Panasonic VDR-M50 Camcorder

alaTest has collected and analyzed 298 reviews from magazines and websites. Reviewers really like the viewfinder and resolution. The design and color also get good feedback. Views are divided on the connectivity. Some have doubts about the memory and control panel.

usability, color, design, resolution, viewfinder

battery, features, control panel, memory

We analyzed user and expert ratings, product age and more factors. Compared to other Camcorders the Panasonic VDR-M50 Camcorder is awarded an overall alaScore™ of 75/100 = Good quality.

See all Panasonic Camcorders

Review analysis

(Based on 298 reviews)

Expert Reviews  

User Reviews  

Review Ratings

  (24% of reviews)
Show all 5 star reviews   (36% of reviews)
Show all 4 star reviews   (13% of reviews)
Show all 3 star reviews   (10% of reviews)
Show all 2 star reviews   (17% of reviews)
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Features

Usability
  Show positive (83%)Show negative (6%)(Show all)
Battery
  Show positive (26%)Show negative (34%)(Show all)
Color
  Show positive (59%)Show negative (8%)(Show all)
Design
  Show positive (46%)Show negative (7%)(Show all)
Connectivity
  Show positive (28%)Show negative (28%)(Show all)
Resolution
  Show positive (36%)Show negative (27%)(Show all)
Features
  Show positive (17%)Show negative (83%)(Show all)
Viewfinder
  Show positive (33%)Show negative (17%)(Show all)
Build quality
  Show positive (67%)Show negative (17%)(Show all)
Value for money
  Show positive (38%)Show negative (27%)(Show all)
More features

Showing 275 review(s)

Expert Reviews User Reviews
Showing 1 - 10 of 275 Show Reviews: in English | in other languages (25)

Expert review by:

Panasonic VDR-M70

 

Compact design for a mini-DVD model; simple menu system; 16:9 recording capability.

No headphone jack; no built-in flash or video light; viewfinder doesn't tilt; low-light mode mostly ineffective.

The VDR-M70 doesn't shake our belief that mini-DVD camcorders still are not ready for prime time.

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Panasonic VDR-M50

 

CCDType: Single CCD, Video Recording Format: DVD-RAM, Video Recording Format: DVD-R

Very small and portable. Easy to use. Welcome 18X optical zoom.

Mediocre image stabilization and still-image quality. Can't shoot higher-quality DV, only MPEG-4. Mediocre audio.

While it may appeal to people who want the simplicity of being able to record directly to DVD-R or DVD-RAM discs, the Panasonic VDR-M50 will also frustrate enthusiasts by virtue of the DVD format's limitations. Ad-ditionally, we aren't impressed by the vi

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Camcorder Review: Panasonic VDR-M50PP DVD

 

Panasonic's compact VDR-M50PP camcorder gives the video hobbyist the convenience of recording video and still shots directly to DVD then playing them back on a newer home DVD player. As much as 60 minutes of video will fit on either 8cm DVD-RAM or...

Convenience of recording directly to DVD-RAM and DVD-R ; High capacity recording of low resolution stills

Speaker is muted by your hand if held during playback ; Low resolution stills ; A/V jack in an awkward location

The VDR-M50PP is a great solution for the video enthusiast who needs the convenience of recording directly to DVD and not the need for the highest quality video

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Expert review by:

Panasonic VDR-M50 Camcorder Review - Panasonic DVD Camcorders

 

At an MSRP of $799.95, the Panasonic VDR-M50 offers consumers a DVD camcorder of good quality for the cost with arguably better recording compatibility than the majority of DVD camcorders.

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Panasonic VDR-M70 Camcorder Review - Panasonic DVD Camcorders

 

At an MSRP of $899.99, the Panasonic VDR-M70 overcomes many of the shortcomings found in other DVD camcorders. It raises the bar on DVD camcorder quality by offering many options for recordable media and storage space for photo stills and video,...

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Panasonic PV-GS9 Camcorder Review - Panasonic MiniDV Camcorders

 

At an MSRP of $349.99, the Panasonic PV-GS9 is the entry-level camcorder in their group of consumer Mini DV camcorders. The Panasonic PV-GS9 has some manual options but, as a rule, it's better suited for use in automatic. The Panasonic PV-GS9 has a...

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Camcorder Review: Panasonic PV-L552H VHS-C

 

Do you remember the "bad old" days when all you could find in stores were VHS, VHS-C and 8mm camcorders? Back in the early 1990s Panasonic ran a TV spot with a shopper looking for a new camcorder. She asked several salespeople whether the tapes will...

Huge viewscreen ; Potentially useful time-lapse features

Very few manual controls

Worth considering if you need a VHS camcorder.

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Expert review by:

Panasonic PV GS9

 

Panasonic PVGS9 MiniDV Compact Digital Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom.

Panasonic PV GS9: OpticsThe PV-GS9 is equipped with a 1/6-inch, 680,000-pixel CCD and 20x optical zoom It also features a 800x digital zoom that allows you to zoom in on incredible close-ups.

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Expert review by:

Panasonic VDR M70

 

Panasonic VDRM70 DVD Camcorder with 2.5-inch LCD w/10x Optical Zoom.

