The Panasonic NV-GS500 Digital Video Camera combines a 12 x optical zoom with a 30 x digital zoom. This camera uses a Leica Dicomar Lens to record high quality movies and 4 megapixel still shots. The Panasonic NV-GS500 allows you to take 1.2 megapixel still shots whilst recording movies and will function as a webcam using the optional Firewire cable. This camera features an Anti Ground Shooting mode (AGS) which switches the camera off rather than letting you waste battery and memory by recording the ground.