Panasonic PV GS80

• Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 5 reviews
• My rating: 0 stars

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• 8 stars

  A very good camera (CNET editor review seems biased to me)

  by apotheque on November 24, 2007

  Pros: Good picture, optical image stabilizer, 16:9 LCD display, manual shutter/aperture/white balance

  Cons: Sound is average, plugs are behind battery, no mic and headphone jacks

  Summary: The Panasonic PV-GS 80 is a very good camcorder for its price tag (entry level). The picture is very good, good color reproduction, even in low-light situations. I also like ...

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  Summary: The Panasonic PV-GS 80 is a very good camcorder for its price tag (entry level). The picture is very good, good color reproduction, even in low-light situations. I also like the lens which reaches wide-angle, hardly seen in this price level. And it has an optical image stabilizer.
  
  The LCD display is 16:9 and the 16:9 image itself is true 16:9, not a cropped 4:3. Handling is good, depending on whether you like heavy cameras or not. I do since that keeps the camera steady.
  
  Sound (built-in microphone) is average, it doesn't record the tape drive noises inside which is good, but the quality is not impressive either. It has a passive "flash shoe" though for an external microphone.
  
  What's annoying is that the plugs are behind the battery, so you have to remove the battery if you want to use the power supply. Also it doesn't have mic-in and a plug for headphones.
  
  And as I said: Before I bought this camera, I researched all sorts of reviews (Amazon, magazines, etc.), and I have yet to find a review (except the one from CNET) that says this camera is bad. Read more reviews to get a more objective view on this camera. My opinion is: This is a very good camera!

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  2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.

• 7 stars

  Not As Bad As They Make It Sound

  by bangitsmom on October 18, 2009

  Pros: Captures great video. Very clear. Wide angle video capture makes it great for sporting events. Editor's poor review for night video capture is misleading. I capture high school events and get excellent quality videos of football and soccer.

  Cons: Battery is a bit weak. I don't record entire games straight through, pausing when necessary, and the battery lasts about an hour and a half. Can't mute microphone - or, at least, they hide that control very well.

  Summary: For normal people recording normal events that you want to keep a record of, this is a great camera. Zoom is very good. Captures excellent video of night soccer and ...

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  Summary: For normal people recording normal events that you want to keep a record of, this is a great camera. Zoom is very good. Captures excellent video of night soccer and football games. Microphone is very good but you can't disable it so you'll pick up nearby conversations. Easy to cover with music when you convert clips on your pc. Very portable and easy to manipulate. Menu functions are easy to maneuver through. Have to add a firewire card to your pc to transfer video to disk or the internet. I'm very picky with my gadgets and I really don't have a problem with this camera. If you're going to be recording over an hour's worth of video, get a second battery just in case.

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• 7 stars

  i need help

  by harithej on October 10, 2009

  Pros: i want to know how to connect this to my pc

  Cons: contact me at k.harithej@gmail.com

• 7 stars

  Nice Budget Camera

  by salseroboy on March 10, 2008

  Pros: Light and easy to use

  Cons: no memory, no a lot of functions

  Summary: My wife got this cam as a gift a few months back from her office. Just like the reviews from the video, it’s a low budget cam. It does ...

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  Summary: My wife got this cam as a gift a few months back from her office. Just like the reviews from the video, it’s a low budget cam. It does what you need it to but there are way better higher quality cams out there. Since we got it, I have not been able to able to get it to work with my PC or my office PC. I used the Mini DV to firewire cable with no go. Also, the fact that the GS80 does not have a slot for the memory sucks.
  
  Like I said, for vacation, going to the beach, or stuff like that, if you don’t have a lot of money in your budget, this will work, if you are looking for a high end cam, get something else.

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• 7 stars

  Good inexpensive camcorder

  by rjwin on February 18, 2008

  Pros: Easy to use

  Cons: no PC cable included

  Summary: We bought one of these at Best Buy on sale for $200.00. Despite the less than favorable Cnet review, I believe it's a good camcorder for the money. ...

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  Summary: We bought one of these at Best Buy on sale for $200.00. Despite the less than favorable Cnet review, I believe it's a good camcorder for the money. It has a good picture and it's not complicated. I'd recommend it for anyone looking for a decent camcorder on a budget. It would be nice if it came with a cable to connect it to the PC, but one can be found at Wal-Mart or Radio Shack for a few dollars more.

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