PAL NV-GS400 Test
 

I have been using a Panasonic 3ccd Camcorder NV-DX100 since Sept. 1998, and today I received the new Panasonic PAL NV-GS400.I am delighted with the video and still picture results.The still pictures compared to my digital Fuji FinePix S5000
camera are just as good, so in the future I will be only carrying the Nv-GC400 with me when I travel.

You made a good choice, though I prefer a still cam for pics and a mini-DV cam for video. More GS400 feedback from an owner is always appreciated (hint).

Nihal - congratulations with your new NV-GS400.
What is the full model designation of it?

Does anyone know what the differences are between the various NV/PV-GS400's listed on http://www.cipa.jp/pictbridge/CertifiedModels/PictBridgeCertifiedModels_E.html

NV-GS400K
NV-GS400EG
NV-GS400EB
NV-GS400GC
NV-GS400GD
PV-GS400PP

In addition, UK sites list NV-GS400B. Other sites list NV-GS400E. All very confusing.

Google returns listings in these languages

NV-GS400K - Japan
NV-GS400EG - Germany
NV-GS400EB - ?
NV-GS400GC - Russia
NV-GS400GD - Korea
NV-GS400B - Britain
NV-GS400E - Italy?
PV-GS400PP - ?

i am also planing to buy Pal version. and i am thinking to get this > http://www.goldenshop.com.hk/AI-trad/Misc_htm/m_kdv500.htm

i dont know if it will be okay, since i am living in US and everything that i have is NTSC.

Please comment on this.. thanks.

<<<-- Originally posted by Claus Olesen :
NV-GS400K - Japan
NV-GS400EG - Germany
NV-GS400EB - ?
NV-GS400GC - Russia
NV-GS400GD - Korea
NV-GS400B - Britain
NV-GS400E - Italy?
PV-GS400PP - ? -->>>

a little update...

NV-GS400EB - UK

I suppose the "E" stands for Europe, "B" for Britain
and "G" for Germany!?

and wasn't there another NV-GS400S in Japan!? "S" for silver

I'm very curious which version I'll get over here in Taiwan!
Maybe a NV-GS400GT - Taiwan ?? :)

Nihal,
You are welcome to post some small clips (3Mb or less) in the GS400 album on my website. Clips in WMV, 1 Mbps, 720x480 (edit: 720x576 for PAL) seem to work well.

<<<-- Originally posted by Guy Bruner : Clips in WMV, 1 Mbps, 720x480 seem to work well. -->>>

Hm, shouldn't it be 720x576 as Nihal got the PAL version? ;)

You forgot the GS400A for Australia and NZ.

Yes, it should be 720x576...I'm an NTSC thinker :-(

a small update...

NV-GS400K-K - Japan (black)
NV-GS400K-S - Japan (silver)
NV-GS400EG - Germany
NV-GS400EB - U.K.
NV-GS400GC - Russia, Singapore
NV-GS400GC-S - ?
NV-GS400GD - Korea
NV-GS400B - Britain
NV-GS400E - Italy?
PV-GS400? - Taiwan, N.A.
PV-GS400PP - ?

Andreas - The first listing from Google for "nv-gs400" is
www.expandore.com/product/Consumer_Product/GS400.htm,
is from Singapore and lists nv-gs400gc-s. Isn't it therefore more like this

NV-GS400K-K - Japan (black)
NV-GS400K-S - Japan (silver)
NV-GS400EG - Germany
NV-GS400EB - U.K.
NV-GS400GC - Russia
NV-GS400GC-S - Singapore
NV-GS400GD - Korea
NV-GS400B - Britain
NV-GS400E - Italy?
PV-GS400? - Taiwan, N.A.
PV-GS400PP - ?

I contacted the company. They said that it comes only in silver at the moment but with english manual. At the moment? Hmmm.

Here's a map of ntsc, pal and secam
http://www.video-pro.co.uk/worldtv/
SECAM is more widespread than I thought and the "GC" model (without the "-S") is probably SECAM.

<<<-- Originally posted by Claus Olesen : Andreas - The first listing from Google for "nv-gs400" is
www.expandore.com/product/Consumer_Product/GS400.htm,
is from Singapore and lists nv-gs400gc-s.

...

I contacted the company. They said that it comes only in silver at the moment but with english manual. At the moment? Hmmm. -->>>

Claus, hm, that's possible. But in general I'd like to express that I'm more than confused about Panasonic's model naming policy. Dozens of different names and nobody really seem to know what and if there are differences. And I guess I'm not the only one...

As for the silver version... I checked Panasonic Germany's site again and suddenly realised that they call their version NV-GS400EG-S. Did they change this? Or did I just not see it earlier??
In case they changed... does this mean there could be a black version coming up later!? Hm, maybe Panasonic received too many requests/complaints from "prosumers" recently?! :)

To Ali about the NTSC/PAL Convertor
 

You're going to kill 100 plus lines of resolution with this thing right off the bat. Not to mention how well does it handle the chroma info and scaling.

In other words, I think you'll be sorry if you spend your money on this item.

If you are going to use it only for monitoring while editing, it'll be okay, but for NTSC distribution, it lacks the specs to do an adequate job. These products are geared toward video games, and watching movies, not getting the most out of your video.

Check out http://dvfilm.com/products.htm

Look at DVFilm Atlantis. This is produced by DVFilm, a company that specializes in video to film transfers. They recommend PAL for Shooting, but understand the conversion issues from PAL to NTSC. It costs less than the hardware device you posted, and will most certainly work better..

Workflow: either edit in a PAL timeline, or convert with atlantis, and edit in an NTSC timeline...

Your choice. just be sure about a product before you buy. I got stung by the DAZZLE DV Bridge when it wouldn't recognize the sync from the VHS tapes I was trying to capture, I wound up copying to DV and then capturing, wasting the $200.00 (at the time) because I had purchased it for this specific job. Now it collects dust more than anything else.

Rob

P.S. I know you said all your stuff is NTSC, but your computer doesn't care if video is NTSC or PAL just be sure your NLE software supports PAL

hi rob,

Thank you for the reply first of all.
i just want this device to watch directly from dvcam, which i will rarely do. i guess it is okay for that purpose.
But obviously i will edit my clips and burn a dvd out of it. And atlantis is the best option i guess.

Thanks
Ali