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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.)
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.
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br /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.)
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br /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.
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br /Conclusion: The Panasonic VDR-D300 (along with its lesser sibling, the D250) is the first DVD camcorder that offers the 3CCD design. Having three separate image sensors for the different primary colors improves image quality tremendously. Recording to a DVD provides the videographer lots of convenience, at the expense of having fewer editing options available than with miniDV tapes. If you want the convenience of shoot-and-watch and want broadcast-quality video, the D300 is absolutely worth its price tag.
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br /I cannot fit everything I have to say here on Amazon, but you can check my blog for more comments and you can also e-mail me if you have any questions about this camcorder. Check my profile for contact info.
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br /One final note: I've seen this model advertised for much less than Amazon's price on other websites. Those websites, all run out of Brooklyn, NY, are all masters at the bait-n-switch game. I know because I'm from Brooklyn and was neighbors with these irresponsible stores. Do not believe the high ratings these sites seem to have on shopping sites; if you search on the web you'll find a lot of unhappy customers who never received what they had ordered. Go with a reputable seller like Amazon or Best Buy or Circuit City. Good luck!

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.

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.
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br /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.
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I have been using mine for about 2 months now. The picture quality is very good. I purchased a Sima light as an add on. It enhances the pictures even better. The still pictures are amazing too. I was trying to decide between Sony and this one. Finally decided on this one because of the picture quality.

The reviews for this camera are great. The video is indeed incredible, beyond anything i've experienced with a consumer camcorder. But there are big problems if you really want to enjoy the video you shoot.
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br / Before I continue I will give some background on my family. I am a 33 year expert in television production. I have produced and edited several television shows. My daughter who also intended to use the camera is an IT professional who is helps corporate users with software and hardware problems . Neither of us could get the video shot on the camcorder's RAM's disc in a usable form on either a Windows PC or a Apple IMAC G5.
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br / After repeated calls to Panasonic's technical support they were not able to resolve any of our major problems. They person who was in charge of training others at their support system admitted they did not even have this camera or the stripped down D250 model at their facility to test or train with. Even though their manual has more than 10 pages dealing with using the camcorder with an APPLE, they said they would provide no support for Apple owners. On the Windows side the camera can not be even recognized if you have the popular ROXIO software on your computer. Once that was removed we got video but no sound. With the MAC we got the video and sound in, but there is no way the video could be converted to be able to work with APPLE's iMOVIE or iDVD software.
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br / In this day and age where hardware is getting so complex, poorly trained customer support is inexcusable.
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br / By the way I own two Panasonic DVD Recorders, two other Panasonic DVD players, and a Panasonic portable DVD player, so I was certainly inclined to want to say good things about this company.
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br / I returned my camcorder to AMAZON today.

When it works, it's great. However each time I go on a research trip to Europe or N America (ie. costing me a lot of cash) an intermittent fault occurs where the image (in still mode or video)drops out the red range, so the recorded image has a blue cast. I am an art historian, so bringing back faulty data is not good for my research. And dealing with Panasonic Australia is a nightmare. Neither the shop, or the repairer, or the company will take final responsibility. I have sent it away twice, and today send it back for another test. Even when you provide them with the hard evidence of the fault, the camera comes back just as it was. Next stop the small claims tribunal...

We are pleased with our new Panasonic camcorder. We have only used it a few times at Christmas, but was pleased with the picture quality. We knew from looking at different models in a store that we wanted the joystick operation that only Panasonic seems to use. It could not be more simple to move between and choose options and functions. The image stabilizer works well and image looks good even at 10x zoom. As many reviews stated, under very low light conditions you will loose picture quality, but we have found that to be the case with lots of cameras that friends of ours have. We are having to upgrade our computer drive to read the mini DVD-Rs, so I cannot comment on the software yet. But we love the menu funtion on playback, no fast forwarding or rewinding, just shoot, finalize, and put it in the DVD player and choose what scene you want to watch, it is very simple. To us the simplicity and not having to convert over from tapes every time is worth the cost of mini DVDs and the short record time (about 20 minutes per disc). We are very happy with the camera so far.

I was completely floored by what it took to get the g-d clips onto the computer, too. It took some careful reading and searching around the web, but now I can do it. (It still is not particularly convenient.) I am on an iMac G5.
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br /(1) First, you have to format the disk and record in the "Video" format (not the "VR").
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br /(2) When you are ready to dump to the computer, you must use the power supply (not the battery) to power the camera. You power down the camera, remove the disk, and power up just so that the software can tell you to put the disk in.
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br /(3) You must use the Pixe VRF Browser EX software to get the camera's disk drive to be seen. This software is a piece of _ _ _ _. But, you just use it to transfer your file to your computer.
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br /(4) The resultant file is not muxed--sound and video are separated. So, you go out and obtain MPEG Streamclip from www.squared5.com. This is a truly elegant and useful program for video conversion and other tasks. You bring the file into Streamclip and then save it in the format of your choice, paying attention to other parameters when you do.
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br /The result is a muxed file, with video and audio together, ready to use in Final Cut (for instance) or any video editing software. There is more to say about burning DVDs from the Mac for use in DVD players, but that is not the camera's problem.
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br /HTH
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br /This is a fine camera for home use and I will suffer through for a while in certain projects that I need to do, but it's clear that I paid about one-third of the price of a decent pro-level camera, and got about one-third of the Sony camera I eventually will have to buy. This is my first experience with a Panasonic camera and the way they leave you out in the cold with poor documentation and lousy software, I have learned all I need to know about that!

