Camcorders

Introduction


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 stabilization, and a surprising low light performance.

The Front

Up front, the PV-GS85 is relatively minimalist. The 32x optical zoom lens has an aperture range of f/1.8 – f/3.7 and a focal length of 2.3mm – 73.6mm. The lens has a 37mm filter diameter. The built-in stereo microphone is embedded to the bottom left of the lens, a convenient location to avoid hand interference. The PV-GS85 is equipped with an LED video light along the left side of the front, which is constructed of four small lights as opposed to one or two. Therefore, the PV-GS85 is capable of producing twice the amount of light, rendering the PV-GS85’s video light actually useful compared to other camcorders. The White Balance sensor is located below the LED light.

The Right Side

The right side is home to the PV-GS85’s top loading tape hatch, in addition to a few minor controls. A top loading tape hatch is a hot commodity in the camcorder world because it allows the shooter to change tapes without having to remove the camcorder from the tripod. However, it is worth mentioning here that the PV-GS85’s SD card slot is located on the bottom of the camcorder. Unfortunately, you can’t have the best of both worlds, folks. The Auto/Manual/Focus switch is located toward the back end of the camcorder while the AV jack resides at the other end near the lens. The AV jack is housed by a thin plastic cover and is the only port that is not located within the battery chamber—we’ll get to that in a minute. The PV-GS85’s hand strap is thin, cheap, and devoid of adequate padding. This is to be expected on an entry-level camcorder, but Panasonic has never really succeeded in providing a comfortable grip solution on most of its camcorders. It is also poorly positioned, causing the camcorder’s body to tip left if not gripped tightly.

The Back

In back, Panasonic keeps it light—or so it seems. When you remove the CGR-DU06 battery pack, you’ll be greeted by three ports: DC in, FireWire, and USB. What gives? Positioning ports behind the battery is a terrible idea. Now you can’t import footage in the field without the external power supply. In addition, if you’re in the middle of a shot and the battery is almost dead, you’ll have to sacrifice continuity by removing the battery just to get at that DC input. Panasonic needs to stop doing this. When you read about the LCD cavity in the next section, this peculiar port placement becomes even more enigmatic.
Above the battery chamber is the extendable viewfinder. The viewfinder is not rubberized and does not pivot upward, but it provides an additional inch from the back of the camcorder. Along the right side you’ll find the On/Off switch, Menu button, and Video Light button. The On/Off switch prevents the camcorder from being inadvertently powered on, which is a characteristic of most Mode Dials that double as an On/Off switch. The PV-GS85’s Mode Dial is located along the right side and features a voluminous joystick embedded within its center. One-handed camcorder operation is the name of the game on any Panasonic. The Record Start/Stop button sits to the left of the Mode Dial and is easily accessible.

The Left Side

Usually, the left side of a camcorder is chock full of connectivity and controls, but that’s not the case here. The PV-GS85 is as barren as they get. Flinging the 2.7-inch LCD screen open reveals…a playback speaker! That’s all folks. There are no LCD panel controls either. Hmm, the LCD cavity would have been optimal real estate for all of the PV-GS85’s connectivity, but apparently Panasonic feels that the battery chamber is more convenient. Yikes.

The Top

The top of the PV-GS85 is home to the cold accessory shoe, Photo button, and Zoom toggle. The disc hatch release button is located on top of the disc hatch. Panasonic’s Zoom toggles stray from the typical rocking lever design, functioning more like a slider. This might take some acclimatizing for some users, but overall, the PV-GS85’s Zoom slider is a steady performer.

