Panasonic PV-GS19 Camcorder Review

Comparisons
Panasonic PV-GS35
The highest-end 1 CCD camcorder in Panasonic’s line, this big brother to the PV-GS19 (Review, Specs, $244.74) has the same imager and but a number of bonuses. The additions include a microphone jack, an A/V port that doubles as headphone jack, an S-Video port, a video light, an additional shutter speed (1/30 seconds in still mode), and 30x optical zoom. The remote control, another add-on, allows for more controlled playback functions like variable speed search and slow motion. All the extras are frosting on the cake, at the cost of $150-$200 more. The PV-GS19 is a good, solid camcorder – the base on which on the PV-GS35 is built.

Sony DCR-HC21
Similar image quality and a comparable price (about $50-$100 more) would seem to make the DCR-HC21 a close competitor with the PV-GS19. The bottom of the line Sony MiniDV cam, it also lacks a microphone and S-Video port, but includes a LANC jack. The defining difference between these two camcorders is Sony’s lack of manual control. While automatic control is generally great across the Sony line, they consistently come at the expense of automatic control. Panasonic has gone to great lengths to include an excellent degree of manual control on such an inexpensive camcorder. Also, the DCR-HC21 does not include a dedicated still medium. Stills are recorded to MiniDV only.

JVC GR-D270 (Review, Specs, $379.99)
For around the same price, JVC makes the GR-D270, with similar imaging specs to the PV-GS19 and the negligible boost to 25x zoom. It has a comparable manual control feature set – even gain control – but the menu system is located on the left side, requiring two-handed adjustments. Also, manual controls are buried further down in the menu.

Canon ZR200
Canon offers the ZR300 (Review, Specs, $449), the middle child of its entry-level ZR series, as a competitor with the PV-GS19. Imaging specs are the same. In brief, the ZR200’s story could be described as such: great optics, satisfactory manual and automatic control, bad LCD screen. The ZR camcorders are tried and true Canon products, and this middle model got on our good graces. An Easy button makes shooting even simpler for beginners, and the menu system is more intuitive than the PV-GS19.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters (6.5)
This is a good camcorder for the point-and-shoot crowd. The menu navigation takes a little while to decipher, but with the manual at your side you should be shooting with alacrity in hours.

Budget Consumers (9.0)
Budget consumers won’t find a cheaper camcorder with this level of manual control anywhere. The fact that Panasonic included such an advanced feature set shows the level of respect they have for their customers as intelligent, discerning amateurs of videography.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid(4.0)
The PV-GS19 takes decent stills, but the feature set is lacking. You can only shoot in 640 x 480 and only in two qualities, Fine and Standard. If you like the PV-GS series but want a better looking still, try the PV-GS35.

Gadget Freaks (4.0)
There is nothing here for gadgeteers to get excited about.

Manual Control Freaks (8.0)
If your wallet is thin, but you drool for manual control, you’d be hard-pressed to find a better camcorder than the PV-GS19. Take a look at the details in the Manual Control sections of this review and you’ll know what I’m talking about.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists (5.0)
The imager can’t compete with a 3 CCD camcorder, but this would make an excellent choice as a second camcorder for the user who can’t take their XL2 to the beach. You’ll find many of the same manual control options and a decent menu system.

Conclusion
Who would have thought that so many great features could be packed into a camcorder that goes for under $300 on the street? Panasonic made a smart move by not dumbing down this model. The PV-GS19 has a truly amazing degree of manual control, all operable with a single hand. The joystick makes moving though exposure, shutter speed, white balance, F-stop, gain, and other features a breeze, once you learn to decipher the often-cryptic iconography of the menu. The zoom magnification is an impressive 24x, though the toggle could have been designed better and moved further back on the body.

As a performer, the PV-GS19 is one of the best in its class. It can’t compete with 3 CCD camcorders, of course, but price tags clearly do not tell the whole story. Panasonic has chosen to respect its customers as what we are all slowly becoming: videographers in training. Video technology is becoming ubiquitous, and the option for greater control, built on an easy-to-understand platform, is a step that more manufacturers should be taking. The only people who might want to stay away from this camcorder are the ultra point-and-shooters, who know that never in a hundred years will they want to adjust anything. But be wary: by choosing that ease of use road, you are turning away some outstanding picture performance in the PV-GS19.

What is it about Panasonic that causes their camcorders to be so popular on this site of late? I think the PV-GS19 is certainly a window into the reason why. It's their least expensive model; 95% of the users who buy it aren't going to know how to use the manual control, won't compare the video, and probably don't even know what MiniDV is. In fact, most of the people who buy this inexpensive camcorder are probably going to buy it because the body color is blue! However, according to our website's philosophy, there is never an acceptable reason to dumb down a camcorder--any camcorder. Panasonic's inclusion of great manual control on the PV-GS35 doesn't hurt anyone, including that 95% out there who won't use it. And for the 5% of you reading this review, such as the filmmakers in training in middle school who saved up for 6 months to buy a camcorder, the PV-GS19 will be an amazing tool to help you to grow into the next generation of indie and feature filmmakers. Add to the great manual controls the PV-GS19's solid low light and video performance, and it rises to the top of our list in its price category.