Panasonic's Best: PV-DV800
Written: Sep 10 '00 (Updated Nov 17 '00)
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Product Rating:
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Pros: 18x optical zoom for movies & pics
Cons: Poor low light movies, poor designs
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| BRFurman's Full Review: Panasonic PV-DV800 Mini DV Camcorder |
The Panasonic PV DV-800 camcorder model is the top Panasonic digital mini-DV year-2000 model. There are parts of the design which I do NOT like, and I will start with those. These are likely applicable to the PV-DV100, 200, 400 and 600, as well.
1) You cannot record the DATE to appear on a particular scene. I am able to do that with my Panasonic VHS-C, but not this! Your choice is on playback only ... show no date, show the date all the time each scene was recorded or show the date and time all the time each scene was recorded.
The manual is weak on this point and the camera allows you to show the date and turn it off in record mode, but unfortunately it works as I said.
2) The VCR buttons on the left side are all connected, so one cannot determine if he has hit the right button while filming. For example, if you press PAUSE while recording, you can freeze the picture. That's a nice feature, but how can you tell which is the pause button when all 5 buttons are in a continuous strip without separators?
3) The light sits atop the camera and is removable. It should have been built in like the VHS-C's are.
4) Recording in dim light is WORSE than on my VHS-C. VERY GRAINY. I was
disappointed with that.
5) All functions are available thru a jog wheel menu. The best digital effects are scene wipe and scene mix, BUT...
a) They are on the last of a list of many and harder to select. Silly effects like mirror and mosaic and stretch are first! (Mirror would be more useful if it reversed the current image, good when shooting at a mirror image. Its two symmetrical mirrored images are less useful!)
b) The wipe and mix settings go away after the camera "times out", and it times out in just a few minutes. When you turn the camera on again, it remembers certain functions, but not the digital effects.
6) The index mark system is available for use only with the remote control, an extra accessory. This feature is supposed to put a mark either each day, or every 2 hours, depending upon how you set it up. Believe me, the mark hardly ever appears when it should. I haven't figured out why it is marked sporadically.
7) No alphanumeric titler. I knew this when I bought the camera, but it's terrible for a camera this expensive.
8) It has PHOTO TITLE instead. You download pictures in to the camera from your PC (it comes with 12 samples) and use them as titles. Problem is the PHOTO TITLE shows on the screen for ONE SECOND. TOO SHORT TO SEE OR READ! It should be 4 seconds, at least!
10) There is a rubber flap which covers the audio/video, S-Video, headphone jacks. It is attached by a "thread" of rubber, and broke on my camera after the 90-days labor warranty was up. I have convinced Panasonic to fix this under warranty, however this is a warning! This part is very fragile!!!
11) Still pictures in FINE mode (640 x 480) don't come out as sharp as I had hoped. But... see the pluses below.
******** NOW THE PLUSES ***********
1) Picture at LP is indistinguishable from SP. May be the same for all mini-DVs. Very, very sharp in bright sunlight only.
2) The PV DV-800 has a color viewfinder, 3 1/2" clear LCD and analog inputs. The latter is necessary not only to copy other tapes to Mini DV, but to record movies on them. I record TV movies on an 80-min tape (2 hrs in LP) and watch them on an airplane trip. Who needs a DVD player? (On the negative side, the headphone volume is quite low.)
3) Camera has a good feel in the hand. Not too small and not too big. Good design!
4) Digital stabilization works very well, even in digital zoom mode. Better than the old VHS-C.
5) You use edit search to rewind or go forward in RECORD (Camera) mode. You don't have to switch to VCR mode. It's a good feature.
6) The digital MIX and WIPE features blend two scenes into one, for more professional movies, but they don't stay in memory past the camera time out of 5 minutes.
7) Stereo sound from built-in microphone is excellent.
8) Still pictures can be taken using the 18X optical zoom. The zoom range is a great plus for both movie-making and stills!
9) The PAUSE button freezes action while filming. While filming a player sliding into third base, press PAUSE to freeze the final recorded frame, as they do on TV. (Problem is, finding the button while filming as indicated in the CONs above.)
I discovered an undocumented feature with this button. Press PAUSE before the RECORD button, and you can see how a still will come out. If not good, press PAUSE again, and re-do. If good, press the RECORD button. Great for shooting signs as titles. It's better than using the PhotoShoot button to put stills on the tape.
Recommended:
Yes
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Epinions.com ID:
BRFurman
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Member: Barry Furman
Reviews written: 7
Trusted by: 1 member
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