Panasonic VDR-D300 3.1MP 3CCD DVD Camcorder with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom

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Product Details

• Item Weight: 6 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000DZFV2E
• Item model number: VDR-D300
• Average Customer Review: 3.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (19 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #6,773 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)

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  Camera & Photo > Camcorders > Digital DVD

• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 9, 2006

Product Description

Manufacturer Description

The Panasonic VDR-D300 DVD Palmcorder Camcorder with 3CCD Camera System and Optical Image Stabilizer is compatible with either DVD-RAM or DVD-R, giving you multiple recording and playback options. DVD-R discs are tough and versatile, and can be played back on most home DVD players. However, DVD-RAM discs allow you to record and erase, just like videotapes. DVD-RAM discs can be played back in compatible devices, like DVD players and computers. Since DVD Camcorders use a "non-contact" method to record and play, repeated playback doesn't affect the image quality like it can with videotape. Your favorite videos and images can be kept for years without any loss of quality. Plus, DVD-RAM discs can be rewritten approximately 100,000 times, making them an economical and ideal choice for repeated recording.

Superior color, detail and gradation: 3CCD camera system
Most professional broadcasting cameras use the 3CCD system. In a 1CCD system, all of the incoming light information is processed by the same CCD. The more advanced 3CCD system uses three distinct CCDs for processing, so there is absolutely no light loss. You can see the results in beautifully rendered images with vivid color, fine detail, and rich gradation.

Optical image stabilizer (O.I.S.)
Panasonic's O.I.S. minimizes the hand-shake that can be such a problem with handheld shots. Because Panasonic's system is optical, there is no image quality degradation. When you're shooting a still picture, the MEGA O.I.S. system automatically activates, doubling the corrective power. With O.I.S. and MEGA O.I.S., the camcorder is equipped for clear, beautiful shooting of both motion and still pictures.

Leica Dicomar lens
Leica AG of Germany is the manufacturer of fine cameras and lenses favored by photographers everywhere. The Leica Dicomar lens featured in the camcorder was developed specifically for digital video cameras. Drawing on Leica's renowned optical technology, this advanced lens captures clear, crisp, finely nuanced images with outstanding detail and contrast.

Special high-performance imaging engine: Crystal engine
The Crystal Engine is a special image processing circuit for 3CCD camera systems. It processes the R, G and B signals from the three CCDs individually, so it gives both motion and still pictures exceptional quality.

High-quality MPEG2 engine
Panasonic's MPEG2 engine is a wide-range, high-precision search engine that produces smooth, beautiful motion pictures. Because it precisely records the differences in each frame, it can render fast, complex motions - like those of athletes in the thick of the action - with exceptional precision.The MPEG2 engine also uses Variable Bit Rate technology that Panasonic developed for the high-end DIGA DVD recorder. Giving LP recordings nearly twice the resolution captured with previous Panasonic video cameras, this lets the camcorder record clear, smoothly flowing pictures.

3.1-megapixel still pictures recording
Both motion and still pictures are superb. Photos are so vivid and real, you can enjoy them as high-quality prints or as breathtaking images on a large-screen TV.

10x optical zoom
Distant subjects can be enlarged so they appear to be right up close. This allows dynamic shots of both motion and still pictures.

High-picture quality wide mode (16:9) and 2.7-inch LCD
This model offers the High-Picture-Quality Wide Mode, which produces images that make for beautiful, dramatic viewing on a wide-screen TV. The image is processed on 16:9 area of the CCD. Because the image decoded has the same proportions as your wide-screen TV, there is virtually no picture quality degradation. You get beautiful images and all the excitement and dynamism on either a wide 16:9 screen TV or a conventional 4:3 TV. This model also features a wide 2.7-inch LCD, making it easier to frame shots when you're shooting in 16:9 mode. You can enjoy shooting wide, and viewing wide.

