Panasonic PV-GS180 Camcorder Review

Audio (7.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS180 far surpasses most consumer camcorders in terms of its audio performance simply because it includes an external microphone jack and a headphone jack. Many consumer camcorders, including the Sony HC-46 have an onboard mic and nothing else, which imposes extreme limitations on audio recording quality. By including a mic jack on the PV-GS180, Panasonic has opened up a universe of microphone options allowing the camcorder to capture professional quality audio as well as decent video. The headphone jack enables users to monitor audio, an essential capability for situations when sound quality is critical. The headphone jack doubles as the AV out, and the jack’s function must be selected in the Setup menu.

The PV-GS180 also features a Wind Cut feature that reduces the buffeting sound of wind on the on-board mic. Wind Cut is a digital filter that blocks some of the low tones produced by wind on the mic’s surface, and will reduce overall sound quality so it should be used sparingly. A better option, in windy situations, would be an external mic fitted with a windscreen or blimp. The on-board mic also has a Zoom Mic function, a digital audio effect that gives the onboard mic a hypercardiod-like pickup pattern when zoomed in and an omni-directional-like pickup pattern when zoomed out. Zoom Mic is only an effect, but may prove useful for purposes of isolating sound when an external mic is not available. The PV-GS180 has a cold accessory shoe on which an external microphone can be mounted.

Users may also choose to record audio in either 16 bit or 12 bit modes. 16 bit audio is the highest quality setting, and is appropriate for most purposes. The 12 bit audio mode records audio at a lower sample rate and quality level, but enables in-camcorder audio dubbing with the optional remote control.

VCR Mode (6.5)
VCR mode on the Panasonic PV-GS180 is activated by switching the mode dial to the video playback icon. Doing this immediately brings up the video playback menu on the LCD which is actually a small map of the joystick-based VCR controls: Play/Pause is up; pressing left and right activate reverse and fast-forward respectively, and play is stopped by pressing down. The VCR menu can be hidden or revealed by pressing in on the center of the joystick.

The joystick is very easy to use, assuming you are holding the camcorder and is an extremely efficient way to move through a tape. This joystick orientation is less convenient if the camcorder is sitting on a table, connected to a TV during playback or working in a post-production suite as the camcorder must be secured to something in order to use the VCR controls. If Panasonic had included a remote control, optional on this model, playback would be a simpler process. In addition, while the Panasonic PV-GS180 is capable of variable speed playback and audio dubbing, these features are only available using the optional remote.

Ports (6.5)
The PV-GS180 is well-endowed in the port department, and includes a DV port (also known as FireWire and i.Link) located in the LCD cavity and a USB port on the camcorder’s right side port compartment. The headphone/AV and external Mic jacks are located in the same right side port compartment – and Panasonic should be lauded for including both of these jacks on the PV-GS180. They are all too frequently absent from consumer camcorders, and they add significantly to the value and versatility of this model. The SD card slot is located on the camcorder’s underside, so if the camcorder is mounted on a tripod it must be removed in order to insert a new card.