Panasonic VDR-D100 Camcorder Reviewby James MurrayPublished on Mar 7, 2006 5:00 PM 
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Widescreen/16:9 Mode (5.0)
The Panasonic VDR-D100 (Review, Specs, $299.95) doesn’t actually shoot in a true 16:9 format. The widescreen feature that comes with this camcorder is a “cinema mode;” it produces images which, according to the user manual, “are recorded with a black belt appearing along the top and bottom of the screen so that they look like theatre movies.” If this was a true widescreen mode, frames angle would increase, but the cinema mode reduces the frame of the camcorder by shooting with the same horizontal angle as 4:3 while reducing the frame edge on the top and bottom. Last year’s DC10 (Review, Specs, $409.99) by Canon is an equally priced alternative to the VDR-D100 and shoots in true 16:9 format. For true widescreen, you'll need to step up two models to the VDR-D250 (Specs, ), at a pricey $899 MSRP. Of course, with this you get 3-chip performance as well. For true widescreen at a cheaper price, the Canon DC10 is a goood choice.
Scan Rates/24P (0.0)
Like most DVD camcorders found within this price range, the Panasonic VDR-D100 uses a 60i scan rate. If variable scan rates are desired, expect to be paying more. If only the mirage of variable scan rate is tolerable, perhaps the PV-GS500 (Review, Specs, $1040) by Panasonic could suffice, although digital effects are always a little lame to the purist.
Other Features (5.0)
Electronic Image Stabilization The image stabilizer setting is located within the EIS submenu of the advanced menu, in turn located within the administration menu. The electronic image stabilization will lower the overall resolution and will work less successfully than camcorders which use an optical image stabilizer, though some type of stabilization is better than nothing.
MagicPix The MagicPix feature allows users to increase the visibility of subjects recorded in extremely low lighting. According to Panasonic’s user manual, this feature slows the signal charge of the CCD up to 30 times so that scenes in darkness can be revealed and recorded. And while it certainly did increase the amount of information captured in low light, it wasn’t an astounding feature, especially since the camcorder needs to be on a tripod to make up for the lowered frame rate.
Backlight Compensation This feature can be employed when shooting subjects backlit by strong lighting. The backlight compensation will brighten the image onscreen and hopefully light the front plane of the subject enough to provide functional footage. The backlight compensation control is located within the first screen of the joystick menu and will remain accessible whether the camcorder is in full manual or full auto mode.
Soft Skin Mode The soft skin mode is intended for use when shooting portrait subjects at a close range. This mode will “smooth” the skin of the subject to produce a more flattering image intended to mask scars and unappealing skin imperfections. Note that this feature will blur and smooth any other subject in the scene which possesses “skin color.” While potentially useful, don’t think that this is going to solve an impressive bout with poison ivy. It can only do so much.
Fade in/ Fade out The fade controls are found within the first joystick menu screen and are available in both automatic and manual modes. Fades are used to gradually transfer between an image and a full opaque screen of black or white; the Panasonic PV-GS300 (Review, Specs, $469.99) provides a fade-in and fade-out tool. The color of the fade can be altered by entering the administrative menu and selecting the Advanced submenu, which contains the Fade Color setting. Users can also select between black and white fades.