A Sampling of PAL Digital Video Cameras

DZMV208E - Hitachi DVDCAM

(From Hitachi.com)
Instant Playback On DVD Player: With the DVDCAM, if you record on a DVD-R disc, then it can be played back on a DVD player.

Record Right Away: With the DVDCAM there's no need for rewinding or forwarding. The DVDCAM automatically finds the empty space on a DVD disc. You can easily switch on to movie mode or still mode with the press of a button. There's no need to worry about over writing important scenes by mistake, as is possible when recording with tape.

Edit Right Away: If you use a DVD RAM disc on the DVDCAM, the order of the scenes recorded can be simply changed on the camcorder itself without the need for any dubbing or external equipment. Scenes can be divided any desired frame and the user can combine different scenes in any desired playback order. In addition scenes can be simply deleted using a thumbnail, and a variety of special effects are also available.

Watch Right Away: Once you have finished recording, the DISC NAVIGATION enables you to identify all your recordings as thumbnails. You can select the desired scene or still and view them right away on the DVDCAM's LCD Screen. There is no need whatsoever to rewind or forward like you have to do with tape.

High Quality Lens: A lens with an aspherical surface has been incorporated to ensure high quality images up to a magnification of 12x. A multi-coating effectively removes shadows and glare caused by the sun or backlighting.

New Magic LSI: Hitachi has developed a new video chip dubbed with Magic LSI that includes a variety of powerful circuitry. The Camer DSP offers higher S/N ratio and picture resolution and advanced motion detector circuits reduce video noise. Putting all this on a single chip also reduces power consumption and saves space.

Long Life Storage: Unlike tape, there is no deterioration of recording quality over the years. This is because it is a non-contact recording/playback medium.

PC Editing Kit (DZ-WINPC3W): The PC Editing Kit is optional with the DZMV208E. The contents are USB driver (Windows98/Me/2000/XP), UDF driver (Instant Write) (Windows98/Me/2000/XP), Still Photo Editing (Ulead Photo Explorer7 Lite, DVD-Video Playback (PowerDVD XP 4.0) and for Editing "Ulead DVD Movie Factory SE for DVDCAM".

specs

• Format : 8cm DVD-Ram/DVD-R
• Sensor : 1.4" CCD
• Pixels (Total/Effective): PAL (800/Moving: 410K, Still: 740M)
• Lens : F2.0-2.7 f=4, 1--49.2mm
• Zoom : x12 (Digital x48/x240)
• LCD Monitor : 2.5" Colour LCD
• View Finder : 0.24" B&W LCD
• Electronic Image Stabiliser (EIS) : Yes
• Program AE : 6-Mode (Auto/Sports/Portrait/Sport Light/Sand&Snow/Low Light)
• Self Timer Recording : Yes (Photo Only)
• Recording Format (8cm DVDRAM) : MPEG2 (FINE: 6Mbps/STD: 3Mbps)
• Still : JPEG (1,280x960)
• Recording Format (8cm DVD-R) Moving : MPEG2 (FINE: 6Mbps/STD: 3Mbps)
• Max. Recording Time (DVD-RAM Both Sides) Moving , FINE: approx. 60min, STD: approx. 120 min
• Still : Max 1.998 Sheets
• AV Input/Output : Y (Video & Stereo)
• S-Connector Input : N
• S-Connector Output : Y
• PC Connecting Terminal : Y (to USB 1.1)
• S Terminal : Y
• Dimensions (wxhxd) : 82x101x143mm
• Weight : approx. 670g

Hitachi VM-D965LE Digital8 Camcorder

Some features:

• a 470K 1/4" CCD
• PAL playback of NTSC analog-recorded Hi8 and 8mm tapes
• Built-in light
• Wide angle lens
• 22x Optical/500x Digital Zoom
• "StablePix" Electronic Image Stabilization
• Digital video effects and fades
• Titler
• IEEE-1394 (Firwire/i-Link) PC connection
• Analog S-Video and RCA A/V outputs

Read Peter Blasina's review in Video Camera Magazine - Camcorders -> Reviews.

JVC GR-DV2000 DV Camcorder

Main Features

• "Real-Touch" manual focus ring, allows focus adjustment mid-shot.
• Image sensor - 800,000 pixel, 1/4-inch progressive scan CCD - 576 lines vertical, and 520 horizontal resolution
• Progressive Mode Video
• 1.92 MegaPixel UXGA (1600 x 1200) still images, using Pixel Shift technology AIS lens and Progressive Scan XGA (1024 x 768), or VGA (640 x 480) stills, also possible.
• Digital image stabilizer (DIS); digital special effects and scene transitions.
• Monitor - 180° rotating, 200,000 pixel, 3.5-inch polycrystalline-silicon TFT colour LCD. (Plus 113,000 pixel, 0.44-inch electronic viewfinder.)
• Audio - PCM digital Stereo - Two-channel 48 kHz (16 bit linear) or four-channel 32kHz (12-bit non-linear).
• Terminals - DV In/Out (i.link/IEEE 1394), S-Video In/Out, AV In/Out, Mic In, Headphones, USB, Printer, DC in, Edit.
• Random assemble editing (up to 8 scenes); DV insert editing; stereo audio dubbing - replacing video or sound only.
• Info-shoe - Holds and supplies power to optional accessories - Video Flash, Auto-light, Stereo Zoom Mic.

Panasonic e.cam Digital Video Camera (Model: NV-DS30A)

• RRP: $1,319 (GST Incl.)
• 800,000 Pixels CCD
• 10x optical Zoom & 500x Digital Zoom
• Progressive Photoshot
• DV /Analogue Input
• Video Light
• 0Lux Nightview
• Zoom Mic with Smart Wind Cut
• PC Connection Kit Included

Sony DIGITAL8 HANDYCAM DCRTRV140

• Digital8 (Digital Recording & Playback only)
• 560x / 40x Selectable Digital zoom (20x Optical zoom)
• 2.5" LCD Monitor
• built-in Video Light
• infoLithium M Series battery
• USB Streaming
• Electronic SteadyShot
• NightShot (0 Lux minimum illumination)
• Colour Slow Shutter
• Automatic / Manual Focus
• Playback Zoom (x2)
• NTSC Playback on PAL TV
• i.LINK (IEEE1394) IN / OUT
• Video OUT , S-Video OUT , Audio OUT (Stereo)
• USB Terminal
• 16:9 Recording
• Suggested Retail Price: $1,199.00 AUD inc. GST
• +++ more

A guide to Setting up a Sony Network HandyCam.