Customer Reviews: Good to look at, but internals need work! I purchased this cam as my first and frontline camera for use in weddings, shows, and other events. To me, it is very lightweight. Picks up the slightest movement. The mic is very sensitive... picks up the noise from your tripod when moving - seriously. As for picture quality, its great when shot outdoors or with strong indoor lighting. Otherwise, in darkened areas or low light venues good luck! Don't use the internal 'Gain Up' feature because it shuts your focus off automatic and you'll never know if your picture is in focus until you view the tape.
As far as using the camera.. it is very easy to work with. There aren't many complicated menu screens and limited external buttons. Beware of the 'photo shot' button which sometimes can be confused with the 'record' button. Why CCD cameras have a 'photo' option on a video camera is beyond me - thats what DSLRs are for.
You may want to drill a hole and fill the camera with sand to weigh it down some more (wife's idea and I agree). It may produce stable pictures.
Buyer Beware!!! I purchased two AG-DVC7 Panasonic camcorder between 3 and 4 years ago, one used, one brand new. I very seldom use them to record direct to tape. We basically set them on a tripod and use S-video to feed in to a video mixer as we records live. The record feature on the camera has been barely used and yet one day last year both of them stopped recording to tape at about the same time. I was advised to press the rest button, this failed. The system stated needs servicing. When I bought these cameras, I paid around $1100.00 for each of these cameras from B&H New York. Just got my repair invoice and Pnansonic wants over 700.00 per unit to repair them!!! You can buy used for less than what it cost to repair one. Beware there is problem is with this product. There is a known issue with these cameras failing to record. You can find complaints online about this problem. The repair cost for this camera makes it by far the worst video product I have ever purchased! This camera is now only worth spare parts!
Havre used the camera for 3 years...not bad..good picture quality, looks professional to your clients Have used the camcorder for over 3 years, our retired community video club owns two of them. Has great picture quality in good lighting, rivals my 3CCD Cannon GL-2. The Panasonic does a decent job on lower lighting situations. I frequently use it to partner up with my Cannon GL-2 for the second camera shots. Only had one of the 2 Pansonics needed repairs to the tape motor mechanism, the other same model Panasonic in our inventory, has not needed repairs, in those same three years of very frequent club use. Our clients are impressed when we show up with the large Panasonic. It is easy to operate. I would buy another one. It seems to take small abuses well, it is used by serveral different club members, so you know that it has had bumps and small drops. The handle is very handy to carry the camcorder around and to take low shots as we walk around, you could not do that with non-handle type camcorders. On the bad side of this review, I noticed that in lower light situations with long shots, if the subject walked to the edge of your shooting view screen, the camcorder would go out of focus, then to compensate I would have to move the subject back into the center of the shot. So, in the low light situations, the camera is fooled and goes out of focus on the subject and focuses on the background.
Going pro? Save for something better. I'll be diplomatic and say this isn't a bad camera. But I used to shoot a lot of live events and concerts, and with a DVX100 and a DVC80 to choose from, this camera would always get stuck on the lowest priority shot. It's big, but mostly hollow, so it's almost as light as a Canon ZR series. In sunlight or other bright light, you're fine, but in low light you really know it's a 1-CCD camera. The colors wash out and the picture gets noisy. For a third of the price you could get a consumer level camera (Canon ZR) that'll shoot nearly as well (if not looking as imposing) while you save your pennies for a 3-CCD model.
Good Camera This camera is execellent and beautiful crystal picture and sperverb stereo/surrand sound makes this camera one of the best.
Closer Look
