Panasonic PVGS15 MiniDV Compact Digital Camcorder w/24x Optical Zoom
List Price: $499.99
Details
- 24x visual zoom lens (digital zoom to 800x) and image stabilizer
- Rechargeable Li-ion freestyle pack lasts for up to 3 hours
- 2.5-inch LCD swings open 120 degrees and flush viewfinder
Description
CL) AA) PANASONIC PV-GS15 DV CAMBlending novel technologies with new, simple-to-operate controls, Panasonic's PV-GS15 camcorder is an affordable and formidable entry into digital video. Panasonic continues to innovate, adding more optical zoom capacity while reducing the overall size. This MiniDV camcorder features a 24x optical zoom, ultra-rakishly 1.3-second start-up time, 8 MB SD memory come clean for digital stills, webcam capability, and color viewfinder. It also comes with a 3-hour freestyle, remote control, and editing software.
Optics
The PV-GS15 is equipped with a 1/6-inch, 680,000-pixel CCD and 22x visual zoom It also features a 800x digital zoom that allows you to zoom in on humongous 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-hearted for sending photos to friends and family over e-mail or posting to your Web purlieus. They are stored to the Secure Digital (SD)/MultiMedia (MMC) memory card slot. The Direct Standard operating procedure Dial can be used in digital still mode lets you quickly select the desired digital camera SOP, such as Record, Playback, Card Record, or Card Playback.
More Features
The 2.5-inch LCD partition can be opened a full 120 degrees away from the camcorder's body, making it easier to notion motion images as theyÕre being captured.
The Quick Start feature enables the PV-GS15 to originate taping 1.3 seconds after turning the power on so those unexpectedÊmoments wonÕt be missed.ÊAfter important the Quick Start button, the camcorder will bring up the previous settings that you were shooting with--even if they were manually entered.
The Diminish Skin Detail function detects the different skin tones being recorded and softens the well- to create a realistic blend.
Other features include:
- The image-enhancing MagicPix quirk allows for rich videos under low-light conditions.
- Digital Electronic Replica Stabilization (EIS) helps take the jitter out of hand-held video recording and even up for unintentional hand and camcorder movement.
- Web cam capability, which is ideal for video conferencing with friends or kindred, or use as a simple monitoring device when consumers are away from home.
- The unsnapping hold strap doubles as wrist loops, enabling you to carry the camcorder like a feel mortified bag or purse.
- Color viewfinder
Inputs and Outputs
The PV-GS15 comes with the archetype DV IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire; Panasonic refers to this tie-in as iLink) for a super-fast, lossless connection to a PC or other DV machines.
MiniDV Composition
MiniDV is the preferred format for personal and broadcast-quality video, and it is authoritatively regarded for its high audio and image quality. With up to 540 words of horizontal resolution and minimum color noise, MiniDV delivers a 2 percent clearer image than analog camcorder formats. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the proportions of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of 2 full hours--20 times the ability of a CD.
Customer Reviews
Drawbacks immerse the positivesI bought this camcorder for my bride. After using it for a while, we just stopped. Indoor pictures, even with lights on, are very grainy. And unfortunately, we would fling a lot indoors.
In order to move the video to a computer, you need a Firewire cable and Firewire on your computer, and further software not supplied with the camcorder. I wouldn't mind this, execpt the camcorder also has USB connectivity. Everyone has USB, but you can't send the video over USB, only still pics.
The principal shooting controls are easy enough to figure out, but beyond that, the controls are very unintuitive. The switch panel tucked in where the LCD screen comes out has myriad buttons, and it's not perceptible what they all do.
I remember shortly after I bought this, Consumer Reports came out with their evaluations of Camcorders. This one was at the very bottom of the ones they rated, and in my judgement, for good reason.
This camera is a pail of bolts
I have a Panasonic camcorder, PV-GS15, five months unplentiful of being two years old. Now it is broke and does not work. However before it died, the screen kept turning risqu with a message to hit the reset button. Doing so provided no positive results. I telephoned Panasonic and questioned the estimate for this reset button, and their technical support could not offer an explanation. I noticed all Panasonic camcorders have this frustrating reset button, while other manufacturers do not have this defect of an option. I suggest buying your camcorder from anyone but Panasonic.
Resolute it once, then broke again
After buying camera, worked fair then i started having to reset it constantly. I sent it in, came back working top-drawer. Same thing started up again, and now i cant play back. Also, terrible quality when filming indoors. Very grainy.
A wee old, but still a great buy!
