Panasonic VDR-D310 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Jul 16, 2007 8:48 AM 
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Audio (7.0)
The VDR-D310 (Specs, $499) is equipped with a built-in stereo zoom microphone mounted to the front beneath the lens barrel. When the Zoom Mic feature is activated (via the administrative menu), audio levels are automatically raised or lowered in conjunction with the zoom power. When recording a subject from a medium or long shot, this feature allows for audio to remain more consistent with that of a close-up.
Another bit of good news is that the VDR-D310 has an external mic jack. This is a feature we love to see, particularly because it was absent in Panasonic’s top MiniDV camcorder this year. There is also a cold accessory shoe for mounting the mic, but you'll have to run a cord down to the mic jack. A headphone jack and hot shoe would have been optimal, but for a DVD camcorder, the VDR-D310 will exceed the needs of most consumers. A wind cut feature is also available, however most harsh sounds will surpass its effectiveness and the recorded audio will just sound softer, rather than cleaner.
Playback (4.25)
Playback on the VDR-D310 oozes simplicity. In order to engage video playback, shift the mode dial to the green playback icon above the video record icon. A series of up to eight icons will be displayed on the screen, representing individual recorded video clips. In order to play a clip, press the center of the joystick. The video will automatically fill the LCD or viewfinder screen (whichever is in use) and clips will play continuously. The joystick controls play/pause, stop, fast forward, rewind, and slow play. Clip volume can be adjusted via the zoom lever, which beats foraging through an extensive menu to locate the audio controls. A horizontal slide bar appears on the left side of the screen and allows for up to 32 steps of decibel control.
The playback page with clip thumbnails
The administrative playback menu can be accessed only from the main icon page. Here you are presented with the following options: play setup, edit scene, disc setup, setup, and language. Play setup is comprised of play mode and resume play settings. Edit scene allows you to divide, combine, and delete scenes. Disc setup includes finalize, un-finalize, disc protect, format disc, and information settings. In setup, you have control over the display, date/time, date format, power save, beep sound, LCD set, EVF set, and TV aspect settings.
In photo mode, icons are arranged identically to that of video mode. The joystick controls start/pause slideshow, stop, and next/previous photo controls. The photo playback menu is significantly truncated, including picture setup, setup, and language options. In picture setup, you have control over lock, DPOF, and delete settings. Setup is comprised of display, date/time, date format, format card, power save, beep sound, LCD set, EVF set, and TV aspect settings.
Connectivity (7.0)
The VDR-D310 contains ports on two sides of its body. In back, the DC jack is located within the battery chamber. On bottom of the left side, you’ll find the mic jack, AV out jack, and USB terminal. An SD card slot sits directly to the right of the three ports.
The ports are located on the left side, under the LCD cavity.
Panasonic’s DC input design is awkward and cumbersome compared to most camcorders within its price range. What is the point of obscuring any port, especially the external power source input? In this case, the battery must be removed and it cannot charge while the camcorder is plugged into the wall—Panasonic’s AC adapters can’t multitask.
The trio of ports located on the left side of the VDR-D310 is housed by a burly plastic strip that should withstand the tides of time if treated with care. The SD card slot is sealed off by a hinged door that cannot be opened if the camcorder is mounted to a tripod. This is yet another inhibiting design that will vex those looking to snap a plethora of stills.