Specifications

Year 2007
Format MiniDV
Class Consumer

Imager and Processing

Sensor Size (in.) 1/6
Sensor Count 1
Gross Pixel Count Video 680000.00
Gross Pixel Count Still 680000.00
Effective Pixel Count Video 460000.00
Effective Pixel Count Still 460000.00
Progressive Scan (output)
Still Pixel Shifting 0
Still Resolution Dimensions Maximum 640x480

Lens

Optical Zoom 32.00
Digital Zoom 1000.00
Filter Diameter (mm) 37.00
Focal Distance Minimum (mm) 2.30
Focal Distance Maximum (mm) 73.60
35mm Focal Distance Minimum (mm) 0.00
35mm Focal Distance Maximum (mm) 0.00
F-stop Minimum 1.80
F-stop Maximum 3.70
Minimum Lux (reported) 0.00
Image Stabilization Optical

Manual/Automatic Contols

Manual Focus Type Joystick
Manual Exposure Steps 0
Manual Aperture Max (f/) 1.80
Manual Aperture Min (f/) 16.00
Manual Shutter Speed Steps 14
Minimum Shutter Speed 1/60
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/8000
White Balance Modes Auto, Indoor, Outdoor, Manual
Manual Gain Yes
Manual Gain Steps 14
Auto/Easy Mode Yes
Other Manual Controls Guide Lines
Special Night Mode(s) MagicPix

Ports

Firewire
USB
Composite (RCA) Out

Body

Body Type Horizontal
Weight (gram) 450.00
Width (mm) 78.50
Height (mm) 72.60
Length (mm) 136.00
Body Color(s) Silver
Accessory Shoe Accessory Shoe Hot
LCD Size (in.) 2.70
LCD Resolution (Pixels) 123000
Touch Screen Hybrid (Non-Solarizing) LCD

Viewfinder

Viewfinder Type EVF
Viewfinder Resolution (Pixels) 0.00
Video Light Flash
Still Media SD/SDHC
Still Media Included None

Other

Replaces PV-GS180
Sister Model Up PV-GS320
Sister Model Down PV-GS80
Included Battery CGR-DU06
Included Battery Life (min.) 0
Recording Quality Options SP, LP
Max Recording Time (min.) 90.00
Webcam
Included Remote Control