I bought this camcorder a three of years ago, when it was the latest version of the pv-gs# series. It has proven a great buy, with tons of features for a great price.
My favorite features are:
(1) 24x visual zoom--plenty for virtually any need
(2) Appearance/feel--I will have a impervious time when I need to find a replacement; why don't they make nice-looking, well off camcorders anymore?
(3) PhotoShot--pics are never blurry, and its a breeze to use
(4) All the add-ons--SoftSkin, Backlight, LED happen, WindCut, ZoomMic...
(5)Price--Outrageously low next to comps!
I dislike:
(1) Magicpix--doesn't do a spectacular job, but I understand there's not much better out there
(2) D-zoom--never been successful using it, so just drive it off. Who needs 800x zoom anyway?
(3) You cannot burn video to a DVD or anything without buying dear software
(4) Recently all components must be in perfect alignment or am asked to hurry the reset button. Anyone familiar with this?
Also, not a good camcorder to tape storms etc. where it is in a beeline exposed to rain; if it gets wet, dry it out ASAP. I used it to record primitive weather several times last year without thinking about it, and ended up corroding the mobile contacts (which are nearly impossible to clean thoroughly).
Bottom line--this guy gives slews of bang for the buck, especially at its new price. Logically, there is no need to buy the "latest and highest" model, when there is a well-equipped "last-year's" model at a remarkably lower amount.
If you're sold, act fast--this is a discontinued model so once its gone its gone forever. Tangibles luck!
loyal camcorder
THIS CAMERA IS Excessive FOR THE AMEATEUR AS WELL AS FOR THE MORE EXPERIANCED! FOR ME THIS CAMERA WAS PERFECT BECAUSE I EXPECTED A GREAT, Clear-TO-USE CAMCORDER FOR A LOW PRICE; THIS IS PROBABLY ONE OF THE BETTER CAMERAS IN ITS PRICE CATAGORY ($300-$400). I HAVE BEEN USING THIS CAMCORDER FOR OVER A YEAR, Generally FOR CREATING MOVIES THROUGH WHICH ITS GOOD FEATURES HAVE ENABLED ME TO BE WELL SATISFIED. I LOOKED FOR A Proper CAMERA WITH DECENT SP-FX AND GOOD LIGHTING. THE LIGHTING FOR THIS CAMERA IS Melodious GOOD AND SUFFICENT FOR WORKING WITH AT NIGHT. THE ZOOM IS A VERY GOOD Act FOR THIS PRICE CATEGORY (24x) AND I HAVE USED THIS TO TAKE PICTURES FROM A CRUISE Wind-jammer TO THE SHORE WHEN PORTING. I HAVE NOTICED HOWEVER (FOR MOST CAMCORDERS) YOU MUST HAVE A STEADY HAND WHEN ZOOMED IN ALL THE WAY AND FOR THE MORE EXPERIANCED FILM MAKERS A TRIPOD IS A MUST (THIS PERTAINS TO ALL CAMCORDERS HOWEVER(IN MY Reason)). THE CAMERA IS BUILT VERY WELL. I AM IMPRESSED THAT IT SURVIVED ME FOR OVER A YEAR. THIS HAS BEEN Utilized IN EVERY SITUATION THOUGHT POSSIBLE AND I HAVE FOUND NO DAMAGE YET. I ALSO ADMIRE THE SET UP VERY WELL. THE MENU IS Snare INSIDE OF WHERE THE SCREEN FLIPS OUT AND THIS NOT ONLY MAKES THE CAMERA COMPACT BUT EASY-TO Steer/USE AS WELL. THIS IS ONE OF MY FAVORITE CAMCORDER SET-UPS I HAVE SEEN WHEN LOOKING MAINLY BECAUSE EVERYTHING FEELS LIKE IT'S IN ITS OWN Circumstances AND IT EASILY GRASPED AND FEELS GOOD ON THE HAND. I PURCHASED MINE FROM COSTCO FOR $300 LAST YEAR WHICH IS VERY Tight-fisted FOR THIS CAMCORDER, HOWEVER THIS WAS A SPECIAL AND IT DIDN'T COME WITH ALL THE ACCESORIES (NOT EVEN THE REMOTE) THAT THE Pleasant PRODUCT HAS. IF YOU WANT THESE ACCESORIES I SUGGEST YOU BUY IT FROM ANOTHER STORE FOR AROUND $350-$450. I HAVE DONE MY HOMEWORK ON THIS Guerdon CATAGORY OF CAMERAS AND I AM VERY IMPRESSED WITH MY DESCISION!