Quick Review Camcorders: Panasonic PV-GS39

The Panasonic uses a 1/6th inch, 680K gross pixel CCD to produce images which had good, though not brilliant, color results. There were some noticeable “jaggies” appearing in at least two areas of the color chart. Images had an overall graininess to them which appeared most strongly in warm sections of the color chart, especially in the red and orange tones. The grain is a new element to the picture since last year’s Panasonics, and were not quite sure what happened. If high color saturation is important for your video footage, you may want to look at the comparably priced Canon ZR500.

Low light performance from the GS39 was not great either. The manual gain settings can help, but be warned that gain is a digital correction tool which comes at the cost of increased noise. While low light could have been better, the results were still an improvement over last year’s GS19 and GS35.

This camcorder has great navigation control – joystick found on the back of the body. The general menu is a simple text layout which allows for fast navigation and changes. The auto mode switch is located on the outside of the camcorder body so users uncomfortable with menus and controls have a fast and effortless way to switch into automatic mode without needing to enter a menu. Our only area of complaint about  the joystick is that certain controls, like gain and iris, have many increments from one end of the scale to the other. Rather than allowing you to hold the joystick left or right to scroll through, you actually have to give the joystick a nudge through each increment. That can be about 30 “little nudges” in total. It’s a small but pestering aspect of the camcorder.

The auto controls aren’t quite up to par in comparison to the manual mode options, however, an auto mode does exist. Better auto mode options are found on Sony and Canon camcorders. Panasonic also includes a full range of Program AE modes which are designed to compliment certain lighting situations. They include Sports, Portrait, Surf & Snow, and others. You’ll also find one-touch auto controls for adjusting exposure to strong backlighting, a common mistake on amateur videos.

In addition to recording video to MiniDV tapes, you’ll also be able to record still images to SD memory cards at a maximum resolution of 640 x 480, and 640 x 360 in 16:9 aspect mode. The results certainly won’t replace your digital camera, but many people like this feature on a camcorder. By comparison, the Sony DCR-HC26 records stills to tape, and the Canon ZR500 doesn’t record stills at all.

With as many manual controls, the Panasonic PV-GS39 looks to pick up and improve on last year’s PV-GS31. The camcorder has a smaller body design, an SD card port, and a 2.7 inch LCD at a reasonable price of $350 MSRP. If manual controls aren’t important to you, Sony camcorders may be a better option with simple auto modes and basic interfaces. If manual controls are vital, Panasonic should be your brand of choice. Considering the price, the controls, and the new improvements, budget manual enthusiasts should definitely look twice at this camcorder.

Panasonic PV-GS39 THE BOTTOM LINE Rating: 208.29

Likes

-Joystick navigation of the linear and well structured menu -Native 16:9 chip for true widescreen -Manual controls and the extensive number of settings available in each option -Side loading tape compartment will allow users to switch tapes without removing camcorder from tripod -Sharper overall image in comparison to last years PV-GS31

Dislikes

-Manual controls are hard to navigate due to the need to press the joystick each time a new step was engaged within a manual control setting -Zoom slider snaps too quickly and doesn't provide smooth transitions or slower speeds -No Microphone Port -Poor design on hinge for LCD screen

Canon ZR600 Rating: 230.33	Panasonic PV-GS29 Rating: 000.00	Panasonic PV-GS59 Rating: 206.78	Panasonic PV-GS31 Rating: 000.00	Sony DCR-HC26 Rating: 169.72
Better	Better	Better	Better	Better
-Thinner camera body -Focal length	-Lower price range	-Manual audio controls -Editing Software program  -Slightly more expensive  -Audio Dubbing  -Variable speed playback	-Slightly better top loading mechanism -Lower Price Range (if still available)	-Smooth clean zoom toggle  -Top loading tape compartment  -"Click to DVD" (although it requires a Sony Vaio computer with the appropriate preinstalled   software
Equal	Equal	Equal	Equal	Equal
-MiniDV recording format  -SD Memory card capable  -Color Electronic Viewfinder  -1/6th inch, 680K CCD  -2.7 inch LCD screen  -True widescreen  -Composite A/V  -Image Stabilization  -No Mic Input  -FireWire In/Out  -USB Port -Price Range -Preset shooting modes -Manual Focus	-Color Electronic Viewfinder  -Manual control range and options  -1/6th inch, 680K pixel CCD  -30x optical zoom range  -Mini DV In/Out  -Equal weight  -MagicPix night mode  -Composite Out  -Comparable camcorder size  -MiniDV recording format  -Electronic Image Stabilization	-White Balance control  -Manual control over shutter speed  -Exposure Steps and settings  -SD/MMC memory cards   -640 x 480 still resolution maximum setting  -DV IN/Out FireWire  -USB 2.0  -Composite Out  -1/6th inch, 680K pixel LCD  -Gain Control  -LCD 2.7 inches -Color Viewfinder -Camcorder Weight -Camcorder body size -MiniDV recording format -Electronic Image Stabilization -30x optical zoom 16:9 native chip	-640 x 480 still res with recording to SD Card  -Camcorder Body Dimensions  -30.5 mm Lens Diameter  -Web cam Enabled (Motion JPEG)  -Weight  -DV IN/Out port  -Exterior control layout  -No Microphone Input (In-camera audio only)  -MiniDV recording  -USB 2.0  -In-camera audio Playback -A/V Out port -Color Electronic Viewfinder	-No Mic Input  -1/6th inch, 680K pixel CCD  -Color Electronic Viewfinder  -Manual White Balance  -Manual focus
Worse	Worse	Worse	Worse	Worse
-25x optical zoom   -Placement of controls on LCD will result in shaky video  -Non-extending viewfinder	-Still images to tape only  -No memory card slot  -No web camera feature  -2.5 inch LCD screen  -Larger camcorder body  -No USB Port  -Fewer Exposure steps	-Slightly higher price range	-Smaller zoom size  -1.9 - 49.4 mm focal length  -2.5 inch LCD screen	-20x optical zoom  -2.5 inch LCD screen  -Irksome touch-screen layout  -Confusing menu structure  -Manual Exposure is less in-depth  -No manual Gain control  -No manual shutter speed  -Captures still images to tape, no memory card