Panasonic PVDV203 MiniDV Compact Camcorder with 2.5" LCD and 8MB SD card
by Panasonic

List Price: $599.99
Our Price: $229.00
You Save: $370.99 (62%)
Availability: Usually ships in 24 hours
Category: Digital Camera
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Digital Photo Product Details

• MiniDV camcorder with 10x optical and 700x digital zoom with electronic image stabilization
• 680K pixel resolution
• 2.5-inch color, swivel LCD, color viewfinder, cinema mode
• Saves digital stills to SD memory card; 8 MB card included
• Connects to PCs and Macs via Firewire (IEEE1394); USB transfer for stills

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• AmazonBasics USB 2.0 A-Male to Mini-B Cable (6 Feet / 1.8 Meters)
• AmazonBasics 3RCA Component Video Cable (6 Feet)
• AmazonBasics IEEE 1394 4-Pin/6-Pin FireWire Cable (6 Feet/1.8 Meters)
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Digital Cameras Photo Reviews of Panasonic PVDV203 MiniDV Compact Camcorder with 2.5" LCD and 8MB SD card

Customer Review: Panasonic PV-DV203. Ergonomic, Stylish, Functional.
Summary: 4 Stars

Unfortunately, the low light capability of the Panasonic PV-
DV203 is mediocre in a dark or dimly lit room but quality seems
to improve significantly using the LED light and/or Magic Pix
feature. I still need to use this camcorder under a lot of
different conditions to get a much better idea as to its
capabilities. Initial reaction is that Sony optics in particular
are definitely superior. Whether that justified the price
difference is another matter and a very subjective decision. I
will be doing a lot of outdoor shooting shortly, but of course
that is optimal for most digital cameras and camcorders.

One of the major disadvantages is mainly the "interpolation"
instead of "real" megapixel still imaging. You can definitely
see the difference.

A web designer I work with who is very experienced with digital
photography pointed out to me that low light video is usually
not that great with many camcorders and that the low or zero lux
features available on some are a nice and important feature only
if you happen to shoot in very dark or non-lit areas. After
examining and handling it, he also noted that the Panasonic
DV203 has some nice features and that suggested that I should
use it extensively rather than prejudging it by constantly

looking for slight advantages or disadvantages. It does offer a
lot of functionality and I guess I am not going to find the
"perfect" digital camcorder in this price range. The bottom line
is that I need to get used to it, enjoy it and explore its
versatility, which is significant. It would also be nice,
... I am now leaning toward keeping this camcorder....

Description of Panasonic PVDV203 MiniDV Compact Camcorder with 2.5" LCD and 8MB SD card

Optics
The PV-DV203 offers a 680K pixel CCD providing crisp, sharp pictures. Shooting from far distances is no problem with the PV-DV203's 10x optical zoom and 700x digital zoom. With Panasonic's introduction of Dual D-EIS (digital electronic image stabilization), you can use this same technology in both the record and playback modes to remove additional jitter from previously recorded video.

Digital Stills and MPEG4 Video
The still mode is capable of capturing crystal-clear still images comparable to the best digital still cameras. Image quality ranges from 640 x 480 up to 1280 x 960 (through pixel interpolation). The images are stored onto the available Secure Digital (SD) memory card in JPEG format. You can also record MPEG4 video, which uses a higher compression setting and is great for posting to a Web site or e-mailing to friends and family.

Still images and MPEG4 video are stored on the included 8 MB Secure Digital (SD) memory card, and can be transferred to your PC via USB connectivity (compatible with both USB 1.1 and 2.0).

Web Cam Capability
The PV-DV203 is equipped with a built-in Web Camera that gives you the ability to send live video to family and friends over the Internet. You can even set up the PV-DV73 as a simple home monitoring or a videoconferencing tool. Microsoft Windows Messenger or Windows NetMeeting is required for both sender and receiver. Also requires Windows XP, Windows Me, Windows 98SE or Windows 2000 Professional preinstalled PC with USB port. Both computers must be equipped to make a direct dial-up connection. Driver software and USB cable are included.

More Features
The cinema mode enables you to record video in wide screen mode, giving you a 16:9 aspect ratio that's the same as a movie screen. When played back on a television the result is dramatic looking cinema-like movies at home.

The picture-in-picture feature allows you to insert a previously taken digital still image into the video you're recording. The still image is taken using the PhotoShot digital still feature and appears on the right side of the video you're recording. The video and miniaturized still shot then appear together during playback

Other features include:

• 2.5-inch tiltable LCD screen.
• Electronic Image Stabilazation to correct camera shaking, giving you smooth and stable pictures.

Inputs and Outputs
The PV-DV203 comes with the standard DV IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire; Panasonic refers to this connection as iLink) for a super-fast, lossless connection to a PC or other DV machines.

MiniDV Format
MiniDV is the preferred format for .9personal and broadcast-quality video, highly regarded for its high audio and image quality. MiniDV delivers a 20 percent clearer picture than analog camcorder formats. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of 2 full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD. You'll also get minimal color noise interference for a more stable picture.

Size and Contents
The camcorder measures 3.5 x 2.6 x 4.9 inches and weighs 16 ounces. This package includes the PV-DV203 camcorder, 8 MB Secure Digital memory card, AC adapter, battery pack, shoulder strap, A/V cable (mini-3 RCA), serial cable, remote control, and lens cap.

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