Panasonic PV-GS9 Camcorder Review

by Mark Bassett

Published on May 13, 2004 12:00 AM
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At an MSRP of $349.99, the Panasonic PV-GS9 (Review, Specs, $355.99) is the entry-level camcorder in their group of consumer Mini DV camcorders. The Panasonic PV-GS9 has some manual options but, as a rule, it's better suited for use in automatic. The Panasonic PV-GS9 has a 1/6th-inch 680k effective pixel CCD, and is poised to perform similarly to the PV-GS12 (Specs, $401.99) and PV-GS15 (Review, Specs, $350).

Video Performance (5.5)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 interprets the light well at 3000 lux, rendering a decent picture with fairly accurate color representation. In automatic mode and within a controlled environment, the image accurately displays the whole chroma-key except for the yellow tiles, which have a greenish or reddish tinge and don't register as true. The purples aren't as quite as sharp as the blues, but they have similar saturation and distinctness between tiles. The reds and greens are muted and don't have that intense saturation of color that makes an image come to life. The Panasonic PV-GS9 has the same difficulty as many other recent Panasonic models in distinguishing shades of lighter and darker grays from the white and black tiles. Lastly, the Panasonic PV-GS9's picture quality is excessively grainy at 3000 lux; even the anchor tile shows signs of grain. Users might hope for a better marriage of color saturation and crispness.


The Front (7.0)
The front of the Panasonic PV-GS9 houses a 27mm 20x optical zoom that can be digitally enhanced to 800x zoom. Below the lens is the Panasonic logo and below that is the infrared sensor. No remote control comes in the box but one may be purchased as an accessory. At the base of the Panasonic PV-GS9, straddling the Mini DV side and the lens casing side, is a plastic cover concealing the AV in/out port. On the left front of the body of the Panasonic PV-GS9 is a built-in Stereo Zoom microphone. It's fairly large, and bisects the middle of the Mini DV side of the front of the Panasonic PV-GS9.

The Right Side (8.0)
The right side of the Panasonic PV-GS9 has a well-designed strap running from left to right. The strap is made of sturdy nylon, with a pleather border and ample Velcro. The right side surface has raised plastic nubs that help secure a reliable grip. At the base of the Panasonic PV-GS9 is a cover that conceals the USB and Firewire ports. The Panasonic PV-GS9 is top loading, which is a nice change from the slew of bottom loaders on the market.


The Back (6.5)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 has a battery port covering much of the back. The battery cannot be charged while plugged into the camcorder; a separated charging bay comes included in the box. The DC port is located beneath the battery to reinforce this, along with the S-Video out. The mode selector is on the back of the Panasonic PV-GS9, as is the new Quick Start feature. The Panasonic PV-GS9 automatically shuts down when left idle in record mode. To restart, users can either reset from the mode selector, which takes some time, or push the Quick Start button. It's a good addition to this camcorder, but this feature could have been integrated with the record button or added to the circuitry of any of the buttons on the camcorder to reactivate the Panasonic PV-GS9 from the ''sleep'' state.

The Left Side (7.0)
The left side of the Panasonic PV-GS9 is sleek and silver, and is home to the 2.5-inch LCD. The LCD on the Panasonic PV-GS9 is mostly screen, with no space wasted by a large plastic border. This gives the impression of a larger image. Opening the LCD panel reveals an array of buttons and a menu navigation circle with arrows and playback markings. The buttons resemble bubbles in the durable plastic, and are quite touch-sensitive. The design is similar to those of the camcorder remotes so pervasive in the Nineties. The buttons on the Panasonic PV-GS9 include menu, backlight, index search, Magic Pix, Soft Skin, and Multi/P-in-P. The only non-bubble button is a vertical slider that engages the manual mode.

