Panasonic PV-D300 VHS-C Camcorder

by Panasonic

Product Details

Product Manual [1.41mb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 35 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B00004T12J
• Item model number: PV-D300
• Average Customer Review: 3.8 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (5 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #53,878 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1999

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

The Panasonic PV-D300 Palmcorder camcorder is a VHS-C camcorder that lets you play your recordings in a VCR. The 18x optical zoom mechanically increases the focal length of the lens and acts like a telescope for details and close-ups. The PV-D300 offers close-ups or zoom out for wide angle shots at four different speeds. With 150x digital zoom, the PV-D300 allows you to shoot video at a greater distance from your subject.

The digital electronic image stabilization compensates for unstable images while you are walking or recording from a moving vehicle, an important feature either at home or on vacation. For low-light shooting conditions in cloudy weather or indoors, the PV-D300 provides a built-in color enhancement light. This auto light delivers improved picture quality, facial coloring, and tint. The PV-D300 also provides an auto title and phrase title inserter so you can insert titles on special occasions such as holidays or birthdays.

When the PV-D300 Palmcorder's motion sensor perceives movement, the camcorder begins recording within seconds and stops 30 seconds after motion ceases. For security, the time and date are automatically stamped on your recording. The PV-D300 accessories include an AC adapter with DC power cable, battery pack, audio-video cable, shoulder strap, VHS PlayPak, and a CR2025 clock battery.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

23 of 25 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Nice camcorder, poor reliability, December 10, 2000

By 

Gary L. Greene (Beaumont, TX USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic PV-D300 VHS-C Camcorder (Electronics)

I've owned a Panasonic of this type for about 6 years. Nice zoom capability, good picture quality. However, it is not rugged at all. Mine has had to have been repaired twice, and now needs it again. I don't treat cameras hard at all, so this is very frustrating and I am now in the market for a new camera. Microphone placement with this unit is poor. It picks up a great deal of wind noise when outside. Also, the unit has a self protection feature that senses moisture. While this seems like a nice feature, I've missed MANY pictures because of high humidity situations. I don't mean just normal condensation like moving from air conditioning to outside-but in almost any humid atmosphere, this unit shuts down. Very few outside pictures in Alaska or Texas. Overall, very disappointing.

4 of 4 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A GOOD ENTRY-LEVEL VHS-C CAMCORDER FOR THE PRICE, March 26, 2001

By 

Mark Walz (Leesburg, FL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Panasonic PV-D300 VHS-C Camcorder (Electronics)

I purchased my Panasonic PV-D300 less than a week ago, so this is a review of my initial impressions. I'll let you know in 3 to 6 months what I think of it then. It's an inexpensive and easy-to-use entry-level unit. I had it up and running less than 2 hours after I got it home. In the time it took for the initial battery charge, I was able to digest the easy-to-read instructions and play with the controls enough to be fairly comfortable with it right when I first popped in a tape and started it up. The controls are convenient, well-placed, and easy to use. The displays in the viewfinder are helpful without being obtrusive. The camera focuses well in all modes and re-focuses quickly after zooming in or out. the picture quality is very good for a camera in this price range. the sound quality isn't great but it's acceptable. Rewind and playback thru the viewfinder is a bit slow, and of course lacks audio, but not a major problem, and a good way to preview what you've just shot. The play-pack provided to use the VHS-C tape in a standard VHS machine was easy to use. Thus far (knock on wood) I've had no humidity-related problems like I saw in the review from Texas, and I live in Florida where high humidity is a fact of life. My only complaint so far is that the battery didn't seem to hold a charge as long as I thought it would, so (a word to the wise) get a spare battery when you buy the camera, and keep it charged and close by. Otherwise, you may be in the middle of taping something important and the thing will very quickly go dead on you. Naturally, this camcorder lacks some of the refinements and gimmicky options of high-end units, but it's a good deal if you're just starting out and just want to shoot some reasonably decent home movies. It's compact, light-weight, and easy-to-use. Hopefully, it will also prove to be reliable and not need frequent repairs since I opted out of the fairly expensive extended warranty/maintenance agreement the store offered with it.

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Competent Performer, March 23, 2001

By 

M. Dorsey (Houston, TX USA) - See all my reviews
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Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Panasonic PV-D300 VHS-C Camcorder (Electronics)

We have found this camcorder to be a competent performer that is generally easy to use and takes good pictures. So far we have used it in the cold air of the Sierra Nevadas and the relatively humid, warm air of Houston without any problems. One unusual omission is its lack of an earphone jack; one can only monitor the audio by playing the tape back through a TV or some other monitor.