The stylishly small Panasonic VDR M70 marks the next step in DVD video camcorders. As full-featured as it is easy to use, this compact camcorder records high-quality digital video and still images onto removable 3-inch (8cm) DVD-RAM and DVD-R discs,...

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Panasonic VDR M50

 

Panasonic VDRM50 DVD video camcorder with 2.5-inch LCD w/18x Optical Zoom.

The stylishly small Panasonic VDR M50 marks the next step in DVD video camcorders. As full-featured as it is easy to use, this compact camcorder records high-quality digital video and still images onto removable 3-inch (8cm) DVD-RAM and DVD-R discs,...

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Product Specifications

Palmcorder PV-DV203 is a 3 in 1 camcorder that features the benefits of a digital camcorder, digital still camera and web cam camera. The PV-DV203 is fully PC compatible, with i.LINK IEEE 13941 and USB computer interfaces. This enables video and still images to be easily downloaded to a desktop or laptop computer, where they can be saved, edited, digitally manipulated or added to a Web site or e-mailed. It also incorporates a removable SD Memory card for quick and secure storage and transference of digital still images. Using the MPEG-4 Movie Messenger system, video captured by the PV-DV203 can also be downloaded and emailed to friends and family. The PV-DV203 can also serve as a Web camera for video conferencing with friends and relatives, or even for simple Internet-based surveillance when you're away from home. As a digital still camera the PV-DV203 can also record still pictures with exceptional clarity. Panasonic's Progressive PhotoShot captures image data and temporarily stores it in two separate field memories. The images in the two memories are then combined with no time lag, resulting in pictures with 1.5 times the resolution of standard-recorded stills. In addition to this wealth of features, the PV-DV203 also features a color viewfinder, Dual Digital Electronic Image Stabilization (EIS) that compensates for camcorder jitter, both during recording and playback of previously recorded video, and a digital LED light for low power consumption and safety.

Audio Input

Microphone Operation Mode:Mono/Stereo
Microphone Technology:Electret condenser
Type:Microphone

Battery

Battery Form Factor:Manufacturer specific
Run Time (Up To):1hour(s)

Camcorder Features

Low Lux / Night Mode: Yes

Camera Flash

Type: None

Dimensions & Weight

Depth:4.4in/4.9in/5.7in/7.5in/8.9in
Height:3.4in/3.5in/4.8in/4.9in
Weight:0.9lbs/1.1lbs/1.3lbs/2.2lbs/2lbs
Width:2.5in/2.6in/2.7in/3.4in/4.3in

Display (Projector)

Diagonal Size:2.5in/4in
Diagonal Size (metric):10.2cm/6.4cm
Display Form Factor:Rotating
Technology:TFT active matrix
Type:LCD display

Exposure Parameters

Shooting Programs:Low light / Portrait mode / Sports mode / Spotlight / Surf & snow

Flash Memory

Form Factor:SD Memory Card
Storage Capacity:8MB

Header

Country Kits:United States
Localization:English
Manufacturer:Panasonic
Model:PV-DV203/PV-GS9/PV-L354/PV-L552/PV-L552H/VDR-M50/VDR-M70
Packaged Quantity:1
Product Line:Panasonic DVD DIGA Palmcorder/Panasonic Palmcorder/Panasonic Palmcorder Multicam

Lens System

Lens Aperture:F/1.8/F/1.8-2.4/F/1.8-3.1/F/1.8-3.6
Max Focal Length:37.8mm/38mm/42mm
Min Focal Length:2.1mm/3.8mm
Optical Zoom:10/18/20/26
Type:Zoom lens

Miscellaneous

Color:Gray

Optical Sensor

Camcorder Sensor Resolution:1Mpix/270Kpix/680Kpix
Optical Sensor Size:1/4"/1/6"
Optical Sensor Size (metric):4.2 mm ( 1/6 ) / 4.2 mm ( 1/6" )/6.4 mm ( 1/4 ) / 6.4 mm ( 1/4" )
Optical Sensor Type:CCD
Sensor Qty:1CCD

Optical System

Image Stabilizer:Electronic

Service & Support

Type:1 year warranty

Storage Floppy Drive

Type: None

Video Input

Analog Video Format:NTSC
Digital Scene Transition:Black & white fader / Black fader / Wipe fader/Black fader/Black fader / Mosaic fader / Random / Sharp / Soft / Stripe / Stripe fader / White fader
Digital Video Format:MPEG-2
Digital Zoom:240/500/700/780/800
Media Type:DVD-R (8cm) / DVD-RAM (8 cm)/Mini DV/VHS-C
Shooting Modes:Digital photo mode
Special Effects:Black & White / Mirror / Mix / Mosaic / Multi-image screen / Negative / Picture-in-Picture / Sepia / Slim / Solarization / Stretch / Strobe / Trail / Wipe/Color / Sepia / Wide/Mirror / Monotone / Mosaic / Picture-in-Picture / Sepia / Slim / Stretch / Strobe / Trail
Still Image Format:JPEG
Type:Camcorder

Viewfinder

Viewfinder Color Support:Black & white/Color
Viewfinder Type:Electronic/LCD
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