Panasonic HDC-HS300 First Impressions Camcorder Reviewby Kaitlyn ChantryPublished on Jan 9, 2009 3:49 AM
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Ease of UseThere are a lot of proponents of touch screens in the camcorder industry; as more consumers become comfortable with a touch screen interface, it becomes more intuitive to simply touch the option you want on the LCD. For Panasonic, the incorporation of the touch screen feature came hand-in-hand with a new flagship feature: the AF/AE Tracking tool. There are things we don't like about touch screens (like greasy fingerprints and lagging interfaces), but we can't deny that they are generally easy to use.
For a high-end high definition camcorder, the HDC-HS300 does seem to be easy to use. The lens ring is a natural method for controlling focus or zoom and the Intelligent Auto (iA) mode can take control of all the shooting specifics for a more streamlined experience. The mode dial makes it simple to switch between video, still photos, and playback. The only real drawback to the HS300's user experience is the convoluted menu system. Focus and zoom are on the lens ring, white balance, shutter speed, and iris are on the Function menu, and a slew of other options are in Record Setup, while three others (sharpness, color, and exposure) are buried even further in the menus.
Handling
The lens ring and viewfinder make the HDC-HS300 larger than most consumer camcorders on the market today. However, these features also make the camcorder more appealing for experienced videographers. Despite the slightly increased size, the HDC-HS300 handles very well. The hand strap is comfortable and stable and the extendable viewfinder makes shooting on a bright day a much more pleasant experience.
The various buttons and switches are sturdy and responsive. The lens ring and zoom toggle are particularly smooth and just plain fun to use. We can't help but be disappointed that the other manual controls are only available on the lens ring when you shut the LCD and use the viewfinder alone. The big question, of course, is whether Panasonic's new touch screen will live up to expectations. The model we used was a little finicky and showed a great deal of lag when cycling through menus, but we hope to see these wrinkles ironed out when the final model ships.
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| The HDC-HS300 in hand. |
Portability
Measuring 70mm x 73mm x 141mm (2.75 x 2.88 x 5.54-inches) and weighing 460g (1.01lb), the HDC-HS300 is essentially the same size as last year's HDC-HS100. The added bit of length is thanks to the extendable viewfinder. This is not the type of camcorder that can be pocketed easily, but expensive camcorders deserve a camera bag anyway. Since the HDC-HS300 records primarily to an enormous internal HDD, there's no need to clutter the bag with DVDs and tapes. You will need to tote the AC adapter around no matter where you go, thanks to the DC jack being lodged within the battery chamber. You can't operate the camcorder and charge the battery at the same time.
Battery
Battery life on hard drive camcorders tends to be significantly shorter than on solid state camcorders—we'll have the final word on battery life when we've gotten the HDC-HS300 into our labs. The biggest disappointment with these Panasonic camcorders is the inability to operate the camcorder and charge the battery at the same time. We're happy to see the AV ports removed from the battery cavity, but we'll still wait with baited breath for Panasonic to remove that DC input as well.
The battery compartment doesn't hold any AV ports,
but it still has that pesky DC input hidden in there.
LCD & Viewfinder
The HDC-SD300 again sports a 2.7-inch LCD, which flips out 90 degrees from the body of the camcorder and rotates up to 270 degrees. Resolution is 230,400 pixels, which is actually slightly less than the 300,000-pixel resolution from last year's model. There are two settings that will allow you to alter the display: an LCD Set function for adjusting the color or brightness of the screen and the Power LCD Plus feature for brightening the LCD screen up to two steps. Either setting will alter your perception of what your images look like, so it may interfere with attaining the most accurate shot possible.
The big change this year is Panasonic's switch over to touch screen controls, which will likely grease-up the screen. It's a problem we've seen with Sony for years, but in the wake of so many new touch screen consumer tech devices, maybe people won't be as bothered.
Panasonic also returns with a viewfinder for the HDC-HS300. The viewfinder does not pivot, but it does extend outward. Videophiles can rejoice, as the viewfinder will come in handy on outdoor shoots when the sun is blasting a glare on the LCD screen. Using the EVF is also the only way to get those manual controls back onto the lens ring.
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| The extendable viewfinder. | The HDC-HS300's 2.5-inch LCD. |
Menus
Menus are now operated entirely by touch screen. Unfortunately, Panasonic hasn't done much to improve the organization of the menu system. Some features are located in the Function menu, while others are in the main menu. Within the main menu, there is a Record Setup submenu, which holds further submenus. There is also a quick menu that has some of the more popular functions, though all are represented by inscrutable icons.
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| The main administrative menu. |
The inscrutable icons of the quick menu. |
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| The three manual options of the Function menu. |
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