Panasonic PV-GS180 vs. Canon Elura 100 at DVinfo.net

Steve Tenuto · November 24th, 2006, 04:50 PM

I understand there is a 100 dollar difference in these two cameras. I'm wondering which camera has the better picture. If the Panasonic is better than the Canon, is it worth the 100 dollars extra?

Panasonic - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16830180051

Canon - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16830120034

Thanks.

Steve Leverich · November 24th, 2006, 07:45 PM

New egg is gouging you $40 on the Panasonic and $20 on the Canon - Check prices at B&H instead.

I have the elura 100 and it's decent on low light, which apparently the Panasonic isn't? Also, the Pana only has a 10x zoom while the Canon has 20x. Both have top loading (important if you use a tripod much) and external mic input (important, period) the pana is a 3-chip while the Canon's a 1-chip. There's a thread around here on noisy tape mechanism on the Elura, but I've had no problems - I use these rather than put a multi-thousand $ camera into harsh industrial environments, and so far neither the Elura 65 or the Elura 100 has failed.

One other diff - the Elura 100 has no shoe, so if you want to use an external mic you'll need to do something like I did

http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search

Last shoot I did with these two cams was in a conference room (flourescents) - I did a manual white bal (both cam's, of course :=) on a piece of heavy matte photo paper, and could tell no diff in skin tones (or all the wood trim and beige curtains) between the two so I wasn't unhappy at all...

Guess it comes down to whether you wanna keep adding and removing converters, or have 20x zoom instead; and of course if 3-chip color quality (in adequate light) is important then it's a no-brainer... Steve

Kyle Prohaska · November 25th, 2006, 10:08 PM

The Panny will be much better for you. 3CCDs like Steve said is a no brainer. Its got more features on it and better video quality so its the better buy. Panasonics GS series is a gift from God. :)

-Kyle, who fell in love with his GS400 when he got it a while back. ;)

Chuck Fadely · November 29th, 2006, 07:53 PM

Do both the Elura100 and the gs180 have headphone jacks to monitor while shooting? Can you manually control the audio level on both? And double checking, they both have external mic inputs and firewire, right?

People keep asking me what $500 or less camera to buy, but my fave -- the Optura50 -- is discontinued now.

Steve Leverich · November 30th, 2006, 11:22 AM

Chuck, both have mic inputs but NEITHER has manual audio mode, only AGC; and both have AV jacks that can be menu selected to be headphone output or video/audio outputs using a supplied AV cable. The Elura 100 does NOT have an accessory shoe of ANY kind, I bought a flash bracket for mine that attaches to the tripod screw threads for that. Both cams have firewire, I'm not positive that the panny does pass-thru but I think so; both can do manual WB or auto. If you're into portable, the Elura 100 is the smallest/lightest of the two; it's also the more flimsy feeling of the two, and nearly everything is accessed thru its joystick (which, thankfully, is NOT mounted on the LCD like a few other models)

HTH... Steve

Terence Murphy · November 30th, 2006, 12:43 PM

I'd double check on if the Panasonic has pass-through if that's a feature you want. I know Panasonic started removing it from the lower models in the GS series, I think including the GS-180.

-Terence

November 24th, 2006, 04:50 PM	#1
Steve Tenuto New Boot Join Date: Nov 2006 Location: Sandpoint, Idaho Posts: 6	Panasonic PV-GS180 vs. Canon Elura 100 I understand there is a 100 dollar difference in these two cameras. I'm wondering which camera has the better picture. If the Panasonic is better than the Canon, is it worth the 100 dollars extra? Panasonic - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16830180051 Canon - http://www.newegg.com/Product/Produc...82E16830120034 Thanks.

November 25th, 2006, 10:08 PM	#3
Kyle Prohaska Major Player Join Date: Jun 2005 Location: Ransomville NY Posts: 239	The Panny will be much better for you. 3CCDs like Steve said is a no brainer. Its got more features on it and better video quality so its the better buy. Panasonics GS series is a gift from God. :) -Kyle, who fell in love with his GS400 when he got it a while back. ;) __________________ Online Portfolio \| Feature Film on XHA1

November 24th, 2006, 07:45 PM	#2
Steve Leverich Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Albany Oregon Posts: 173	New egg is gouging you $40 on the Panasonic and $20 on the Canon - Check prices at B&H instead. I have the elura 100 and it's decent on low light, which apparently the Panasonic isn't? Also, the Pana only has a 10x zoom while the Canon has 20x. Both have top loading (important if you use a tripod much) and external mic input (important, period) the pana is a 3-chip while the Canon's a 1-chip. There's a thread around here on noisy tape mechanism on the Elura, but I've had no problems - I use these rather than put a multi-thousand $ camera into harsh industrial environments, and so far neither the Elura 65 or the Elura 100 has failed. One other diff - the Elura 100 has no shoe, so if you want to use an external mic you'll need to do something like I did http://www.bhphotovideo.com/bnh/cont...ughType=search Last shoot I did with these two cams was in a conference room (flourescents) - I did a manual white bal (both cam's, of course :=) on a piece of heavy matte photo paper, and could tell no diff in skin tones (or all the wood trim and beige curtains) between the two so I wasn't unhappy at all... Guess it comes down to whether you wanna keep adding and removing converters, or have 20x zoom instead; and of course if 3-chip color quality (in adequate light) is important then it's a no-brainer... Steve

November 29th, 2006, 07:53 PM	#4
Chuck Fadely Major Player Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: United States Posts: 306	Do both the Elura100 and the gs180 have headphone jacks to monitor while shooting? Can you manually control the audio level on both? And double checking, they both have external mic inputs and firewire, right? People keep asking me what $500 or less camera to buy, but my fave -- the Optura50 -- is discontinued now.

November 30th, 2006, 11:22 AM	#5
Steve Leverich Regular Crew Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Albany Oregon Posts: 173	Chuck, both have mic inputs but NEITHER has manual audio mode, only AGC; and both have AV jacks that can be menu selected to be headphone output or video/audio outputs using a supplied AV cable. The Elura 100 does NOT have an accessory shoe of ANY kind, I bought a flash bracket for mine that attaches to the tripod screw threads for that. Both cams have firewire, I'm not positive that the panny does pass-thru but I think so; both can do manual WB or auto. If you're into portable, the Elura 100 is the smallest/lightest of the two; it's also the more flimsy feeling of the two, and nearly everything is accessed thru its joystick (which, thankfully, is NOT mounted on the LCD like a few other models) HTH... Steve

November 30th, 2006, 12:43 PM	#6
Terence Murphy Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Baltimore, MD Posts: 161	I'd double check on if the Panasonic has pass-through if that's a feature you want. I know Panasonic started removing it from the lower models in the GS series, I think including the GS-180. -Terence