Panasonic PV-GS500 Camcorder Review

Compression (8.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS500 (Review, Specs, $1040)’s compression rate is the standard 25 Mbps which occurs with 6.35 mm MiniDV tape. This standard MiniDV compression level is still far superior to the compression used when shooting with DVD camcorders, which compress video footage into MPEG2 formatted files. Still images are recorded to SD memory card and may be recorded at two different picture quality settings.

Media (8.0)
Users can record video images to 6.35mm MiniDV format tape or capture still images to SD Memory card. Video is recorded with a 640 x 480 format, while still images have dimensions of 2288 x 1728, 2288 x 1288, 1600 x 1200, 1280 x 960, 640 x 480 or 640 x 360. While not included with the camcorder, both media options are easily found from numerous on and off-line sources.

Editing (8.0)
The PV-GS500 records to MiniDV tape – a mature format with a high degree of market penetration, and lots of well-developed pro editing options, including Adobe Premiere, numerous flavors of Avid, and Apple’s Final Cut Pro. This camcorder also comes packaged with Panasonic’s own MotionDV Studio and Quick Movie Magic software, a quirky application that deserves a look.

Installation is a fast and familiar process, and we had no problem getting the software up and running. When installation is complete, you have the option of getting to work in either program right away.

It’s reasonable to expect Panasonic’s proprietary editing program to recognize a Panasonic camcorder immediately, as do higher-end programs like Final Cut Pro. Sadly, this is not the case. Instead, you need to navigate through the Input Menu and select the PV-GS500 setting. In addition, Motion DV Studio only allows you to capture footage manually – by pushing play on the camcorder first, and then pressing the Capture Button in the application. Professional video editing software allows batch capture of logged clips: you can select the clips you want in advance, then leave the office while your computer automatically acquires them. This is a major deficiency for anyone but the most casual of editors.

In other ways, Motion DV Studio functions like most editing software on the market, enabling you to import audio clips, still images, and title clips. Each file type is organized by tab. The user interface is similar to Adobe Premiere, and allows for basic manipulation of clips on the timeline. However we found that the application did not allow us to leave blank space on the timeline and snapped clips together by default – a constraint that experienced editors will find annoying, since it restricts the ways you can work with your footage. There are few options for altering in and out points, and common keyboard shortcuts cannot be applied to the timeline, unlike with Premiere and Final Cut.

Motion DV Studio includes standard effects and transitions such as wipe, page peel, fade in, and fade out, but we advise you to test these out for yourself so you can make an informed decision about their quality. While transitions and effects are standard, the Video Title Menu includes some animations that most users will find surreal – and which were probably designed for Japanese rather than Western consumers. Nonetheless, if you feel the need to include primitive animations of dancing children in your video, it’s possible with Motion DV Studio. When your masterpiece is complete, exporting is easy, and your options include standard MiniDV, AVI and MPEG.

The biggest things Motion DV Studio has going for it is the price – it’s bundled free with the PV-GS500. While it does permit basic editing, anyone who has worked with a higher-end program will find that the limited number of tools greatly restricts workflow. However if you find yourself stranded on a desert island with your camcorder, your laptop, and Motion DV Studio, it will do--and the bizarre animations will keep you company while you await rescue.