Panasonic VDR-D300 Reviews, Best Prices, Compare
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The Panasonic VDR-D300 "Palmcorder" is a compact 3CCD camcorder that records videos to mini DVDs: 3" (8 cm) DVD-RAM, DVD-RW and DVD-R. (Effect that it cannot exercise the "plus" version of DVD+R/RW.) Thanks to the three separate 1/6" CCD image sensors inside, it shoots broadcast-quality videos and turns in decent low-light performance. It also doubles as a 3.1MP digital camera, but its forte definitely lies in shooting video.
5/4/06 UPDATE: before going any further, let me offer a bit of a "warning." The fundamental differences between DVD camcorders and tape (miniDV) camcorders are two: 1) DVDs let you access a scene hasty and easily, while tapes have worthy faster start-up times (assuming you are already at the point where you can describe or play) ; 2) DVD camcorders like the VDR-D300 employ MPEG4 compression whereas miniDV camcorders compress worthy less. For most scenes you won't recognize a disagreement. In fact you can probably shoot a profitable professional-looking movie on the VDR-D300. Objective be aware that the MPEG4 can very occasionally raises the ghastly head of heavy compression for definite shooting conditions. The "warning" concerns the DVD media: if you exercise DVD-RW, which is more popular and cheaper than Panasonic's DVD-RAM, be prepared for up to 5 minutes of formatting time and up to 10 minutes in finalization time (both have to be done with the AC adapter attached, not from battery) . In a nutshell, if you concept to do some editing, exercise DVD-RAM. If you belief to honest shoot and ogle (like me), expend DVD-R or DVD-RW in Video mode (both require finalization but can be played attend on almost all DVD players) . I honest wanted to point out the long formatting and finalization times as the biggest caveat with DVD camcorders, including the DVR-D300.
Update2: if you pick this between now and 7/31, you can accept a free camcorder bag and 3 DVD-R blanks from Panasonic by mail. Check their website for the PDF rebate perform.
Before offering my pick on the VDR-D300, let me dispute you why I chose it. My memoir might be of some wait on in your maintain decision making.
First, I had always wanted a 3CCD camcorder of my enjoy. Most consumer camcorders on the market have one image sensor inside. The image sensor is like the observe of the camcorder. The VDR-D300 has not one, but three CCD image sensors, each designed to process a specific color: red, green or blue. In fact, all professional video camcorders -- like the ones old-fashioned to shoot things on TV (news, dramas, etc.) -- expend the 3CCD originate to better acquire color. Together with expedient white-balance calibration and judicious choice of lens, you glean eye-pleasing colors and sharpness not found in most consumer camcorders, which tend to give lifeless, bland, fuzzy video images.
Second, I was a diminutive fed up with using tapes for video recording. You know the drill: you bewitch a tape-based camcorder, then you win out it's a hurt to dub it to a VHS or a DVD, or to transfer it to a computer, so you destroy up using the camcorder like one or two times a year. Like many folks I have been using the video function of my digital camera a lot and left my Sony DCR-PC5 camcorder leisurely in the closet. My Fujifilm F10 digital camera shoots stunning trustworthy video for a camera, but for well-known occasions, I calm want a staunch camcorder. (Cameras are designed for serene images whereas camcorders are designed for bewitching pictures. For now and the foreseeable future, there's no perfect hybrid camera that does both very well.) DVD-recording has always appealed to me because I could unprejudiced pop in a recordable/rewritable DVD, shoot some footage, and then play it wait on, without all the fussing interested with tape recording. I played with my friends' DVD camcorders (Panasonic and Sony) and really liked this "recent" design of shooting videos. I waited until someone released a camcorder that combined DVD recording and the 3-chip create. Panasonic finally did, and I bought.
Oh, when I was contemplating the recall I also considered Sony's HD (high-def) camcorder, which records high-def video on MiniDV tapes. In the raze, budget constraint (that one is $1500, a lot of dough for a terrible guy like myself), compatibility concerns (i.e., impossible to burn HD video to DVD, not many friends having HDTV) and also the fact that I have been totally let down by the subjective quality of HDTV bid on TV convinced me to stick with the standard NTSC resolution. My priority was to gain a camcorder that shoots astronomical colors and clarity, not one that gives the highest resolution. It's the same thing with buying a digital camera: higher number of megapixels doesn't necessarily mean a better picture; the camera's image sensor is impartial as indispensable, if not more.
OK, let's grasp a inspect at the VDR-D300 itself. (A slightly cheaper model, VDR-D250, also sports the 3CCD originate and records to DVDs. It has slightly lower resolution and lacks a built-in flash and a few other features.)
Whenever you evaluate a camcorder, video image quality should anecdote for 75-80% of the composite accumulate, because you assume a camcorder to shoot videos! Here, the D300 shines, thanks to its 3CCD do. Video quality is especially edifying when there is a lot of light. It's difficult to record in words, but let me unprejudiced say that with this camcorder, you can shoot video that looks almost like the professional stuff you scrutinize on TV: definite pictures, glorious colors, detached motions. Even though the D300 shoots at the same resolution as other NTSC (standard defintion TV) camcorders, its video images are very noticeably clearer and witness sharper. Many consumer camcorders show bleeding reds, but the D300 is largely free from this defect. I would like to point out that when I say "professional-quality eye-pleasing" colors, I don't mean high-saturation colors. Most people like warm, high-saturation colors that "jump out" of the veil. The D300's colors are rather muted when spot to auto white balance. If you want to win warm colors, you'll need to manually station the white balance to enact this execute. I personally consume WarmCards from VortexMedia.com.
