tomh can you help Optura 60 vs PV-GS250

I had a GS200, and I currently have an Optura 60.

I recently read an article about the primary RGB color filter than Canon uses and it indicated that this filter was far superior than the CMY filters that most consumer camcorders use, and if fact the results were very similar to 3 CCD cams.

In my experience, the Optura is close to the GS200 that I had in color, with perhaps a very slight edge going to the GS200. I assume the SG250 would be very similar. It is almost the same camera with the addition of optical image stabilization that was badly needed.

However considering the other features, I went for the Optura and don't regret it. The manual controls over both video and photo are great. The Optura has a true widescreen mode - it uses all the pixels in the sensor and actually widens the field of view when it's on. I understand the Panasonic doesn't have a true wide screen mode, it just squeezes the video to fit. That's a major consideration for me because I'll probably start switching to 16:9 video soon, to match the new TVs. It's probably better for vacation scenery videos cause you actually get a wider field of view. The still pics of the Canon is suprisingly good, much better than the GS200 was. Since I'm a Canon still camera guy, the Optura was a natural since it has controls much like Canon's digital still cameras. The Canon also has a built-in LED light, which works suprisingly well in low light close up shots to fill in the shadows. In still photo mode, the LED works as a low-light focus assist, which works very well, allowing it to focus in complete darkness. Both the Canon and the Panasonic will do a great job of focusing without hunting.

Either way, you'll get a good camera.

I have to admit I am now in the same boat as you trying to decide between these two. I had originally been heading for the Optura 50 but then decided it was worth the extra for the 60's better zoom. I went to take a look at the camera's in Best Buy and they had an Optura 50 next to the Panasonic GS250, I was able to compare their images on the monitor screen side by side, this is indoors of course and not particularly bright, the Panasonic has noticeably nicer colours. I don't know if the colour gets better going from the Optura 50 to 60 and would like to hear hopefully here. Though the Panasonic has less zoom I think I would still probably choose it but it is very very close.

I've also been doing comparison shopping between the 60 and gs250. The images seemed almost identical on lcd screen and I couldn't really tell the difference with pana's 3ccd. i wasn't really trustworthy of Fry's display monitors since they seemed a bit dated themselves. In terms of physical use, holding the panasonic seemed a bit more easy to use if u have bigger hands and has a nice wider turning radius for fine tuning on the manual focus compared to the smaller optura 60. all in all, both are very nice cameras. but all the miniscule advantages of the gs250 still doesn't outweigh optura's true 16:9 widescreen. I'm buying my optura 60 tomorrow

All the video junkies I know keep saying 3CCD!! 3 CCD!!!!

Also, the Panasonic has a Leica Lens...
Does anyone know what lens the canon uses?

Is the OPTURA 60 definitely better in low light? (I plan to use it at music shows...which are usually fairly dark)


thx
cc