Panasonic Palmcorder MultiCam PV-GS35 Mini DV Camcorder
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- Recording System: NTSC
- Camcorder Type: Digital
- Recording Media: Mini DV
- Optical Zoom: 30x
- Weight: 0.9 lb.
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User ReviewRead All Reviews »
Great Camcorder!
Pros
Small, light, easy to use, good video quality, affordable, and a HUGE optical zoom.
Cons
Low Light performance, average still photos, and a little weird "shifting" when fully zoomed in.
Recommended it?
Yes
The Bottom Line:
Highly recommended - very easy to use, great video quality, awesome 30X optical zoom, and very nicely priced.
I decided to pick up a camcorder for an upcoming vacation, so I started doing some research. I read all of the reviews I could find, did side-by-side comparisons with the camcorders in my price range, and went to a local shop to check out a bunch of them in person. I finally decided on the GS35, and so far I am very pleased with my decision.
The GS35 fits well in my hand, and is very light. The way the buttons and the menu system are set up (I love the joystick controller), you can navigate through most of it with just one hand. The way the zoom toggle is positioned, it's easier to use your middle finger than your index finger to move it. It's a little awkward at first, but once you get used to it, it's not a problem at all.
Once you turn it on, it's ready to go in about 4-5 seconds. It has a quick-start mode, which cuts that time less than in half, but I have yet to use that feature. For the most part, I am using this as a "point-and-shoot" camcorder, but Panasonic has loaded this thing with a LOT of manual options if you want more control. In fact, I did not find any other camcorders in this price range with anywhere near the same amount of manual controls.
I agree with the previous review about the display being cluttered, but you will get used to it....plus many of the items on the display can be turned off if it bothers you.
The video quality is great. Video comes out sharp and clear, with good color representation, and I still can not get over how good it is with picking up sound. There is a zoom microphone function, so as you zoom in on something, you'll also pick up sound in from the area you're recording.
Speaking of zoom....the 30X zoom on this camcorder is GREAT! It is very easy to control the speed while zooming in and out, and it zooms in and out smoothly. The only issue I have with the zoom at all is that when zoomed all the way in, I noticed some weird little spots where there is some "shifting" going on. I had read about this in one of the reviews, and now I know what the writer meant. It doesn't ruin the picture or anything....it's barely noticeable, but if you look closely, you'll see it. I've noticed if I keep it at 29X instead of the full 30X, the shifting does not come into play. If you're going to use the zoom a lot, you might want to invest in a little tripod, as it is very difficult to hold it steady even with the image stabilizer on. This is true for any of the big-zoom camcorders. I've found if I brace myself up against something, I can hold it steady enough when zoomed in all the way.
The digital zoom is awful in my opinion (I'm not a fan of digital zoom on still cameras either), but with the 30X optical zoom....you really don't need it. Do yourself a favor and avoid the digital zoom unless you really need to get in closer. Just be aware that the image quality will go down quite a bit.
This camcorder will take still photos, and although they come out pretty good, you will probably find they are really not too suitable for printing because of the low resolution. Even with the higher end camcorders, the still photos are all so-so. If you want to take still photos, you should invest in a cheap digital still camera, which will take better images than even the $1,000+ camcorders.
Low light performance is pretty weak, but this is the case with all of the camcorders in this price range. I've found that if you want a camcorder that does really well in low light, you're probably going to have to spend well over a thousand dollars for a high end 3-CCD camcorder. The video is still useable in low light, but not great. A lot of the color is lost, and you'll start to see some noise in the video. If you're filming indoors, and you're not completely across the room from what you're filming, the GS35 has a neat little video lamp that comes on with the touch of a button. This actually does a really good job lighting up an area if you're close enough to your subject (I'd say around 6 feet or so).
One more thing I thought deserved to be mentioned - although I would recommend buying a second battery, Panasonic throws in a really good battery that you'll get around two or two and a half hours of use out of. I was really impressed with that, because usually the batteries that come with electronics are pretty bad. Panasonic gives you pretty much everything you need to get going right in the box (except for a firewire cable, although they do throw in a USB). Good job, Panasonic!
All in all, I am very pleased with the camcorder. In my opinion, this camera gives you the best bang for the buck. You can do better, yes, but not without spending a lot more. I would recommend the GS35 to anybody.
The GS35 fits well in my hand, and is very light. The way the buttons and the menu system are set up (I love the joystick controller), you can navigate through most of it with just one hand. The way the zoom toggle is positioned, it's easier to use your middle finger than your index finger to move it. It's a little awkward at first, but once you get used to it, it's not a problem at all.
Once you turn it on, it's ready to go in about 4-5 seconds. It has a quick-start mode, which cuts that time less than in half, but I have yet to use that feature. For the most part, I am using this as a "point-and-shoot" camcorder, but Panasonic has loaded this thing with a LOT of manual options if you want more control. In fact, I did not find any other camcorders in this price range with anywhere near the same amount of manual controls.
I agree with the previous review about the display being cluttered, but you will get used to it....plus many of the items on the display can be turned off if it bothers you.
The video quality is great. Video comes out sharp and clear, with good color representation, and I still can not get over how good it is with picking up sound. There is a zoom microphone function, so as you zoom in on something, you'll also pick up sound in from the area you're recording.
Speaking of zoom....the 30X zoom on this camcorder is GREAT! It is very easy to control the speed while zooming in and out, and it zooms in and out smoothly. The only issue I have with the zoom at all is that when zoomed all the way in, I noticed some weird little spots where there is some "shifting" going on. I had read about this in one of the reviews, and now I know what the writer meant. It doesn't ruin the picture or anything....it's barely noticeable, but if you look closely, you'll see it. I've noticed if I keep it at 29X instead of the full 30X, the shifting does not come into play. If you're going to use the zoom a lot, you might want to invest in a little tripod, as it is very difficult to hold it steady even with the image stabilizer on. This is true for any of the big-zoom camcorders. I've found if I brace myself up against something, I can hold it steady enough when zoomed in all the way.
The digital zoom is awful in my opinion (I'm not a fan of digital zoom on still cameras either), but with the 30X optical zoom....you really don't need it. Do yourself a favor and avoid the digital zoom unless you really need to get in closer. Just be aware that the image quality will go down quite a bit.
This camcorder will take still photos, and although they come out pretty good, you will probably find they are really not too suitable for printing because of the low resolution. Even with the higher end camcorders, the still photos are all so-so. If you want to take still photos, you should invest in a cheap digital still camera, which will take better images than even the $1,000+ camcorders.
Low light performance is pretty weak, but this is the case with all of the camcorders in this price range. I've found that if you want a camcorder that does really well in low light, you're probably going to have to spend well over a thousand dollars for a high end 3-CCD camcorder. The video is still useable in low light, but not great. A lot of the color is lost, and you'll start to see some noise in the video. If you're filming indoors, and you're not completely across the room from what you're filming, the GS35 has a neat little video lamp that comes on with the touch of a button. This actually does a really good job lighting up an area if you're close enough to your subject (I'd say around 6 feet or so).
One more thing I thought deserved to be mentioned - although I would recommend buying a second battery, Panasonic throws in a really good battery that you'll get around two or two and a half hours of use out of. I was really impressed with that, because usually the batteries that come with electronics are pretty bad. Panasonic gives you pretty much everything you need to get going right in the box (except for a firewire cable, although they do throw in a USB). Good job, Panasonic!
All in all, I am very pleased with the camcorder. In my opinion, this camera gives you the best bang for the buck. You can do better, yes, but not without spending a lot more. I would recommend the GS35 to anybody.
