Panasonic PV-GS85 Digital Camcorder - Features
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Features
The set of features packed into the PV-GS85 isn't mind-blowing by any stretch, but it's not bad for a budget camcorder. Many of the PV-GS85's competitors do not offer optical image stabilization (OIS), which is an essential feature when shooting long-range video. Typically, budget camcorders offer a lot of zooming power compared to more expensive models, and that's because they have smaller sensors, which makes it easier to implement longer zooms.
Video shot at high zoom is basically worthless without a good optical image stabilization system, and the PV-GS85's is pretty good. I watched some long-range footage shot with this Panasonic, and it did a good job of minimizing the amount of "shake" that is inevitable when not using a tripod. This feature alone is worth the price tag of this camcorder, because it creates smoother video with less "shake" compared to other budget camcorders that don't have an OIS system.
This Panasonic camcorder has an impressive wide-angle shooting ability. In recent tests, with the zoom pulled all the way back, it was able to produce wide-angle measurements of 57 degrees. According to Camcorderinfo.com, this puts the PV-GS85 "at the top of the pack" when it comes to shooting wide-angled video.
The PV-GS85 has some impressive low-light capabilities thanks in part to the LED video light as well as some internal optimization features. This camcorder has a nice "Gain" feature, which basically helps to boost lighting levels intelligently. Camcorderinfo.com tested this camcorder's low-light performance and compared it to its competitor's performance, and they said that "none of the other camcorders we looked at in this price class were able to match the Panasonic PV-GS85 at this light level (low-level lighting). This is a testament to that rare entry-level camcorder that surprises us once in a while and exceeds at low light."
This camcorder features a still-shot camera mode for taking photos. The bottom of the device has an SD card slot for storing these photos. This is a nice feature to have and it is more convenient than trying to get still-shots using a "pause-record" method while shooting video. The image quality of the still-shot mode isn't the greatest, though. This camcorder will not replace a digital camera; its image quality is on par with most camera phones.
The last feature that I want to mention is the manual controls that Panasonic offers with this camcorder. For some people, manual controls are worthless because they like to keep it simple by using automatic settings exclusively. But for more advanced users, the PV-GS85 offers manual adjustments of focus, aperture, white balance, gain, and shutter speeds.
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