Panasonic AG-DVC20

Pros: Excellent pic quality, lightweight, pro-looks.

Cons: Almost too small to shoulder. Low-light function useless. Eyepiece LCD tiny.

Summary: I like this camera, but I don't love it. This 3-CCD prosumer camera offer excellent picture quality at a remarkable price point. Mini-DV still offers better pic quality than DVD or harddrive cameras, if one can tolerate tape inconvenience and the DVC20 takes great advantage of the format with a picture quality that belies it's 1/6" image censors. Many reviews have faulted the DVC20's menu-driven control system, but I found I mastered it quickly, effortlessly changing settings without thought. In fact, I've has bad shoots with my Sony's mechanical buttons from inadvertantly changed settings. I don't mind the menus at all. However, this camera does have some serious shortcomings for the serious user. The Zoom is smooth and variable, but it seems to start in second gear. The start of a zoom cannot be eazed into, it just starts. Ugh! The low-light function is not a gain increase or an infrared vision, but inexplicably, Panasonic used a super-slow shutter speed which produces an absolutely useless 10 fps smear.