Panasonic Bows New Digital PalmCorder MultiCam Camcorders

Panasonic’s new Palmcorder MultiCam digital camcorders feature high-resolution digital video, high-quality digital still images and PC interoperability to combine fun and function for beginners and accomplished videographers alike. More than just a camcorder, every new model features the built-in PhotoShot digital still camera feature, letting consumers capture their memories in digital video and digital still photos. With more PC-friendly features than ever, the new digital camcorders are ready for a variety of multimedia applications, and can also easily serve as web cameras for home videoconferencing. All models feature an i.LINK IEEE 1394 PC interface, making it easy to download digital recordings (still images and moving pictures) to computers where they can be edited, included in e-mail messages or used in the creation of web sites.

Additionally, five of the six models feature a USB port, built-in SD drive and an SD Memory Card slot. These models also feature the MPEG-4 video Movie Messenger system, which lets users easily transfer video clips with audio to a PC to create clip libraries, presentations, or to attach to an e-mail.

Top-tier models PV-DV602 and PV-DV702 feature a 1.3 mega-pixel CCD for extraordinary still image quality up to 1600 x 1200 pixels.

Entry model PV-DV52 features a high-quality 680K CCD and 2.5” color LCD monitor. The PV-DV52 can record still pictures on DV tape. It includes PhotoVu Link with an RS-232 serial connection.

Models PV-DV102, PV-DV202 and PV-DV402 feature PhotoVu Link with a USB port, an SD Memory Card Slot, web camera functionality, and a built-in SD drive. These models also add the MPEG-4 Movie Messenger system and new Zoom Microphone. This clever feature works with the optical zoom function to create a natural correspondence between recorded audio and images. When visually zooming in, the sound will also zero in on the subject. This puts emphasis on the subject and gives any video recording the feeling of realistically capturing the moment.

PV-DV202 and PV-DV402 include the above features plus an 8MB SD Memory Card as well as ArcSoft photo editing software suite. They also feature Mega Still picture enhancement: an interpolation process that improves the quality of a 640 x 480 still image to approximate that of a mega-pixel image.

PV-DV402 also includes the Panasonic MagicVu IR filter for shooting video and still pictures in total darkness. When activated, MagicVu allows the camcorder to emit an infrared light into dark areas, enabling the camcorder to “see” the object or subject that is being recorded. The PV-DV402 features a larger, 3.5” LCD monitor.

PV-DV602, with a 2.5” color LCD, and PV-DV702, with a 3.5” color LCD, both feature a 1.3 mega-pixel CCD and a manual focus ring plus all of the features above.

All models feature:

• Panasonic’s Dual Digital Electronic Image Stabilization feature. It compensates for hand and camcorder movement while recording, and can also be used in the playback mode to help remove additional jitter from previously recorded video.
• High definition 10x optical zoom and 700x digital zoom
• Built-in light
• The Progressive PhotoShot mode: enables users to record still pictures with higher resolution, finer details, and smoother image contours than the normal PhotoShot function. This feature captures the image data and temporarily stores it into two separate field memories. The two images of the exact same moment are then combined with no time lag, eliminating the need for simulations. This results in 1.5 times the resolution of standard-recorded stills for a beautifully clear and brilliant picture.
• MagicPix image enhancing feature for shooting full color video and stills in extremely low light situations.
• Multi-image playback feature allows the user to view nine consecutive still images on the LCD screen in Playback mode. It’s great for analyzing athletic performance such as golf swings.
• P-I-P (picture-in-picture) feature: Using the LCD monitor, P-I-P lets users insert a small still shot over the video being recorded. The miniaturized digital still image appears in the right corner of the video during playback. This feature offers a quick, handy alternative to the typical establishing shot.

2002 Panasonic Digital Camcorders

MODEL	AVAILABILITY	MSRP
PV-DV52	Winter 2001/2002	$599.95
PV-DV102	Winter 2001/2002	$699.95
PV-DV202	Winter 2001/2002	$799.95
PV-DV402	Winter 2001/2002	$899.95
PV-DV602	Spring 2002	$999.95
PV-DV702	Spring 2002	$1099.95

www.panasonic.com.

SOURCE Panasonic