Priced, at the time of writing, at just over $1000, Panasonic's NV-GS35 is a solid consumer-quality camcorder with all the features that make taking video great fun. Of particular note is its 30X optical zoom--one of the largest on the market.

The diminutive NV-GS35 weighs only 410g, and with dimensions of 64 x 81 x 114mm, sits comfortably in the right hand--with most of the controls within reach of the thumb and pointer finger.

A dial/joystick menu control setup, which is becoming common across the Panasonic range, provides quick access to the various functions on the camera, including recording and playback of video as well as digital still images. The 2.5" LCD screen was fast and clear, and allowing you to view your subject from various angles, even in direct sunlight. There's also an optical viewfinder for use when needed.

The NV-GS35 can capture 640 x 480 digital stills to a removable SD card, although it would be a much better idea to capture a frame of video. Printing straight to a printer that supports PictBridge is easy, and the LCD provides useful formatting and print preview information.

The NV-GS35 delivers accurate colour with strong saturation, but optical image stabilisation (OIS) would have been beneficial, considering many inexperienced videomakers will be taking a lot of shaky video when using the impressive 30X optical zoom.

Although it can't match the digital still quality of its competitors, the NV-GS35 is a strong offering from Panasonic and it compares very well with its competitors in regards to video quality, ease of use and price.