This model's three 800,000-pixel CCD sensors really shine when it comes to image quality. Our footage had nicely saturated, accurate colors with relatively little noise compared to single chip models we've tested recently. We saw plenty of finer detail and in-focus portions of our footage were very sharp. Even indoors, with only moderate ambient lighting, we captured video with admirable saturation, though noise became noticeable but tolerable. Only when shooting in very dim light did noise become very intrusive, though we were surprised to find that colors weren't as washed out as we would've expected. Panasonic's MagicPix mode is supposed to help when shooting in dim conditions--and does help a bit--but it also yields a choppy look, as though the shutter speed is drastically reduced and the overall dynamic range of the footage is compressed a bit in this mode.
Still images can be captured in both 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios in sizes as large as 2,048x1,512 pixels. While certainly not as sharp as you'd get from a dedicated still camera, we were impressed with the shots we captured, which were suitable for uncropped 4x6-inch snapshots, though close inspection will reveal noise and plentiful image artifacts. However, given that there's no built-in flash, don't expect to get decent still images if you don't have plenty of light.
If you don't like bothering with fancy controls but can appreciate the value of good image quality, then the Panasonic PV-GS320 may be just the camcorder for you. It does a great job of capturing high-quality video in auto mode and provides just enough manual control to satisfy the needs of beginners and some advanced amateurs.
