Panasonic PV-GS14 Camcorder Review

The Panasonic PV-GS14 camcorder has a 22x optical zoom and 800x digital zoom. It’s stocked with many features and options, offering flexibility both to novices and to more practiced fans of MiniDV. At the MSRP of $449.95, it’s great to have the choice between reliable automatic performance and manual features. Like many similarly priced camcorders, it performs best in well lit conditions, demonstrating generally steady performance with lots of zoom. The PV-GS14 has much to offer people who want a reliable, clear-cut way to make videos. However, like similar Panasonic models, it may not meet the standards of the more serious artist.

Video Performance (7.0)
The PV-GS14 has a 1/6-inch 680K CCD situated behind a 27mm filter diameter and 22x optical zoom Panasonic Video Lens. With optimal lighting of 3000 lux, the PV-GS14 performed fairly well; however, especially in the daylight setting, some colors lose a touch of vibrancy. At 3000 lux, colors do not achieve the richness of saturation some connoisseurs might hope to see. The image is crisp, and there is a consistency in color representation, but most of the colors are slightly flat. There is no overly intrusive noise or grain present in the image. The whites, blacks, and grayscales are represented well, with proper differentiation between shades. The white is solid, without any noticeably improper hues.

The Front (7.0)
The 27mm, 22x optical zoom Panasonic Video Lens stands out as the most prominent feature on the front of the Panasonic PV-GS14. Directly beneath the lens is the four-bulb LED. Beneath the LED is the IR sensor. The stereo zoom microphone is on the right side of the front. A/V out, headphones, and Mic in are (right to left) inside a port cover that can be opened by pulling on the tab near the bottom of the camcorder body.

The Right Side (8.0)
The right side of the Panasonic PV-GS14 houses a top-loading MiniDV mechanism. The gray textured surface, along with a Velcro hand strap, offers a comfortable grip. Under the strap, a durable plastic cover safeguards the DV and USB ports.

The Back (7.0)
The battery slides into the back of the Panasonic PV-GS14. Above the battery port is the color viewfinder, which pulls out about an inch but does not rotate. The mode dial, which resembles a digital still camera’s mode selector, rests to the right of the viewfinder. The selector has two video function icons: a red reel-to-reel film camera for recording mode, and a green “play” arrow for VCR mode. Three SD card function icons (a red SLR camera icon for capturing stills, a green SLR camera icon with the “play” arrow at the center, and a computer disc icon for PC connectivity and Web camera usage) appear on a dial at the top right of the panel to help the user find some nifty features. The power switch and “quick start” button sit below the mode selector.

The Left Side (7.0)
A 2.5-inch diagonal LCD screen is on the left side. The screen folds out to reveal otherwise hidden menu/navigation buttons that are required for many of the camcorder’s functions. A bright purple SD card port also remains tucked away under the LCD, only visible when the screen is open.

The Panasonic PV-GS14 has six feature buttons, a menu button, a central VCR/navigation keypad, and a manual/automatic/focus switch-slider. All of these are located beneath the LCD when flipped out. When the menu is displayed, recording and playback do not function. Among the other features, one finds Light, Backlight, Magic Pix, Soft Skin (which makes slight adjustments for skin tone), Wind Noise Reduction, and Multi/Picture-in-Picture.

The Top (8.0)
The color viewfinder, the wide angle/telephoto zoom toggle, and the photo button are on the top of the Panasonic PV-GS14. The open/eject slider for tape loading is also here along the top right.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (5.0)
Automatic controls on the Panasonic PV-GS14 include key functions such as focus, white balance, and exposure. These may be accessed by flipping a small switch on the left side. Auto focus adjustments were very quick and barely noticeable. Adjusting focus when zooming will require more effort with this camcorder, and may require a few seconds to render a clear, in-focus image.

AWB (auto white balance), Gain, Focus, and Shutter Speed adjustments are similarly seamless and quick. A keen eye will notice the auto white balance while it adjusts, but it is not overly distracting.

AE settings include Sports Mode, Portrait Mode, Low Light Mode, Spot Light Mode, and Surf & Snow Mode. These are fun for users who wish to make some creative decisions, but still don’t want to manage adjusting fully manual exposure settings. The automatic settings are pretty good benchmarks for exposure settings in variable conditions.

Overall Manual Control (5.0)
For those who like to have the flexibility to do some fine-tuning, Panasonic camcorders generally include manual control, and this is the case with the Panasonic PV-GS14. Manual controls are easily accessed by switching the Panasonic PV-GS14 into manual mode. The mode selector is on the left side of the camcorder, under the LCD. Most manual controls require scrolling through their features by pressing the central circular button on the navigation keypad.

