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Easily one of the most anticipated camcorders in the last few years, Panasonic’s PV-GS500 arrived this year to replace the hugely successful PV-GS400. The GS400 offered great video quality with a bundle of pro-level features that made it a hit with the serious hobbyists and prosumers. This year, Panasonic has adopted a new approach, leaving fans none too pleased. In order to court a larger market, Panasonic has slashed prices on their top MiniDV models, and dropped most of the pro-level features in the process.
The 3 CCD barrier on DVD camcorders has finally been broken. Meet the Panasonic VDR-D300 (along with its sibling, the D250). In theory, this top-end DVD cam with an MSRP of $999 should marry the best of Panasonic’s MiniDV 3 chip performance with the ease and convenience of the DVD format. Well, the results are in, and though it’s only February, the D300 appears to be strong candidate for best DVD camcorder of the year. 
