[Huw.D]

Hey, First of all thanks! I've been lurking around this forum for a while now and the links, reviews and posts here have all been a massive help.

I'm looking to buy my first video camera. I'm an A2 Film Studies student with in interest in amature film making. As such I'm looking for a good quality camera, with available manual settings for an affordable price... (yeah... i know who isn't right?).

I've been surfing around for a while and imminently I've been drawn to Panasonic's 3CCD GS Range amid talk of its superior quality and colours. Out of the entire range its the Panasonic PV-GS400 http://reviews.cnet.co.uk/camcorders...9188533,00.htm that's caught my eye mainly because it offers all the advantages of the rest of the range PLUS the all important manual control.

So... my question... Is it worth paying for 3CCD instead of other features such as a greater recording resolution or a hard drive storage (i know people have reservations about that one... so that's probably another story...)

and also, given my situation, can anyone recommend any they think would suit?

Thanks and any response is much appreciated
Huw

Panasonic PV-GS400 ?
Can't find that on a price search site nor on Panasonic web site.

[jaymac]

Well if you want really thorough reviews look here www.camcorderinfo.com

[Huw.D]

Thanks Jaymac, i've come across camcorderinfo.com, its a good site and i'm tearing through it as we speak.

the Panasonic PV-GS400 is an older model i think its 2004 if i recall. Apparently the most recent in the range do improve upon it, but tend to lose alot of the manual capability. Whilst ideally i do want to find a camera thats not allready outdated... i do think i need the manual flexiblity for film shorts.

http://www.easycamcorders.com/conten...c-PV-GS400.htm

However if the GS400 has gone out of date... it might make getting a hold of one... trouble... especially here in the UK, i havn't seen any retailers that still stock them.

Mebby a need an alternative?

thanks again
Huw

[redsox_mark]

The UK (PAL) model is the NV-GS400. (The PV ones are NTSC).

The GS400 (and GS250) are nice camcorders, but they are not current models so will be hard to find. (Someone posted recently they found a bargin GS250 for £400). They were replaced by the GS300 and GS500. These are also very good camcorders, but don't have all the features and manual control of the previous generation.

Here is a detailed review of the GS500, which compares it to the GS400, and also the Sony HC3
http://www.camcorderinfo.com/content...der-Review.htm

Nothing wrong with HDD cams, but the benifits they bring over DV are to do with convienence. As a student manual control and quality are more important factors. If you can find a GS400 at a good price it would be a good choice. If you have to go with current models, that's thougher. HC3 is a better overall camcorder, but GS500 does have a microphone input and manual focus ring which the HC3 does not.

[Huw.D]

thanks alot redsox_mark thats a big help especially with the NV-PV distinction... (explains quite alot).

So the Hunt begins for a NV-GS400. Whilst i do tend to crumple into a heap at the sight of an HC3... i think its a little out of my price range.

Good cameras keep comming up in my search but the lack of manual settings on all are a big problem. Can anyone recommend any others worth looking into? (even if they're not up to HC3 quality... and espeically if they're not up to its price).

Aside from that... possibly its worth waiting a while. I was trying to find a gadget blog or somthing that would give a clue as to what the big names have got comming out later this year... but they seem to be thin on the ground...

if only engadget did more on camcorders eh? Any signs that Pannie are thinking of re-introducing manual controls to their next batch?

[redsox_mark]

Unfortunatly the trend in consumer camcorders is to provide less controls. Panny did it with the GS300/500.... Sony did it with the HC3 vs. HC1 (no mic jack on HC3, no focus ring).

To get good manual controls you need to look at larger (more expensive) pro or prosumer models. I.e. something like the Sony VX2100
http://www.sony.co.uk/view/ShowProdu...ory=CAM+MiniDV
But those go for £1500+ and they aren't even HD!

As for what is comming, we know more HD (High Def) and HDD (Hard disc) - and AVCHD (which is both HD/HDD or HD/DVD). But these won't neccessarily have more manual control or be in your price range..

You probably need to focus on which manual features or connections you need and make a compromise...

[jaymac]

Huw you will also find within the panny forum there is a link to another site specifically for the panny 3ccd ;s there is some footage available for comparisons twixt the gs300 and 500

[Huw.D]

ah... a Sony VX2100... well whilst i can't help but drool over a professional spec camera my student budget proves to be a definate reality check. I'm lucky enough to have a birthday comming up and family have put £400 towards it, so really its just how much i want to top it up myself.

Jaymac, thanks alot for directing me to those pannie links, i came across the forum before but promptly forgot about it. Now i've pretty much settled on a NV/250/300/400/500 i think i'll move over there and make a final choice.

So cheers for all the help,
and i'll make sure i come back and post a review of my choice.

thanks again
Huw

[jaymac]

At the moment I'm toying twixt the GS280 and the canon mvx460 looking forward to you report

[jaymac]

Huw I just saw the gs400 in Jessops in the Mall at Cribbs Causeway .Bristol this morning only £1199.99 buy now pay 2007 Its a big beast. So if you come up on the lottery you could be lucky