The stylish Panasonic e-wear SVAV30 (Silver) combines a digital video recorder, digital still camera, digital audio player (with new SD-Jukebox software), and a digital voice recorder into one ultra-compact package. This palm-sized camcorder features a user-friendly interface and improved video resolution over its predecessor, the SVAV10. The SVAV30 also offers a docking station for recording and viewing footage on a television.

The new user-friendly interface makes recording easy, without having to scroll through menus. The SVAV30 features enhanced picture quality with an MPEG4 frame rate (15 frames per second) for video and 640 x 480 resolution for JPEG still images. A swiveling 2-inch LCD screen and two record buttons allow you to shoot comfortably with the unit in either the horizontal or vertical position. A new 2x digital zoom helps bring subjects into closer view.

The SVAV30 includes a built-in flash for taking digital still pictures in low-light situations. A built-in USB interface makes it easy to transfer music from a PC to an SD Memory Card for playback, while the included SD Jukebox software provides a simple way to catalog and save numerous digital music files in a single database on a PC. The SVAV30 is compatible with the MP3 and AAC formats. A built-in speaker lets users listen to any recorded audio.

Improving on its counterpart, the SVAV20, the SVAV30 features a unique A/V docking station that connects to a TV for viewing video and still images, or to a VCR for recording favorite TV programs and viewing them on the go. The docking station also includes a built-in battery recharger to power up the player.

• 64 MB Secure Digital memory card
• Weighs just 3.25 ounces
• 2-inch LCD screen
• Software includes SD Jukebox 3.0 and SD MovieStage 2.0
• Compatibility with Windows 98SE, Me, 2000, and XP
• Packaged with AC adapter, USB and A/V cables, handstrap, carrying case, remote control with earphones, and rechargeable battery

The Digital Tapeless Format
Tapeless camcorders make use of the compression power of the MPEG-4 file format (often called the MP3 of video) to allow you to record directly to memory cards, dispensing with the need for tapes altogether. They may require slightly more computer savvy than other formats, but are more user-friendly than you might expect and allow for the most compact camcorder body sizes ever made.