Reviews for Panasonic Palmcorder VDR-D300 Digital Camcorder - 2.7" LCD - CCD

16:9 - 2.1 Megapixel Image - 1.9 Megapixel Video - 10x Optical Zoom - 700x Digital Zoom - Optical IS - MPN: VDRD300

  • 1
  By member: PacoJohn - Mar 4, 2008

Great Camera if you do not plan to ever edit the...

Strengths: I didn't see any strengths.

Weakness: low audio quality, low video quality. DVD sensitive.

Must use just the right DVD or you will not be able to use the video onto your computer without purchasing a converter. Well, okay, I haven't seen anyone YET to use a dvd other than the ONE that came with the camera. Other dvds will only let you finalize (sometimes) and play in a DVD player.

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Reply by member: ddgkkg
Jan 15, 2009

same problem with mine. practically IMPOSSIBLE to convert the .vro files. Read online about all the complaints on this product and other dvd camcorders by panasonic..i wish i would have first..alot of money wasted. terrible picture on tv, only able to play with direct hook up connections.
no software is supplied to convert the .vro files. do not buy a panasonic camcorder.

  • 4
  By member: bvinhle - Feb 6, 2007

Good Camcorder

Strengths: Nice color

Weakness: N/A

Easy to operate because of five direction navigation. When using zoom, there has no sound, very smooth. But the battery only lasts almost 90min. The camcorder over exposes when taken the photos in dark with flash. . When you want to take photos out of sd card, you should set PC connection in your camcorder first, then connect the usb to computer.
This is a very good camcorder that uses the lastest technology. 700X digital zoom is a joke. The picture taken is the best I've seen on consumer camcorders.

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  • 5
  By member: nevosho18 - Apr 2, 2006

Absolutely the Best

Strengths: 3CCD makes for impressive video, very easy to use, great features, viewfinder is superb, amazing sound quality

Weakness: My computer was not compatible with DVD-RAM

I love this camcorder! It is simply the best! The video does not look at all pixelated on a 57" widescreen, and I cannot even see the difference in between pixels. The picture quality looks so lifelike it will blow you away.
I have zero complaints, except for one:

The supplied format "DVD-RAM" was so imcompatible with my machine it was ridiculous. I went out and resolved this issue by purchasing 3 mini DVD recording disks in a bundle for $7. The disks are cheap!

Just a word to the not-so-wise, make sure you format the disks before using them on the camcorder and finalize before viewing.

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Reply by member: nevosho18
Apr 2, 2006

By the way, the DVD disks that I went out and bought when the DVD-RAM would not work were DVD-RW.

Reply by member: shazawn
Dec 10, 2006

yeah!!! what's up with the whole dvd-ram thing anyways?!?!? i will surely use your advice on using the dvd-rw format... just as soon as i recieve this camera in the coming week! heehee i'm just hoping that the editing features on the camera are sufficient for at least the novice home videographer like myself! any suggetions? ...the excitement builds. 36 yrs old, my first vid-cam ;)~

  • 4
  By member: snowalker - Jul 22, 2006

Excellent consumer camcorder

Strengths: 3ccd makes vivid pictures. OIS works very well! DVD-R,DVD-RAM, can be played on most DVD players immediately aftere finalization. Yet the unit is still small enough.

Weakness: Still picture has too much noise, if you want to use this camcorder as a primary point-and-shot still camera, forget it. And expensive too.

This is a very good camcorder that uses the lastest OIS technology (I belive this is one of the few consumer camcorders that have OIS). The OIS on this camcorder works well at 25X digital zoom but no more. 700X digital zoom is a joke. The picture taken is the best I've seen on consumer camcorders.

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  • 4
  By member: xid4 - Feb 3, 2007

VDR-D300

Strengths: easy to operate, nice video

Weakness: bad photo quality in dark

Actually, this is a 3.0MP 3ccd camcorder. Easy to operate because of 5 direction navigation. It is better than hitachi for the operation. When using zoom, there has no sound, very smooth. But the battery only lasts almost 90min. The camcorder over exposes when taken the photos in dark with flash.
Can not record the photo on the disk, you need a sd card. While hitachi can record the photo on the disk. When you want to take photos out of sd card, you should set PC connection in your camcorder first, then connect the usb to computer.
Anyway, a good camcorder.

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  • 4
  By member: edleonstgo - Nov 29, 2007

Excellent DVD Video Camera

Strengths: Easy recording and playback. Use with DVD player. SD card slot to take pictures (3.1 MP), Optical Image Stabilizer, stylist and compact design video camera.

Weakness: Motion pictures can't be recorded on an SD card. DVD RAM format isn't possible on a PC.

The decision to buy this video camera was based on price ($299.99 at J&R), and Panasonic products quality and reliability. A good value for all the features and easy functions.