Indoors, without professional-grade lighting rigs, the D300 turns in noble performance. Definitely better than 1CCD camcorders (except probably Sony's HD camcorders), but you'll gather most of the 3CCD prowess if you provide enough lighting. After all, photography and videography is 99% about lighting. Not objective how powerful light, but the angle of light, the temperature of light (i.e., white balance), and the quality of light (i.e., diffused or concentrated) . Having a 3CCD camcorder like the D300 helps improve your home video images tremendously, but if you want your video to discover discontinuance to being professional, you need professional lighting techniques. For example, when shooting indoors, consume a video light. You can grasp a cheap one and impartial mount it on top of the D300 (it has a wintry shoe) and turn on the video light manually. Also expend the WarmCards I mentioned earlier to finish the white balance you desire.
The D300 records videos in three quality settings: XP, SP and LP. XP here means the best quality. (On some video equipment XP means eXtended Play, which equals the least quality, but not here.) You can fit about 18 minutes of video on one side of the DVD media (DVD-RAM, DVD-RW or DVD-R) . SP, or Standard Play, gives you 30 minutes, but the quality is noticeably wicked. I'd never expend LP (Long Play), because video quality there is worse than VHS. The battery that comes in the package lasts well over an hour of shooting with LCD on (you can also consume the viewfinder only to conserve power) . You can retract an extended battery that doubles the battery life.
The D300 has some nifty features not found in other brands. One truly recent feature is something called AGS (auto ground-directional standby) . This mysterious-sounding function automatically pauses recording when it detects the camera titled straight up or down. This is most useful when you (like I) often forget to halt the recording and slay up shooting a lot of junk footage of the ground, shoes, etc. Another nice feature is optical image stabilization, which utilizes a plot of petite lenses to compensate for handshakes. In theory, optical image stabilization is better than the electronic type (found in Sony's products) ; in practice, the D300 seems to do a ample job of minimizing, but not completely eliminating, handshakes.
The D300 can double as a 3.1MP digital camera, but this feature is nothing to write home about. Tranquil image quality is impartial okay; I defintitely retract to utilize my Nikon D70 or Fujifilm F10 for photography anytime, anywhere. Pictures are recorded on an SD or mini SD card (neither included) . BTW, unlike with Sony's unusual offerings, you cannot relate video to the SD card or hold pictures on the DVD. It doesn't matter to me at all, since I would have wanted to hold video clips and detached pictures separate anyway. (You can insert a mild image captured on the SD card into your video during editing.)
Video editing can be done in camera, or on a computer. Both Windows and Macintosh are supported, but you definitely acquire more functions if you utilize a Windows PC. In fact, Mac users will be disappointed to know that the things they can't do with Panasonic's software, they can't do at all (i.e., no other software is compatible) . In the kill, it's worth keeping in mind that you win a DVD camcorder really for its convenience; in my case, for example, I abominate editing, so I'm unprejudiced going to shoot, delete terrible scenes, and finalize; no editing whatsoever. If you are an editing type, a miniDV camcorder will be better as all the major brands (Canon, Hitachi, JVC, Panasonic, Sony) offer comprehensive editing back for both Windows and Macintosh.
Conclusion: The Panasonic VDR-D300 (along with its lesser sibling, the D250) is the first DVD camcorder that offers the 3CCD beget. Having three separate image sensors for the different critical colors improves image quality tremendously. Recording to a DVD provides the videographer lots of convenience, at the expense of having fewer editing options available than with miniDV tapes. If you want the convenience of shoot-and-watch and want broadcast-quality video, the D300 is absolutely worth its notice sign.
I cannot fit everything I have to say here on Amazon, but you can check my blog for more comments and you can also e-mail me if you have any questions about this camcorder. Check my profile for contact info.
One final note: I've seen this model advertised for powerful less than Amazon's label on other websites. Those websites, all rush out of Brooklyn, NY, are all masters at the bait-n-switch game. I know because I'm from Brooklyn and was neighbors with these irresponsible stores. Do not maintain the high ratings these sites seem to have on shopping sites; if you search on the web you'll fetch a lot of dismal customers who never received what they had ordered. Go with a reputable seller like Amazon or Best Acquire or Circuit City. Capable luck!
I reviewed many DVD camcorders over a 4-5 month period and feel this was the best choice. I almost purchased the Sony DVD405, but color was one of the first priorities on my list of wants with this current camcorder. Although the Sony has a better chip, the fact is that the Panasonic, with 3 chips, according to many reviews I had read had better color. The ease of expend is nice also. Finalizing DVD's takes only a few minutes and not really a tall deal, my only declare so far is the disappear control which requires the operator to assume it via the joystick control each time you want to exercise it. Selecting this control while recording requires a sincere hand so that the camera does not shake. None the less, it puts my eleven year frail, 8mm camcorder to shame. Worship taking videos again.
This is my first DVD camcorder and I absolutely savor it! It's also my first 3-chip video camcorder. The image quality is unprejudiced really qualified, like the other guys said. The machine is also apiece of cake to consume. I e-mailed "gadgester" and he recommended TDK 8.cm dvd-r blanks from amazon, so I bought them and now I objective pop one in and go! No formatting needed. Finalization in the camcorder is needed to earn the dvd-r compatable with my Sony dvd player at home as well as my Thinkpad.
One gotcha to peruse out for is the dull start-up times, from power off to on. It takes anywhere between 5 and 10 seconds for the camcorder to be ready to picture, after you insert yoru dvd-r. If you expend dvd-rw, the manual says it might hold up to 20 seconds! Other than that, I have no problems with the camcorder. It's high quality, and I objective admire the conveneince as well as image quality.
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