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

Great Camcorder w/ Fantastic Image Quality - Recommended

The "Panasonic GS320" has proven 2 be a really solid camcorder 4 use in our small business (used 4 making instructional videos). We were looking 4 a second camera that could come close 2 the image quality of our primary high-end Canon GL2 MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom. The GS320 exceeded our expectations in our studio, with the following observations:

Pros -
Outstanding image quality from the 3-CCD sensors
Optical Image Stabilization (OIS) works very well
Accurate auto White Balancing
Conveniently placed controls
Great battery life

Cons -
"Cold" Accessory Shoe
No built in light
No external microphone input jack

We have also started using this camera 4 our family events & have been very pleased with the results in "uncontrolled" environments outside our studio as well.

Highly recommended!

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There are Vista versions of the packages software there. Also the included USB cable is all you need (so its actually better than using XP). I have tested this & the MotionDV software does allow you 2 send video 2 the Vista machine & save it.

I have only had the PV-GS320 4 a few days but I happy with the purchase. It is one of the last of the affordable high quality camcorders available & bridges the gap between HD & normal MiniDV. The only reason why I didn't give it 5 stars is the low-light quality. This is probably normal 4 most camcorders though & it does have a horseshoe mount 2 add a light which is a must. You will probably want a second battery too.

Choose this camera if you want quite good picture quality but don't care about extra features.

(I've owned this camera 4 six months & use it fairly regularly.)

The Leica lens & the 3 CCD's are normally in much more expensive cameras (often called "prosumer")

The picture quality really does look great -- the video picture is sharp & the colors wonderful (not so much on the still pictures, though). I am totally happy with the quality and, 4 me, that's the main thing.

It DOES have a few "extras" that I use:

1) The still camera. While not a good quality as my dedicated digital camera, it is adequate. It solves the problem of having 2 carry two cameras.

You can also take "web quality" frame grabs from footage as you review the tape. This is pretty useful if you are posting trip photos 2 a blog.

The photos conveniently go onto a card which can easily be removed & put in a card reader.

2) A/V out
You can hook this up 2 your TV & it works nicely. This is one of the few feature 4 which you don't have 2 remove the battery.

3) "Quick Movie Magic" software
This is very basic software 2 get the footage onto your hard drive. It works nicely & allows you 2 fairly easily divide the scenes up & the like. I then use the clips in the editor of my choice.

4) Manual focus
5) Back light
6) Find end of tape, search

(All these items are easy 2 find & turn off/on)

Honestly, that's about all the extra features that I use.

FEATURES MISSING:

I don't care about bells & whistles & I like basic "do the job" equipment.

However, I miss:

1) Plug 4 an external mic.
2) Plug 4 headphones
3) A proper shoulder strap
4) White balance

I bought this camera 4 two purposes: 1) 2 replace an older VHS camera & 2) 2 use 4 converting my VHS tapes 2 DVD's. I give it 4-1/2 stars 4 #1 & 0 stars 4 #2. (In my research before buying the camera, I managed 2 miss the fact that the GS320 does not have AV input, so can't be used 2 convert analog 2 digital. Rats!)

However, 4 everything else I wanted, I was very satisfied. Other reviewers have pretty well expounded on the pros & cons. I'll just say that the quality of pictures (both video & still) that we get with this camera is really great. When I first got the camera, I handed it our son who is studying Film Production & works with professional camcorders. After fiddling with the controls & looking over its features, he expressed great delight with my purchase. (Yesss!)

It took me a while 2 figure out the menus & I haven't enough experience 2 handle the manual control options well, but overall, I would highly recommend this camera.

Great camcorder, watch 4 the color settings, It would help 2 point it at something neutral, like a hand befoe using it in extreme sunlight. Excellent product 4 the price!

Imagine taking video shots on a moving boat & then viewing them on a large-screen TV. They're likely 2 appear blurry from the boat's movement & from your unsteady hands. Panasonic solves this problem with O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer), which minimizes hand-shake in situations where it is most often a problem, such as with zoom shots - or on a moving boat. The system is optical, so there is no quality loss, & images look clear & beautiful on a big-screen TV.Enjoy vivid color, crisp detail, & subtle gradation with 3CCD, the system used by most professional broadcast cameras. In a 1CCD system, all incoming light information is processed by the same CCD. The more advanced 3CCD system uses three distinct CCDs 4 processing, so there is absolutely no light loss. The result: beautifully rendered, natural-looking images every time.