No comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-F1S 3.2 MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom (Silver).

5 comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC43 4MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optcial Zoom.

1. Just to try this thing out when I got it, I took a picture of some print across the room (20ft away) that I can't read with my eyes. I could read it in the blowup of the image. If I can see things in the photo that I can't see with my eyes, the resolution is 110% fine for snapshots. The color balance and exposure isn't perfect, but it's close enough that you can fix it with Photoshop without too much work (autolevels does the job usualy).
   Battery life with the included rechargeable AAs is sufficient for my needs. You'll need a better memory card, though, as the included 16mb job only holds ~13 pictures. It is good that it uses SD, which is a standard, rather than the proprietary MemoryStick that most of the Sony cameras use, so you can find a 256mb card for under $60 if you look around.



2. The camera is easy to use and takes beautiful pictures, but after four months it just stopped working. There was power, but the lense would not open. The Panasonic Service Center was anything but helpful and wanted to charge 75% of what I paid for the camera to fix it. I am now shopping for another digital and I shall not be looking at a Panasonic.



3. I've only had this camera for about a month, so I can't speak to the long term maintainence issues discussed in a couple of other reviews (all digital cameras in this price range appear to have similar problems). Nevertheless, the picture quality is fantastic, particularly once you learn to adjust the settings for your lighting conditions.



4. I first bought the camera via online. During my first 365 day stretch, I've took many pictures and dropped it about as many times also. But the worst thing thats happened so far was on a trip to Baghdad, i dropped it off the ring mount of my truck. i picked it up and it was half-way open, and i though i surely broke it. But i just snapped it back together and it turned right on, and functioned like it never happened. All i gotta say is US Army approved.



5. I bought this camera about a year ago and was very pleased with it. After six months it totally shut down and would not power up. I sent it in to an authorized service center and $165 later I was back in business. It just recently died again. I'm moving on to another brand. If you own one I wish you the best in having a better experience than I.

3 comments about Panasonic DMCLC50 3.2MP Digital Camera with 3x Optical Zoom.

1. Adquiri esta pequeña camara hace un mes aproxidamente y tenia mis dudas acerca de la calidad de las fotos que podria obtener, pero me anime a adquirirla despues de revisar un buen numero de "reviews" publicados en Internet, y sobre todo el de Steve's Digicams, el cual ofrece imagenes de muestra en variadas circunstancias y en la maxima resolucion. Luego de efectuada la comparacion con otras camaras dentro del mismo rango de precios, llegue a la conclusion que la calidad de las fotos, en brillo, resolucion y nitidez (sharpness) eran muy similares entre la Canon A75, Nikon 3200 y esta - la LC50, estando por encima del resto de camaras, pero note que ligeramente el nivel de ruido era mejor trabajado en la LC50, ademas de tener ligeramente mas nitidez que la A70 y la Nikon 3200.
   Y bueno, me decidi a adquirir esta camara y como mencione anteriormente, luego de casi un mes de uso, los resultados han sido bastante satisfactorios, he podido obtener fotos bastante claras y nitidas y las tomas nocturnas, presentan bajos niveles de ruido. El aspecto negativo vendria a ser que esta camara es hecha de plastico y seguro muchos usuarios preferiran una camara mas solida, como las que se fabrican actualmente de metal, con el objeto de tener una camara mas duradera y segura al tacto, pero los fabricante utilizan este material a fin de reducir costos y ofrecer productos al alcance de todos.
   De otro lado, la camara ofrece tres niveles de ajustes para la imagen, siendo la opcion de "Vivid Colors" la que utilizo con mas frecuencia, sobre todo para retratar paisajes, monumentos, etc y el modo "Normal" para retrar personas.
   Considero que esta camara es altamente recomendable, para las personas que requieran una camara portatil, ligera, de facil manejo y confiable...
   Como informacion adicional, recomiendo que cuando se revise la calidad de las fotos que una camara pueda tomar, se utilize un monitor TFT LCD, ya que estas pantallas son bastante sensibles y detectan niveles de "ruido" que no son detectables con las monitores convencionales.... esto lo digo por que he leido muchos reviews y comentarios alabando las caracteristicas de ciertas camaras, cuyos defectos en la imagen son altamente perceptibles en un monitor LCD, pudiendo ser engañosos.



2. I have tried everything in digital camera world - Sony, Fuji, Canon & Panasonic.
   
   Panasonic C50 which replaced the old LC-33 produces sharper pictures than Canon A75 (i produced several prints & compared) & any other camera in this range. My wife & I finally found out that this is a hidden gem compared to other popular ones out there.
   
