Most Helpful Customer Reviews
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114 of 115 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Outrageous Value, May 21, 2006
After spending countless paychecks getting the *best* (read: expensive) electronics, I took a step back and decided to get the best value instead. Little did I know I wasn't giving up much.
Like most Panasonic products, the interface on this camcorder is intuitive and easily deciphered. This model has a joystick in the center, a red record button and just five icons surrounding the joystick. Without reading the manual, I can tell you that the icons stand for PC interface, photo playback, picture-taking mode, video playback mode, and record video.
My husband usually wants me to show him how to use our new gadgets. This time, he didn't ask. In fact, he was the first one using it, picking it up for the first time and shooting without any guidance. His rating is a big thumbs-up.
The fact that this camcorder is extremely small and compact also adds to its allure. This week, without planning in advance, I picked up the GS-39 on my way to my son's school event and put it in my medium-sized purse. It was easy for me to quietly take casual video from the sidelines without looking like an overenthusiastic proud mama. The camcorder is less than the size of my D-SLR camera and, unlike the camera, makes no shutter noise.
After taking the school video, I went home and uploaded it to my computer (using Adobe Premiere Elements -- this product does not come with software, but then again, how many people actually use the product that comes with the camcorder?). The product worked seamlessly. There were no dropped frames, and the video was clear enough for the standard user. By that, I mean that it looks like what would have been considered superb three years ago.
I confess that I haven't had the opportunity to use the photo mode, which records still frames to a SD card. I like having the option, but like most integrated products, the resolution isn't as high as with a stand-alone camera.
To sum up this review, the GS39 is an excellent product at a fantastic price. The compact size and weight make it more likely to be taken to events and utilized. Don't let the price fool you. You'll still get all of the major features you need in a camcorder.
ADDITIONAL COMMENTS AFTER 2 WEEKS OF CONSTANT USE:
I still rate this with five stars for the reasons above. However, I would like to add these observations for consideration. This camera takes excellent natural light photos, but is a little on the dark side under low light. It does have a built in light which you should turn on even when the video on the camcorder screen looks okay.
The photo mode was a nice idea, but captured video actually comes out nicer than still pictures from the photo mode.
All in all, I still don't think there's a better value on the market today.
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45 of 48 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Good starter camcorder with poweful zoom, May 22, 2006
I was looking for a relative inexpensive camera gift for a graduating senior. While looking in a local store this Panasonic PV-GS39 camcorder caught my attention. It's got a clean, attractive styling, compact size, and the video quality looked good on a nearby TV to which it was hooked up. I've had positive experiences with Panasonic camcorders in the past -- in fact my current workhorse camcorder is the beloved VDR-D300 3CCD DVD model (see my review on Amazon). The GS39 also seems to be user-friendly, and the salesman confirmed to me that it's got better video quality than some of the more expensive models out there. The 30x optical zoom with image stabilization technology would be a boon to the gift recipient who's about to embark on a yearlong world "study" tour. (Of course, we all know what young people do on such tours.) Finally, the price was definitely perfect as a graduation gift, so I bought it.
BTW, buy before July 1 and get a free camcorder bag and 3 free blank tapes from Panasonic. You can get the rebate form in store or on Panasonic's website; e-mail me if you can't find the rebate link.
In short, this is a terrific value and starter camcorder.
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11 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Top value, February 25, 2007
THerre are many camcorders in the market and many are superior to this one. However you have to pay much more money, In this price range it wouldbe impossible to find a better camcorder. Easy to use with a powerful zoom (better and more powerfull that more expensive camcorders) connects easily to a mac or pc it offerssomething that similar camcorders do not: the possibility to set your manual settings (if you wish to do so) and experiment. For the users that ewant it simple, the auto settings will deliver you an excellent result. Again if you want something more than you should look elsewhere and pay more. But for the price this is the best buy
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