Panasonic VDR-D200 Camcorder Review

With this context in mind, the Panasonic VDR-D200 has a highly efficient manual control interface that makes tweaking the video image easier than on other manufacturer’s DVD camcorders.  We find the joystick navigation system to be the most successful in the consumer camcorder market for making manual adjustments.  At the same time, using the manual control menu involves a steep learning curve.  The icons that appear in the disk-shaped menu are not intuitive, and the list of manual control settings that appear on the left side of the LCD can be confusing.  With practice, however, the interface makes the camcorder’s considerable range of manual adjustments extremely accessible.

The administrative menu, reached by pressing the Menu button, is also implemented well. With a linear text menu format, it is very easy to navigate using the joystick, and makes changing the camcorder’s general settings easy even for first timers. In sum, the VDR-D200 offers more in the way of manual control adjustments than DVD camcorders that are not made by Panasonic, and as such, it’s a more powerful and complex tool. No competing line of DVD camcorders is as easy to customize as the VDR-D200’s family, and for greater ease of use, buyers will need to look to manufacturers like Sony that don’t offer the consumer nearly as many features.

Handling (6.5)

The Panasonic VDR-D200 is a comfortable camcorder to shoot with.  The zoom toggle was within easy reach of my index finger, and the Photo Shot and Record/Pause buttons were also easy to reach without altering my grip on the camcorder.  In addition to these basic controls, I was able to operate the camcorder’s entire range of manual controls with my thumb via the joystick controller with only my shooting hand.  Of all consumer camcorder manufacturers, only Panasonic has managed to pull off this ergonomic feat.  Sonys, Canons and JVC’s all use interfaces that at some point require the use of two hands to make camera adjustments.  Navigating through the full gamut of manual controls was not exactly a strain-free experience for me because I had to slightly alter my

on the camcorder in order to effectively manipulate the joystick, but it did allow me to tweak the image quickly.

A few controls can’t be reached with only the right hand.  The Delete and Menu buttons were just out of the reach of my right hand and the auto/manual mode switch is located in the LCD cavity.  Because these switches are not directly related to manual control, however, it’s fair to say that the VDR-D200 can be operated with one hand. The only major misgiving I had with the manual control interface was that traversing the range of image controls, like aperture, required pressing the joystick to step through each increment.  With over thirty steps from F16 to 18dB gain, moving between settings with very different light levels is a chore.  Another handling annoyance is the camcorder’s lengthy processing time during playback. There is no way around the fact that DVD camcorders like this one need time to search the disc, bring up footage, render thumbnails, etc.  The reaction time of the playback feature seems slow when one is accustomed to shooting with quick-reacting MiniDV camcorders, but that’s the price you pay for random access and DVD convenience.

Portability (6.5)
The VDR-D200 is not an ultra-compact camcorder, but Panasonic has reduced the size of this year’s DVD line in comparison to last year’s models. The VDR-D200 measures 61mm x 32mm x 91mm or 2.40” x 1.26” x 3.58”, and weighs 110g or 0.24 pounds.  These measurements indicate the camcorder body only, excluding battery and DVD disc.  This makes the camcorder too large to slip comfortably into a pocket (unless you habitually wear cargo pants) but it is small enough to fit into a purse or knapsack without creating a bulge.  You’ll probably want to consider the AC adaptor, battery and the amount of recording time you might need if you plan to take the camcorder on a trip. These items will double the packing space required.

Another important portability factor is battery life, and this camcorder offers a very respectable recording time of approximately 144 minutes. It’s not a huge amount of time, but unless you’re the type of shooter who likes to archive every minute of the family trip to Six Flags, it should be adequate for a day’s excursion.  Longer life batteries are available from Panasonic or third party manufacturers.  Finally, the single-layer DVD’s this camcorder accepts are a relatively inefficient recording format.  Each disc can only hold 18 minutes of high quality XP footage while some new models can record an hour of XP footage onto a dual layer disc.  To take advantage of a full battery’s juice, you’d need 8 discs, so keep this in mind as you weigh the merits of the VDR-D200 versus camcorders that make use of more efficient formats. 

LCD/Viewfinder (6.0)
The 2.5-inch LCD on the Panasonic VDR-D200 has a 4:3 aspect ratio, which reflects the native CCD size of the camcorder.  In contrast, the more expensive VDR-D300 has true widescreen capabilities, and a 2.7” 16:9 display.  The resolution of the LCD is only 105K pixels, which places its resolution at the lower end of consumer camcorders since some camcorders boast over 200K pixels.  In terms of the display’s apparent sharpness, this one is on par with most others on the market because the quality of an onscreen image has more to do with the electronics than its pixel count.

The extendible EVF (electronic color viewfinder) has a slightly higher resolution at123K, providing a power-saving alternative to the LCD. The EVF has a dioptric adjustment which is accessible on its top surface when it is extended. The dioptric control is easier to use than many, since they usually suffer from being under-sized.  All of the camcorder’s manual controls can be operated while using the EVF because, unlike many manufacturers, Panasonic has not placed vital controls in the LCD cavity.  In addition, many camcorders simply don’t allow menu navigation or access to manual controls when the LCD is not open, curtailing effective use in situations where the EVF is a better option.  The majority of consumer users do prefer fold out screens for monitoring their video image, but using an EVF prolongs battery life and can be a better means of assessing the image in bright sunlight.  Kudos to Panasonic for providing users of the VDR-D200 with a camcorder that offers full functionality when the EVF is used.

Battery Life (14.5)
The DR-D200’s included CGA-DU12 battery was tested for life expectancy during recording. During the recording test, we placed the camcorder in auto mode, set the aspect ratio to 4:3, turned image stabilization, and used the LCDscreen. Video quality was set at the highest mode, XP. While changing discs, we disconnected the battery and used DC power to change discs before reconnecting the battery and hitting record again. In total, this battery lasted a respectable 2 hours, 24 minutes, and 30 seconds (144 minutes, 30 seconds).