   For day light pictures, this is the best ! Yes, even better than Canon - canon colors are a bit over-saturated in day light & Panasonic is well balanced. Yes, leica lens makes a diff, after using panasonic for a while, we bought Canon A75 & found out Lens was so coarse & nowhere as smooth as Panasonic.
   
   But Panasonic has to fix these issues, if they want a leading model:
   1. AF Assist Lamp for low light focussing. They are doing it in high-end models now.
   
   2. Is 640 video mode too much to ask for ? They are all still 320 mode.
   
   3. Can't we have speaker to play-back videos ? this is annoying. I believe LC70 has it.
   
   4. A bit more powerful flash.
   
   5. 1.8 LCD screen maybe ?
   
   But still LC50 won't disappoint you. LC70 may be worth it becos of the in-built speaker for playback videos.



3. I tried several different brands of cameras and I am most satisfied with this Panasonic. It takes awesome pictures...fairly fast shutter release time...lots of features...As another reviewer mentioned..it does not have audio capability but personally I would not use this feature anyway...The video mode is good enough compared to other cameras in this class...I wanted a digital camera..not a camcorder so I can live with the video mode limitations...I think by not having all the bells and whistles helps keep the price reasonable since it does have a quality Leica lens...I rather this lens and give up some other bells that I would only use now and then. I get very good indoor pictures with the flash....which to me has a better than average range...The menu is easy to use once you become familiar with it..Fairly compact size..very tiny but also chunky at the same time... Only reason I would not give this camera 5 stars is that nothing is perfect....I love this camera..

5 comments about Panasonic Lumix DMC-LC33 3.2MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom.

1. This camerae is fabulous. The photos are clear and crisp. The settings enable you to tweak almost anything you want. There are special photo modes. Including a 'heart' mode which is basically point and shoot friendly. The quality is outstanding and the price is comparably less than the cannon A60, but without sacrificing quality standards. Plus this camera takes 2 AA NiMH at a time and not four like other cameras, a huge plus. This way you can carry extra batteries much easier. A battery charger is a must so plan to buy one. With usb 2.0 you'll have your pics on the computer in a flash. Don't be discouraged by all the special settings. Just make sure you have the photo on enlarge quality and not internet, so that it looks good. All resolutions come out nicely. The movie mode is in quicktime format and the movies come out surprisingly clear and the audio is great esp for such a small mic, it picks up everything. I can't say anything bad about this camera but...

   The only cons are, make sure you hold the camera on your subject(s) for at least 2 seconds or the pic will come out blurred. Bad lighting makes for some digital noise (grainy). And make sure you purchase at least a 128mb SD card. This camera has been discontinued due to it's lighter remake, LC50. Go buy one and take awesome photos :-)




2. I have this camera since last 1yr and have no problems. The pictures are sharp and produce excellent quality for printing small images. Overall a good beginner camera.



3. I bought this little gem about 18 months ago from a major camera retailer back in NYC for the sole purpose of photographing jewelry for my wife's business. The most influencing features were the Leica-made lens and Panasonic's overall reputation. I'm glad I went with my "gut" on this purchase as the camera has proven itself to be a true gem -- razor sharp pictures, more than adequate zooming capability, very good color saturation and contrast, pro-type manual override settings to compensate for various scenarios, reasonably adequate -- but not superb -- flash range, ease of use, good battery life per charge on NiMH's, well-built, small manageable size, light carrying weight, plentiful SD storage card-availability in all price ranges and capacities, reasonably fast cabled download (transfer) from camera to PC and a price well under $300. I don't believe that you can buy a better 3.2 MP camera for the money -- maybe one as good -- but definitely not better. I'm inclined to say that there are probably numerous 4.0 MP and 5.0 MP brands and models that don't stack up as well to this particular camera.



4. This was my first digital camera and I have to say I was heartbroken when the lens broke after 4 great years with it. This is not to say that the camera is not made well, though, becuase it really is. The images always came out crystal clear and within no time at all I became easily familiar with the settings and controls which was important to me due to being a beginner but still wanting a camera that would let me develop my photographic abilities past just pointing and shooting. My only complaint was that it ate up double A batteries very quicky and I would have liked a slightly better battery life on it but it's more than worth it for the ease of use and beautiful pictures this camera produces. My advice as far as the batteries go is to use the camera with Energizer L91BP-4 Lithium AA batteries...the difference it makes in the battery life is beyond comparison to standard double AA batteries. They are more pricey, but in the long run they last longer and you won't have to buy as many as the others to keep your camera always up and running so it's more than worth it. If you are a beginning photographer who wants to learn more as far as experimenting with different photographic conditions and settings go in a simplistic and not confusing way I highly reccomend this camera...it leaves lots of room to grow and pretty soon you will be taking it everywhere!



