Panasonic PV-DV201: Great value
Written: Dec 18 '01
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Pros: Small, 20x optical zoom, takes digital photos, USB file transfer
Cons: No light included, no AV inputs or microphone jack
The Bottom Line: I am very happy with this camera, considering the price. It has all the essentials and several extra features.
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| bruff's Full Review: Panasonic PV-DV201 Mini DV Camcorder |
I wanted a mini-DV camcorder this Christmas, but I didn't want to spend an arm and a leg to get one. After searching several web sites and Consumer Reports, I decided that the Panasonic PV-DV201 was the best value in the under $600 range. It was the highest rated "inexpensive" camera in Consumer Reports because of its good picture quality (thanks to the 680,000 pixel CCD) and useful features. It beat out several higher priced units, and some similarly priced Sonys.
I think the picture quality is very good. Mini-DV is better than VHS and reportedly better than Hi-8 (although I have no experience with this format). Sound quality is very good, as well. I have only used the 12 bit audio setting (instead of 16) to allow overdubbing on audio track 2 in the future. The 16 bit setting is supposed to be near-CD quality but does not allow a second audio track.
The color LCD is a little small (2.5" diagonal) but it appropriate for the camera price. The LCD is difficult to see when viewed from more than 45 degrees off axis.
The zoom is very easy to use and the zoom speed can be varied. You can hear a little noise from the zoom motor, but this is not unusual in a camera with a built-in mic. Unfortunately, an outboard mic is not an option on this camera. Electronic image stabilization is available while recording and/or playing back. Also, a "high gain" setting allows recording in dim light. Unfortunately, images are slightly jerky with this option enabled.
The lithium ion battery lasts about an hour if you don't use the LCD viewer. The battery is quite small and recharges quickly. An additional battery would be useful, but is expensive. At least a lithium ion battery should be immune to memory effects, so you can charge it anytime.
Digital stills are adequate (640 x 480 jpg), but the camera needs plenty of light to take a good still picture. I wasn't looking to replace a 35mm camera, so the performance is enough for me. The camera can store stills on an SD memory card, or on the video tape with several seconds of audio included. You can also pause the camera and pull a still picture from that frame using the included software.
The included software is useful and user friendly, but not amazing. The camera comes with a USB interface, which can save you some money if you don't have a Fire Wire (IEEE 1394) interface card and cable. The USB can transfer pictures from the memory card, pull stills from frozen video, and transfer video clips from the camera. The USB video transfer takes 30-50 seconds of transfer time per second of video, and it can only capture a 30 second clip. This means that when you pick a start point on the tape and press "capture video," it will take up to 25 minutes to complete the capture process! This is a strong argument for purchasing the Fire Wire card and cable for your PC. Fire Wire will transmit video in real time for editing or archiving.
Overall, this is a very good entry or mid level camcorder. I would buy it again.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 550
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Epinions.com ID:
bruff
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Location: Kansas City
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 1 member
About Me:
Mechanical Engineer with an interest in cars, music, high-end audio, and gadgets.
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