GS400: "Magic pix" - for Americans, "Color night view" - for Europeans
 

Compare it:
NTSC
PAL

Zoom
 

And there seem to be another difference between the PAL and NTSC version:
NTSC has 700x digital zoom (to see at the dvspot.com review's first image - printed on the cam's body)
PAL has 600x digital zoom (e.g. Panasonic Germany website, or Panasonic Australia - digital zoom is not mentioned on the cam's body)

Anyway, I guess nobody really seriously wants to use this feature!? ;)

Yesterday I got my PV-GS400 (the north american version).
I found another small difference between PAL and NTSC version:
the clock on the PAL version is 24hrs, while the NTSC version uses a 12h-AM/PM clock, which unfortunately seems not to be switchable to 24hrs mode.

What is the magic pix?

<<<-- Originally posted by Kaku Ito : What is the magic pix? -->>>

Kaku, that's the "low light amplifier option" or call it "0-lux view". It has two levels. First is just amplifying a little and the second is amplfying more and turns the LCD into a "poor man's video lamp" by setting it to bright white. Anyway, another rather useless option... The top left button on the SD card cover... check your cam! ;)

I'm still not so sure whether the nameraka (smooth) color night view is actually available overseas. I find that feature very convenient for medium lighting situation, especially when there is not much subject movement from left to right. It first appeared in the GS100 and there are owners who actually find that feature useful. It's still in the GS400, well at least in the Jap model AFAIK.

Kaku, have you read that post in Camcorderinfo where somebody tested his PAL GS400 and found the lens to be off-centered when zooming. I find that rather intriguing and wonder if you observe the same "anomaly" with your Jap GS400. Thanks!

There also seem to be some barrel distortion (with his PAL cam) at the widest zoom (but I can understand that). What about yours? Thanks again!

"found the lens to be off-centered when zooming. "

I really doubt that.. with the amount of cams pana pumps out each year.. more than likely this guy has a stigmatism, or his cams a defect..

Andrea,

Oh, that is what we have for the Japanese models. These modes have lower resolution, but okay to use sometimes. I use them only when we don't have not much light. Rather have slower shutter speed, but GS400 does not.

Allan,
Yes, you have to make the cam or the objects very steady for these modes. So, only usefull in certain situation as you mentioned. I felt like the my cam work goes off from center when I was in 16:9 squeeze modes, because of the squeezed display. I will check on it.

I mentioned about the barrel distortion somewhere else, but what I noticed was that may be the center area might look little bumped up. Not much problem to me.

One more favor Kaku (hopefully you still have the GS100 with you). I could be looking too hard for something that is not really there but somehow, the GS400 gives me the impression of a slower AF response compared to the GS100. Does it have anything to do with the physical size of the lens block??? What do you think?

I don't have GS100 anymore, so I can't compare them side by side, but I did not notice the big difference.