Choose the media you want with multi-format ease: DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R
DVD camcorder models can record and play DVD-RAM, DVD-R and DVD-RW discs. With the DVD-RAM disc, you can record again and again on the same disc, up to tens of thousand times, and view it without any finalizing process. You can record repeatedly on DVD-RW discs as well, and they are well suited to editing. While you can record only once on DVD-R discs, they can be played back on almost any kind of DVD player or recorder. With DVD camcorder's wide compatibility, you can record on whichever kind of disc works best in your DVD player or recorder.

Select the recording mode to match your needs: XP, SP, LP mode
This unit records in VBR. VBR is an abbreviation for Variable Bit Rate. VBR recording automatically varies the bit rate (amount of data in a fixed time) depending on the subject being recorded. This means if a subject with sharp movements is recorded, the recording time is reduced.

One-touch navigation & joystick control
The joystick makes the camera much easier to use, letting you control all basic operations with one hand. As you shoot, just watch the image in the monitor and follow the instruction guide. You can handle a number of operations quickly and easily, without even taking your eye off the subject.

Help mode
Not sure what a certain icon means

Just switch on the Help mode and select the icon. It's explained for you on the LCD monitor. This makes it easier to learn the icons, and you spend less time reading the operating manual.

Quick search & access with Disc Navigator
Unlike videotape, you don't need to rewind or fast-forward a DVD disc to search for specific scenes. The video camera LCD screen displays a list of the recorded scenes for quick and easy searching.

Edit with Disc Navigator
You can do some polished editing using just the camera itself. For example, you can delete scenes right on the spot or change the scene sequence to create your own scenarios.

Playlist Edit
It's easy to change the sequence of the scenes you've recorded, and then play them back. (You can record up to 99 sequencing patterns on each side of the disc for easy playback.) Playlist editing and playback can be done only with scenes on the same side of the disc.

Easy Deleting
This function makes it easy to delete the scenes you don't want and to save the ones you do. You can also split up motion pictures and delete only parts of them.

Easy on/off
When you open the LCD, the power switches on. Shut it and the power goes off. Pull out the viewfinder and the power switches on. Store it and the power goes off. Easy On/Off reduces the time required for operating the camera.

Anti-ground shooting
The O.I.S. linear motor system can detect when the camera is in an unusual shooting position - such as when you've inadvertently left it on in recording mode. In these cases, the camera automatically stops recording, saving both battery power and disc space. Set to OFF when shipped from the factory. To turn Anti Ground Shooting ON, the setting must be made on the menu screen.

0 Lux Color Night View with Light Panel for shooting in total darkness.
Designed for shooting in total darkness, this function shoots four frames per second using the LCD monitor as a light source. Pictures are clear and sharp thanks to the hand-shake compensation provided by the O.I.S. Light from the LCD is gentle and easy on the eyes, so you can snap shots of sleeping children without waking them up.

Color Night View for shooting in dim light.
Color Night View gives you smoothly flowing pictures even in dark places, where it's normally difficult to capture good shots.

No more lost lens caps
When the power is turned on, the lens cover automatically opens. When the power goes off, the lens cover closes. You don't have to keep removing and replacing a lens cap - or worry about losing it.

No cables to connect
The DVD camcorder gives you cable-free, connection-free playback. Just slip the disc into your DVD player and let the show begin. finalizing is required before playback when you record in video mode. Please note that, depending on the format, some DVD discs cannot be played on some DVD players or recorders.

High-speed transfer to Panasonic Diga
With DVD's high-speed data transfer, you can dub your recordings -- even large volumes -- quickly and easily onto a DVD video recorder's hard disk drive. Enjoy sophisticated editing with the DVD recorder, or save your recordings onto DVD and create a collection of your own DVDs.

High-speed data transfer to PC
USB 2.0 compatibility lets you upload a motion picture data to a PC at high speed over a single USB cable. Even if your PC has no DVD drive, you can transfer the data to a PC easily.