5. I bought one of these cameras about a year ago after trying out several others. Just recently the camera stopped working, after several weeks of trying new batteries and any thing else i could think of I gave up on fixing it. I recently purchased another camera which i'm considering returning. Up until the camera stoped working it was amazing, especially for the price payed for it, and i'm considering buy it again; this time with a longer warranty.

5 comments about Panasonic PV-DC3000 3MP Digital Camera w/ 2x Optical Zoom.

1. I've had nothing but a good experience with the camera... I'm not a professional photographer, so maybe some of the previous bad reviews were from pros.

   Produces clear pictures in well-lit area, the built-in flash works when it's needed. Produces 12 second movies which are good to upload to a site for fun or send to friends.

   The multimedia card slips into my Compaq 3835 so I can preview photos or 'touch them up' or play the clips...

   The format is different... Not only is the physical dimensions of the camera a little off, but the menu system requires reading the manual...

   Again, I've enjoyed the camera.




2. The Panasonic PV-DC3000 3MP Digital Camera is a good bargain. It is a bit expensive though, but its performance covers it up. Its classy, light weight, small and most important of all, it performs well. I agree with one review posted about this camera, that it really does finish up the batteries real quickly!



3. I purchased this camera about 6 months ago and love it... although it does chew through batteries, I have discovered that if I buy Energizer E-2 or similar batteries designed for digital equipment they last MUCH longer.



4. I went with this camera because it seemed like a good value... 4 months later, after using the camera only a handful of times, the LCD would not light up for no reason at all. I immediately brought it back to the store that I had purchased it from since it was still under warranty. The store (Office Max) informed me that I had to deal with panasonic directly. I had to pay to ship/insure it by mail to Panasonic's service centre... soon after I received a phone call that they needed a credit card number to do the repairs. They stated that the warranty covered parts only and that the labor would be additional. Basically they told me that there was a standard charge of $228 U.S. to fix it... they were not however able to tell me what the problem was. I figured that since I was meticulous about taking proper care of the camera that the problem would have had to be very minor AND it was only 4 months old... I sent a letter complaining about my service and the quality of the camera to the manager at their facitlity. Soon after I received the camera back-- still broken. They didn't bother fixing it nor did they respond to my letter.

   To sum it all up--- lemon of a camera, terrible warranty and customer service at the company itself... consider a company that will stand by their product.




5. I've had quite a few digital cameras... this is one of my favorites. I like the shape... easy to hold with no-slip rubber grip. It uses SD cards... what i have found to be the most reliable form of flash media cards out there. But my favorite thing about this camera is that it doesn't have a fancy-schmancy proprietary battery. It uses AA batteries. This means that YOU can choose to use rechargables if you want... but you will never be stuck with no battery because you can get AA batteries pretty much anywhere. Panasonic is a name I really trust. It's not some no-name brand. I especially like that this cam can take Photos AND movies.... and you can do both on the same SD card if you want! A versitile camera easy enough for a beginner...and has enough options for an experienced user. I recommend this product.

No comments about Panasonic LR-6GA/4B Alkaline Batteries (4-Pack).

2 comments about Panasonic PVGS55 Ultra-Compact MiniDV Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom.

1. WHAT I WAS LOOKING FOR:
   I bought this camera mainly because it was one of the most compact miniDV cameras on the market. It isn't probably as fancy looking as some of the other models, but any mathematician or scientist will tell you that boxy shapes maximise the internal volume while minimising the external dimensions. I.e. this camera isn't tall and thin like the sony cameras, and it doesn't have any lenses and viewfinders that stick out and waste space like the canons.
   
   I will be travelling around the world with this video camera, and all my stuff IS going to fit in a small 23 litre daypack. Sure, there are smaller cameras out there, but I wasn't keen on having one of vertical-styled microMV cameras, and the DVD cameras are relatively expensive and bulky (and I have read enough reviews about people who lost their entire footage when they finalised the disc - if that ever happened to me I would become enraged). Also, I found thath the 3CCD cameras on the market had a much shorter battery life compared to single CCD cameras. So all things/features considered, I chose this model...
   