The Top (7.0)
The top of the Panasonic PV-GS9 has a sliding black-and-white viewfinder that doesn't adjust vertically, and is inoperable when the LCD is open. The Mini DV ejector switch is on the front right side of the camcorder, and behind that toward the back is a flat zoom toggle. The zoom toggle works very well and users can see incremental changes in zoom displayed on the LCD. The digital still button is also on the top of the camcorder. Both the flat zoom toggle and the digital still button are close to the index finger when the right hand is in the strap, and the Mini DV side is low, so gripping the Panasonic PV-GS9 is a breeze. There is no accessory shoe on the Panasonic PV-GS9.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (5.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 has a processor that provides good automated picture quality, but manual functionality isn't readily accessible when shooting. As a result, the Panasonic PV-GS9 falls under the point-and-shoot category. The default settings for exposure, shutter speed, focus, and white balance adjust nicely in varying conditions with ample light. If you intend to use the viewfinder, automatic is the only mode you can use, as most of the manual controls are inside the LCD menu, and the viewfinder disengages when the LCD is open. It's likely that, at this price point and with the small CCD, Panasonic determined that the Panasonic PV-GS9 would be used by consumers unconcerned with making manual adjustments.

Overall Manual Control (4.5)
Artful manipulation of image, not just enhancement, is a primary function of manual control. What little manual control the PV-V53 has is integrated into the LCD menu and controlled via the compass-like button on the interior panel. This includes the manual focus, white balance, and a handful of AE presets. These are all controlled with the compass button, and so not easily adjusted while shooting. I found it necessary to look at the buttons and the LCD when making adjustments, and would have preferred a more ergonomic interface.

Zoom (7.0)
The 20x optical zoom control on the Panasonic PV-GS9 allows the user to get the desired level of zoom easily. The flat toggle is placed well, near the index finger, and does a wonderful job of slowly zooming in or out, avoiding the nauseating ''fast zoom'' that novices tend to overuse. (Other than in a few music videos and the NBC miniseries 10.5, you rarely see accelerated zooming on television, and almost never in film. Think of it as the roller coaster of image; too much is not a good thing.) The amount of zoom is displayed incrementally on the LCD or viewfinder. This gives users an idea of how much or how little you have left when traveling from telephoto to widescreen. The zoom control on the Panasonic PV-GS9 allows for gracefully controlled adjustments that result in better video for the intended audience.

Focus (3.0)
Focus, like zoom, is an intuitive adjustment. The Panasonic PV-GS9's method of pushing one button to go one way and another button to go another way is about as far from intuitive as you can get, eliminating the possibility for fine-tuning offered by a dial or focus ring. The Panasonic PV-GS9 can be manually focused when the spring-loaded slider is engaged to manual mode, but adjustments are made by pushing rewind to decrease the focal point and fast forward to increase the focal point. These playback buttons, menu navigation buttons, and the focus control, are all part of the compass button on the inside of the LCD.

Exposure (Aperture) (5.0)
While in manual mode, the Panasonic PV-GS9 allows for adjustment of exposure. This is controlled in the LCD menu with the compass button, and is not available when using the viewfinder. The Panasonic PV-GS9 has the typical presets, including sports, portrait, low light, surf and snow, and spotlight. There are also F-stop adjustments gauged from F16 up to F2, as well as gain built into the spectrum.

Shutter Speed (4.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 shutter speed is controlled with the same compass button as the manual focus and exposure control. There is no SD Card drive on the Panasonic PV-GS9, so on this model the shutter speed settings range from 1/60th to 1/8000th. These are incrementally counted and displayed on the LCD monitor.

White Balance (6.5)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 has the standard white balance options: auto, manual, indoor, and outdoor. While the automatic mode worked well, it is always a good idea to configure the white balance manually and often.

Gain (3.0)
The manual gain control on the Panasonic PV-GS9 is linked to the exposure control and ranges from 0dB to +18dB. This isn't a true gain control, as it cannot be adjusted separately from the exposure. However, it is a great inclusion. When attempting to make the most of the 1/6th-inch 680K CCD in low light, beware of the excessive grain caused by high gain.

Still Performance(3.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 has neither a memory card nor internal memory. All stills are captured to tape at a maximum pixel resolution of 640 x 480. There is a significant pause when shooting stills. It takes almost six or seven seconds from depressing the electronic shutter before the camcorder is ready to shoot again. While there is a USB port, there isn't a USB cable in the box, just an AV in/out cable.