Performance

Video Performance (4.0)The Panasonic PV-GS85 (Review, Specs, $0.00) is equipped with the standard entry-level specs for a camcorder in this price class: a 1/6-inch CCD with a gross pixel count of 680,000 (effective pixel count 340,000 in 4:3 aspect ratio, and 460,000 in 16:9 aspect ratio). We don’t expect much from camcorders with these specs, and our expectations were met perfectly.
At a controlled 3000 lux environment, the Panasonic PV-GS85 produced a dull and grainy image. This is certainly no worse than any other camcorder in its class, however, and better than some. The low resolution was evident, as you could practically count the horizontal pixel rows. While the colors failed to pop, they had an accuracy that you’ll sometimes miss in this end of the price scale.
Comparing the PV-GS85’s image with the step-up PV-GS320 (Specs, $0) makes it clear just where those extra $200 dollars are going. The colors are much richer in the GS320, and the fine detail retention is noticeably greater. The Sony DCR-HC38 (Specs, $279), a MiniDV priced about the same as the PV-GS85, produced a very similar looking image, though the reds were more saturated and the noise was a bit higher. Finally, the Canon ZR850 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $265), another MiniDV camcorder, also had the same color palette, but the fine detail capture was better.
Out of the lab, the Panasonic PV-GS85 produced a decent looking image. Outdoor colors were saturated when shooting in full sun. In shade, the camcorder had trouble yielding results as good. You’re certainly not going to wow anyone with the picture quality, but for the occasional shooting that most camcorders experience, the PV-GS85 will suffice nicely.
Video Resolution (4.88)The resolution of the Panasonic PV-GS85 was tested by shooting a DSC Labs video resolution chart at an even, bright light and then examining the playback footage on a monitor. This test looks at the resolution of the outputted video rather than the idealized resolution of the imager. At best, the PV-GS85 was able to produce a horizontal resolution of 325 line widths per picture height (lw/ph) and a vertical resolution of 300 lw/ph.
Low Light Performance (5.18)The low light testing of the Panasonic PV-GS85 took part in three stages. First, we shot our DSC Labs Chroma DuMonde color chart at an even 60 lux and 15 lux, then compared the results with competing camcorders. At 60 lux, the camcorder retained a surprising amount of information. We’re chalking this is up to a very intelligent auto gain system from Panasonic, because most 1/6-inch imagers do not produce quite this well. There was some expected dulling in the colors, but the resolution was virtually untouched. Our good feelings about the low light performance were confirmed with the sensitivity test, which we’ll get to in a moment.
The PV-GS85 offers the ability to shift the gain, which can be useful in low light. When shooting in full auto, the camcorder set the gain to approximately 12dB. When we raised the gain manually to 15dB, the colors began to wash out pretty significantly. At the max setting of 18dB, the image is completely washed out.
The next model up, the PV-GS320 was much sharper and cleaner overall, with more accurate colors. The image was automatically exposed darker than the PV-GS85, which had a big impact on its sensitivity score. Which is better? Overall, we’d take the PV-GS320 because of its resolution, but based on pure brightness the PV-GS85 was better.
The Sony DCR-HC38 produced a lot of ugly blue noise, as so many Sony camcorders do. The colors remain saturated, but overall the image is hard to swallow. The Canon ZR850 was a big disappointment and could not settle on a manual white balance at this light level.
At 15 lux in auto mode, the PV-GS85 was quite dark. Most of the color information was lost, but the whites remained strong and any areas of fine that were in high-contrast areas looked decent.
With the light this low, there was little wiggle room left for manual gain adjustments. Just one small increment remained, from around 15dB to 18dB. When we made the bump, the image simply got noisier. No useful information was retrieved.
None of the other camcorders we looked at in this price class were able to match the Panasonic PV-GS85 at this light level. This is a testament to that rare entry-level camcorder that surprises us once in a while and exceeds at low light.
The second part of the low light test involves shooting the same chart while slowly and steadily dropping the light while monitoring the IRE levels (outputted exposure) until the camcorder can achieve a peak of 50 IRE. The PV-GS85 really surprised us, managing that feat at a mere 12 lux. While the are many elements of a good image (i.e., resolution, color accuracy, low noise, etc.) that the PV-GS85 lacks when compared to all consumer camcorders on the market, this test proves that it can at least produce bright whites at 12 lux, which is a feat for such a small camcorder. Finally, we raise the lights back up to 60 lux and shoot the GretagMacBeth Color Checker chart, then output frame grabs to Imatest imaging software for color accuracy, noise, and saturation. At best, the PV-GS85 was able to produce a color error of 15.8, which was about par for the competition. The noise levels measured 1.1425%, also about average, except for the Sony DCR-HC38, which was much higher. The saturation at this light level was 56.07%. In summary, the PV-GS85 is a surprising low light champion in its price class.