In manual mode, the camera allows flexible control over focus, white balance, shutter speed, exposure, and gain. The buttons that toggle through each option are located close together, and some will find it cumbersome to press one without accidentally hitting another. The close arrangement of buttons for manual white balancing must be pressed while also checking the status of the icon on the screen, and for some this can be unnecessarily challenging.

Manual white balancing is done by finding a true white source, zooming in, and then pressing and holding the central keypad button. This makes the necessary color temperature adjustments inside the camcorder to ensure that what’s true white in the scene of a recording also appears as true white in the camcorder. Manual white balancing is especially important if there is more than one light source, or if users move from indoors to outside.

Zoom (7.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS14 has 1x-22x optical zoom capabilities, in addition to the over hyped 800x digital zoom. The optical zoom tends to speed up and slow down at an irregular rate that is not instantly intuitive, even to users with some experience. Wide angle shots (zoom out) and close-ups (zoom in) correspond to W/T, respectively. The microphone also responds to zooming more-or-less in synch if that feature is turned to the “on” setting within the menu. Digital zoom, another menu option, is supposed to aid in capturing more extreme distances.

Focus (3.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS14 has quick, accurate automatic and manual focus, which must be set to MF with the small focus switch on the left after the screen is open. In manual mode, the right and left arrow allows for setting the focus. Auto focus is easily set by simply moving the switch back to auto or focus.

Exposure (Aperture) (6.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS14 has both automatic and manual exposure settings. In automatic, users can choose from: Sports Mode, Portrait Mode, Low Light Mode, Spot Light Mode, and Surf & Snow Mode. Shutter speed and exposure cannot be adjusted when AE modes are selected.

Manual exposure, counted with F-stops (closing the iris) from f/16 to f/2.0 is available on the Panasonic PV-GS14, as well as gain adjustment of 0dB to 18dB. Boosting the gain should be done sparingly, as doing so electronically manipulates the brightness and introduces grain and noise into the image.

Shutter Speed (6.0)
When recording to tape, shutter speeds range from 1/60 to 1/8000 of a second. Speeds run from 1/60 to 1/500 when recording to the SD card. On the Panasonic PV-GS14, users can navigate the shutter speed control option using the circular VCR/arrow keypad.

White Balance (6.5)
The Panasonic PV-GS14 can set the white balance automatically as well as manually. In automatic, the Panasonic PV-GS14 does its best to assess the color temperature of the dominant light source and adjust as needed.

White balancing allows photographers to more accurately define true white. After switching the Panasonic PV-GS14 to manual mode, navigate to the auto white balance with the circular menu/arrows keypad. Press the small Play/Enter button at the center of the keypad to engage the manual settings, and use the arrows to reach the manual white balance icon.

Gain (6.0)
It’s great that Panasonic has included gain settings of 0dB to 18dB on the Panasonic PV-GS14. The same arrow pads used with other manual settings give the option to adjust the gain and set the electronically enhanced exposure. Increasing the gain adds noise and grain to the image, but can be helpful for some scenes.

Still Performance (5.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS14 captures JPEG stills at 640 x 480 either on tape or to the 8MB SD card, which allows for rapid-fire still shots. Options for the quality desired, which affects the amount of memory utilized on the card, can be found using the menu button hidden on the left side, which requires unfolding the LCD screen. White Balance, shutter speed, gain, focus, etc., are available in still mode. The SD card is accessed by flipping open the purple switch, visible after opening the left side.

VCR Mode (5.5)
The Panasonic PV-GS14 is a less-than-ideal stand-alone playback machine. VCR playback buttons are hidden under the LCD, so the screen must remain open in order to have access to VCR controls. However, it is a handy feature during image/video playback for those who want to index or scene search.

Low Light Performance (4.8)
Low light performance is pretty weak with the Panasonic PV-GS14, but this is typical for a single-chip camcorder. At 60 lux, however, the Panasonic PV-GS14 performed adequately, and the differences between images at 3000 lux and 60 lux images are not horrifically substantial.

For the most part, colors maintain consistency, even as the images appear darker in shade when shot under low light conditions. However, even in good lighting, the colors could never be described as highly saturated and do not appear to offer any range of luminosity that some may seek, especially when recording nature. However, despite the slight flatness of the colors, each one is accurately represented.