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  • 4
  By member: pbhagavan - May 30, 2007

Good Value for the Money

Strengths: Very Easy to Operate, Image quality is good, 3 CCD feature is plus point

Weakness: DVD-RAM is not compatible with my Laptop and my DVD player and Supported formats are only DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM.

Image quality is very good. DVD-RAM is not compatible with my Laptop, so i have purchased 10 mini DVD-R for just $9, these are very cheap.
Usage of joystick is good. It would have been best had they provided touch screen option. Photos taken in dark are just OK.
While zooming in or out it doesn't make any noise.
This is very good consumer camcorder.

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  • 4
  By member: zubb99 - Sep 7, 2007

Great Video and Features

Strengths: Video Performance, Optical Image Stabilization, Joystick Navigation, better than average still photos, lots of pro/consumer features

Weakness: DVD Ram Driver, Ram VRO format not recognized by major video editing software, bundled software

Excellent video performance. The 3.1 mp SD still pictures are the best you can get with a camcorder. The video low light performance is weak, but better than what I expected after reading camcorder reviews. This is my first experience with a DVD camcorder and I found the "VR" verses "V" disc formatting and "finalizing/unfinalizing" of DVD-R/RW discs confusing. The 180 page user's manual is poorly organized. I tried using the recommended, bundled RAM disc, but I could not get my Windows XP computer to recognize the RAM disc, even with the bundled software programs. Panasonic Tech support acknowledged a compatibility problem with other video editing software, and they could not solve my problem. Unfortunately, Roxio and Nero do not recognize the RAM disc "VRO" extension. The reason I purchased a DVD camcorder was I liked the idea of being able to play the discs on a DVD player without having to use the camcorder to show the video on TV. I settled on using "RW" discs but was disappointed in that several DVD players would not recognize the disc. A Norcent and Panasonic did, but a Sony, Zenith and Toshiba did not, even though all the players could play other DVD-RW discs. I'm sure I would not have these problems with a DVD-R disc, but I would lose all the camcorder's erase and editing features. The camera's joystick navigation makes using the various menu features very easy to use. The quality of the video and still pictures and excellent features, far outweigh the mentioned negatives, so I highly recommend this camcorder.

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  • 5
  By member: shashi_479 - Jun 21, 2007

Awesome camcorder

Strengths: Nice and vibrant colors, compact,wonderful video clarity and impressive 3ccd

Weakness: None

It is very compact and fits in a hand. joystick is positioned such that you can switch and control various functions at your finger tip. I shot a house party and took some pictures at the same time, the video came out great and so are the pictures, i love it!!!!

I owned a VDR D100 before, but D300 is simply superb.

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  • 5
  By member: yusufhan3 - Jun 8, 2007

I like that

Strengths: 1-3megapizel 2-NTSC and PAL Secam 3- light 4-

Weakness: nothing

This is a very good camcorder, easy to use due to its joystick. The image quality will blow you away. Very vivid colors.
The basic and simple operations are right at your finger tip. Advance features can be access by navigating in the menus using the slick joystick.

highly recommended.

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  • 5
  By member: sdahan - Mar 11, 2007

Very Impressive

Strengths: Easy to use, very good image quality. OIS and 3CCD makes the difference.

Weakness: None

This is a very good camcorder, easy to use due to its joystick. The image quality will blow you away. Very vivid colors.
The basic and simple operations are right at your finger tip. Advance features can be access by navigating in the menus using the slick joystick.
highly recommended.

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  • 3.9
  TopTenREVIEWS.com - Jul 16, 2008

Panasonic VDR-D300

Panasonic VDR-D300 receives an overall TopTenREVIEWS score of 3.1 out of 4.00. It is ranked the #19 DVD camcorder of all time. The overall rating represents an intelligent balance of features, value as a function of price to features, and a summary of reviews from a variety of sources. The TopTen REVIEWS' formula gives a picture of important consumer features, market value, and a product's...

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  • 3.5
  laptopmag.com - Apr 14, 2006

Panasonic VDR-D300

While the immediacy of recording onto a DVD has proven attractive, the quality of DVD camcorder footage continues to lag behind the venerable MiniDV format. Panasonic aims to change that perception with the VDR-D300, the first...

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  • 4.0
  CamcorderInfo - Mar 22, 2006

Panasonic VDR-D300 Camcorder Review

The 3 CCD barrier on DVD camcorders has finally been broken. Meet the Panasonic VDR-D300 (along with its sibling, the D250). In theory, this top-end DVD cam with an MSRP of $999 should marry the best of Panasonic’s MiniDV 3 chip performance with the ease and convenience of the DVD format. Well, the results are in, and though it’s only February, the D300 appears to be strong candidate for best...

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