Panasonic PV-GS500 Camcorder Review

Comparison
Panasonic PV-GS400
When Camcorderinfo.com reviewed the PV-GS500’s predecessor – the PV-GS400 – we called it the best camcorder value ever. Panasonic has distinguished itself by offering top-notch video performance combined with a range of manual controls that make their products stand out in a competitive market. Sadly, with the release of the PV-GS500, Panasonic has opted to drop toward the pack. Many of the features that made the PV-GS400 popular among serious videographers are now gone. As a trade-off that many still question, the price dropped significantly – from $1500 to $1000. Of course, video quality has improved and the size has been reduced, but is that enough?.

For most users, we believe that the answer is no. The PV-GS400 is a better camcorder because it offers far more professional features: a dual-function focus/zoom ring, analog-to-digital pass through, a 3.5” LCD, 30P Frame Mode, the built-in mic on the wired remote control, picture adjust, color bars, and zebras. While the PV-GS500 is a very good camcorder in its own right, it is hardly a worthy successor to the GS400.

Sony HDR-HC3
Sony’s HDR-HC3 is perhaps this year’s best example of where the consumer camcorder market is headed, and it’s a future that looks bright. With last year’s HC1, Sony trumped the competition by putting HD video within reach of the consumer market. This year’s HC3 combines the stunning picture quality of HD with Sony’s renowned ease of use, all at a fantastically low price. Yes, the Panasonic PV-GS500 offers some options that are absent from the HC3, including a manual focus ring (instead of the less user-friendly dial on the Sony) and better control over shutter speed and white balance. We do place a high value on manual controls, but in this case, the stunning video performance of the Sony’s 1/3” CMOS sensor leaves the PV-GS500 in the dust.

The PV-GS500 suffers from poor in-camera sharpening and relatively lackluster low light performance, and its resolution, while great for an SD (standard definition) camcorder, is still only SD. In terms of price, the PV-GS500 is still a great buy – MSRP of $999 vs. around $1500 for the HDR-HC3 – but we think the Sony is even better given the quantum leap in video performance it offers. If the GS500 had the control of the GS400, we might even say it was a good sparring partner for the Sony HC3. If it had that better manual control, it'd be a choice for better video on the HC3 or better control on the PV-GS500. But the PV-GS500 doesn't. Panasonic has attempted to go after Sony's ease of use market and, well, they just don't do it as well as Sony. So in the end, you have an SD camcorder that's an ease of use wanna-be, and a hot tech high definition camcorder that is an ease of use superstar. The bottom line is you’ll get a lot of bang for the few hundred extra bucks you’ll spend on the Sony HDR-HC3 and there is really no competition.

Panasonic PV-GS300
The PV-GS300 is this year’s step-down model from the PV-GS500. Like the GS500, the GS300 took a big step back from its predecessor, dropping a lot of features and lowering the price to try and entice consumers. It is missing a manual focus ring and has smaller chips (1/6” vs. 1/4.7), a smaller maximum aperture (f/1.8 vs. f/1.6), a cold rather than hot accessory shoe, a smaller optical zoom (10x vs. 12x), a lower max still size (3.1 versus 4.0), and no Cinema mode. The smaller chip size made a sizable impact in low light performance. Finally, the GS500 offers true widescreen, while the GS300 uses a crop-and-zoom technique to obtain 16:9 aspect ratio.

That is a pretty substantial list. Do these features add up to $300? That’s the real question you need to ask yourself. Even if you do choose to step up to the GS500, you’ll still be missing many of the great features of the GS400 and GS250 (the GS300 predecessor). Yes, the GS500 is better than the GS300, but we first recommend you dig around for some of last year’s model.

Canon Optura 600
When we compared the Canon’s latest top-of-the-line Optura 600 to last year’s penultimate Panasonic, the PV-GS250, we gave the GS250 our vote based on its wealth of manual control and professional-level features. The gap widens when the Canon’s compared to Panasonic’s new top-end PV-GS500. With three 1/4.7” CCD’s, great video quality, and the ability to capture much larger stills, the single CCD Canon dozen’t have quite the image quality (though it does have a very large chip at 1/2.8” and its stills looked very good).

