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Panasonic Palmcorder PV-DV102 Mini DV CamcorderNow the same camcorder that saves your memories can help you make some memories too! That's because the Panasonic PV-DV102 Digital...
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Now the same camcorder that saves your memories can help you make some memories too! That's because the Panasonic PV-DV102 Digital Palmcorder® MultiCam Camcorder is equipped with a built-in Web Camera. And that gives you the ability to send impactful, live video to family and friends over the Internet. Or, if your loved ones are similarly equipped, you can even videoconference with them. Imagine how great it would be to actually see the special people in your life, just by connecting to the Web. It's that easy with a Panasonic Palmcorder® MultiCam Camcorder.
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11 Reviews from Shopping.com
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Good entry level DV Camcorder
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Pros: Good movie quality, easy to use, ability to take still photos directly to SD/MMC card
Cons: Average/Poor still photo quality, only 10X zoom, short battery life with included battery
The Bottom Line:
Good movie picture quality, still photo quality is horrible and should not be relied upon.
After using this camcorder for over about two months, I can say overall I like it.
Picture quality is good, but definitely needs appropriate lighting. In dim situations the picture is too dark for my tastes (this is somewhat true for most camcorders though).
Color quality is average (definitely acceptable though), but I've seen better. Colors are somewhat washed out in under lighted scenarios.
I like the side loading DV tape mechanism. Makes it very easy to insert/remove tapes whether on tripod or sitting on a desk.
The electronic image stabilization works very well. I liked it quite a bit better than other DV camcorders I have used.
The battery that comes with the unit is too underpowered. Using the the LCD minimally, I typically only got 40 minutes out of it. You WILL need an additional/larger battery for any extended recording.
The side LCD window seems solid, and the LCD is easily viewable even outdoors.
Although the camera can take megapixel equivalent still photos (1280x960 max resolution), the photos are only 72 dpi and are poor quality. Definitely NOT a digital camera replacement. Even cheap 1.3 megapixel digital cameras take better still pictures than this camcorder.
The editing software it comes with works very well. Including the mpeg-4 encoder for emailing video clips. All of the software and drivers I tried worked perfectly in Windows XP as well.
For an entry level DV camcorder, I whole heartedly recommend the Panasonic PV-DV102. It is easy to use, light (by my standards) and takes consistently good looking video.
As a digital camera replacement though, look elsewhere.
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