At 15 lux, the color trueness starts to slide somewhat, especially in the green area of the spectrum, and there is no longer a true black or white. The image also loses focus at 15 lux, yet there is less grain than most camcorders in this price range. While the Panasonic PV-GS14 is not stellar at 15 lux, it performs at an acceptable level that might even be considered above average as compared to many other models.

LCD / Viewfinder (5.5)
The LCD on the GS line of camcorders is not that great when compared to a Sony LCD. Panasonic’s camcorder displays have the tendency to solarize pretty badly when the LCD is rotated too far out of direct line of sight. But, for a moderately priced camcorder, it could be a lot worse. The Panasonic PV-GS14 is equipped with a 2.5-inch LCD.

The Panasonic PV-GS14 has a color viewfinder, which can be extended about a half inch closer to the eye. Color viewfinders are great, but the nice thing about the old black and white viewfinders is that they allowed a user to view the contrast of their images. The viewfinder does not rotate, but it is capped with a semi-soft rubber eyepiece.

Audio (8.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS14 allows the user to select the sound quality by scrolling through the menu and choosing between 16-bit 48-kHz two-track recording for high quality sound, and the 12 bit, 32-kHz mode which allows for four-track recording, leaving two tracks open for audio dubbing. The in-camera microphone, with its -50 dB sensitivity for a stereo mini-jack mic input, also comes with a wind noise reduction option that is accessible in the menu.

The camcorder’s microphone is somewhat linked to the zoom feature, with a directional-angle mic that increases sensitivity as users zoom. The headphone jack is located next to the mic jack in the lower front of the camera.

Handling (7.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS14 is small yet comfortable to carry. The right-hand index finger should reach the most important buttons/toggles. However, additional controls must be manipulated with the other hand, and require opening the LCD screen for access to many that are, naturally, out of reach of the right hand. The zoom toggle works fairly well and can be controlled reasonably well, although it may function with some drag for new users. The camcorder easily sits flat on a hard surface, or in the palm of the hand.

A non-rotational viewfinder is one downside with the handling of this camcorder. However, the worst aspect of its overall design is the decision to hide the menu button and other features on the left side underneath the LCD screen. It would be preferable to have a less cumbersome design that does not require looking at the buttons and the screen simultaneously. For many users, even finding the correct button and ensuring it is properly activated will require looking at that side of the camera, which creates a brief distraction at best, and a potential source of unnecessary camera motion at worst. However, once the new user adjusts to these inconveniences, they are likely to seem minor.

Ports (9.0)
Near the hand strap on the front right side are the DV and USB ports. (USB allows for direct transference of images to the computer from the memory card.) A/V / Mic in and the headphones jack are on the front. S-Video port (also for television playback or video transfer) and DC input jack (connects to the AC adaptor for power) are on the back, where the battery would be placed. These ports are important conveniences for the camcorder user.

Other Features (5.0)
MagicPix-- This brightens up dimly lit locations without a flash. The MagicPix button, located just above the central play button, should be pressed just once to brighten the image. Pressing it twice creates a screen message prompt that instructs the user to flip over the LCD screen. However, this is not typically recommended during a video shoot, since it is likely to destabilize the shot, although the feature may benefit some still shots.

Soft Skin-- This feature gently blurs hard lines and misplaced colors to soften skin tones. Or, inadvertently, anything else in the shot that happens to be a similar color.

Multi/P-in-P This is only activated if an SD card is loaded. The Multi feature allows up to nine pictures to be captured and simultaneously displayed on the screen, whereas P-in-P (picture-in-picture) places one photo inside another.

Quick Start--Located above the power button, this button creates a speedy startup that allows the camcorder to begin recording almost instantly. Once activated, the button remains lit even after the camera is turned off. This is great for surprise shots!

16:9 widescreen mode
The Panasonic PV-GS14 offers a digitally manipulated “cinema” mode, with black bars appearing at the top and bottom of the screen, but the width of the image is not actually altered.

Analog to Digital Pass-Through
The Panasonic PV-GS14 does not support Analog to Digital Pass-Through.

Comparisons
There are several camcorders in the price range of the Panasonic PV-GS14 that are comparable. They include: the Canon Elura 65, the JVC GR-D93, the Sony HC30, and the Panasonic PV-GS15.

Canon Elura 65 Canon's Elura 65 has some great options for consumers who like quality lenses, good video performance, and decent manual control. The Elura 65 has a 1/4.5-inch CCD, a 16x Canon optical zoom lens, and fast automatic features. The Elura 65 performs very well at optimal light settings of 3000 lux. It also makes quick automatic adjustments under this light setting. At a nice size and weight, the Elura 65 handles well, but over-rotating the LCD obstructs the menu button and jog dial. Still, this is preferable to the Panasonic's hidden menu and buttons. However, the Canon Elura 65 performs worse in low light situations, and lacked color trueness when put to the extreme test at 15 lux. Decide which is more important, and then make a choice between low light performance and ease of handling. Otherwise, it's a tossup.

