Valeria Chika Devana Putri: Panasonic VDR-D310 Camcorder Review

The Panasonic VDR-D310 ($699 MSRP) is their top-tier DVD camcorder, replacing last year’s VDR-D300. We loved that camcorder for its brilliant performance in bright light and compelling manual control set – once rare assets in a DVD camcorder. However, Sony’s DCR-DVD505 edged it out with an even better looking picture. This year both companies lowered the price of their replacement models considerably. But both also created a much sweeter high-end model – AVCHD high definition DVD camcorders. Not everyone is ready for HD, though, and the VDR-D310 offers compelling reasons to remain in standard def for the time being: good video, optical image stabilization, a low price, and more.

The Front (5.0)

Panasonic’s top of the line standard definition DVD model is not particularly enticing up front. Aside from its 10x optical zoom lens with a focal length of 3.0-30mm and 37mm filter diameter, there is little to the VDR-D310’s front end design – no video light or flash to speak of. Strangely, you can find a video light on the step-down VDR-D230. Go figure. Beneath the cannon-like lens barrel lies the built-in stereo microphone, conveniently placed to avoid sound muffling due to a large hand. The remote control/white balance sensor hides inconspicuously below, and that concludes the no-frills façade of the VDR-D310.

The Right Side (5.25)

The right side of the VDR-D310 is even more barren. With only a large circular tape hatch and a cheap, lame hand strap to speak of. Let’s talk about the amount of time it takes the disc hatch to open once you activate the eject button—anywhere from 3 to 10 seconds. That’s quite a broad spectrum of time. Be prepared to expect the unexpected. The VDR-D310’s hand strap is thin, but strung a bit higher in the back compared to most consumer camcorders. Its elevated stance coupled with a steep right side disc hatch enables the camcorder to be securely ratcheted to the hand with minimal flop.

The Back (7.25)

Here’s where most of the action takes place. To the right you’ll find a cluster of controls, but before we get to them, it’s important to warn you about the battery design. Panasonic is fond of placing their DC terminals inside the battery chamber, forcing you to remove the battery in order to use external power. Luckily, the VDR-D310 is not as bad as Panasonic’s top MiniDV model, the PV-GS320, which places nearly all the ports in the battery chamber. Nevertheless, placing any port here is annoying, and Panasonic should rethink this configuration. Above the battery chamber is the non-rubberized, extendable electronic viewfinder. The viewfinder extends a full inch from the body, but does not pivot upward. The dioptric adjuster is located on the top side of the viewfinder shaft.

Up top, to the right of the battery chamber, lies the on/off switch. The menu button sits below, and is difficult to access with one hand due to its odd placement. The delete button is next down the line, followed by the record start/stop button embedded in the bottom right corner. The VDR-D310 follows in the footsteps of its predecessors with a rear-mounted joystick surrounded by a circular mode dial. As most with Panasonics in the past, the rear-mounted joystick allows for outstanding one-handed camcorder operation.

The Left Side (4.25)

The left side of the VDR-D310 is home to a 2.7” wide LCD screen with no controls in, on, or around the LCD panel. The only thing you’ll find is the auto/manual/manual focus control switch located within the LCD cavity, accompanied by a rectangular playback speaker. Along the bottom edge is a row of ports housed by a rigid plastic cover. Here’ you’ll find the mic, AV, and USB jacks. To the right of these ports is a hinged door that contains the SD card slot. In order to open the door, you have to slide it forward from underneath. This means you can’t access the SD card slot when the VDR-D310 is mounted on a tripod, which is a major pain for those looking to snap tons of stills. However, after reading the Still Features section, you may think twice about taking pictures with the VDR-D310.