Panasonic AG-DV1DC Mini DV VCR

From almost every direction, the Panasonic AG-DV1DC looks like a small camcorder, but in reality it's just a recorder/player with a pop-out LCD screen. Built in the all too typical "plastic everywhere" style, the unit is lightweight but feels very flimsy to the hand. It performs well under occassional use but is not suitably constructed for rental house use. The controls are simple and direct but suffers from "The Panasonic Paradox". The paradox being tapes recorded on other Panasonic decks and camcorders may not play back correctly on another Panasonic (miniDV)device. The DV1DC is no exception. Tapes made on a AG-DVX100A are all but unusable, the reverse is also true. While on the face, the price(sub-$800)is a value, for any serious work you should consider a high-up unit, or even an inexpensive camcorder for the same price. 2 stars out of 5.