Panasonic PV-GS31 MiniDV Camcorder w/26x Optical Zoom

This is a great camcorder. Very intuiative 2 use. Extremely lightweight. Very good video quality. Easy sync 2 computer 4 editing. Better yet, I have owned mine 4 over 3 years & had zero mechanical issues. A great buy.

It's an ok camera. For what I wanted, it worked. I was just wanting something that would record video better than my camera phone, & therefore it did the job nicely. If you want better picture quality, less noise, better dynamic range & the ability 2 add a mic, then look elsewhere. But if you just want a camera 4 quick captures that doesn't cost an arm & leg, then this camera will do just that.

its nice light small but its an ok i give it 3 & a half star...

I liked it & it is working fine.

Cons
no USB cable & night times is not the right time 2 shoot video or photo both.

I bought this camera 4 its great price, good reviews, & overall reputation as a great camcorder 4 the novice shooter. I returned the camera after three weeks, however, due 2 abysmal low light performance among other things.

The catalyst 4 purchasing this camera was the impending birth of our first child. I took the camera 2 the hospital & filmed some of the labor/delivery & follow up. Unfortunately, when we returned home 2 view our footage, much of it was grainy & plagued with shadows & silhouettes.

The camera does include a light & a MagicPix option, but unless you're using a tripod, you're bound 2 end up with a strobe-light effect (Perfect 4 recreating "Thriller music videos," but not much help otherwise.)

I also found the image quality with the GS31 2 be fairly lackluster & pixilated. Granted, you get what you pay for, but I was really taken aback that my 1992 camcorder shot much better footage.

That being said, the camera did a lot better in good/outdoor lighting (albeit still somewhat pixilated), & the zoom is incredible. The camera is very light & smaller than I anticipated.

In the end, I returned the camera in favor of a more significant investment (...)

I will say that Amazon did a great job with customer service throughout. Also, if you do buy this camera, make sure 2 buy the DV cable (firewire 4 Macs) through Amazon or some other online retailer. (...)

Panasonic PVGS31 offers an amazing 26x optical zoom, an SD slot 4 capturing still photos & a host of digital effects including Panasonic's exclusive Soft Skin Mode which gives all your subjects a virtually perfect appearance! This is the perfect camcorder 4 consumers who are interested in capturing high-quality digital video & audio onto mini DV tape. Other features offered include an Electronic Image Stabilizer 4 shake-free video recording & Zoom Microphone Technology 2 focus audio pick-up where the lens is zoomed. In addition 2 MiniDV video, take still pictures at 640x480 VGA resolution that can be captured on an SD memory card. The camera has a Firewire IEEE1394 DV port 4 transferring video & a USB 2.0 port 4 transferring stills 2 a computer 4 enhancement, editing, copying, & printing. Don't leave home without it! 2.5 Color LCD Screen Monochrome viewfinder 26x Zoom Lens / Filter Diameter - 30.5mm Up 2 1000x Digital-zoom enhancement Unit Dimensions - approx. 3.25 (h) x 2.5 (w) x 4.5 (d) Unit Weight - 0.90 lbs.