Panasonic VDR-D230 Camcorder Reviewby Michael PerlmanPublished on Dec 10, 2007 7:40 AM
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The Panasonic VDR-D230 ($499 MSRP) is a mid-level DVD camcorder. It’s a crowded market at this price point, but the VDR-D230 manages to distinguish itself. It features the typically strong set of Panasonic manual controls along with optical image stabilization and a handful of special offerings. We also found some pleasantly surprising results in the performance. All told, this is definitely a camcorder worth considering.
The Front (6.25)
The VDR-D230 is definitely the stealthiest DVD camcorder in Panasonic’s fleet, flaunting a gleaming dark charcoal body. The 32x optical zoom lens is main element on the VDR-D230’s façade, featuring an aperture range of f/1.8 – f/3.7 and a focal length of 2.3mm – 73.6mm. The lens has a filter diameter of 37mm for an external attachment, such as a fish eye or telephoto lens. The built-in stereo microphone is located underneath the lens, an optimal placement for evading accidental noise from the shooting hand. Just below the microphone is the White Balance sensor and to its left is a built-in LED video light. The VDR-D230 is the only DVD camcorder in Panasonic’s lineup to feature a video light, so owners should feel special.
The Right Side (5.5)
The prime focus here is a big old DVD disc hatch. There’s usually not much to the right side of any DVD camcorder, and the VDR-D230 is no exception. The VDR-D230 certainly gives the shooter something to hang onto, but the giant, clunky hatch is as slow as a bear awaking from hibernation—we waited up to 15 seconds at one point for the hatch to open. The VDR-D230’s hand strap is not terribly comfortable, either. It’s thin, rigid, and lacks padding. A full day of shooting will most likely leave a nice indented strip across the back of your hand.
The Back (6.75)
In back, things are a bit more lively. The VDR-D230 features an extendable viewfinder that offers an additional inch from the back of the camcorder. The dioptric adjuster is located on top of the viewfinder shaft. Below the viewfinder is the CGR-DU06 rechargeable battery pack, which juts out of the back end quite significantly. If you’re not a fan of the LCD screen, you’ll want to take advantage of the extra inch the viewfinder provides. Embedded within the battery chamber is the DC input, which is an awkward move by Panasonic. Although the VDR-D230 escapes with a minimal amount of ports stuffed within its battery chamber compared to other Panasonic models, you still have to remove the battery from the camcorder in order to connect the external power source. That’s curtains for continuity.
Along the right side of the back you’ll find an array of controls. We’ll start at the top and work our way down. The top thee controls consist of the On/Off switch, Menu button, Delete button. It’s nice to have an option to simply power the camcorder on. That way, you can start almost instantly in whatever mode you were shooting in. It also prevents the camcorder from inadvertently being powered on in the camcorder bag like most Mode Dial/Power Switch combos. Next in line is the round mode dial with joystick embedded in the middle. Panasonic has not touched this design for years, and with good reason. It’s the most comfortable, accurate, and efficient joystick out there. The Record Start/Stop button is located to its left, within thumb’s reach. Lastly, the Disc Eject button sits at the bottom, but be prepared to wait a significant amount of time for that lumbering hatch to open.
The Left Side (4.0)
The left side of a camcorder is usually a smorgasbord of connectivity and external controls, but that’s not the case with the VDR-D230. Before flinging open the 2.7-inch LCD screen, let’s take a look at the bottom, beneath the LCD cavity. Two obscure plastic panels house various ports. The larger panel contains the A/V and USB terminals while a hard plastic hinged door houses the SD card slot. Though the SD card door is located on the left side rather than the bottom like most Panasonics, the door is still blocked by a tripod shoe. At least Panasonic resisted placing these ports within the battery chamber. Behind the LCD screen you’ll find the Auto/Manual/Focus switch, a playback speaker, and…well, that’s it. There are no other external controls, nor are there any LCD panel controls. Two-handed shooters, you’re out of luck. This is almost as boring as Panasonic’s entry-level MiniDV PV-GS85 (Review, Specs, $199.00).
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The left side of the Panasonic VDR-D230 |
... and the LCD cavity. |
The Top (6.25)
Up top, the VDR-D230 features a cold accessory shoe that is compatible with accessories like battery-powered video lights, but that’s about it. The VDR-D230 does not feature a mic jack, so there’s really no point in considering an external audio solution unless you opt for the top of the line VDR-D310 (Specs, $499), which features a mic jack. The zoom toggle and Photo button are located to the right of the cold accessory shoe. Contrary to Panasonic’s MiniDV line, the VDR-D230’s zoom toggle is a lever design instead of a horizontal slider. The control is more sensitive, and will take some acclimatization.
