how do you capture video from a panasonic mini dv camcorder?

You need a FireWire connection on your computer in order to capture video from a Panasonic MiniDV camcorder. The port on your camcorder is called a DV port, which is then connected to a FireWire port on your computer. If your computer doesn't have a FireWire port, you can add one for under $20.

Here are some example FireWire ports