Panasonic PVGS70 MiniDV Ultra Compact Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, 3CCD, and 8MB SD

The 3CCD system uses a separate CCD for the reds, greens, and blues that compose an image and delivers high-fidelity color reproduction--up to 540 lines of resolution.

The PVGS70 also utilizes quad-density pixel distribution technology, which was originally developed for broadcast-quality cameras to help maximize picture quality. It utilizes vertical and horizontal pixel shifting to yield improved clarity and performance.

The camcorder is equipped with a 10x optical zoom, and also features a 700x digital zoom that allows you to zoom in on incredible close-ups.

Digital Stills and MPEG4 Video Each CCD delivers 460K pixels that, when combined with the quad-density pixel distribution, captures up to a 1-megapixel still image (1280 x 960 pixels). 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).

More Features The camcorder also doubles as a Web cam when connected via USB to your PC. With 540 lines of horizontal resolution and minimum color noise, MiniDV delivers a 20 percent clearer picture than analog camcorder formats. A MiniDV tape offers digital recording time of 2 full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.

Contents This package includes the PVGS70 camcorder, 8 MB SD memory card, AC adapter, battery pack, shoulder strap, A/V cable, USB cable, wireless remote control, wired remote control, lens cap, and software. The stylish, ultracompact Panasonic PVGS70 digital video camcorder boasts a 3CCD camera system that's the same used in Panasonic's professional broadcasting equipment. It also offers such advanced features as 1-megapixel still image resolution, MPEG4 video capability, and a Leica Dicomar lens.

Optics The PVGS70 utilizes a 7-element, multi-coated Leica Dicomar lens that preserves your videos and still images with a high level of detail and subtlety. When played back on a television the result is dramatic looking cinema-like movies at home.

Other features include:

• 2.5-inch tiltable LCD screen.
• External microphone jacks allow for professional sound recording.
• Remote control features include playback with special effects, zoom, and slow motion.
• S-Video in/out; analog in.

Inputs and Outputs The PVGS70 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 personal and broadcast-quality video, highly regarded for its high audio and image quality. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. The picture-in-picture feature allows you to insert a previously taken digital still image into the video that is being recorded, to enhance the aesthetics of the final cut of the video.

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.