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Panasonic PV-GS85 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Dec 4, 2007 10:31 AM 
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The Panasonic PV-GS85 was our winner for 2007’s Best Camcorder Under $300, making it a true bargain for the budget shopper. At this price, you wouldn't expect many frills, but prepare to be surprised. Panasonic packs in the manual controls, optical image stabilization, and a surprising low light performance.
The Front (6.0)
Up front, the PV-GS85 is relatively minimalist. The 32x optical zoom lens has an aperture range of f/1.8 – f/3.7 and a focal length of 2.3mm – 73.6mm. The lens has a 37mm filter diameter. The built-in stereo microphone is embedded to the bottom left of the lens, a convenient location to avoid hand interference. The PV-GS85 is equipped with an LED video light along the left side of the front, which is constructed of four small lights as opposed to one or two. Therefore, the PV-GS85 is capable of producing twice the amount of light, rendering the PV-GS85’s video light actually useful compared to other camcorders. The White Balance sensor is located below the LED light.
The Right Side (5.25)
The right side is home to the PV-GS85’s top loading tape hatch, in addition to a few minor controls. A top loading tape hatch is a hot commodity in the camcorder world because it allows the shooter to change tapes without having to remove the camcorder from the tripod. However, it is worth mentioning here that the PV-GS85’s SD card slot is located on the bottom of the camcorder. Unfortunately, you can’t have the best of both worlds, folks. The Auto/Manual/Focus switch is located toward the back end of the camcorder while the AV jack resides at the other end near the lens. The AV jack is housed by a thin plastic cover and is the only port that is not located within the battery chamber—we’ll get to that in a minute. The PV-GS85’s hand strap is thin, cheap, and devoid of adequate padding. This is to be expected on an entry-level camcorder, but Panasonic has never really succeeded in providing a comfortable grip solution on most of its camcorders. It is also poorly positioned, causing the camcorder’s body to tip left if not gripped tightly.
The Back (6.5)
In back, Panasonic keeps it light—or so it seems. When you remove the CGR-DU06 battery pack, you’ll be greeted by three ports: DC in, FireWire, and USB. What gives? Positioning ports behind the battery is a terrible idea. Now you can’t import footage in the field without the external power supply. In addition, if you’re in the middle of a shot and the battery is almost dead, you’ll have to sacrifice continuity by removing the battery just to get at that DC input. Panasonic needs to stop doing this. When you read about the LCD cavity in the next section, this peculiar port placement becomes even more enigmatic.
Above the battery chamber is the extendable viewfinder. The viewfinder is not rubberized and does not pivot upward, but it provides an additional inch from the back of the camcorder. Along the right side you’ll find the On/Off switch, Menu button, and Video Light button. The On/Off switch prevents the camcorder from being inadvertently powered on, which is a characteristic of most Mode Dials that double as an On/Off switch. The PV-GS85’s Mode Dial is located along the right side and features a voluminous joystick embedded within its center. One-handed camcorder operation is the name of the game on any Panasonic. The Record Start/Stop button sits to the left of the Mode Dial and is easily accessible.
The Left Side (3.25)
Usually, the left side of a camcorder is chock full of connectivity and controls, but that’s not the case here. The PV-GS85 is as barren as they get. Flinging the 2.7-inch LCD screen open reveals…a playback speaker! That’s all folks. There are no LCD panel controls either. Hmm, the LCD cavity would have been optimal real estate for all of the PV-GS85’s connectivity, but apparently Panasonic feels that the battery chamber is more convenient. Yikes.
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The left side of the Panasonic PV-GS85 |
... and the LCD cavity |
The Top (6.0)
The top of the PV-GS85 is home to the cold accessory shoe, Photo button, and Zoom toggle. The disc hatch release button is located on top of the disc hatch. Panasonic’s Zoom toggles stray from the typical rocking lever design, functioning more like a slider. This might take some acclimatizing for some users, but overall, the PV-GS85’s Zoom slider is a steady performer.
