Panasonic SVAV100 D-Snap MPEG4 Digital Video Recorder w/10x Optical Zoom Review

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(More customer reviews)(...) I purchased my Panasonic SVAV100 D-Snap tapeless video recorder three days ago from a retail store - within the first six hours (six hours in a car without Internet access) I was ready to return it.I could not get the MPEG2 video to play outside the camera.The supplied software, as it has been aptly described by others in the above reviews, is one of the worst applications I have seen in recent years - as one reviewer put it "what were they thinking?"I was ready to return the camera - really - I was making plans to go back to the store - then finally got to the Internet and I read the oh-so-simple comments on the this review board about renaming the .MOD to .MPG and I completely changed my mind about the camera - the results are spectacular!

"What an engineering marvel" we all said upon seeing the results on the PC.With the camera producing native MPEG2 files it was doing what I expected it should do - files that can be edited with any desktop video editor.I still can not believe the - no other word for it - `blunder' on the part of Panasonic's marketing and software groups.This is the only tapeless video recorder under $800 (I paid $600 with a mfg. rebate coupon) that produces native DVD quality MPEG2 files - period.Why don't they just say that?Why don't they suggest renaming the .MOD to .MPG and call it a short cut for advanced users?It's just weird.... My impressions point-by-point:

First Light Setup - 10/10 - (out of the box and shooting video as fast as I could unwrap the plastic - very easy - PC software on the other hand ... read-on below...)

Ergonomics - 9/10 (minor same points made by others - no tripod screw, buttons - though not needed for most functions while capturing images - require a bit getting used to located under and behind the flip screen)

Camera menus usability - 10/10(what you need for each mode - where you need it)

Convenience (read: size) - 10/10 (you will always take it with you - you will find yourself taking video and capturing moments like never before)

Image quality - 9/10 (Carl Zeis was a genius - no CZ lens here; white balance quite sensitive, but good - though there is a manual mode and this videographer needs to master it for low light, contrast-y, indoor shooting)

Image stability - 10/10 (as good as my image stabilized binoculars - even with the optical zoom extended)

Accessories - 9/10 (comes with all you'll need - but why is the charging system - brick and tray assembly - larger than the camera itself?Charging batteries separately in a small form-factor unit is a must- out-of-the-box, Panasonic requires batteries to be charged in the camera - apparently there is a third-party external charger available separately.I'll be buying one soon!)

Recording Capacity - 10/10 (this may surprise you - I use the NORM MPEG2 - that's 22 minutes - good but not quite DVD quality - on the supplied 512M chip and over 40 minutes on a 1G chip - how much video do you need to shoot anyway?For family and activities - I've not had a problem - plus I can dump the chip to hard drive in a few minutes.At $60/Gig - buy a couple chips.The 2G chips are soon to be sold and 4G chips are on their way - that will be three hours of video on one chip!)

PC Software - 0.0001/10 - (total utter failure on Panasonic's part.Fortunately it is not required at all- as I came to find out.Simply take the chip out, plug it into your SD chip reader - desktop or laptop unit - copy and rename the files - there is even a freeware utility available on the Internet)

Did I mention convenience `-) 10/10 !

When I first looked into this product I was in a quandary - I worried about cutting edge: "high wow factor - low performance" - "sounds too good to be true" - I took a chance anyway - I am happy I did.For more info - excellent source: Do a Web search on "SVAV100" and "Jack Brown" - you'll find an excellent "SVAV100 Forum" - Panasonic should give this group part of their marketing budget - they are far more competent.

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Product Description:
You can use it as a digital video camera, or a digital still camera. It's the D-snap SD Video Camera, which uses small SD Memory Cards and adds incredible versatility to the way you enjoy AV files. The D-snap SD Video Camera means total mobility. It makes it easy to enjoy images and sound just about anytime you want, almost anywhere you go. The D-snap SD Video Camera.Free-Angle LCD MonitorThe tiny AV100 features a 2.5-inch diagonal LCD monitor that rotates a full 180 degrees, giving you more shooting flexibility. The rotating lens also makes it much easier to include yourself in the scene.Super Image Stabilizer (S.I.S.)This advanced Panasonic video technology helps to prevent the jitter that can result from hand movements made while shooting. With technology like this on your side, you won't have to worry about losing great video because of the jitters.MPEG4 and Still Image Mode for Web ApplicationsThe AV100 can record MPEG4 moving images and still images, suitable for posting on Web pages or attaching to e-mail.Thumbnail DisplayScenes from both moving images and still images are displayed as thumbnails, making it easy to find the file you're looking for, or to delete scenes you don't want. And you don't have to worry about accidental overwriting. You can edit images right on the spot.The SVAV100 is an ideal companion to the DMRE100HS DVD Recorder - programs recorded on the DMRE100HS can be viewed on an SVAV100, so you can watch your favorite programs wherever you are. Pocket-size, DVD-quality, MPEG2 SD video camera 10x optical zoom for dynamic shooting Rotating 2.5-inch diagonal LCD monitor Super Image Stabilizer helps reduce jitter Thumbnail display for easy viewing and editing SD Memory Card included (512MB)

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