Panasonic PV-L859 VHS-C Analog Camcorder

I was given a Panasonic PV-857D camcorder as a gift. While I have not tried the 859, the 857 is a prior model and should be comparable. I love this camcorder! I could never understand the home video craze until I started making them myself. This camcorder is very easy to use and has many options, such as Backlight, Fade, Title options, Digital Zoom, and negative/positive switch. You can watch the tapes on the convenient flip-out VCR screen or plug the camcorder right into your TV set. The zoom has an incredibly wide range - from the Golden Gate bridge, I could zoom out to capture the whole Bay and then zoom in to fill the screen with a tiny sailboat. There is also a manual focus option for those really close shots, and a stabilization feature that helps on windy days at the beach! The camcorder and VHS-C tapes are easily packed into a small bag. I would recommend buying a battery charger, especially if you use the built-in light, as it depletes the battery rather quickly. The recordings are super crisp and clear, with brilliant color. The only con I can think of is that the sound gets a little muddy when the battery is low. If you're recording in your home, you can get around this by using the AC adapter.