Panasonic PV-GS39

The Panasonic PV-GS39 has a unique low-profile design that takes some getting used to but is very comfortable for anyone with larger hands. The control placement is well thought out with a joystick on the mode dial that's easily accessible by your thumb. In fact, "one-handing" this model is a snap. Along with superb ergonomics, the camcorder has a beautiful 2.7-inch widescreen LCD for 16:9 recording, a 30X optical zoom, and a rugged construction. Video on the PV-GS39 showed good contrast and accurate color in daylight but produced some noise indoors in low light. Our only other quibble is that video quality degraded noticeably on the long end of the zoom.