Stabilization (8.2)Most entry-level camcorders have Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS), which eats pixels and diminishes resolution. However, all Panasonics are equipped with Optical Image Stabilization (OIS), which stabilizes the lens element rather than digitally simulating borders of a recorded frame. We tested the effectiveness of the PV-GS85’s OIS using our custom built camcorder shake emulator. The camcorder was tested at two speeds—Speed One and Speed Two. Speed One simulates typical handheld camcorder shake while Speed Two is more along the lines of recording while sitting on the back of a bumpy car or lightly jogging down the street, camcorder in hand. At Speed One, the PV-GS85 produced an 84.62% shake reduction while Speed One yielded a 75% shake reduction. These results are above average, especially in the budget camcorder field.
Wide Angle (11.4)We tested the capability of the PV-GS85’s wide angle using a vertical laser. OIS was disengaged, the LCD was flipped open, and the Zoom was pulled back fully. The PV-GS85 produced a wide angle measurement of 57 degrees, setting the camcorder at the top of the pack.
Still Features
Still Features (4.75)The still features on the Panasonic PV-GS85 (Review, Specs, $0.00) are severely limited, and it is strongly advised that you not only do not consider this to be a substitute for a still camera, but that you do yourself a favor and skip the still functionality altogether.
The primary reason for our harsh criticism of the PV-GS85’s still mode is that the maximum still size is a mere 640 x 480, equivalent to 0.3 megapixels. Anyone even vaguely familiar with digital imaging is aware that the cheapest point and shoots are averaging 7 megapixels at the time of this review – that twenty-three times the resolution of these stills. If you want to shoot stills in the 16:9 format, that’s an even smaller 640 x 360, or 0.2 megapixels. Stills are saved in the JPEG format. There are two qualities for each resolution setting: high and low. There are some upsides to the still mode in the PV-GS85, however. In still mode, you have access to most of the same manual controls that you do in video mode: independent shutter and aperture, gain, Backlight Compensation, Soft Skin mode, and manual focus. The optical image stabilization is available, as is Guide lines and all the scene modes.
Main Menu (Photo Mode)
Basic
Scene Mode, Picture Quality, Aspect, Clock Set
Advanced
OIS, Guide Lines, Shutter Effect
Setup
Display, Date/Time, Power Save, Quick Start, Beep Sound, LCD Set, EVF Set, Initial Set
Language
English, Francais, Espanol
Main Menu (Photo Playback Mode)
Basic
Date/Time, Protect
Advanced
DPOF Set, Format Card
Setup
Display, LCD Set, EVF Set, Power Save, TV Aspect
Language
English, Francais, Espanol
Still Performance (7.76)The still performance of the Panasonic PV-GS85 was tested by shooting a GretagMacBeth Color Checker chart at an even, bright light, then outputting those stills to Imatest imaging software. At best, the camcorder was able to produce a color error of 7.73, with a noise level of 0.8375% and a saturation level of 97.66%. The step-up Panasonic PV-GS320 (Specs, $0) produced similar results. The Canon ZR850 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $265) produced larger stills but the colors were less accurate. The Sony DCR-HC38 (Specs, $279) did not even offer the ability to shoot stills. In order to get this best score, we had take the camcorder out of auto mode and put them into manual mode, shifting the aperture into f/2.4. The shutter was set at 1/60th.
Still Resolution (1.58)The still resolution of the PV-GS85’s stills were tested by shooting an Applied Image ISO 12233 resolution chart and running the stills through Imatest imaging software. At best, the Panasonic PV-GS85 was able to produce a horizontal resolution of 344.5 line widths per picture height (lw/ph) – with a 3.72% clipping and a 5.53% oversharpening – and a vertical resolution of 357.6 lw/ph – with a clipping of 3.89% and an oversharpening of 4.12%. These scores were low, which was no surprise considering the 640 x 480 maximum resolution. To get this score, we adjusted the aperture from f/4.0 to f/3.4. The shutter remained at 1/60th.
Comparisons and conclusions