   This is my first video camera, but I have taken probably about 3000 photos with my SLR film camera, so I'm hoping some of the same skills come in handy.
   
   I have used the camera for about 4 days. It has taken about three days to absorb all of the features, by reading through the manual with the camera on my lap. I'm sure the features are overwhelming for most people, but I urge you to study the manual to get the most out of it. At least know what all the symbols mean, as they can be very handy, for example: the time remaining on the tape, and generally knowing what modes and options you have selected. Probably the best way to learn how to use all the features is to pick it up and start playing with it... then go through the manual and see what you missed! That way you don't need to read how to do the easy stuff, which is tedious! The manual has lots of information, and I didn't find the menu system confusing as others have said.
   
   WHAT YOU GET IN THE BOX:
   - Video camera!
   - Cradle type charger + battery
   - Remote control
   - Stick style "remote" (mainly for audio dubbing)
   - AV cables
   - S-video cable
   - USB connection kit --- USB cable & USB driver & SD viewer --- this only downloads the pictures and videos from the SD card, so you will need a firewire card AND video editing software for capturing what's on the tape to your computer
   - Shoulder strap
   - Head cleaning tape + lens cap + cleaning cloth
   
   TECHNO-JARGAIN:
   ~ You can shooting low-resolution movies straight onto the SD card- for e-mailing, and sharing on the internet. A 512Mb card will hold well over 1 or 2 hours of footage @ 320x200 pixels
   ~ You can copy both stills and video from a tape to the SD card (but you get better results by recording either straight to the card).
   ~ You can take snapshots to the SD card while simultaneously recording to the tape.
   ~ You can shoot progressive snapshots onto the SD card.
   ~ The camera can be used as a webcam.
   
   LCD & VIEWFINDER:
   ~ When the LCD panel is flipped around 180 degrees (facing forward), the image inverts itself automatically! You can also select the recording to appear as a mirror...
   ~ The LCD panel also flips back more than 90° to something like 120°. This really helps you to access the menu buttons underneath, and I couldn't live without this feature!
   ~ Power LCD function... pressing this makes the LCD even brighter.
   ~ The viewfinder extends out from the camera... it took me 2 days to figure this out.
   ~ For 0 lux shooting, the LCD becomes a white panel which supplies light. It works okay for distances up to about a metre. (2-3 feet)
   ~ It has an electronic image stabiliser which works well to some extent.
   
   SPECIAL EFFECTS:
   ~ The colour nightshot function really brightens things up, albeit with a "time-lapse" sort of style.
   ~ You can manually set the shutter speed, exposure and/or focus... although it's probably easier to use auto focus mode.
   ~ You can have the option of having a time-lapse or stroboscopic modes. There are also mirror, stretch, slim, pixellate and multi-picture modes, although honestly, I don't find them to be useful.
   ~ Has mix & fade effects... learn how to use these... they are easy enough. But the wipe mode is too slow.
   ~ You can record with either B&W, negative, sepia or solarised effects.
   ~ You can focus as close as 4cm from the lens!! (<2")
   ~ "Tele macro" mode
   
   OTHER STUFF:
   ~ The palm grip belt can be unclipped and worn as a hand loop strap around your wrist, like a bracelet.
   ~ The red recording light on the front can be turned off.
   ~ All the sounds can be turned off, even the fake SLR shutter sound when taking still shots.
   ~ Quick start feature, although this sucks battery juice. While on the subject, the playback and recording menus use more power than the SD card menus, even when not playing or recording, as I can hear sounds coming from the unit. ;-)
   ~ The AC adapter works between 110-240V AC.
   
   NOT SO GOOD:
   ~ You can't charge the battery at the same time as using the camera under mains power.
   ~ You can't use the "still advance" function during playback without using the remote control.
   
   MORE INFORMATION:
   * The auto white balance doesn't always give the most faithful colour reproductions... I achieved better results by changing to the programmed A.E. modes. Especially indoors at night, change to manual mode, select "low light" for the programmed AE mode & "indoor lighting" for the white balance. This makes the colours appear vibrant and true to life... I was extremely pleased with the quality of the results!
   
   * Don't forget to load the audio codec which is included on the installation CD (bottom right option). Otherwise, you won't be able to view the videos on the SD card, or you'll end up hunting around for the appropriate codec on the internet for over half an hour like I did.
   
