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The Panasonic PV-GS500 ($1000 as of 5/2/06) earned our Best Buy because it offers more controls, shot the best-looking video, and is the most flexible. And though it offers a lot of features, it's moderately priced for what it offers.
The PV-GS500 earned top marks for its video quality in both normal and low-light conditions. The video had bright, accurate color and plenty of fine detail. The PV-GS500 has three CCD sensors (one each for red, green, and blue). The 16:9 wide-screen video looks equally impressive, and the excellent 2.7-inch wide-aspect LCD screen makes it easy to see what you're shooting, even outdoors.
The PV-GS500 feels very solidly constructed, with a tough metal frame that should protect it better than the lightweight plastic body that many camcorders have. It's on the large side, and at just over 3 pounds it's the heaviest camcorder we tested. It fits well in the hand and puts commonly used controls (such as zoom and record buttons) at the fingertips.
You do get a good selection of manual controls with the PV-GS500: You can put the camera into a fully manual mode, or use shutter- and aperture-priority (as well as a selection of scene modes for automatic use). This camcorder is also unusual in that its manual focus is actually usable: Instead of having to fiddle with an on-screen control to focus, you can use the focus ring on the front of the camcorder.
As with the PV-GS300, a lot of the weight (from the lens and the battery, for instance) sits on the left side of the camcorder, which means it can tilt to the left unless you keep a tight grip. You control the on-screen menu with the joystick located next to the mode dial, which is awkward. You'll probably be able to reach the joystick with your thumb, but it'll be a stretch--you really need two hands (one to brace the camera while you loosen your grip to reach the joystick and mode dial). This can also be a pain when you're using the manual controls, as most are set with the joystick.
The battery life of the PV-GS500 was impressive: At 132 minutes, it's long enough for a couple of days away from a power source.
There's no built-in light, but there is a way to illuminate a subject: When the LCD screen is in MagicPix mode and you turn it to face the subject, it acts as a light source. It's not especially bright, but it is fairly effective. The flash on the front of the camera is for still images only.
Also, there is no headphone socket, and the manual controls are not as easy to use as they were on previous models in this Panasonic line (the GS400 was a particular favorite of serious videographers, as it had a headphone socket, a bigger screen, and more-accessible manual controls). These drawbacks do limit the appeal for serious shooters, but they won't be a problem for most people.
The Panasonic PV-GS500 is a great pick for serious shooters who want the benefit of automatic control and the flexibility of manual control. It takes great-looking video and stills.
Richard Baguley
