DV Guide
The latest digital camcorders pack stunning video into tiny packages. We test four powerful new models.
Alan Stafford
Razor-sharp, crystal-clear, and downright gorgeous. Digital video has always enjoyed those flattering descriptions, but it hid a couple of dirty little secrets--desktop computers simply weren't fast enough to deal with it, and digital video camcorders were expensive.
But the latest Pentium and Athlon processors make working with video files much more tolerable, and some new DV camcorders actually cost less than your computer. The combination of capable computer and digital video camcorder can be a powerful tool for capturing cherished memories or selling hot ideas.
Even blurry, jumpy, faded amateur movies give viewers a sense of being witnesses to an event, but the high-grade footage that a DV camcorder produces can impart professionalism and quality to your next product demo or shareholder briefing. Video can make your message--whether it's a sales spiel or news that the aliens have landed--believable.
Mini-DV camcorders hold several advantages over analog models (see "DV vs. Analog"). They reproduce better color, deliver superior picture sharpness and sound quality, and let you import your work into a PC more easily. And the video that they capture won't degrade over time, as analog video will.
DV camcorders still cost significantly more than analog models, however. While you can easily find an analog camera for less than $500, three of the four DV models we looked at for this review cost more than twice that amount: $1299 for Canon's Elura 2, $1400 for JVC's GR-DVM90, and a daunting $2000 for Sony's DCR-PC110. Panasonic's PV-DV401 is the one DV camcorder here to crack the $1000 price mark--it's a relative bargain at $900.
We set out not only to see how these cameras stack up against one another, but also to find out whether digital video cameras can be easy-to-use tools for an individual or a small-business owner.
Though each model has features that will appeal to most users, we found that in most situations the Sony captured the best-quality video--of course it's also the most expensive. The Panasonic, at less than half the price of the Sony, works adequately in many settings. The Canon will appeal to users who value compactness over everything else. The JVC, though not a bad camera, doesn't perform quite as well as the others.
Size 'em Up
The four digital video camcorders we looked at offer many features found in digital and even 35mm still cameras, including the ability to record still images. They all have zoom lenses, automatic and manual focusing, an LCD panel to frame subjects and watch playback, and several sophisticated exposure modes. But unlike digital still cameras, DV cameras use high-speed IEEE 1394 interfaces to transfer video to your PC (to work well, it should be a fast system with a monstrous hard drive).
Beyond those commonalities, the cameras we looked at vary in several significant ways--most obviously, in size and weight. The Canon, for example, is about the size of a standard package of Kraft singles and weighs slightly less than a pound, which makes it easy to carry around in a large pocket. The JVC and Sony models are roughly 20 percent larger than the Canon and weigh in at about 1.2 pounds. By far the largest camera in the group, the Panasonic is three times the size of the Canon.
As a rule, the smaller the camera, the harder it is to use. The Canon has tiny, cramped controls, and more than once we saw fingers covering the lens when we played back video. The JVC and Sony units also require nimble digits. In contrast, people with large hands will find the Panasonic's controls easier and more comfortable to use than those of the smaller cameras. (People with small hands, however, will have to stretch to reach some of the Panasonic's controls.)
The Panasonic's large case gives it a couple of other advantages over its smaller competitors: It comes with a 3-inch LCD display (0.5 inch larger than the screens of the others); and because its optical viewfinder rotates upward, you don't have to hold the unit directly in front of your face while you shoot.
All the camcorders share a drawback: You can't use most functions by feel. If you hold the Panasonic in your right hand supported by its strap, your thumb won't reach the tiny menu control on the back of the camera, so you'll end up using your left forefinger instead. To cycle through the menus, however, you'll have to use your right index finger to spin and push a wheel on the right side. The Sony has so many controls that you must look before you push, lest you press the wrong one.
Roll the Tape
The Panasonic uses its generous proportions to include a lens with a relatively powerful 20X optical zoom (compared to the 10X zoom of the others) and a large, rocker-style zoom button, which allows you to move in and out smoothly. The other cameras' small, switchlike zoom buttons are harder to operate and often result in jerky, too-quick transitions from a wide angle view to a close-up.
All four cameras offer digital zooms that magnify far beyond what's practical. At the Canon's maximum magnification of 40X, for example, subjects appear so pixelated and grainy that the video looks like footage from a bad Bigfoot movie.
All the cameras have some built-in special effects to add to your videos, such as wipes, fades, and dissolves. The Sony and the JVC let you add title screens to your videos; you can create your own in the camera, or you can download additional ones from the companies' Web sites. For the most part, though, you'll do better to add your own effects using software on your PC.
All mini-DV camcorders log time codes as they record so you can keep the sequence of your clips in the correct order. Many video-editing applications feature the handy ability to read the differences in time codes when you import your footage to your computer's hard drive and separate the video into different files.