DVD-Movie AlbumSE 4.2 and DVDfunStudio 2.4
With DVD-MovieAlbumSE 4.2 software, which makes it easy to add titles and texts, you can create your own polished, professional-looking movies. And with DVDfunStudio 2.4 software, you can burn your production onto a DVD disc for keepsakes.

What's in the Box:
Panasonic VDR-D300, CGA-DU12 battery pack, remote control, CR2025 button-type battery, AC adaptor, shoulder strap, AC cable, USB cable, DC cable, CD-ROM, AV/S cable, 8-cm DVD-RAM disc, lens cap.

Product Description

e.cam are a range of digital video cameras from Panasonic, which do more than just take great pictures. With a host of digital capabilities, these cameras give you entirely new ways to enjoy the images that you capture and expand your possibilities for more creative visual communications.PRODUCT FEATURES:Superior color, detail and gradation: 3CCD Camera System;Suppresses hand-shake in both motion and still pictures: O.I.S. (Optical Image Stabilizer);Superior Leica-certified image quality: Leica DICOMAR LensSpecial high-performance imaging engine Crystal Engine;Capture even complex motion with precision: high quality MPEG 2 Engine;Take breathtaking still pictures: 3.1-Megapixel Still Pictures Recording;Pull distant subjects right up close with 10x optical zoom;Shoot wide, view wide: High-Picture-Quality Wide Mode (16:9) and 2.7" LCD;Choose the media you want with multi-format ease: DVD-RAM, DVD-RW; DVD-R;Select the recording mode to match your needs: XP, SP, LP Mode;Easy operation with One-Touch Navigation & Joystick Control;Find out what each icon means: Help Mode;Index screen for simple searching: Quick Search & Access with Disc Navigator;Easy ON/OFF.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

232 of 235 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Outstanding consumer camcorder with superb image quality, April 22, 2006

By	Gadgester "No Time, No Money" (Mother Earth) - See all my reviews (TOP 100 REVIEWER)

Amazon Verified Purchase

The Panasonic VDR-D300 "Palmcorder" is a compact 3CCD camcorder that records videos to mini DVDs: 3" (8 cm) DVD-RAM, DVD-RW and DVD-R. (Note that it cannot use the "plus" version of DVD+R/RW.) Thanks to the three separate 1/6" CCD image sensors inside, it shoots broadcast-quality videos and turns in decent low-light performance. It also doubles as a 3.1MP digital camera, but its forte definitely lies in shooting video.

5/4/06 UPDATE: before going any further, let me offer a bit of a "warning." The fundamental differences between DVD camcorders and tape (miniDV) camcorders are two: 1) DVDs let you access a scene quickly and easily, while tapes have much faster start-up times (assuming you are already at the point where you can record or play); 2)DVD camcorders like the VDR-D300 use MPEG4 compression whereas miniDV camcorders compress much less. For most scenes you won't notice a difference. In fact you can probably shoot a good professional-looking movie on the VDR-D300. Just be aware that the MPEG4 can very occasionally raises the ugly head of heavy compression for certain shooting conditions. The "warning" concerns the DVD media: if you use DVD-RW, which is more common and cheaper than Panasonic's DVD-RAM, be prepared for up to 5 minutes of formatting time and up to 10 minutes in finalization time (both have to be done with the AC adapter attached, not from battery). In a nutshell, if you plan to do some editing, use DVD-RAM. If you plan to just shoot and watch (like me), use DVD-R or DVD-RW in Video mode (both require finalization but can be played back on almost all DVD players). I just wanted to point out the long formatting and finalization times as the biggest caveat with DVD camcorders, including the DVR-D300.

Update2: if you buy this between now and 7/31, you can get a free camcorder bag and 3 DVD-R blanks from Panasonic by mail. Check their website for the PDF rebate form.

Before offering my take on the VDR-D300, let me tell you why I chose it. My story might be of some help in your own decision making.