   * While the stills are only 640x480 resolution, this is adequate for internet usage, such as email and selling things on Ebay. I was quite impressed with the quality of the still shots, but the CCD does get a bit overwhelmed when the contrast is too high (the brightest regions sometimes wash out). It all depends where you are standing in relation to the light source. Regardless, the quality was good enough for what I want. When I want ultra-good photos, I'll use my trusty SLR film camera. (BTW some types of slide film are equivalent to 45megapixels!!!). Prior to this, when I wanted to sell something or send a quick photo to someone over the internet, I had to develop film.
   
   NOTE: This review applies to the Panasonic NV-GS55, which is the PAL equivalent of the PV-GS55 NTSC compatible video recorder.
   
   BOTTOM LINE: This is a terrific little camera, it has many features that I need, hardly any that I won't use, and they are all intuitively placed. I reckon it's a good compromise between size & quality. I have read other reviews of this camera; all I can say is there must be some extremely fussy & insatiable cameramen out there, especially in terms of low-light performance. Every still photographer knows you can't have your cake and eat it when it comes to low light situations.
   
   I hope this review was very helpful to you... don't forget to vote as I'm trying to become a top 5000 reviewer!



2. I bought this item used after a lot of research, and it was a bit of a gamble. After all, there's not a lot of info on it, as it seemed that it probably was only around for a year, and it was not an expensive camera at the time, but a somewhat budget 1-ccd camcorder.
   
   It has exceeded all of my expectations.
   
   First of all, I was worried about tape noise. I had a Sharp DV camcorder and the tape noise on the recordings was obnoxious. I almost bought a new Elura 100 or a new Optura 50, but I was put off by reviews which said that their tape noise was somewhat "to be expected on any DV camera." Well, this Panasonic has zero tape noise.
   
   Second, I was worried about indoor lighting. I use the camcorder mainly for indoor recording: family get togethers around the dining room table or family shots in the house, and also filming in a ballroom dance studio during lessons with the lights turned down. I rate the indoor performance EXCELLENT. I have no complaints about family filming indoors. In fact, the camera has a handy button right next to the LCD which says "Backlight" (not some icon!) and if you press it, it boosts the gain (I think), which is handy in the studio when the performer goes in front of the windows, totally backlighting them. This leaves me wondering what all the talk of indoor lighting on 1 ccd cameras is all about --are people talking about filming a scene lit only by 1 60-watt bulb? In such cases, I'd expect graininess.
   
   Third, I was concerned that the camera's technology would be surpassed by the last two years of camcorder development. I don't see how. When I tested the newer Panasonics and Canons at a local retailer, I couldn't see any difference, except that the newer models seemed a bit grainier and less intuitive in the interface. The one thing I have sacrificed by buying this camcorder instead of a newer one is widescreen recording. What I have gained, however, is a/d passthrough (and I've been amazed how often I've been using that, to record old vcr tapes through the camcorder to the computer -- works perfectly and the way to do it is just to remove the tape and leave it hooked up to the computer while you plug the vcr in) and a "hot" microphone shoe. For me, this is well worth it, as I actually use these. Also, the camcorder is as compact as the newer ones, and I love the way it fits around your hand.
   
   Battery life is only so-so, with the standard battery lasting around 50 minutes. That said, the extended battery, available here on Amazon from a variety of manufacturers very cheaply, lasts for hours, so for a very modest extra expense, this issue has been eliminated for me.
   
   Finally, I was worried it might not work as a webcamera. Just the opposite. Whether I have it plugged in using a USB cable OR using a firewire cable, it pops right up (without any discs needed) in WinXP as DV Camera and you can immediately view yourself on screen and even record LIVE in WindowsMovieMaker or cam in Messenger. For Skype, it did not work as a webcam initially, and I had to download a free utility called SplitCam and then it worked flawlessly in Skype.

5 comments about Panasonic PVGS12 Digital Palmcorder MultiCam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom.

1. I bought this Camera for my 13th Birthday and I was happy until i tried to put the video onto the computer. I you realy want to edit video on the computer then you NEED to get Firewire for your computer.After I got Firewire The video worked fine, but I suggest you get a good editing softwear like Adobe. windows is ok to start but has very low video capture. When you burn it on to a DVD using windows is is all blury but can still make out picture. So a Great Camera but you have to get firewire to make it better. Firewire is only like 25$.I love this camera and I hope you will to.



2. This camcorder is absolutely wonderful. Though I don't think I'd pay top dollar for it. While it works great recording and playing back, there is minimum software availible ( Id didnt recieve any) and figuring out how to download it to the computer to burn to a DVD took a while. Though I only paid $195 for this camera that also came with a brand new camcorder bag and additional battery. I kinda wish I would have spent the extra money to invest in a DVD camcorder. But, if you are willing to take the time to learn how to burn to DVD, then this is a great camera!



