If you're looking for a digital camcorder you'll notice three classes of product. $300-$400, $400-$600, $600+. If you're looking to buy you might be suspicious of the less expensive models, you shouldn't. Most MiniDV camcorders under the thousand dollar price point have the same limitations the 680,000 CCD (690k) with 520 lines of horizontal resolution (this exceeds most non-digital camcorders by about x2), picture quality varies between units, but a lot of the high-end features you'll p[ay for have nothing to do with quality. It's more about compact size, ports (for S-Video, RCA, USB, etc..) and accessories (FireWire cable, PC software, etc...). The camcorders on the low-end (including the PAnasonic PDVDV53) share a lot of the same features: samller LCD (2.5" on all less than $500), limited optical zoom (only 10x), no FireWire able/software (and limited information on how to use this powerful feature). The postive thing about the less expensive models is the outstanding price. For me the high-end features (even things like 16x zoom) were overkill, so which one to get. I compared the PDDV52 with the JVC GDR30, the Samsung SCD23 and the Canon ZR60. I perfered the Panasonic for namely two reasons: 1. The Panasonic Dual D-EIS technology does an amazing job stabilizing the image (when its on the image is so still you'd swear the camera was on a tripod at all times) 2. With this camera I seldom have to use the light, it works amazingly well in normal indoor lighting. pIf you buy one definately check out the FireWire (aka IEEE 1394) output option, on these lower priced camcorders this is a little tucked away treasure waiting to be discovered. The feature lets you control your camcorder with your PC and download the video directly in, then you can edit away, add text and effects and burn to DVD+R or VCD. You can pay $50 or more for the card alone if you aren't careful; don't do that! Shop around on-line and you'll find a deal like this one: http://shop4.outpost.com/product/3506224 where you can get the IEEE 1394 adapter card, a cable and video editing software for less than twenty dollars. pExcellent value.

Pros: Price, built-in light, featuresbrCons: Design oddities - see full reviewpI paid $290 for this camera in Oct, 2003 and for the price, I can't complain much. This was my first camcorder and so far it has worked great for me. I capture all of my video onto the computer with a firewire card. Picture quality is good, colors are accurate. In most lighting conditions, the camera without the light works fine (with some manual adjustment of the lighting mode in lower indoor lighting situations). For lighting situations darker than this, you can always depend on the built in light. The light does drain the battery quickly however, within 5 minutes or so if my memory serves me correctly. If you use the lcd sparingly, and use the viewfinder most of the time, the battery should last a good 90 minutes, with the lcd, maybe 30-40 minutes. The camera itself has some design oddities. For example, you have to have the LCD at least partway open to plug in the firewire card. You have to buy the separate serial cord and software to transfer pictures from the camera. (This isn't a big problem for me since I just take screen-shots of the video.) You can't run the camera and charge the battery at the same time. But if these issues don't bother you, then I would say get this camera. It's a pretty good deal.

Pros: Price, built-in light, featuresCons: Design oddities - see full reviewI paid $290 for this camera in Oct, 2003 and for the price, I can't complain much. This was my first camcorder and so far it has worked great for me. I capture all of my video onto the computer with a firewire card. Picture quality is good, colors are accurate. In most lighting conditions, the camera without the light works fine (with some manual adjustment of the lighting mode in lower indoor lighting situations). For lighting situations darker than this, you can always depend on the built in light. The light does drain the battery quickly however, within 5 minutes or so if my memory serves me correctly. If you use the lcd sparingly, and use the viewfinder most of the time, the battery should last a good 90 minutes, with the lcd, maybe 30-40 minutes. The camera itself has some design oddities. For example, you have to have the LCD at least partway open to plug in the firewire card. You have to buy the separate serial cord and software to transfer pictures from the camera. (This isn't a big problem for me since I just take screen-shots of the video.) You can't run the camera and charge the battery at the same time. But if these issues don't bother you, then I would say get this camera. It's a pretty good deal.

Pros: Price, built-in light, featuresCons: Design oddities - see full reviewI paid $290 for this camera in Oct, 2003 and for the price, I can't complain much. This was my first camcorder and so far it has worked great for me. I capture all of my video onto the computer with a firewire card. Picture quality is good, colors are accurate. In most lighting conditions, the camera without the light works fine (with some manual adjustment of the lighting mode in lower indoor lighting situations). For lighting situations darker than this, you can always depend on the built in light. The light does drain the battery quickly however, within 5 minutes or so if my memory serves me correctly. If you use the lcd sparingly, and use the viewfinder most of the time, the battery should last a good 90 minutes, with the lcd, maybe 30-40 minutes. The camera itself has some design oddities. For example, you have to have the LCD at least partway open to plug in the firewire card. You have to buy the separate serial cord and software to transfer pictures from the camera. (This isn't a big problem for me since I just take screen-shots of the video.) You can't run the camera and charge the battery at the same time. But if these issues don't bother you, then I would say get this camera. It's a pretty good deal.

We love this camcorder. It's got great picture quality, even in low light, and lots of featuers. Price is great, too.pHowever, it isn't a camera. We owned a VHS-C Panasonic camcorder that took picutres as files on an SD card. This one takes "pictures" by recording a seven second still image directly onto your tape. You then have to "play" your movie, uh, picture, into the computer, which can convert the video into a still picture. Of course, your pictures could be spread out all over a 90 minute tape.pThe real kicker is, the crummy serial cable and software isn't even included.pI'd call it deceptive advertising, to say the least.

I got this DV Camera to tape some old Super-8 movies for conversion to DVD. Thanks to the low light performance and image stabiliaztion it did a great job. Then I shot some footage on the Santa Monica Pier and it did great in daylight as well. So for a low cost video camera you can't beat it. It's not a digital camera though go buy one if you want that. Still no firewire cable was a let down but you can get them cheap look for a 4-6 pin cable and get it hooked up for computer fun!

br / This unit has the reliability of a marriage to Liz Taylor.
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br / If your a professional and your living depends on a palmcorder
br / don't buy this one. Even the Tech Support for Panasonic are
br / rather clueless.
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br / Please whatever you do don't buy this junk.

This "southwestconsumer" (sdclark12) wrote over 100 piece of reviews with exactly the same contents and rating against various Panasonic products. This is a person full of hatred towards Panasonic. His reviews have nothing to do with a particular Panasonic product.

the effective resolution of this camera is 96K, which is worse than most Hi-8 cameras. it supposedly has a 1/4 CCD with 680K gross, but this is probably myth. do not believe anything you see on camcorderinfo.com about this camera. brif you ever had a Hi-8 you would be greatly disappointed by the quality, although you can still recognize the face of your wife and the color of her dress. not much more though.brPanasonic do not disclose the effective resolution or the gross of this camera just to trick people who think miniDV means good quality.