Panasonic PV-GS320 First Impressions Camcorder Review

Automatic Control
Panasonic incorporates complete automatic focusing and exposure controls in the PV-GS320.  Automatic control seemed to function as well as other Panasonic models I have used, which is to say, very well.  Point and shooters will enjoy using this little camcorder, and will produce video that rivals any other DV camcorder on the market in auto mode.

The joystick, at the center of the mode dial

Overall Manual Control
For those shooters who want more control over their shooting parameters, the PV-GS320 allows a lot of latitude, a characteristic that Panasonic is well known for.  The user can set exposure through manual iris and shutter adjustments and can manually focus if desired.  All of the manual functions are accessed using the joystick controls and on-screen menus.

Zoom
The PV-GS320 has a 3mm to 30mm 10X optical zoom (45.6 to 456mm 35mm equivalent in 4:3 and 46.7 to 467 35mm equivalent in 16:9).  The lens aperture drops from F1.8 to F2.8 as it is zoomed.  The loss in aperture size makes the imaging system less light sensitive as the lens is zoomed in towards the telephoto end of its range.  In addition to the optical zoom, the PV-GS320 is equipped with a digital zoom (a method of enlarging the image electronically).  The digital zoom can be capped at 25x, or set to the full 100x

Focus
Focus operations on the PV-GS320 are fully automatic through its entire exposure range.  Focus response is similar to previous Panasonic models, which is to say fast, but lacking subtlety.  Full manual control over focus is provided through the joystick control on the rear of the camcorder.  When manual focus is engaged, icons appear on the LCD/EVF to guide the shooter in setting focus direction.  The PV-GS320 can focus as close as 3.5cm in normal mode and as close as 50cm in telemacro mode.

Exposure & Aperture
The iris on the PV-GS320 operates from F1.8 to F16 automatically when light levels are sufficient.  If light levels drop to the point that a fully open iris (F1.8) can no longer maintain exposure, the automatic exposure control on the PV-GS320 adds gain (electronic amplification) to maintain correct image brightness.  The PV-GS320 will add up to 18dB of gain which is equivalent to three f-stops, before image brightness can no longer be maintained.  This is Panasonic's standard interface for exposure and aperture, and it makes sense once you get the hang of it.

Shutter Speed
The PV-GS320 has a shutter range of 1/60-1/8000 seconds in video mode and 1/30-1/3000 seconds in still photo mode.  In automatic exposure mode, the shutter is normally set at 1/60 second.  However, the exposure control can increase the shutter speed automatically to help the iris control exposure in bright light.

White Balance
White balance is a camcorder function that analyzes the amount of red, green and blue light that is required to make a white object appear white when recorded.  White balance is an important function because, without it, objects may take on an unpredictable hue when recorded in lights of different color temperatures such as daylight and incandescent light.  When the PV-GS320 is in automatic mode, white balance is set automatically when the camcorder is first turned on and is then adjusted during recording as light temperatures change.  The user has full manual control over white balance if the automatic white balance cannot adjust for the light temperature in the shot.

Gain
The PV-GS320 employs electronic amplification (gain) to increase the brightness of the recorded image when light levels drop below the ability of the iris to maintain correct exposure.  Since the iris cannot open wider than F1.8, when light levels drop to the point that would call for the iris to open further, the PV-GS320 begins to electronically amplify the image brightness.  Gain is added in 1dB steps with each 6dB of gain being equivalent to one f-stop.  Gain may be added automatically up to 18dB, which is equivalent to three f-stops.  The user also has the capability of manually adjusting the gain when the operating mode is set to manual.  In manual control, gain is adjusted using the joystick with each 1dB step requiring a joystick move.  So, increasing gain to the maximum of 18dB requires 18 moves of the joystick.

Other Manual Controls
The PV-GS320 does not feature any additional manual controls