First, I had always wanted a 3CCD camcorder of my own. Most consumer camcorders on the market have one image sensor inside. The image sensor is like the eye of the camcorder. The VDR-D300 has not one, but three CCD image sensors, each designed to process a specific color: red, green or blue. In fact, all professional video camcorders -- like the ones used to shoot things on TV (news, dramas, etc.) -- use the 3CCD design to better capture color. Together with proper white-balance calibration and judicious choice of lens, you get eye-pleasing colors and sharpness not found in most consumer camcorders, which tend to give dull, bland, fuzzy video images.

Second, I was a little fed up with using tapes for video recording. You know the drill: you buy a tape-based camcorder, then you find out it's a pain to dub it to a VHS or a DVD, or to transfer it to a computer, so you end up using the camcorder like one or two times a year. Like many folks I have been using the video function of my digital camera a lot and left my Sony DCR-PC5 camcorder behind in the closet. My Fujifilm F10 digital camera shoots pretty good video for a camera, but for important occasions, I still want a real camcorder. (Cameras are designed for still images whereas camcorders are designed for moving pictures. For now and the foreseeable future, there's no perfect hybrid camera that does both very well.) DVD-recording has always appealed to me because I could just pop in a recordable/rewritable DVD, shoot some footage, and then play it back, without all the fussing involved with tape recording. I played with my friends' DVD camcorders (Panasonic and Sony) and really liked this "new" way of shooting videos. I waited until someone released a camcorder that combined DVD recording and the 3-chip design. Panasonic finally did, and I bought.

Oh, when I was contemplating the purchase I also considered Sony's HD (high-def) camcorder, which records high-def video on MiniDV tapes. In the end, budget constraint (that one is $1500, a lot of dough for a poor guy like myself), compatibility concerns (i.e., impossible to burn HD video to DVD, not many friends having HDTV) and also the fact that I have been totally let down by the subjective quality of HDTV content on TV convinced me to stick with the standard NTSC resolution. My priority was to get a camcorder that shoots great colors and clarity, not one that gives the highest resolution. It's the same thing with buying a digital camera: higher number of megapixels doesn't necessarily mean a better picture; the camera's image sensor is just as important, if not more.

OK, let's take a look at the VDR-D300 itself. (A slightly cheaper model, VDR-D250, also sports the 3CCD design and records to DVDs. It has slightly lower resolution and lacks a built-in flash and a few other features.)

Whenever you evaluate a camcorder, video image quality should account for 75-80% of the composite score, because you buy a camcorder to shoot videos! Here, the D300 shines, thanks to its 3CCD design. Video quality is especially excellent when there is a lot of light. It's difficult to describe in words, but let me just say that with this camcorder, you can shoot video that looks almost like the professional stuff you see on TV: clear pictures, pleasing colors, smooth motions. Even though the D300 shoots at the same resolution as other NTSC (standard defintion TV) camcorders, its video images are very noticeably clearer and look sharper. Many consumer camcorders exhibit bleeding reds, but the D300 is largely free from this defect. I would like to point out that when I say "professional-quality eye-pleasing" colors, I don't mean high-saturation colors. Most people like warm, high-saturation colors that "jump out" of the screen. The D300's colors are rather muted when set to auto white balance. If you want to get warm colors, you'll need to manually set the white balance to achieve this effect. I personally use WarmCards from VortexMedia.com.

Indoors, without professional-grade lighting rigs, the D300 turns in good performance. Definitely better than 1CCD camcorders (except probably Sony's HD camcorders), but you'll get most of the 3CCD prowess if you provide enough lighting. After all, photography and videography is 99% about lighting. Not just how much light, but the angle of light, the temperature of light (i.e., white balance), and the quality of light (i.e., diffused or concentrated). Having a 3CCD camcorder like the D300 helps improve your home video images tremendously, but if you want your video to look close to being professional, you need professional lighting techniques. For example, when shooting indoors, use a video light. You can buy a cheap one and just mount it on top of the D300 (it has a cold shoe) and turn on the video light manually. Also use the WarmCards I mentioned earlier to achieve the white balance you desire.