3. This camcorder is good but not great. Sure its not expensive but with this amount of money you can get a much better one on ebay. 1/6 in ccd is average for this price range. It has no mic input. But it does last a good amount with the battery, has acceptional quality under lighting when i use two or more lights...for my movie aspire which is a musical. During shots that have fast sequences, you can tell as it looks jagged and not smooth. This had to be fixed in post, which, if you're only paying 250 for this cam, you probably won't waste your time fixing this in post. The manual white balance is nice.



4. I know the frustration of wanting some software with this product. Yes its a nice little camera and all but if you want to get some actual video out of it to be put on your computer you could use video capturing software like snag-it which has a free download and trial. Granted the video will not be the best of quality but if you absolutely have to have this on video on your computer snag-it will give it to you but at low quality. You can also snap still images from the videos using it too. Hope this helps



5. After using the Palmcorder brand for 6 years, I just purchased a second one to use for a 2-camera setup (both running at different angles since I produce martial arts instructional videos). For those new to digital camcorders, my opinion is that this is a great camera. For those who are intermediate and advanced, naturally you already know that you will want to spend a bit more for a bigger, better camera to meet your needs.
   
   The Palmcorder takes good video but you should have additional lighting available. They say it's good in low-light conditions, but admittedly I've never found that to be true, even with a LOT of experimentation. Outdoors, though, or indoors with normal lighting? You will find a good video result.
   
   The audio is passable but connecting an external mic, you will hear a slight "buzz" in the background (removable in post). A pain but still passable for the price.
   
   Zooming in and out finds zero noise, but I rarely zoom much anyway. If I need a closer shot, I get the camera closer since the pixelation is always noticable to some degree when zooming. It's not "too" bad zooming in just a bit, but beyond 1/3 of the bar you see will find a lot of pixelation.
   
   Tape change is great vs. Canon (Canon tape door is at the bottom and you have to remove it from the tripod, whereas Panasonic and most others are on the side). Battery life is 1 - 2 hours depending on the age of the battery. My first one is over 6 years old and I just had to change it last month. 5 years isn't bad.
   
   Manual controls could be improved but passable. Automatic controls work well for new users and you will probably not even need the rest. If you want to learn it, though, it's a simple process.
   
   For best shots, I recommend a good tripod to keep the camera steady (for all cameras, too), particularly if you zoom in. There are lots of techniques for holding the camera steady when zoomed in but the Palmcorder must lose it's mind after zoomed in too far. It comes out with a lot of pixelation. Read that as "don't zoom in unless you absolutely have to and you'll be fine."
   
   I've used my Palmcorder in all sorts of weather and conditions, and it's worked like a dream. Good video, good audio, good battery life and easy controls. The only "bad" thing you might encounter is that in humid weather, you need to acclimate the camera for 15 - 30 minutes or so. But since you have to do that with every camera, anyway, it's not Panasonic's fault so no biggie there.
   
   All in all? This is a great camera for the price, as well as being a solid piece of equipment that you will enjoy. It's good to learn with as well as being a good backup camera or using as a 2-camera system.

5 comments about Panasonic PV-GS14 MiniDV Camcorder w/22x Optical Zoom.

1. I bought this only a few weeks ago & it's been a wonderful camera. I've used it to capture all sorts of life's moments, mainly our cats being crazy. I've also used it to capture digital images. I've not spent a whole lot of time using the camera, but enough to know how to use it fairly well. I'll start with the digital images 1st, and then move onto video.
   
   The Digital Pictures:
   The camera does not include a SD card so I had to purchase one separately, which is definitely a bummer. Luckily I was able to get a small 16mb Panasonic SD card off an auction site for $8 after shipping. I have no plans to capture a ton of pictures so 16mb was fine. I took about 18 pictures after I finally got the SD card in the mail & the pictures looked fantastic... At least on the camera they looked good. I never messed with changing the quality around so the settings were default on the camcorder.
   
   When I finally got the free USB cable in the mail & hooked my camera up to my pc I was pleased with how easy it was for Windows (2000 Pro. in my case) to recognize the camera. Immediately it installed without me having to do anything extra & it added a new drive letter in my computer where I was easily able to copy the images or move them to my pc. When I started opening the images with ACDSee & Adobe Photoshop I was not please at the quality of the images. Not only were they fuzzy & dull looking, they were only 640 x 480 in size. This may be adjustable by changing settings on the camera itself, but I have not had time to do so.
   
