Panasonic PV-DV900 Digital Camcorder

The Panasonic PV-DV900 offers a great range of features and high-quality digital video at one of the best prices we've seen. This camcorder includes advanced options such as a swivel LCD screen, image stabilization, and digital effects at a price you might pay for a lesser-quality Hi8 camcorder.

The Panasonic PV-DV900's construction is ultracompact, allowing it to fit easily in one hand. While its 2.5-inch LCD screen is about average in size, we found it to be more than adequate for viewing our scenes. The eyepiece viewfinder is helpful in bright sunlight situations, but because it displays in black-and-white and doesn't swing up for viewing, we mostly used the LCD screen during our testing.

The Panasonic PV-DV900 uses a jog wheel for menu selection, which is easy to use once you get the hang of it. The menu is comprehensive but does require some time with the manual to figure out. The camcorder control layout is intuitive, with the menu, zoom, and record buttons all easily accessible with the hand that holds the camcorder.

The digital image stabilization works well, especially on high zoom modes. The swivel LCD screen is great for taking video above your head or for including yourself in the picture. The eyepiece viewfinder automatically comes on if you swivel the LCD screen to the front, so both the camcorder operator and the subject can see the video.

The Panasonic PV-DV900 uses MiniDV digital tapes, which fit high-quality video into a tiny format. For the scenes we recorded onto the MiniDV tapes, the color was bright and the picture was very sharp. One of the Panasonic PV-DV900's best features is its ability to dub audio onto a prerecorded tape. In addition to being able to replace the original soundtrack with new audio, you can also layer a new soundtrack on top of the old one--a great feature for adding background music or commentary to your movies.

Overall, the Panasonic PV-DV900 is a great bargain--it offers advanced features and quality that you'd normally find in a more expensive camcorder. --Holly Blumenthal

Pros:

• High-quality digital video and audio
• High-powered optical and digital zooms
• 2-track audio dubbing
• Swivel LCD screen

Cons:

• Eyepiece viewfinder is black-and-white and stationary

The Panasonic PV-DV900 Digital Camcorder offers advanced digital features at an affordable price. This camcorder features PCM stereo sound, 18x optical zoom, 300x digital zoom, 400-line resolution, and a 2.5-inch color LCD display. The PV-DV900's wide range of shutter speeds and five exposure presets allow you to film in a variety of lighting situations. Electronic stabilization keeps your picture steady and smooth.

The PV-DV900 is long on creative extras. Still camera capabilities, seven fade variations, and eight color tones give you the artistic license to improve your films. An infrared remote allows you to film while you're in front of the camera. Index search and bookmark search features make it easier to find the scene you're looking for on your tape.