JVC GR-D93 JVC offers the GR-D93, with a 1/4-inch 1.33 megapixel CCD, optical zoom power to 16x, a built-in LED, and a 2.5-inch LCD. In automatic mode at 3000 lux, colors captured by the processor are bright and nicely saturated. However, the JVC GR-D93 does lean toward the blue end of the color spectrum. If audio options or ease of use is paramount, the JVC GR-D93 offers little benefit over the Panasonic PV-GS14, and is not up to standard compared to some other camcorders in this price range. The JVC GR-D93 is the better choice for those who prize higher resolution in still shots, strong color saturation at optimal lighting, and above-average low light performance.

Sony DCR-HC30 (Review, Specs, $399) The Sony DCR-HC30 has a 1/6-inch Advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD with 340K effective pixels, providing up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution. Sony says this trademarked CCD reduces noise in the video signal, improving overall signal-to-noise ratio. The camcorder’s light performance and color saturation are pretty good at 3000 lux, but the noise and image distortion at 60 lux and under is a problem. The DCR-HC30 also includes a Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar 10x optical zoom lens. The “Easy” setting and other special features like spot focus and spot metering are nice conveniences. However, the touch screen controls create a major annoyance, since using them has the potential to jostle the camcorder with even the lightest touch. This is even more irritating than the Panasonic PV-GS14’s hidden-menu button design because it requires, rather than simply encouraging, concentration on the controls at the expense of monitoring the image.

Panasonic PV-GS15 Panasonic’s next step up, the PV-GS15, has a 1/6-inch 680K CCD, a 24x optical zoom Panasonic Video Lens, and a 2.5-inch LCD. Like the PV-GS14, under optimal light levels of 3000 lux the PV-GS15 performed pretty well. However, colors were somewhat flat and lacking in richness. Similar to the PV-GS14, the GS15 is replete with manual functions inconveniently hidden beneath the LCD screen. With a slightly better optical zoom, the Panasonic PV-GS15 has a few features that stand out, such as remote-control zoom playback and an included photo editing software package. As a camcorder, it is a very similar to the GS-14 for only about $50 more. So, decide if you think that’s worth those extra features.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters (5.0)
Novice camcorder owners should not be dismayed by the range of manual controls; the Panasonic PV-GS14 also functions admirably in automatic mode. However, anyone likely to find themselves in low light situations should think twice, or invest in some lighting equipment and leave the point-and-shoot club.

Budget Consumers (8.5)
If savings is the goal, at under $450, this camcorder is definitely a nice price for the range of features offered. But bear in mind the cost of adding light later.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (5.0)
The PV-GS14, with room for an SD card, offers enough still photography options, controls, and features to make this a sound choice for most.

Gadget Freaks (4.0)
It definitely qualifies as a button-pushing gadget. But remember what pushing a button can do to the image. For gadget freaks who simply want to play, great. Those who expect stellar performance should be wary of low light issues and unwanted camera motion from tapping all of those menu options.

Manual Control Freaks (6.5)
Like most Panasonic camcorders, the manual controls are there, even while sometimes hiding behind a closed LCD screen, which can of course be manually opened… still, it is always good to have the options this camcorder provides.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists (2.5)
This is a decent buy for a hobbyist who has a tripod, lighting equipment, and enough knowledge to compensate for the camcorder’s low light and maneuvering deficiencies. Otherwise, consider looking elsewhere. Still, it gives a novice plenty of room to learn and grow into becoming a serious hobbyist.

Conclusion
Despite repeated grumbling about low light performance, lack of super-rich color, and hidden menu buttons, this is a camcorder many would be proud to call their own. The manual controls, solid automatic performance, ample supply of useful ports (Headphone, Microphone, and USB, to name three), and reasonable price point keep this camcorder in the running as a strong choice for many. The AE features, for those who like to be creative without having to make too many decisions during a shoot, are also useful.

Overall, the Panasonic PV-GS14 is a comfortable, responsive camcorder. Many would wonder why a jog dial could not be included rather than a hidden set of menu buttons, since this would aid in keeping the camera still. Individual taste may play a role here, but those who seek strong low light performance should look elsewhere. Otherwise, it is a good camcorder, and most will eventually adjust to the hidden menu buttons.