VCR Mode (5.5)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 has a standard VCR mode, distinct only in its unusual control mechanism. The playback works well, as do the rewind, fast forward, and pause features, but not if you're trying to look at the footage through the viewfinder. There's no frame by frame scrolling, although that feature is available via the remote accessory for the Panasonic PV-GS9, which is sold separately. There is a tape search feature for finding the next blank space on the Mini DV.

Low Light Performance (4.6)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 performed very similar to the other PV-GS camcorders that we were able to use. The controlled environment where the camcorder was tested in automatic mode allows for the exact amount of light to be set -- in this case, at 15 lux and 60 lux. An AVID video frame grab is taken from video shot at each light setting, then converted to a JPG. They are then analyzed on two different monitors: a CRT set at 800 x 600 and a flat-panel LCD set at 1024 x768. This allows for accurate analysis of the images themselves and how the colors appear on the chroma-key. Vibrancy, crispness, grain, bleed between tiles, and overall color representation are important elements considered.

At 60 lux, the Panasonic PV-GS9 produces a fairly dark image. The tiles themselves are distinct, but the colors have no verve to them and don't accurately represent individual hues. There's no bleed, but there's grain, and there's only a slight difference between the yellows and greens. The blues look good. They're full, if not too rich, and each of the chroma-key tiles accurately represents its shade. The anchor tile in the blue spectrum looks really good. The magentas are the second most impressive shade. They are also well represented, although not as distinct as the blues. The reds don't jump out at you the way they ought; they're undersaturated and grainy. In the black and white tiles, the dark gray tiles appear black, and the whites appear light gray.

At 15 lux, the image is very dark. Ironically, yellow is the most perceivable color, followed by light blue. Each tile is still represented, they're just heavily grainy. The dark blue tile looks like a black-blue. There is major bleed in the spectrum of reds, and between the yellows and the greens. The black and white tiles are more black and grey.

LCD/Viewfinder (5.5)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 has a 2.5 inch LCD monitor proportionate to the size of the camcorder. There is little border around the LCD, which makes those 2.5 inches appear bigger. The image is crisp and clean and the menu system is fairly easy to navigate. The PV-GS15 and the Panasonic PV-GS9 have the exact same LCD, which suffers from solarization when not viewed head-on. The static viewfinder is black and white, and there is no angulation. The text on the LCD is in proper proportion to the image so that it isn't cluttered at all.

Audio (5.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 doesn't have manual audio settings or the ability to monitor audio levels, but it does have four at 16-bit or two at 12-bit channel capabilities. The built-in microphone on the Panasonic PV-GS9 is larger that those on most camcorders, and has a zoom feature that narrows the attention of the microphone proportionally with a tighter zoom. This minimizes ambient noise on close ups. There is also a wind noise cut, which filters out the high frequencies of the wind so that the lower frequencies of voices are clearer when shooting in a windy environment. There is no accessory shoe, and while there is AV in, it can not be used for micropone in. The lack of microphone in is a huge problem on this camcorder. The AV in can be used with a set of headphones.

Handling (6.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 is a light camcorder with a good, solid feel. There are a series of organized external controls, but the manual adjustment methods aren't intuitive. The faux leather, plastic, and Velcro strap keeps the unit balanced in the hand. The Panasonic PV-GS9 weighs only .88 pounds, so it is easily toted and steadied. Opening the LCD panel doesn't affect the balance of the camcorder; that's good, considering the LCD has to be open to make any and all adjustments. The port placement is a little off, as the USB and Firewire are hidden under the hand strap. The AV ports are in the very front of the camcorder. The user's thumb and forefinger access the relevant shooting and zooming controls. The compass button menu navigation is a mixed bag. It's handy for menu navigation, but as a means of manual control it isn't quite right. A jog dial might have been more suitable.

Ports (8.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 includes ports and jacks for USB, AC, AV/headphone, and Firewire. The camcorder has an S-Video port as well. Disappointingly, there is no USB cable included in the package. The port placement is awkward; sticking the Firewire and USB beneath the hand strap is a mistake. Additionally, the fact that the use of external AC power and battery charging can't occur simultaneously is a disappointing characteristic of the Panasonic PV-GS9. The lack of a microphone in option is also a problem.

