Reviews of the Panasonic PV-GS85
-
CNET Review
The Good: Decent video quality; 32X optical zoom lens; optical image stabilization; native 16:9 wide-screen video.
The Bad: Useless night mode; submegapixel sensor won't wow you with resolution.
The Bottom Line: The Panasonic PV-GS85 is a serviceable budget camcorder, but better choices are out there.
-
alaTest.com
Review Summary: Experts rate this product 59/100 and users 83/100. Comparing these reviews to 69236 other Camcorders reviews gives this product an overall alaScore™ 85/100 = Very Good.
-
camcorderinfo.com
Review Summary: The Panasonic PV-GS85 was our winner for 2007's Best Camcorder Under $300, making it a true bargain for the budget shopper. At this price, you wouldn't expect many frills, but prepare to be surprised. Panasonic packs in the manual controls, optical image
Manufacturer: Panasonic
Part number: PV-GS85
General
- Product Type Camcorder
- Digital Zoom 1000 x
- Effective Sensor Resolution 0.54 megapixels
- Total Pixels 0.80 megapixels
- Optical Sensor Size 1/6 in
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Min Illumination 2 lux
- Special Effects Black & White
- Image Stabilizer Optical
- PCM Digital Sound 16bit (48KHz / 2 channels)
- Digital Scene Transition White fader, Black fader
- Min Shutter Speed 1/60 sec
- Max Shutter Speed 1/8000 sec
- Shooting Modes Digital photo mode, Normal movie mode
- Shooting Programs Spotlight, Low light, Surf & snow, Portrait mode, Sports mode
- White Balance Custom, Automatic, Presets
- White Balance Presets Outdoor, Indoor
- Exposure Modes Aperture-priority, Automatic, Program
- Camera Flash None
- Webcam Capability Yes
- Widescreen Video Capture Yes
Main Features
- Camcorder Effective Still Resolution 0.3 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Still Image Format JPEG
- TV Tuner None
- Video Capture MPEG - 320 x 240 - Web camera mode
Memory / Storage
- Supported Flash Memory MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
- Floppy Drive None
- Image Storage JPEG 640 x 480, JPEG 640 x 360
- Media Type Mini DV
- Recording Speed LP, SP
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 2.3 mm - 73.6 mm - F/1.8-3.7
- Focal Length 2.3 mm - 73.6 mm
- Lens Aperture F/1.8-3.7
- Optical Zoom 32 x
- Lens system type Zoom lens
- Min focal length 2.3 mm
- Max focal length 73.6 mm
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Filter Size 37 mm
- Focus Adjustment Automatic, Manual
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- DV input Yes
- Edit Functions Audio dubbing
- Low Lux / Night Mode Yes
- Digital Still Camera Function Yes
- Additional Features Backlight compensation, Date/time stamp
- Built-in Light Yes
- Time Code Yes
- Software Drivers & Utilities
- Included Accessories Lens cap
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type LCD
- Viewfinder Diagonal Size 0.33 in
- Viewfinder Resolution 113,000 pixels
Display
- Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.7 in - Color
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
- Microphone Features Zoom, Wind noise reduction
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire/i.LINK), 1 x Composite video/audio output, 1 x USB
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card
Audio Input
- Audio input type Microphone
- Microphone type Built-in
- Microphone Operation Mode Stereo
Miscellaneous
- Carrying Case None
- Cables Included A/V cable, 1
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
- Battery type - Lithium ion
Battery
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Viewfinder / Display
- Display Form Factor Rotating
- Display Format 123,000 pixels
- Viewfinder Color Support Color
Physical Characteristics
- Width 2.9 in
- Depth 5.4 in
- Height 3.1 in
- Weight 15.9 oz
Product Video
Product Photos
User Opinions
Buying Choices
PV-GS85 Mini DV Camcorder from 1 online stores: Lowest Price: $308.99
-
TheNerds.net $308.99 | In stock: yes
Premier Vendor Content Whitepapers, webcasts & resources from our Power Center Sponsors
- Got a sports fan on your gift list?
-
Beat the crowds and save big on their favorite sports gear! Shop today
- Learn more >>
- Video Podcast: Evaluating 2- and 4-Socket Server Virtualization Platforms
-
In this video we hear from Sudip Chahal, Principal Engineer with the Intel IT Enterprise Architecture Group, talking about a new white paper from IT@Intel, "Evaluating Two- and Four-Socket Server Virtualization Platforms."
- See how different servers would perform in a variety of virtualization scenarios >>
Managed Hosting
- If the cost of building and managing a robust technology infrastructure is prohibitive for your small or mid-sized business (SMB), managed hosting may be worth another look. For help determining whether a managed or dedicated hosting solution makes sense for your business, read this informative blog post by Josh Hoskins.
-
From our sponsors
Smart IT Investment
- Fully-managed hosted IT solutions Complete hosted solutions tailored to your needs with no capital expenditures — the smart approach to IT investment Discover no-capex IT
