![]() That generally isn't the case with the Panasonic SV-AV100. Opting for an ultracompact device too often means sacrificing advanced features. During playback, you adjust the volume with the zoom lever. We especially like the multifunction buttons: one toggles between recording and playback another cycles through the MPEG-2, MPEG-4, and still-photo modes. In general, the controls are logically placed and intelligently configured. That's partly because there aren't that many choices, but the system is also clearly labeled, with high-resolution graphics and subtle color coding that aids navigation. The screen swivels more than 180 degrees, so you can aim it downward for overhead crowd shots and forward for self-portraits. The SV-AV100's LCD measures a typical 2.5 inches, but it seems disproportionately large on this miniature device. The rest of the SV-AV100's controls are laid out similarly to a typical camcorder's. They sit behind the LCD on the left panel, rotated 45 degrees toward the camera back. ![]() Getting the hang of these navigation buttons (left) may take some time. The only real drawback of its light weight is that you may have a hard time pressing the controls without shaking the camera. At only 6.7 ounces with its rechargeable lithium-ion battery installed, the SV-AV100 is easy to carry for long periods of time. You're more likely to drop a palm-size camcorder than a standard model, and the D-Snap's mostly plastic case probably wouldn't survive a fall onto concrete. The Panasonic SV-AV100 fits handily into a shirt pocket, but you may want to steer clear of this purchase if you're clumsy with small electronic devices. Still, there's no denying that this pocket-size D-Snap could serve as a blueprint for future camcorders. ![]() For such a tiny device, the SV-AV100 shoots exceptional MPEG-2 movies, but a typical MiniDV model will still do better, and the supplied 512MB SD card holds a mere 10 minutes of highest-quality footage. But don't let that size fool you: the camera's surprisingly rich feature set includes a 10X optical zoom, a sharp 2.5-inch LCD, and video storage on SD media rather than tapes. At lower quality settings, image clarity dropped and the frame rate slowed, decreasing utility significantly.One of the world's smallest MPEG-2 camcorders, the Panasonic D-Snap SV-AV100 measures a scant 1.25 by 2.1 by 3.5 inches. That said, the video was certainly usable for low-motion applications such as interviewing, though quality suffered as motion increased. In SuperFine MPEG-4 mode (320-by-240, 1 Mbps), the highest quality MPEG-4 compression setting, blocks and other MPEG artifacts started appearing, as did very noticeable noise. ![]() Given the camera's limited storage capabilities, we sought to discover the minimum quality settings that would still produce usable images. File compatibility was good-we successfully input MPEG-2 video files into a range of consumer and professional DVD authoring programs, from Adobe Encore to Sonic MyDVD to Ulead DVD Workshop. For such a small camera, the D-Snap retained surprisingly good image quality in low-light conditions, with some darkening of images, but minimal noise.Īudio was crisp and mostly noise free, although the camera was unusually susceptible to wind noise (which we largely resolved using the windscreen). Shooting outdoors in direct sunlight and under clouds, as well as indoors under florescent lights, skin tones looked natural, high-contrast areas-around trees and grass, for example-remained sharp, and fast-moving subjects were reasonably well preserved. The company plans to release 1GB and 4GB cards, but dates and prices have not been set.Īt the highest MPEG-2 quality settings, audio and video quality is impressive. Additional 512MB cards cost $349, though. Because of the high recording speeds necessary for operation, Panasonic recommends using only its own SD cards. Using the supplied 512MB SD card, you can store 10 minutes of MPEG-2 at the highest-quality setting, 20 minutes in normal mode (3 Mbps at 352-by-480), and up to 10 hours 10 minutes at the lowest-quality setting. The D-Snap stores video in a range of formats, from 6 Mbps, 704-by-480 resolution MPEG-2 to 100 Kbps, 176-by-144 resolution MPEG-4. Best Hosted Endpoint Protection and Security Software. ![]()
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