Panasonic HDC-TM300

Handling (7.40)

The Panasonic HDC-HS300 was a bit bulky and uncomfortable. In truth, it handled like just about every consumer camcorder out there. Hard drive camcorders are simply never as comfortable as their flash memory counterparts. In contrast, the TM300 is one of the most comfortable camcorders we’ve ever held. It’s smaller and lighter than the HS300 and instead of an unwieldy hard drive bulking up the right side, there’s a smooth contour that fits comfortably in just about any hand. The accessory shoe does require a small adapter (included with the camcorder), but this unique side placement is far more comfortable and more convenient than the shoe that sits atop the HS300.

Button layout is very similar to that of the HS300, with one significant exception: the mode dial on the rear of the HS300 has been shifted to the right side of the TM300. The new location is more comfortable and makes the dial a little easier to turn. The zoom toggle is also different; a thick sliding switch atop the camcorder replaces the slim toggle that rested on the hard drive itself. The location of the slider switch might be more convenient, but the action on that toggle made it easier to use.

Of course, one of the most significant (and unique) aspects of the TM300 is the manual control lens ring, which lets you make smooth, precise adjustments to focus and zoom. As with last year’s Panasonics, you can also use the ring to adjust white balance, shutter speed, and aperture, but the 2009 models only allow this when you have the LCD closed and are using the viewfinder to line up shots. Despite this disappointing downgrade, the lens ring remains an alluring feature that we fully endorse.

In contrast to the excellent ring control, the TM300 hosts a number of other buttons that left us unimpressed. The membrane buttons on the LCD panel are hard to push, while the iA and pre-record buttons up top are tiny and awkwardly recessed. The OIS button (for activated stabilization) is embedded too far into the LCD cavity, while the buttons associated with the lens ring control are hidden and partially blocked by a tilted LCD panel. It’s a shame that these minor defects mar an otherwise impeccable handling experience.

Portability (6.84)

Shedding that bulky hard drive does wonders for the TM300’s portability. Not only is the camcorder smaller and lighter, but it also just feels more comfortable in the hand. You can walk around with your hand snug under that strap and hardly notice the camcorder is there. Of course, the 120GB hard drive on the HS300 may be worth the extra bulk for some users; you can record an awful lot of footage on 120GB before having to transfer files to a computer or memory card.

With only 32GB of internal memory, you might need to carry a spare memory card or two if you plan on taking a long vacation and shooting a lot of footage. Then again, it’s never wise to leave fifteen hours of video on your camcorder without making a back up every once in a while.

One thing that may detract from the TM300’s portability is the need for an accessory shoe adapter; if you plan to shoot with an external mic or video light, the adapter is one more thing to throw in your camera bag.

Battery Life (5.25)

Surprisingly, the HDC-TM300 did not significantly outperform its hard drive sister mode in battery life. (It seems that the HS300 is particularly power-efficient when writing to the hard drive.) Even so, the battery life of 105 minutes is quite good, outlasting the majority of consumer camcorders in this category. What’s more, the open battery compartment means that you can purchase a larger battery if you want to squeeze even more minutes onto a single battery. More on how we test battery life.

Purchasing a larger battery might not be a bad idea, since the TM300 persists in Panasonic’s irritating design that prevents you from charging the battery and operating the camcorder at the same time. The DC power input, located in the battery cavity, can only be accessed when you remove the battery. That means that if your battery is running low, you can’t simply plug it in and continue recording; you’ll have to stop your recording, swap battery for power adapter, and then turn on the camcorder and start recording again. Even when the battery is in its charging station, you can’t charge it while the camcorder is in use.

LCD & Viewfinder (9.00)

The Panasonic HDC-TM300 has both an LCD and an electronic viewfinder. Most consumers will probably opt for the less intimidating LCD, but the viewfinder is sure to appeal to some advanced videographers. Sony and Panasonic are currently the only major manufacturers including a viewfinder on their flagship models; Canon, JVC, Sanyo, and Samsung have all opted to leave this feature out.

The LCD is 2.7 inches in size and has a resolution of 230,400 pixels. This is fairly average for a consumer camcorder, although the Sony HDR-XR520V features a larger screen (3.2-inches) and a much better resolution (921,000-pixels). As is common on camcorders, the LCD screen can rotate 270 degrees so you can shoot at odd angles or do some self-recording. New for Panasonic this year, the LCD is a touchscreen, allowing the manufacturer to implement its AF/AE tracking feature.

There are a number of brightness settings for the LCD screen. Power LCD (accessible in the Q.Menu or Setup menu) allows you to choose from Auto, +2, +1, 0, or -1. You can also manually set the LCD brightness in the camcorder’s menu (with 11 increments). There is also a color adjustment feature that allows you to tune the color settings of the LCD screen. Making adjustments to the LCD color or brightness will not change your recorded image.

Feature	Panasonic HDC-TM300	Canon Vixia HF S100	Sony HDR-TG5V	JVC Everio GZ-X900
Display Size	2.7 in.	2.7 in.	2.7 in.	2.8 in.
Display Resolution	230400 pixels	211000 pixels	211200 pixels	207000 pixels
Touch Screen	✓	✗	✓	✗
Viewfinder	✓	✗	✗	✗
Viewfinder Resolution	183000 pixels	0 pixels	n/a	n/a

If you need to avoid LCD glare on a sunny day or you simply prefer to use a viewfinder, the TM300 is equipped with a 0.44-inch electronic viewfinder. The EVF doesn’t have the best design—it’s surrounded by hard plastic, doesn’t pivot, and has no real eye piece—but does feel like a luxury among modern camcorders that typically eschew a viewfinder altogether.

The viewfinder does extend and has a small diopter adjuster dial. The image resolution is 183,000 pixels and brightness can be set to any whole number on a scale from -16 to +16.

Stabilization (6.98)

The HDC-TM300 has optical image stabilization (OIS), which is activated via a small button in the LCD cavity. The camcorder did a decent job in our stabilization test, although we got better results from Sony’s high-end HD models (like the HDR-XR520V and HDR-CX500V). In our low shake test, the Panasonic HDC-TM300 managed to reduce 55% of the shake with its OIS engaged. Turning things up to our high shake test, the OIS wasn’t quite as effective, reducing only 22% of the shake. More on how we test stabilization.

We’re fairly satisfied with these results, and they do represent significantly better numbers than what JVC put up on the GZ-X900. Panasonic’s OIS also held the edge over Canon’s on its HF S100. Still, there is plenty of room for Panasonic to improve on its stabilization system.