The Canon, Panasonic, and Sony units can find the end or beginning of a clip based on the time code, ensuring that you don't record over important footage. Once you remove the tape from the camera, however, the camera resets the code. (The Sony also accepts "memory" tapes, which retain time codes even after removal from the camera.)
You won't have to worry about the time code on your VCR--all four cameras send video directly to your television via an S-Video or composite video connection. To connect the Canon or the JVC to a TV, you must first attach a small docking station to the bottom of each unit. The Canon's diminutive size makes the compromise acceptable, but the JVC is substantially larger, making the absence of built-in ports harder to excuse. The Sony (which is only slightly fatter than the JVC) and the Panasonic come with all the necessary ports built in.
As already noted, all four cameras have an IEEE 1394 port for transferring captured video to a PC. All conform to the Open Host Controller Interface specification, which should ensure that they work with most IEEE 1394 capture cards and editing software. Using the $99 Pinnacle Systems Studio DV IEEE 1394 capture card and either its accompanying editing software or Adobe Premiere 6.0, we simply connected the cameras to the card, after which we could control each camera via on-screen buttons.
The Canon, JVC, and Sony come with remote controls (Panasonic's remote costs $30 extra). These remotes handle not only playback but also some recording and in-camera editing functions. Consider the remote an essential component--otherwise you must resort to punching the tiny buttons on the camcorder itself.
For the most part, the camcorders came close to matching their rated battery life (for those numbers, see our features comparison chart). When we set them to play back full tapes with their LCD panels on, the Sony ran strong for 2 hours, while the JVC pooped out after 50 minutes. Both the Canon and the Panasonic ran for more than 70 minutes.
The Canon, JVC, and Panasonic units come with external battery chargers; the Canon's module can charge two batteries at once. The Sony doesn't have an external charger, but instead charges its battery while it's attached to the camera.
Digital Photos
If you're looking for high-quality, high-resolution digital photographs, stick with a digital still camera--none of the DV cameras in this group can compare. The Sony gives you the highest pixel count, at just over a million, but that's still paltry compared to even inexpensive digital still cameras.
The JVC, Panasonic, and Sony store still images on a separate memory card. Our Canon lacked a card slot, but for $200 more you can upgrade to Canon's Elura 2 MC, which has a MultiMediaCard slot. The Sony's 4MB Memory Stick holds six images at the top resolution of 1152 by 864. Both the Panasonic and the Sony use a USB connection to transfer photos to your PC; the JVC uses a serial cable (on all three models, the IEEE 1394 interface won't transfer stills).
Nice Shooting!
All four camcorders yielded stunning footage--at least some of the time. The Sony, however, produced high-quality video in the widest range of settings--on bright days, in semidark rooms, and even in the dark of night.
As with still cameras, lighting plays the most important role in determining picture quality. Shoot in bright sun or throw enough light at a subject, and almost any camera can deliver professional-looking images. We couldn't see much difference in image quality among the four camcorders when we shot outdoors under sunny skies, although we thought the Sony's images looked a bit sharper than the others'. (The Sony also autofocused more quickly.)
Each camera accurately reproduced colors and contrast. When shifting from having the sun over the user's shoulder to shooting with the sun in front, the Panasonic adjusted its contrast more slowly than the others, but it still did well overall.
To minimize the effects of camera movement, all four models in our roundup use digital image stabilization, which depends on an oversize CCD imager (in our features comparison chart, for each camera, we list the total number of pixels present and the number actually used to create the image). Canon's and Sony's implementations work well. The JVC suffers most under unstable conditions; the Panasonic requires a firm hand or a tripod in anything stronger than a mild breeze.
Of course, sound is an important component of compelling video. All four models can capture 12- or 16-bit sound (the latter is better than CD quality), but to do so they depend on tiny integrated microphones. Panasonic puts its microphone on the front of the camera--it mustered the best volume of the group, but even so, its sound was rather weak. Canon, JVC, and Sony put their microphones on top, and as a result, their models picked up even less sound. Working in low-volume settings--for example, recording a presentation when you can get only so close to the speaker-- could therefore pose a problem.
The Canon at least captures reasonably clear sound, so you might be able to salvage it by bumping up audio levels in a video-editing application. No such luck with the others--their audio sounded as if it were emanating from a far-away coffee can. The Sony's volume was the weakest of the bunch.
Luckily, all four cameras offer a port that accepts an external microphone, though on the Canon and the JVC that port is located on the dock. Better yet, the Sony has an "intelligent accessory shoe" on top that accepts either an external light or a microphone (but not both). Similarly, the Panasonic offers a shoe to which you can attach a light, but the Canon and JVC require large adapters ($60 for the Canon, $25 for the JVC) that attach to the bottom of the units.
The Inside Story
Start edging into the shadows or retreat indoors, and these camcorders break ranks, especially when you're relying on limited light. If you're taping a presentation, you may not be able to illuminate your subject. Under these conditions, the Sony comes out on top, with accurate colors and contrast. It focused well, even in a room dark enough that you might bump into furniture.
