Panasonic VDR-D300 Camcorder Review

Audio (6.5)
Audio recording can be done by either the in-camera stereo microphone located on the front face of the camcorder or by an external microphone which may be connected to the Mic-in port, also on the front of the camcorder. The port’s tab on the bottom makes it awkward to access when shooting with a tripod. The user will need to open this port beforehand or remove the camcorder from the tripod entirely if use of the Mic-in port is desired during shooting. Also, by placing this external mic port on the front of the camcorder, users are more likely to accidentally mask or obscure the lens of the camcorder with a cable.

Users may also engage the Wind Cut feature, a setting which engages a High Pass filter to effectively block the low tones which are produced when wind hits the recording surface of the microphone. Users may also use the zoom microphone, which will boost audio levels in an attempt to capture sound produced at a longer distance from the camcorder. This feature will not be effective in crowded or noisy situations since audio levels are being raised overall, and will result in an incomprehensible mash of sonic goo.

VCR Mode (8.0)
The playback menu is basic in its structure, a design which is reflected in both the video and still image shooting modes. The VCR mode is entered when the user sets the mode dial to the playback setting. Once initiated, the playback mode allows users to view thumbnail images of captured video clips. These are presented on an opaque screen which also displays when the selected clip was shot, the time it was recorded, and the length of the recording. The thumbnails take an interminably long time to appear, and the camcorder essentially freezes until it has created each one – eight to a page.

To begin watching a clip, users press the joystick control inwards. Once opened, the full screen image may be navigated with standard VCR controls which are applied to the cardinal directions of the joystick (left is fast-forward, right is rewind, up is play/pause, down is stop). It is possible to both cut and join video clips when viewing images in-camera, and it is also possible to also erase images prior to exporting or finalizing footage; all options are located within the general playback menu.

Ports (7.75)
Nearly all ports are located on the front face of the Panasonic VDR-D300, all covered by a large port cover that is opened by flipping a tab on its bottom edge. The placement of this tab may be irritating for users who want to access these ports while shooting on a tripod; the tab is placed so that it can be masked by the connecting plate. Users will have to remove the camcorder from the tripod to connect, say, an external microphone. There is also an A/V out and a USB 2.0 compliant port. The A/V out port allows users to connect the camcorder to either RCA or S-Video compliant jacks via the included cables. The DC power jack is located in the rear behind the battery. Unfortunately, this means that it is impossible to plug in the DC power if the battery is in without shutting off the camcorder.