Hi,
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br /I have had the VDR-D300 for about 6 months now. I have never gotten a recording session to last more than about 20 min. The camcorder constantly locks up, usually after about 10 min. This is on a full battery - the unit never gets even to a battery alarm. Several times the reset button nor the reset proceedure per the manual works. I must have a faulty unit. I'm investigating repair. The unit has a great lens, camera, and video image, but my unit is not stable at all.

purchase this for christmas gift 12/6/06. not used unitl 12/26/06. camcorder eject door stopped working 04/06/07. emailed Panasonic for warranty repair- no reponse 3 wks-called 800# in manual and was told to ship to Bigston Corp for repairs-BIG MISTAKE-DO NOT SHIP ANYTHING TO THEM-
br /Bigston rec'd camera 5/10/07. 5/14/07 Bigston called and said repair not under warranty- would cost 207.50 to repair expect repair 2 wks., i okd that and they charged my cc 5/16., 6/4 called Bigston, no idea regarding repair, now they say add'l 85.00 for rear assby, i okd-then they charged my card 119.23, said 3-4 days for repair. June 18 i call Bigston no idea why my camera still is not repaired, could not get manager to call me back
br /6/19 they called said they had to order part!!!then they shipped camera back with an invoice that says i am due refund of $12.50. when i called them they said the invoice was wrong/mgr changed it after shipment!!!!!
br /i paid $ 326.73 for repairs on a camcorder that cost 500.00 4 months ago!

I've tried several other Camcorders and returned them to the store. This Camcorder is easy to use as well as being easy to download to my computer.

I received my Camera yesterday. I like the camera for its compact size. The quality of both motion picture and still picture is really good. But i don't like the fact that for charging, the battery needs to be removed and put into the seperate charger. Also to connect to the A/C power the battery needs to be removed. Otherwise everything seems to be OK.

If one takes a fairly good video that needs no editing, a TV presentation is very simple but limited to about 18 minutes, which is the capacity of one side of the mini DVD-RAM disc (which I prefer to use!).
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br /Computer download, editing and ultimate burning to a normal-sized DVD is done with the bundled, two-part Pacman-style software whose manual is large but not very explicit or user friendly.
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br /I recommend that one use only re-writable DVDs for the in-camera media as for burning presentation discs unless one is in need of shiny coasters...
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br /I teamed up with another user and we help each other with computer-related problems. The quality of the camcorder's video output itself is excellent.
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br /This is a five-star device with three-star software.

This is a great little camera. We had an Olympus 3.2 meg still camera with a 10 time optic zoom and it was a great camera although it was a little slow to focus and had a small LCD. This panasonic is real fast as a still camera and has a much larger LCD It also has a 10 time optic zoom
br /and doubles as a video camera that record to DVD. It is real easy to use and we love it.What more could you want? Amazon had a great price and you can trust them.

The picture quality is exceptional and it is very easy to use. So much nicer than punching the screen for menus like the Sony 405. Who wants to worry about finger prints and scratches all over the screen with those touch screens? It is also priced better than the Sony 405. We researched these cameras a lot before settling on the Panasonic, with picture quality being our #1 objective. We are more than pleased with our purchase!!

The D300 is easy to use it takes great video outside, and is very good in low light. It also takes very good pictures,and the battery last a long time. I would buy it again.

a href="http://www.amazon.com/review/RH769ADHN9DGW"Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/RH769ADHN9DGW/a Here's a sample of what this little camera can do. Believe or not, I shot my daughter's recital from about 30 yards (using the zoom feature, of course) and in a dark auditorium. Notice how the lens picks up all available light and the sound is clear. I had the camera sitting on my knee and the video (even with the zoom maxed out) is very smooth. I LOVE this camera...imagine how bright and clear the picture is in the broad daylight! It really is a clear picture.
br / I like the option of burning immediately to a DVD. Sometimes if I'm at my family's house I will shoot some footage and now I'm able to burn it and leave it with them.
br / I've had no trouble getting the video files from the camera to my computer...because I'm using the USB cord that came with it. I'd rather use my own video editing software, as I didn't like what came with the camera. I use AVS Video Editor, which does a superb job. I can create videos in just about any format. As with any new piece of technology, it takes some getting used to. I've used the camera with both Windows XP and Vista and I've had no compatibility issues. Enjoy!

The camcorder came from the manufacturer, broken....and the company I purchased it from, was not customer friendly....as of today, I am still waiting for it to be fixed.