DV camcorder

There may be a way to use the camcorder with iMovie, depending on
how the camera connects to the computer and the kinds of files created
by the camera. Some of these should have no issues in working with a
Mac; but others may have a different file type, or other driver issues.

Is the camcorder equipped with FireWire cable or a USB cable? If it's
FireWire, it should be able to work. But if it's USB, probably not as well.

Also, the camcorder may have minimum specifications expected in a
computer it is attached to; so to know and compare these with the
computer's would be a first start. What OS X version is in the Mac?
Does it have iLife applications, such as iMovie, iPhoto, iDVD, etc?
What kind of software and driver installer disc came with the camera?
Sometimes, you can do well by visiting the manufacturer's web site
where the camera manufacturer may list downloads for newer drivers
and get something more substantial, now that years have gone by.

Good luck & happy computing! 🙂

Normally any external unit shows up on the screen.

Video cameras normally do not appear on the desktop nor in the Finder.

Open iMovie and the camera should appear there.

Hello, again!

I've done a little looking into this issue, since I didn't go far before due to
time constraints and other daily chores away from computers or cameras;
and see there is a pattern of problems for some users with the camera
you happen to have. Not sure if there is a pattern of answers to match...

Several user questions from elsewhere online appear in this single search.

{And the issue points to what may be a less than user friendly product in
regard to use with the Mac OS X. I have a still-frame Panasonic digital
camera and it is very user friendly with Mac OS X 10.3.9 & Later. Mine
can record video files, and it does not require any special software. And
I don't use iPhoto with my two digital still cameras; but have not experi-
mented with the video results to see if that is supported in iMovie...}

' panasonic nv-gs150 driver Mac OS X ' - results of basic google search:
http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=panasonicnv-gs150+driver+Mac+OSX&btnG=Search

If the camera you have, has FireWire ports and came with the FW400
support, then it should be seen in iMovie; but according to these other
owner-issues relating to the Panasonic model you have, that may not
be so easy. Since I have not read into their individual case discussions
I can't say what their resolution to specific issues each instance, was.

But such a search (including mine and its results) may be a good place
to look; since the situation does not appear to be isolated to just yours.

There may not be a problem with the FW cables you have or others
you bought; I am not familiar with your camera's specifications though
they probably are on the Panasonic support pages somewhere, or in
the consumer documentation accompanying their product when new.

The fact it uses mini-DVDs is a precautionary tale; do not attempt to
play these in any slot-loading optical drive in any Macintosh, since
they will not work and probably will jamb-up the mechanism solidly.

I suspect you were trying to play the recorded content via cable to
the computer so as to use the camera and save or edit movies there.

Beyond this initial finding and little time to further investigate any
ramifications of the information found so far, I will have to leave
this topic at this point since there are other non-computer and
non-camera issues at hand, offline, that I need to attend to now.

One thing I did find is that Panasonic supposedly included an application
for the camera when new to edit or import(?) the file content to a computer
-in this case, Mac; and the page where you can read about that software
and download it is as follows. I have not read deeply into this nor do I have
sufficient experience in this to be of great help. But this is likely important:

From a post I found and read (in search results above) one responder said:

"...Panasonic usually supply a Mac program called Imagemixer 3 for Panasonic which can import movies from a DV camera (they use the .VRO format, I think), convert to mpeg and do a little basic editing. I'd check the CD that came with the camera..." - and supplied the link below, which I have looked into:

"ImageMixer 3 Mac Edition for Panasonic" - Pixela Corporation:
http://www.pixela.co.jp/oem/panasonic/e/imagemixer3mepanasonic/index.html

Hopefully this helps...
Good luck & happy computing! 🙂