There's a good reason why so many people have trouble discerning between the Panasonic PV-GS83 and the PV-GS85 MiniDV camcorders: they're nearly identical. Both units offer minimal step-up features over the entry-level PV-GS80. The PV-GS83 lacks the manual focus option of the PV-GS85, but includes a USB 2.0 high speed connection and the ability to snap stills to tape as well as an SD card. Considering the poor quality of the digital stills performance from both models, this isn't much of an advantage.

The PV-GS83 offers the standard optical setup that's common with entry level MiniDV camcorders. The single 1/6-inch 680K pixel sensor delivers 340,000 effective pixels in 4:3 mode and 460,000 in 16:9 widescreen. A more unusual feature is the inclusion of an optical image stabilization system--even during handheld operation of the 32x optical zoom, the stabilization system does a great job at eradicating picture shakes. In fact, it's far superior to a digital stabilization system that's normally found on an entry level DV camcorder.

When shooting in well-lit situations, we found that the PV-GS83 delivered above-average video images. If you're simply looking for an inexpensive way to record family vacations and outdoor events such as barbecues or Little League games, the PV-GS83 is ideal. If you hope to shoot lots of dimly lit indoor events, the PV-GS83 will disappoint. As with the other low end Panasonic MiniDV camcorders, the low light performance is poor. If your subject is within a few feet of the lens, the unit's built-in video light boost offers some welcome additional illumination but anything further away is lost in choppy, grainy video.

Like the PV-GS85, this MiniDV camcorder also offers a digital still capability. The unit has a SD memory card slot for recording and storing these stills. Alternatively, it can also capture stills to tape so they can be edited into your home videos. Unfortunately, the quality of the stills performance from the PV-GS83 is uniformly poor. It captures stills at a maximum resolution of just 640x480 pixels, useful for little more than attaching photos to emails. The PV-GS83 can double as a webcam when connected to a PC via the USB port. As an upgrade over the PV-GS85, this model offers a USB 2.0 connection, although the USB port (along with the FireWire hookup) is located behind the battery. To access them you'll need to remove the battery and power the PV-GS83 via the AC adapter. While it's not the biggest design fault ever, it's certainly a minor inconvenience that would have been easy enough to avoid.

As you would expect from a budget-priced MiniDV camcorder, the Panasonic PV-GS83 is a breeze to operate. The one-touch navigation system is straightforward enough for even first time users to master quickly, and auto mode keeps everything limited to point-and-shoot. If you want to switch from auto to manual focus, you'll need to opt for the PV-GS85. Overall, the Panasonic PV-GS83 is a basic but easy to use MiniDV camcorder, and ideal for point-and-shooters who want an inexpensive way to record video in good lighting.

Pros: Good video performance in well-lit situations, inexpensive, excellent optical image stabilization system, USB 2.0 port
Cons: Poor stills function, awful low light performance, no manual focus

Warranty
90 days, labor; 1 year, parts