   The Video:
   This is overall the best thing about this camera. I've recorded a lot of nothing as stated above, but the camera does a terrific job of capturing it all & keeping the image clean & colorful. I've hooked the camera to my TV & it all looks great. The camera has to be pretty still if you zoom into things or else the video becomes slightly blurred while trying to stabilize itself.
   
   There are a lot of different functions to the video recording as well, it has many more options and special effects then I thought possible for a camera of its price range. The footage I recorded at night looked great with the backlight on. I was however unable to tell any difference with the soft skin effect. Unfortunately the battery is easily drained & a second battery is recommended.
   
   The Pros:
   Great Video, Light Weight, Easy To Hook Up, Lots of Extra Features, Zoom 22x, Firewire, Fun, Comes With Power Cord So Camera Can Be Used Without the Battery
   
   The Cons:
   The Cover for the ports is flimsy, Digital Pictures Fuzzy, Not Much in the Box, No Included Software or PC Cables, Short Battery Life, No included SD Card, No Included DV Tapes
   
   I've not had time to test this out or not, but for other noobs to the DV Camera world might be interested in knowing that with a firewire cable capturing video from the camera is possible. Firewire is the only way to do this as USB & USB 2.0 cannot keep up with the frame rate & chop up picture quality. So if you want to use your video & make a home dvd you can do so with this camera as well as other DV cameras that have a Firewire port.
   
   One last feature that's available that I never had time to mess with & do not care to, is the ability to use the camera as a webcam.
   
   Overall the camera is terrific & worth checking out, if you really want it to take fantastic pictures I'd probably save $100 & pickup the pv-gs12 & use the $100 to get a digital camera or look at the latest model.
   
   ::UPDATE::
   Someone asked how do you get the free usb cable? The answer is simple fill out the card that says you get a free usb cable when you return it. I believe it was much like a warranty card, or was the warranty card... mine was with all the other paperwork.



2. I purchased this a month ago. ITs awesome.
   I spent 17$ to get the cd today. But now I do not have the usb cable. I noticed in the previous post that the reviewer mentioned that reviewer got the free usb in the mail.
   Can you please share the info on how to get it so that others can benefit as well.



3. I purchased this camcorder about 2 months ago and everything about it is great. I took it on vacation with me, the sound and picture quiality is flawless. The camcorder is so light you can take it with you anywhere. The battery on my camera lasts longer than the advertised amount. Mine lasts about 2-3 hours ddepending on how much I turn the camera on and off between filming. This camcorder is great for someone who wants good quality without spending an insane amount of money.



4. I bought this camera at BestBuy and after using it for one week returned it for a Sony DCR HC20 and ate the $60 restocking fee.
   What I liked about the Panasonic was the seperate charger, and the fact that the battery lasted pretty long.
   What I did not like was the following:
   1.EIS -electronic image stabilization- which was in my instance not usable. I recorded in a low lit family room with the EIS and the image quality was not acceptable. Well looking in the manual, it does mention that you have to deselect it in low light situations
   2. Magic pix - well I guess if you want to have fun with making odd pictures then this function is for you, but I just want to film my family + pet like they are then it is not.
   The picture comes out lit totally goofy, I filmed my wife and she was all bluish, greenish.
   3. External light
   Well this is why I got upset. Once you turn the light on the image was so grainy that I had to just laugh.
   
   So after turning those features off it was ok, but I paid for them. So after much thinking I swallowed my pride and paid $60 restocking fee and got the Sony.
   Well the low light feature in my family room works great and the picture is great.



5. I had 2 big vacations planned for 2004 and was looking for an affordable entry in the digital camcorder market that would produce decent results. This Panasonic more than filled the bill. Video quality was outstanding and using Pinnacle Studio I was able to easily edit raw material in to some entertaining footage backed by music and other effects. The output really exceeded my expectactions as a relative newcomer to the "movie world".
   
   Pros: Great price, excellent video and sound quality, easy to transfer movies to PC, very compact size, plenty of features, battery life actually slightly better than advertised.
   
   Cons: Video seems to be "jumpy" when using the light (this may be user error as I have not researched), no cables or useful editing software included with camera.

5 comments about Panasonic PV-SD4090 1.3MP Digital Camera w/ 3x Optical Zoom.