The D300 records videos in three quality settings: XP, SP and LP. XP here means the best quality. (On some video equipment XP means eXtended Play, which equals the least quality, but not here.) You can fit about 18 minutes of video on one side of the DVD media (DVD-RAM, DVD-RW or DVD-R). SP, or Standard Play, gives you 30 minutes, but the quality is noticeably inferior. I'd never use LP (Long Play), because video quality there is worse than VHS. The battery that comes in the package lasts well over an hour of shooting with LCD on (you can also use the viewfinder only to conserve power). You can buy an extended battery that doubles the battery life.

The D300 has some nifty features not found in other brands. One truly unique feature is something called AGS (auto ground-directional standby). This mysterious-sounding function automatically pauses recording when it detects the camera titled straight up or down. This is most useful when you (like I) often forget to stop the recording and end up shooting a lot of junk footage of the ground, shoes, etc. Another nice feature is optical image stabilization, which utilizes a set of small lenses to compensate for handshakes. In theory, optical image stabilization is better than the electronic type (found in Sony's products); in practice, the D300 seems to do a good job of minimizing, but not completely eliminating, handshakes.

The D300 can double as a 3.1MP digital camera, but this feature is nothing to write home about. Still image quality is just okay; I defintitely prefer to use my Nikon D70 or Fujifilm F10 for photography anytime, anywhere. Pictures are recorded on an SD or mini SD card (neither included). BTW, unlike with Sony's recent offerings, you cannot record video to the SD card or capture pictures on the DVD. It doesn't matter to me at all, since I would have wanted to keep video clips and still pictures separate anyway. (You can insert a still image captured on the SD card into your video during editing.)

Video editing can be done in camera, or on a computer. Both Windows and Macintosh are supported, but you definitely get more functions if you use a Windows PC. In fact, Mac users will be disappointed to know that the things they can't do with Panasonic's software, they can't do at all (i.e., no other software is compatible). In the end, it's worth keeping in mind that you buy a DVD camcorder really for its convenience; in my case, for example, I hate editing, so I'm just going to shoot, delete bad scenes, and finalize; no editing whatsoever. If you are an editing type, a miniDV camcorder will be better as all the major brands (Canon, Hitachi, JVC, Panasonic, Sony) offer comprehensive editing support for both Windows and Macintosh.

Conclusion: The Panasonic VDR-D300 (along with its lesser... Read more ›

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great DVD Camcorder, July 24, 2006

By	Scott M. Hurley (Jackson, NJ USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I reviewed many DVD camcorders over a 4-5 month period and feel this was the best choice. I almost purchased the Sony DVD405, but color was one of the first priorities on my list of wants with this new camcorder. Although the Sony has a better chip, the fact is that the Panasonic, with 3 chips, according to many reviews I had read had better color. The ease of use is nice also. Finalizing DVD's takes only a few minutes and not really a big deal, my only issue so far is the fade control which requires the operator to select it via the joystick control each time you want to use it. Selecting this control while recording requires a steady hand so that the camera does not shake. None the less, it puts my eleven year old, 8mm camcorder to shame. Love taking videos again.

19 of 19 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great camcorder -- just watch out for slow start-up times, June 20, 2006

By	Financial Analyst (U.S.) - See all my reviews

This is my first DVD camcorder and I absolutely love it! It's also my first 3-chip video camcorder. The image quality is just really good, like the other guys said. The machine is also apiece of cake to use. I e-mailed "gadgester" and he recommended TDK 8.cm dvd-r blanks from amazon, so I bought them and now I just pop one in and go! No formatting needed. Finalization in the camcorder is needed to make the dvd-r compatable with my Sony dvd player at home as well as my Thinkpad.

One gotcha to look out for is the slow start-up times, from power off to on. It takes anywhere between 5 and 10 seconds for the camcorder to be ready to record, after you insert yoru dvd-r. If you use dvd-rw, the manual says it might take up to 20 seconds! Other than that, I have no problems with the camcorder. It's high quality, and I just love the conveneince as well as image quality.