The Canon also lags when it comes to manual controls and, notably, lacks a focus ring. Also, the fact the Canon chose to shape their top camcorder in a compact, upright body took a toll on handling. Last but not least, the Canon costs more, at about $1100 vs. the $999 MSRP for the PV-GS500. If you strongly prefer a pistol-style grip and slim profile, or are a devoted Canon fan, the Optura 600 is worth a look, but on the final tab, Panasonic wins this race.

Sony DCR-HC96
It is again interesting to note that, when we compared Sony’s top-of-the-line DCR-HC96 to Panasonic’s PV-GS300, we still gave Panasonic the edge. The PV-GS500 ends up even further ahead of the Sony for reasons you can probably guess: much better manual control, more features, a non-proprietary audio jack, and a cheaper still media (SD cards vs. MemoryStick Duos). On the other hand, the Sony is generally easier to use – partly as a result of fewer features – and does have an Easy Mode with great automatic controls.

While the PV-GS500 wins this head-to-head, the industry is always changing, as our final comparison will show.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters (4.0)
The point and shooter will likely find this camcorder out of their budget. If you never plan on taking advantage of the features that define the GS500 as a top model, the entry-level PV-GS29 and PV-GS39 offer a lot of the same features at a fraction of the price.

Budget Consumers (3.5)
At $999 (MSRP), the GS500 is likely too expensive for this crowd. Again, the GS29 and GS39 have a lot of great features, though they won’t match the image quality of the GS500.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (3.5)
The GS500 takes 4MP stills, but they use interpolation, and only have about as much quality as a 1MP still. Read the Still Performance section above for more info, but this is not a great replacement for a still camera.

Gadget Freaks (2.0)
There’s nothing new or revolutionary on the GS500, so gadget freaks will likely shy away from this camcorder.

Manual Control Freaks (8.0)
It’s a split call for this crowd. The GS500 certainly can’t match the controls on the GS400, but it’s still a top-end Panasonic, which means great manual control when compared against the entire market.

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists (6.0)
If you’ve been reading this review up until this point, you know that this is a poor substitute for what the GS400 offered. If you count yourself in the pro / serious hobbyist category, you should strongly consider finding a leftover or gently used GS400.

Conclusion
You have to give Panasonic credit for attempting a new market strategy, but wow, how the mighty have fallen.  The PV-GS500's predecessors, the PV-GS400 and the PV-DV953, were revolutionary, ushering in new levels of performance and control at remarkable prices. We fell head over heels for them for almost three years and recommended them every chance we could. Panasonic had made the almost perfect camcorder for the high end consumer / prosumer user. They developed thousands of fans and dominated that market. Sadly, though,  Panasonic has destroyed our beloved camcorder while aiming for a broader and different customer base.

The consumer camcorder market is wrought with competition, and Sony’s “easy mode for all” approach has certainly worked well for them. They are the indisputable market leaders. Panasonic thinks they can compete - we think they are better off concentrating on the slice they served so well in the past. Instead of being a leader with the PV-GS500, Panasonic has become a follower, and the GS500 will probably become an also-ran forgettable camcorder.

Gone are many beloved pro features – the multi-function ring, zebras, color bars, and more. Even some of the basic features for a top-of-the-line model have vanished: analog input, and a headphone jack. If the GS500 was released under any other name and not as a replacement, we would undoubtedly be praising this camcorder. As we’ve said throughout the review, image quality is excellent,  manual controls are outstanding, and handling is among the best in the market. But the GS500 does not, of course, exist in a vacuum. It is a replacement model for a beloved product, and it must also be judged in that context. The GS500 is a poor shadow of the GS400, as far as most users are concerned. No doubt eBay sales of the GS400 skyrocketed in January when the GS500 was announced, and will continue to do so for some time.

When you place the PV-GS500 in the context of other models in its price range, it also delivers a pretty pathetic showing. Its biggest competitor is unquestionably Sony's HDR-HC3, which offers better ease of use and a better picture by way of high definition. We can't really justify buying a PV-GS500 if you have the extra $100-$200 for the HC3.

Our only hope is that the PV-GS500 is a mistake from which Panasonic moves on like it was a bad one-night stand. When they come out with their first high definition consumer camcorder to compete with Sony's HDR-HC3, the company may rediscover the leadership and innovation qualities that produced two of the greatest digital camcorders of all time, the PV-GS400 and PV-DV953.