1. I purchased this camera last year for my art business and have found it to be a great investment. This was my first digital and I could use it right out of the box without even reading the manual. I like the fact that it uses floppies, so you can hand them to friends and family, or can save them for future use yourself. It worked great for printing flyers when we were selling our vehicles, snap a couple shots, insert them on your flyer and print them out! I also am able to get real close shots, at about 4" away. Unless you are looking to be a professional photographer, this camera will fill your needs.



2. I bought this camera without a lot of knowledge about digital cameras because of the ability to use the Super Disk or any 3.5 floppy. It also copies pics, holding them in memory until you insert your target disk! The Super Disk can hold hundreds of pics depending on the mode you select, I have yet to put a dent in the count. I have to photograph houses and this camera is a real worker - it has never let me down. The battery charges quickly, too. After a recent OS crash I installed XP and was bummed out to find that the included software does not support XP. But my disappointment was short-lived when I remembered the copy function. I just copied my pics from the Super Disk to a regular floppy, inserted in my PC and the XP viewer took it from there. It may even have been faster than downloading! This camera's a little bulky, well, really bulky, but the performance and ease of operation more than compensates! I guarantee you'll like it - even if you, like me, are not a "techie". Great price, too!



3. I bought this camera back when it was brand new and paid over $750 for it. It has served me well. I have take over 5,000 pics atleast with this camera... recently I upgraded my MAC OS to 10.3 well my super dish external drive no longer worked... but I pulled out my USB cable and turn it to PC and was able to still use my camera to down load my images. I spent a couple of hours today looking at replacement digital cameras (before I relize about the USB cable). I was really disappointed really with what is out there. Most used AA batteries which will only last a couple of hours and you throw away. The only thing close to this camera is a CDR/CDRW camera by SONY sd350 and higher... problem is the same with this camera... it uses special 3" disks... which might be outdated in a couple of years... if that. All the cameras out there use those cheap little memory chips... I can just see me losing a $100 chip now or breaking the stupid thing. Yeah this camera is BIG but it is rugged for a digital... I plan on using this camera for as long as it last.

   I wish Panasonic made a newer version of this camera.




4. Bought this camera used based on another review at this site. If you like itsy-bitsy cameras, this one is not for you. If you like a decent-sized camera (that can't get lost in your wallet!!!) this is for you.

   Not great for sports or high speed shots. Great with posed pictures, pictures around the house, we use it at the botanical gardens a lot. It usually comes with Super Disks- these are expensive and rather hard to find. Then you have to use a converter to get them onto your computer (they don't work in a floppy drive). Use a floppy instead, it's much easier to click and then put the floppy in the floppy drive, attach, and send.

   Even though the resolution is only 1.3, it has been useful when our big, fancy 35mm camera failed at the Grand Canyon. You know instantly if the picture turned out or if grandma blinked. The colors did not turn out as strong as a higher resolution camera...but then again, we didn't have to spend 10 minutes setting up for the shot. The slide-button zoom is extremely easy to use. We got several beautiful pictures of the largest crows we had ever seen -the size of cats- right down to the gleam on their feathers.

   I take a lot of pictures of our garden, the house, the dogs, the cats, my husband being goofy on the lawn mower, and I am always able to go right in and attach it to an email and send them to my mom within minutes. A cheap old floppy is waaaay more accessable for us than the SuperDisks, and in normal mode, holds about 10 pictures. I always walk around with a few floppies- at a buck each, I can afford to! Super Fine mode holds about 5 pictures on a regular floppy.

   It is easy to hold and easy to use. For what we spent on a used one, <$200.00, we couldn't be happier. We bought ours from someone who wanted at least 3 megapixels and decided to get rid of it. We will definitely be trying the PV-SD5000 (3.3 megapixel model) as soon as the prices come down and we can get one that has been gently used, probably from someone who "needed" 6 megapixels (why?!?!?!) and wants to get rid of their camera. Then we will probably dispense with a 35mm permanently.




5. I have used this digital camera for several years and LOVE the large hard drive for saving images. I have now taken over 5000 pictures of my daughter (from birth to 2 1/2 years of age.) I have used ONLY three SuperDisks, and I haven't had to delete anything yet. This is a GREAT feature.

   Recently I updated my computer to Windows XP and I found I could no longer locate the SuperDisk to download images using the USB cable. I was able to find a driver update on the Panasonic website. For those having similar problems downloading using the USB cable with newer versions of Windows, try this website for the updated driver:
   
   http://www.panasonic.com/consumer_electronics/digital_cameras/software.asp

   I would HIGHLY recommend a SuperDisk digital camera to anyone in the market.