Other Features (5.0)
The Panasonic PV-GS9 is a ''what you see is what you get'' camcorder. There are no special additional features, unless one counts the Quick Start button.

16:9 widescreen mode There is no true widescreen, only an image stretching digital enhancement.

Webcam No software is included for webcam capability, although the USB port might enable one to use the camcorder as a webcam with add-on software and cables.

MPEG The Panasonic PV-GS9 isn't configured for MPEGs out of the box. Add-on USB and Firewire offer the possibility, though.

Analog to Digital Pass Through S-Video on the Panasonic PV-GS9 is output only.

Comparisons(no score provided)
Comparable camcorders in the Panasonic PV-GS9 price range include the Sony DCR-HC20 (Review, Specs, $255), the JVC GR-D93 (Review, Specs, $479), and the Canon ZR 85.

Sony DCR-TRV260 (Review, Specs, $543.27) Sony also has the DCR-TRV260 which is closer in price to the PV-GS9. The DCR-TRV260 has a 1/6th inch CCD, 37mm 20x optical zoom lens and is a Digital8 format camcorder. Optimized for ease of use the DCR-TRV260, like the HC models, is best utilized in full automatic. Manual controls are available, but these are some what cumbersome to access. The DCR-TRV260 is best suited for the user wanting the frills and image quality of Mini DV camcorders, but with backward compatibility so as not to render older tape stock irrelevant. The DCR-TRV260 has a MSRP of US$349.99.

JVC GR-D33 (Review, Specs, $329.94) The JVC GR-D33 has the same CCD at 1/6-inch 680k. However, JVC has a 3-D noise reduction feature designed to minimize visual feedback and capture a more distinct image with accurate color representation without grain. The PV-GS9 suffered excessive grain even at 3000lux. The GR-D33 has a 16x optical zoom, just a few notches smaller than the 20x Panasonic PV-GS9.

Canon ZR80 (Review, Specs, $284) The Canon ZR80 has the same size 1/6-inch 680K pixel CCD as the Panasonic PV-GS9 and the same zoom power, 18x optical. The camcorders in the ZR model line from Canon look cool and sleek, and are some of my favorites this year handling wise. The Canon also has an SD Card option where the Panasonic PV-GS9 has none.

Who It's For
Point and Shooters (4.0)
I'd put the Panasonic PV-GS9 smack dab in the point-and-shoot category, mainly because you can't make manual adjustments when the LCD is closed.
Budget Consumers(4.0)
This is an inexpensive camcorder, and for the price it's not especially bad, but without an SD Card and with poor low light performance, you're getting what you pay for.
Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (2.0)
If you're looking for a hybrid, look elsewhere. There's no SD Card and the resolution is limited. And, making matters worse, there's significant pause between still shots.
Gadget Freaks (3.0)
The camcorder has almost no gadgets. None I can think of except the Quick Start button.
Manual Control Freaks(5.0)
There is a good amount of manual control with the Panasonic PV-GS9, and if Panasonic added a few design enhancements, it would be even friendlier to manual control people.
Pros/Serious Hobbyists (3.0)
This isn't a pro camcorder by any means.

Conclusion
Shrinking CCD size has affected camcorders industry-wide, and has had a significant negative effect on low light picture quality. That's where the Panasonic PV-GS9 falls short, and even with an MSRP of $350, it's hard to give this camcorder a good review because of the low-light performance, especially at 15 lux. While the Panasonic PV-GS9 has manual control features, they're somewhat difficult to use and cannot be used through the black and white viewfinder while the LCD is open. The Panasonic PV-GS9 has a strong 20x optical zoom with a fantastic flat toggle controlling mechanism. There's no SD Card for stills, and the pause between each still taken is significant. I wouldn't recommend this camcorder. It's $350, and while this isn't a lot of money for a camcorder, you could spend a little more and get a lot more camcorder for your buck. For fully automated point-and-shoot with a few manual adjustments, you might look to the Sony HCs. If you want great video and low light in a low-priced consumer camcorder, look to the JVCs. If you're after durability and automation and manual control in a bigger sleeker package, then the Canons might be for you.