Panasonic PV-GS85 MiniDV Camcorder with 32x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom | 
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| Brand: Panasonic
Category: Photography
List Price: $299.95
Buy New: $219.99
You Save: $79.96 (27%)
New (5) from $219.99
Avg. Customer Rating:  23 reviews
Sales Rank: 1705
Color: SILVER
Media: Electronics
Autographed: No
Memorabilia: No
Number Of Items: 1
Batteries Included: Yes
Floppy Disk Drive: None
Optical Zoom: 32
Display Size: 2.7
Battery: 1 Rechargeable
Maximum Focal Length: 73.6
Minimum Focal Length: 2.3
Shipping Weight (lbs): 4
Dimensions (in): 9 x 7 x 5
Legal Disclaimer: Warranty does not cover misuse of product.
MPN: PV-GS85P-S
Model: GS85
UPC: 037988980260
EAN: 0037988980260
ASIN: B000M4GT68
Availability: Usually ships in 1-2 business days
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| Features:
| • | Features 32x optical zoom | | • | Pure Color Engine | | • | Large 2.7-inch widescreen LCD | | • | One-Touch Navigation for easy, intuitive setting and shooting | | • | Use an SD/SDHC Memory Card to transfer image easily |
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| Editorial Reviews:
Product Description
When you carry the tiny Panasonic PV-GS80 Palmcorder Camcorder with you, you'll capture every unique moment on film. This amazingly small and sharp digital camcorder gives you clear, sharp, stable photos and video. The optical image stabilizer and 32x optical zoom ensure you always get the best shot. Record to your MiniDV tape or store images to an SD Card with the built-in slot. Professional tools like a noise reducing microphone, low-light shooting (with MagicPix) and white balancing make this little camcorder competitive with bigger models. When you see how compact it is, you'll wonder why you bought anything else. It's the Palmcorder that does it all. 16 - 9 Wide Mode recording Digital Zoom - 32x - 1,000x Records to MiniDV tape or SD Card Stereo Zoom Mic with wind noise reduction Backlight compensation Functions as a webcam White Balance - Auto/Indoor/Outdoor/Manual Minimum Illumination - 2 Lux (with MagicPix) Manual Focus Ring Soft-Skin Mode Date Recording Recording Modes - SP/LP Still Picture Size - 640 x 480 (4 - 3), 640 x 360 (16 - 9) DPOF - Max. 999 stills USB 2.0 connection Languages - English / French / Spanish Mini DV in/out Accessory Shoe - Cold Dimensions(HxWxD) - 3.09 x 2.86 x 5.36 Weight - 1 lb.
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| Customer Reviews: Read 18 more reviews...
 not sure if any GS85 is as faulty September 5, 2008
as mine. but mine possibly seemed to have poor (defective?) cmos sensor. As a result. autofocus was extremely slow and also resolution dropped too low even in the shade, not mentioning real low light. Overall picture quality in SP was worse than with my old Panasonic with same 680kpix sensor in LP. Maybe just my bad luck...
Great features are: fantastic OIS; VERY comfortable finger controls; webcam capability.
Great Camcorder September 1, 2008
This camcorder is great for the normal person. It was not made for the sim-pro or pro vedio maker. This is a very good camcorder for the price. It is easy to work, has great Zoom and the OIS is great. I have used this camcorder every where. Please stay away from the PV-GS80, for a few dollars more you can get the PV-GS85 that does a lot more and I had the 80 and had problems with it the 85 is so much better.
Reliable well thoughtout Panasonic product May 31, 2008
The PV-GS85 is one of many Digital camcorders I've tried in the last two years, and so far the one that has come closest to filling my need for a versatile consumer grade camcorder to replace my old Analog VHS PV-43 which broke after 13 years and 40+ hours of flawless service. Without going into boring detail, the PV-GS85 offers comprehensive manual controls accessible ( with some dexterity ) using one hand, and can even record stills to the SD card "while" shooting video. Low light performance comes close to matching my PV-43 something that was the norm on old Analog camcorders, but very rare on the new Digital models. It also uses MiniDV which uses a tape like the old Analog camcorders which to some may seem a disadvantage, however it provides the least compression artifacts in a lossless form that you can archive and label with a pen just like the old Analog tapes unlike DVDs where the ink migrates into the media. It also has Optical image stabilization, a very large field of view, a battery which will last as long a tape, as well as an external battery charger which is included. All in all a nice well executed camcorder. Panasonic even offers an optional 10 watt video light ( at extra cost ) that mounts on the cameras cold shoe.
This cameras not perfect, it doesn't have a microphone jack or manual focus ring like my old PV-43, nor are the stills of great quality ( only one of the camcorders I tested took decent, not great stills and had a flash - it's best to stick with a dedicated camera for stills )but it does provide possibly the best compromise available today. As always, do some research an try out different camcorders and have a clear idea of your expectations before deciding to buy and you'll be happier.
 Very good cam ! February 8, 2008
1 out of 1 found this review helpful
After searching for a while for a ~300 dollars mini-dv camera, i decided for this one and i dont regret it.
Has a very good video quality and a steady shot for photos, took pictures from moving cars or on the move and the optical stabilizers are quite good.
On top of that has a 32x optical zoom to match, those two allows you to take great pictures or film from very far.
Has decent low light capabilities.
That turn on/off function when closing the LCD is quite good.
Cons:
The light is not very useful.
Comes with a 45~60 minutes battery, larger ones makes imposible to use the viewfinder.
You have to remove the battery to access AC power, USB and firewire.
Cannot charge the battery while you have the camera connected to AC
Resuming, is a very good camera in the fundamentals and im happy with it.
 Very good priced camcorder, Image Stabilization is the best January 18, 2008
2 out of 2 found this review helpful
My five year old Sony CCDTRV87 8mm camcorder quit working so it was time for a new video camera since I have small children. Did a lot of research and although most people are pointing to Sony for the product they like, I just couldn't buy another $600 camcorder from Sony and have to replace it in five years. This was the second camcorder from that brand that I had owned and quit after 5 years and I take very good care of them.
I have owned other Panasonic equipment and am very satisfied with their products so after reading great reviews on the PV-GS85, I ordered one. Very fast delivery from Amazon, only four days and it was here.
The Good: Light weight, great picture for sub $300 camcorder. Not as good in low light as the old 8mm. Battery life is 30 minutes with standard supplied battery. After playing with menus for a few days, it was easy to navigate to any functions needed for record or playback. Built in light is a big plus although only good for short range.
The Bad (atleast for me): During playback there is no date/time stamp on the video. I am used to seeing the date superimposed on the video at the beginning of each new recording session on a new day. The date would flash on for a few seconds so that you would know when the shot was taken. This camera has no such function and I assumed that it did since I have owned other brand camcorders (all the way back to 1986 VHS-C) and they all had that date/time function. I found that the date is available if you use the analog output (not in any part of the owners manual) but it is on all the time and is annoying to see all through the video. So if you edit the tapes and transfer to DVD as I do, you have to find video editing software to manually insert an overlay to display the date. And if the tape was shot over a long period of time, you will have to take notes to remember the dates the events took place. Very disappointing for me.
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