The Panasonic comes in second indoors: It had slight difficulty focusing in the darkest settings; colors looked a little dull; and we noticed a small amount of "noise" (grainy defects) in our videos. Selecting the "gain-up" setting helped the PV-DV401 handle low light levels, but that setting slowed the shutter speed, causing trouble with movement.
The Canon fared worse. We saw substantial noise in its images when filming in subdued light, and some video looked fuzzy, even though the camera's focus seemed to have no trouble locking on. Its low-light mode helped the unit capture a brighter image. The Elura 2's colors looked fairly accurate, though a tad dull.
The JVC focused slowly in dark settings, frequently swimming back and forth in an attempt to lock on to moving subjects. We noticed minor noise and artificial vertical texture, and colors looked slightly exaggerated. Like the Panasonic, the JVC offers a gain-up setting, with the same problematic results.
Switches on the Sony and the Panasonic allow them to shoot in zero-lux settings--in other words, total darkness (a feature that might be particularly useful to night owls). Both camcorders emit an infrared light that works like a spotlight at distances up to about 10 feet (an optional $70 attachment for the Sony lets it work at distances up to 100 feet). Both cameras focus adeptly in this mode, and even when we put each camera in a closed box, the video looked bright. JVC says the GR-DVM90 can shoot in less than 1 lux, but we think that specification is extremely optimistic. It doesn't perform as well in low light as the Canon, which requires a minimum of 7.5 lux.
And the Emmy Goes To...
If you're going to shoot outdoor training films, any of these camcorders will work well. If you can stomach its price, the Sony beats the others in all-around performance and packs a long list of features. We had few complaints about it, except for its weak audio. The Canon wins points for its pocketable size. JVC's model is neither extremely small nor a great performer. We'd rather own the Canon, for $101 less.
If you're looking for digital video on a budget, Panasonic's PV-DV401 is a good choice. It isn't as impressive as the Sony, but for the same money you can buy two. The device's chief drawback: Its ungainly size will make many people leave it in the car rather than lug it up the trail.
Alan Stafford is a senior editor for reviews at PC World.
Digital Video Cameras Features Comparison (chart)
| Model | Street price (4/1/01) | Weight (pounds) | Size (w/h/d, inches) | CCD pixels/pixels used for video (millions) | Image capture (video/still) | LCD viewfinder size (inches) | Optical zoom | Optical focal length (35mm equivalent) | Digital zoom | Aperture range or depth | Minimum light rating(lux)1 | Rated battery life (minutes)2 | Ports | Software | Tech support (hours/days, charge) | Warranty for parts/labor | Extras |
| Canon Elura 2 800/652-2666 www.canondv.com | $1299 | 0.9 | 1.9 by 4.1 by 3.4 | 0.68/0.36 | Progressive/ progressive | 2.5 | 10X | 33.6mm­336mm | 40X | f1.6-f2.6 | 7.5 | 45 | IEEE 1394, S-Video, composite, LANC3 | None | 8/5, toll-free | 1 year/1 year | Docking station has microphone port, headphones, and LANC terminal |
| JVC GR-DVM90 800/252-5722 www.jvc.com | $1400 | 1.2 | 2 by 4.9 by 3.9 | 0.68/0.34 | Progressive/ progressive | 2.5 | 10X | 48.8mm­488mm | 200X | f1.8 | < 1 | 55 | IEEE 1394, JLIP,3 and S-Video (on docking station) | Presto Mr. Photo, Photo Album, and Image Folio | 10/7, toll-free | 1 year/90 days | Docking station supplies S-Video, composite, microphone port, JLIP; 8MB MultiMediaCard for photos |
| Panasonic PV-DV401 800/211-7262 www.panasonic.com | $900 | 1.5 | 3.4 by 4.3 by 6.5 | 0.68/0.63 | Interlaced/ progressive | 3.0 | 20X | 4 | 300X | f1.6 | 0 | 75 | IEEE 1394, USB, S-Video, composite | ArcSoft PhotoImpression, PhotoPrinter 2000 Pro, and PanoramaMaker 2000 | 12/7,5 toll-free | 1 year/90 days | 8MB MultiMediaCard for photos |
| Sony DCR-PC110 800/222-7669 www.sony.com/di | $2000 | 1.3 | 2.4 by 4.9 by 4.9 | 1.07/0.69 | Interlaced/ interlaced | 2.5 | 10X | 48mm­480mm | 120X | f1.8-f2.2 | 0 | 115 | IEEE 1394, USB, S-Video, composite, LANC3 | MGI Photosuite and VideoWave | 14/5, toll-free | 1 year/90 days | Has 4MB Memory Stick slot for still images; can capture short MPEG movies on card |
DV vs. Analog
Mini-DV camcorders cost more than analog models, but you get what you pay for. Footage from the $900 Panasonic PV-DV401 (top), the least-expensive digital camcorder in our group, looks much sharper and more colorful than that of the analog, $399 Canon ES420V.
