Customer Reviews

Panasonic PV-GS29 MiniDV Camcorder with 30x Optical Zoom

5 star:		(5)
4 star:		(6)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

Just got this so I'm not an expert yet. First impressions:
-Easy to use, did not have to read the manual (only the first pages as not to mess up the battery).
-Very good quality in low light environments.
-Because it's very compact in size, fits in the palm of your hand, and it's lightweight.
-Good zoom (30x) which lets you film from afar.

Quality of the film: very good, although since it's my first camcorder I do not have comparison parameters.

Battery: My only gripe so far is that the battery does not last long, but it charges very quickly so what I'll do is just buy a second one to have in my pocket just in case.

Interface: It does not have a USB connection but a FireWire port so I'm downloading directly to my computer. Another option I explored was connecting it to my Samsung DVR-120 DVD Recorder, where I downloaded my film and burned it directly to a DVD-R.

It has other options which I'm not familiar yet. As I get to use them I will update my review.

I recommend it to any beginner or folks who need a quick solver for those birthday parties and road trips. I suppose it does not compare to those high-end 3CCD devices, but I didn't expect it to be more than it is: a great first camcorder.

This is Panasonic's entry-level camcorder, but it's packed with useful features, like good image quality, 12 lux sensitivity, and a whopping 30x optical zoom. I think it's perfect for casual travel videography as well as for shooting entries to the "America's Funniest Video" show. It's fairly easy to use and the build quality is solid.

A good optional accessory to get is a spare battery. You never know if the battery might run out at the most inopportune time, so be sure to pick up a backup one. Given the recent Dell recall of 4.1 million laptops due to battery fire, you should get a genuine Panasonic LiIon battery designd specifically for this model. Don't put your life or your loved one's at risk.

The reviewer named "Hung" got it totally wrong (or was just plain lying). The GS29 does come with IEEE1394 Firewire (aka i.Link) so you can download your videos quickly to your PC; if your PC doesn't already have an IEEE1394 port, you can get a PCI IEEE1394 card for $30 or less. You can use Windows Movie Maker, included with Windows ME and XP, to edit your videos and export them to CDs or DVDs.

You won't go wrong with a Panasonic DV. I've had a few models. I have several of this model for my business. They're rock solid reliable, nice and small for portability, and the quality of the recording is very good.

Very small and easy to carry. Neat on the zoom, a bit hazy on the image stabilization but overall a good buy for the buck.

This is very nicely built, simple features, takes still pics as well.
As long as your not a professional filmer that needs HD, go for it.
Video & sound quality is great.

I bought this camcorder recently and am very happy with it. It is very easy to use and has good recording quality. The low light indoors isn't great but no camcorders in this price range are. I've used it several times and it works fine. I recommend this and the price is unreal.

But I don't want to pass a good product. The Camcorder works just fine giving the time I bought it.

Easy to use camcorder, love how it fits snug in my hand. Used it for my daughters birthday party and it was a hit. I enjoy using it as a camera also.

Not a bad camera, especially for the price.

I bought this mini-DV camcorder for about $300 brand new about 5 years ago. I bought it to save on playback hours on my DVX100A (fyi: they have the same heads). I use it primarily as a firewire digitizing deck.

You can actually get a descent image if you know how to use the manual features and know it's limitations. For people shooting home videos it's easy to use with a basic interface.

It DOES come with a firewire "port" despite another reviewers comment, but it may not come with a firewire "CORD". Mine did, but I won't assume.

I have been using panasonic camcorders since the last 6 years. I have found the Panasonic pvgs29 to be very impressive. I wanted an economical camcorder that had a high optical zoom (very important - not digital zoom) and this was the right piece. I often use it for family videos and i am impressed with the video quality that this camcorder produces. It comes with a AV cable that i use to connect to TV and watch...awesome clarity in my 1080i TV. If you are looking for a not so expensive that give great recording quality there is no looking further.