ComparisonPanasonic PV-GS320 (Specs, $0)Three 1/6-inch CCDs are the key difference between Panasonic’s top of the line MiniDV camcorder, the PV-GS320 ($499.95 MSRP) and the step-down PV-GS85 (Review, Specs, $0.00). In our testing labs, the PV-GS320 produced a killer image in bright light, but low light was not so hot. However, in overall shooting, the PV-GS320 cranked out a better picture than the PV-GS85 due to much sharper images and more accurate colors. The only other difference between them is a larger still resolution from the GS320? Both camcorders are architecturally identical and offer the same features, aside from the PV-GS85’s video light. Now doesn’t this cake the PV-GS320 in shame. Remember the glorious days of MiniDV titans like the PV-GS400 (Review, Specs, $1099)? Dust in the wind—unless you can find one on eBay. If you need to save cash, go for the PV-GS85.
Canon ZR850 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $265)Canon’s top MiniDV dog is equipped with a single 1/6” CCD that manages to pack in 1,070,000 pixels. In bright light, the ZR850 ($329 MSRP) produced a fairly saturated, noisy image while low light was simply frightful. We’re going with the PV-GS85 here, which displayed a more solid image across the board. Since both camcorders offer the same connectivity, let’s take a look at handling. The ZR850’s tall, upright frame lacks burliness and skimps heavily on the viewfinder. The PV-GS85 offers OIS while the ZR850 is stuck with EIS. Though the ZR850 can capture slightly larger stills, you’ll want to stick with the PV-GS85 on this one. Its rear-mounted joystick and abundance of manual controls just blow the ZR850 into smithereens. Our next comparison should be shaking in its boots.
Sony DCR-HC38 (Specs, $279)At the pinnacle of Point-and-Shoot Mountain sits any Sony camcorder. The DCR-HC38 ($330.00 MSRP) appears to be a beginner’s dream, touting Easy mode and a touch screen interface. However, one look beyond the DCR-HC38’s snazzy body will reveal a deplorable menu that is far from intuitive. The buttons are the size of particles and must be pressed repeatedly in order to engage an option. The DCR-HC38 produces a decent image in bright light, but—like most 1/6” chip camcorders—suffers in low light. The PV-GS85 has comparable bright light and much better low light, plus an abundance of manual controls. There is no contest here.
JVC GR-D796We haven’t reviewed the JVC GR-D796 ($349.00 MSRP) yet, but this camcorder features an identical imager to its predecessor, the GR-D395 (Review, Specs, $351.49). What this equates to is a pale bright light image with poor low light. The PV-GS85’s manual gain control trumps the GR-D796’s Auto Gain Control (AGC) any day—at 60 lux we had a couple notches of Gain play with the PV-GS85. Not too shabby. The GR-D796 is designed tall and upright, increasing the portability factor and probably more comfortable in hand. Other features include an LCD-mounted joystick, retractable viewfinder, and extra included battery pack. Will this be enough to sway diehard Panasonic fans? Most likely not. Stick with the PV-GS85. Who It’s For Point-and-ShootersBeginners beware: the PV-GS85 is among the most advanced entry-level MiniDV camcorder on the market. Most Point-and-Shooters will long for Sony’s Easy mode.
Budget ConsumersAn entry-level camcorder with optical image stabilization and manual Gain is a steal, especially for under $300. Budget Consumers, this is your lucky day.
Still Photo / Video Camera HybridThe maximum still size on the PV-GS85 is 640 x 480 VGA, so shooters who want anything outside of web quality images will have to look elsewhere.
Gadget FreaksWhat? A MiniDV camcorder? They still make those?
Manual Control FreaksAs stated throughout this review, the PV-GS85 bursts out of the starting gates with Focus, Aperture, Gain, White Balance, and Shutter Speed—a commendable array for an entry-level camcorder. Panasonic leads the pack in this department.
Pros / Serious HobbyistsEven standard definition prosumer camcorders are vying for the attention of HD-hungry pros these days—the PV-GS85 doesn’t even stand a chance.
ConclusionThe Panasonic PV-GS85 is a cut above the average entry-level camcorder. On the whole, the video quality will not impress. After all, this is a below-$300 model and only so much can be expected. What surprised us was the low light performance. The camcorder managed to retain information at very low light levels, a feat not commonly shared in this price class. True, that’s very grainy, low-res footage, but it trumped the competition by a fair margin.
Another thing to love about the PV-GS85 is the set of manual controls and features. You can never accuse Panasonic of skimping. From their lowest model to the top, they include independent aperture and shutter control, gain, focus, a dose of Scene Modes, and other one-touch image correction tools. The PV-GS85 also offers optical image stabilization, something Canon, Sony, and JVC don’t offer until you get to their top-tier models. The greenest of newcomers might stumble a bit through the learning curve on this camcorder, but they’ll be rewarded with not only decent video quality, but a solid tool that will help them learn how to shoot great video.