the second Panasonic camcorder that I have bought in the last 4 years and my first MiniDV camcorder. I was trying to choose between the Sony DCR-HC20 and this model. Both retail for the same price and there were some reasons I chose this one over the Sony:
1. This camcorder has 24x zoom while the Sony has only a 10x zoom.
2. There were many reviews about the problems with the Sony's touch screen especially when viewing it outside in broad daylight.
3. I have read some reviews that the included software with the Sony is very difficult to use and install.
4. The Sony camcorder has no photoshot button or memory card, the Panasonic has both. The Panasonic photoshot allows you to capture low-res (640x480) digital still pictures with the touch of a button.
5. The viewfinder on the Sony is Black and White; the Panasonic has a color viewfinder.
6. The Sony has an included 1-hour battery. This model has a 3-hour battery included instead.
It was for these 6 reasons I went with the Panasonic instead of the Sony. After using the camcorder now for 2 weeks I have found out some drawbacks that I previously did not know about:
1. The included software for the Panasonic can only be used to edit STILL images NOT movie images. If you want to edit the movie images you have to buy additional software and a firewire cable. Also be careful if you have Windows 2000 because the optional Panasonic movie editing software is not compatible with Win2K.
2. The Panasonic has no in-camera movie editing capabilities. You can dub the movie to VHS tape but that is about it. You cannot copy a VHS or VHS-C to MiniDV by using this camera as you can with the Sony model. Also, the Sony camera is able to control most VCRs in order to make editing easier if you don't have a PC.
3. The supplied USB cable that comes with the Sony allows you to stream the movie onto a PC whereas the USB cable that comes with the Panasonic cannot do this. The Panasonic USB cable only allows you to copy the STILL images from the SD card or a STILL movie image, NOT the movie itself. With the Panasonic if I wanted to copy the movie to my PC and then burn a Video CD, for example, I would have to buy a firewire cable, and additional software. On the other hand, right out of the box the Sony can do this with the INCLUDED software and the included USB cable.
4. The supposed Panasonic 1.3 second "Quick Start" actually keeps the camera in "Standby" mode and uses quite a lot of battery power. I actually had this mode on for 4 hours and when I finally used the camera I was only able to shoot for 18 minutes before changing batteries. Be careful using this. In any case the camcorder comes on rather quickly without it.
Other than the 4 reasons mentioned above the Panasonic does have a lot of nice features such as the 24x zoom, the zoom mic, the MagicPix function, wind noise reduction and a Soft Skin Mode. I would say that overall I am pleased with the picture quality and sound of the movies I have made with this camera. For the price of this camcorder I would say it is well worth the money, provided you can live without the 4 things I have mentioned previously. If you are willing to spend an extra $100 you could buy decent Movie Editing software and a firewire cable, thus closing the gap on the two camcorders. Although, if you were going to spend another $100 anyway you could buy a Sony DCR-HC30 which has most of the features the HC20 lacks, such as digital still images and a color viewfinder; it still has a 10x zoom, but no camcorder is perfect, right?
7 Great first digital camcorder
This is the first camcorder I have bought in 10 yrs - my Sony 8mm finally died. I have had the camera about 1 month and have shot in various conditions and settings. Overall, I am extremely happy with my purchase, and have only a few nitpicky wishes. I don't intend for this to be a long expert review, just my impressions to help you shop. Some comments:
VALUE: This is a great buy for price/performance. I think I got more than I paid for. I love features but I'm not rich enough to pay for perfection. I had planned on the $400-$600 range based on reviews, hands-on at Sears, etc. Sony has the night-shot (which I really would have liked) but I didn't like the touch screen LCD. Canon 65/75/85 units did not seem as user-friendly to me.
Zoom: The 24x optical is SPECTACULAR. Turn the digital zoom off unless you are on a tripod and have very good full-spectrum lighting, then only 50x. Hard to hold still at 20x and above, even with stabilization. The variable speed zoom control is easy to use and easy to control the speed.
Sound: Built-in zoom mic picked up chirping of little birds over the sound of waves at the beach. Little to no motor noise. If you are shooting and talking, your voice is somewhat muddled. I'm sure an ext. mic would improve sound.
Picture: Colors seem very true to my non-expert eyes with default settings. Better (not just brighter) light makes better video. In imperfect outdoor light, colors not very saturated using auto WB. I will try some adjustments for clouds/fog or filtered sun. Auto WB mode is pretty good indoors, incandescent or flourescent. LED light is useful only within 4-5 ft depending on ambient light. There are 2 LED light modes, one with slower shutter and one with normal. LED can also be used with MagicPix, but I don't think it would help much. MagicPix is for very slow scenes in low light, although zooming or motion may produce interesting psychadelic effects.
Controls: The new model no longer has the menu wheel; a menu button is placed inside the viewfinder door. You use a 5-key directional pad (which doubles as the VCR control) to navigate menus. Simple enough, but defintely a 2-handed task now - you cannot hold still enough to change menu options while filming. There is no one-button toggle to show/hide the date in your recorded video. Other than that, controls are intuitive and relatively simple. Zoom control is great. During VCR playback, zoom button controls volume from the tiny (but adequate) speaker. When playback is paused, zoom button acts as a single-frame jog wheel (nice feature, but slow). VCR searching is too fast for my taste, but still usable. In recording mode, there is a handy "check" button to review the last 2-3 seconds of video.
Photos: 640x480 good only for e-mail or monitor, otherwise worthless to me except in an emergency. The included 8mb SD card holds roughly 45 pix in fine mode. You can snap a photo live or from already-recorded scenes.
Ease of use: My wife is technophobic, so if she can operate it, it passes the test. She shot a few minutes of video using all automatic options and seems comfortable with it. I can fiddle with options when I choose, or shoot in auto if I want. Most people will be fine operating 1-handed. I was most comfortable using 2 hands, right hand close to right shoulder to minimize bending wrist backward. Boot-up time is very fast, 3-4 seconds without using quick-start feature, <2 sec with.
Battery: Included charger charged the battery in 1 hr 15 minutes, which lasts for almost 1 hour of shooting video, plus playing with features, light, playback, etc. I will get another battery sometime, useful for vacation or long events.
