Panasonic NV-GS10

Digital video (DV) has opened many doors for home movie-makers. These days, you don't have to pay through the nose to enjoy the benefits of DV and the cameras themselves are small and stylish as the latest camcorder from Panasonic shows.

At just £500, the NV-GS10 is pretty much the yardstick by which to measure budget camcorders. Typical of models at this end of the spectrum, it doesn't come with all the kit and caboodle of its higher-priced cousins. For instance, while a snapshot button allows you to record still images to tape as well as video, there's no separate slot for a memory card or a multi-megapixel quality setting. Serious stills photographers may find this a drawback but if it's purely video that you're interested in, then the NV-GS10's fabulous colour reproduction and image clarity is one of its biggest selling points.

The device is also comfortably small and light, with an attractive rounded design. It still manages to squeeze in a good-sized (2.5in) colour screen and a side-loading cassette mechanism. As far as extras go, the NV-GS10 is a touch conservative. A 10x optical zoom is about average and a smattering of in-camera digital effects can be found by digging through the easy-to-navigate menus.

There are, however, a few surprises in store. The camera's colour night-shoot feature is quite interesting, especially as the screen can be rotated to face forward and used as a light panel to illuminate dark subjects.

Also included are both an infrared and a wired remote. The latter is particularly useful, as it also doubles up as an external microphone. One feature we would have liked to see is a two-way port for putting footage back on tape after it has been edited on your PC. As it is, the FireWire socket on the NV-GS10 can only send video, not record it back to tape, a feature missing from many budget models.

Panasonic's years of experience at producing camcorders at professional and domestic levels are clearly evident in both the camera's style and its operation, making the NV-GS10 an excellent choice for home video makers on a budget or those looking to upgrade their old analogue models without breaking the bank.

Contact: Panasonic 0870 535 7357
www.panasonic.co.uk