Camcorder Comparison: Panasonic PV-GS400 vs. Sony DCR-HC1000 Mini DV Camcorders (page 3)

If you have a newer VAIO computer, you can connect it to the DCR-HC1000 via FireWire and use the Click to DVD software that comes standard with the computer to easily transfer your videos to a DVD or Video CD. If you decide you'd like to edit your videos to another camcorder or to a VCR before making your DVDs, you can use the camera's Digital Program Editing to perform basic editing--a very useful feature that we haven't seen in a while from Sony or anyone else for that matter.

On playback, the video and audio quality are stunning, just as you might expect from a Sony 3-chip DV camcorder. The quality of the still images is pretty good, too, but more megapixels are needed to create truly impressive printed images. The included Picture Package software is a very basic set of image editing and transfer tools.

With its all-manual controls and a nice selection of whiz-bang features, the DCR-HC1000 is sure to please any hobbyist or prosumer videographer.

In almost all of the basic performance characteristics we tested for, the Sony DCR-HC1000 and the Panasonic PV-GS400 were indistinguishable from one another, with one notable exception: the Panasonic's still images were much more suitable for printing, as they offered four times the resolution of the Sony's digital stills. On the features front, the Sony wins hands down, with just as many manual controls and a whole lot more ways to interface with computers for DVD creation. The Panasonic, on the other hand, had a better overall feel to it and a much bigger LCD monitor.

In conclusion, if you look at raw performance over features, the PV-GS400 barely edges out the DCR-HC1000 due to lower price, bigger LCD and better still picture capabilities. On the other hand, if you prefer lots of in-camera editing features and if you already own or are planning on buying a new VAIO computer, the DCR-HC1000 could be just the ticket for you to simplify the creation of DVDs straight from the camera.

Panasonic PV-GS400
Format: Mini DV
Lens: f1.6, 3.3-39.6mm focal length, 12:1 optical zoom, 700:1 digital zoom, 43mm filter diameter
CCD Pixels: Video: 700k (x3), Still: 990k (x3)
Viewfinder: .33 inch color LCD, 110k pixels
LCD Monitor: 3.5-inch LCD
Focus: Auto, Manual
Anamorphic 16:9: yes
Image Stabilization: Electronic
Exposure: Auto, Manual, Program AE modes
Minimum Shutter Speed: Video: 1/60; Still: 1/2
Maximum Shutter Speed: Video: 1/8000; Still: 1/2000
Iris: Auto, Manual
Electronic Gain: Yes
Zebra Stripes: Yes
Night Mode: Advanced MagicPix
White Balance: Auto, Manual, Indoor, Outdoor
Audio: 12-bit or 16-bit
Manual Audio Levels: Yes
Audio Meters: Yes
Microphone Input: 1/8-inch Plug-in-power
Headphone Output: 1/8-inch stereo mini
Inputs: Composite video, stereo audio, S-Video, FireWire
Outputs: Composite video, stereo audio, S-Video, USB 2.0, FireWire
Edit Interface: FireWire
Other Features: 10 digital effects, Soft Skin shooting mode, SD/MultiMedia card for stills, built-in flash, backlight compensation, Leica Dicomar lens, 4 megapixel maximum still image resolution, MotionDV software for video capture/recording, WebCam software
Dimensions: 3.2 (width) by 3.2 (height) by 7 (depth) inches
Weight: 1.5 pounds

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