Panasonic PV-DV200 Camcorder Review

by Robin Liss
Published on Jun 22, 2004 12:00 AM



The PV-DV200 is a lower end model of Panasonic�s MiniDV line. It is effectively the PV-DV100, with additional features that make it much more attractive. It has an MSRP of $999, which is inexpensive for a MiniDV format camcorder. With the standard IEEE1394 FireWire editing protocol necessary for transferring your footage to a computer, the camcorder allows digital editing. The camcorder includes an 8mb smart media card, which you can save pictures on. The card is removable so, if you choose to shell out an extra $100 or so for another card, you can capture more pictures. Pictures are transferred using Panasonic�s interface so no additional purchase is necessary to transfer still pictures to the computer. The camcorder has a relatively low 18x digital zoom, and a high, but useless, 300x digital zoom. Do not bother looking at the power of a digital zoom on any camcorder; it is insignificant and should not be used at all. When you shoot video with a digital zoom, the picture is extremely low quality. The camera does have the standard electronic image stabilization, though, to get rid of some shakiness. Panasonic also puts the image stabilization on the playback mode so if it was not on during recording, it will help stabilize videos during playback. The camcorder comes with a 2.5-inch, flip-out, color LCD screen and a black and white viewfinder. The black and white viewfinder actually helps you shoot better video than a color viewfinder. The camcorder does not have analog input.

The PV-DV200 lacks the features necessary to operate at a level higher than beginner, like the PV-DV100. A focus ring or manual speed zoom on the camcorder is not included, which creates problems in shooting. There is no editing protocol, other than IEEE1394, such as Control-L (LANC), to be used in a standard editing environment. The camcorder does not allow in-depth usage and does not have the controls necessary to get the best possible performance. The battery has an extremely short recording period, which is always a negative feature, and becomes a problem. If you�re looking for a bargain and you want to avoid the hassle of too many controls, the PV-DV200 is worth looking at. If you are convinced the PV-DV200 satisfies your wants, I would recommend saving money, and choosing the PV-DV100. There is little difference between the two camcorders, except the smart media card and the saved $100. If you like the Panasonic MiniDV line, take a look at the Sony Digital8, the Canon Vistura, the ZR10, and the Ultura.