Panasonic HDC-HS300

Handling & Use Summary
• Manual control ring offers precise adjustment • Intelligent auto controls are good for beginners and work well overall • Lack of an in-between mode (some auto controls with some manual controls) is troubling for users who want to ease into manual controls. • Viewfinder is extendible, but cannot pivot.
	Still Features	(Page 9 of 17)	Playback & Connectivity

Ease of Use (6.0)

The Panasonic HDC-HS300 offers a fairly intuitive user experience, especially for beginning users. The default setting is essentially an auto mode, which disables manual image adjustments and several other features otherwise found in the menus. When you have this kind of cruise control, you don't have to worry about anything except framing your shot. If you want even more assistance, there's the optional Intelligent Auto (iA) technologies (see Auto Mode). In iA mode, the camcorder will employ its Intelligent Scene Selector, Intelligent Contrast Control, Face Detection, and Image stabilisation in an attempt to make the best video possible. In regular auto mode or iA mode, you can also use the new AF/AE Tracking tool, which will follow the subject you choose on the touch screen, even as it changes location within the frame. it is all incredibly easy to use.

Sadly, all this great technology is not really designed with the advanced user in mind. Panasonic expects you to use either full manual controls or easy mode. Once you enter manual mode—by pressing the hard-to-reach, ambiguously labelled button—all the clever iA tools disappear. We prefer when auto and manual controls aren't so mutually exclusive. Performing a simple manual white balance means deactivating some of the HS300's best features. Most significantly, you'll miss out on the AF/AE Tracking feature: an excellent feature that justifies Panasonic's switch to touch screen controls.

That makes the manual controls seem all the more inaccessible; users seeking a more integrated auto/manual experience might want to consider something like the Sony HDR-XR520V. On the other hand, there are some features that help ease the transition for beginners. The most useful of these is the information button, which brings up a tool tip every time you select a feature in the menus. The tool tips can explain things like Digital Cinema, back light compensation, etc. The info button is available in both the main menu and the Q.Menu—but not the Function menu. Unfortunately, options that are only available on this menu (like white balance, shutter, and iris) get no explanation unless you consult the Operating Instructions. Fortunately, the included instructions are fairly comprehensive.

The Info button will activate a helpful tool tip feature.

Handling (6.75)

The Panasonic HDC-HS300 handles like your average consumer camcorder. It is a bit larger than most camcorders these days, but as far as high-end models go, it is an average size. The design of the camcorders right side is a bit uncomfortable, mainly because of the bulky 120GB hard drive that is located here. Still, it does not feel too bad and the camcorder fits better in your hand than the Sony HDR-XR520V. The zoom toggle lines up well with your index finger and the lip provided by the internal hard drive gives you something to wrap your fingertips around. On the back of the camcorder there is only the record button and the mode dial—both of which are easy to access with your thumb when holding the camcorder.

The 120GB hard drive makes the right side a bit bulky.

The lens ring is one of the most important handling features on the HS300. Panasonic has included lens rings on its high-end consumer camcorders for a number of years now, and the ring on the HS300 is similar to its predecessors. The ring is large, easy to grip, and very smooth. At times, the ring feels like it rotates too easily, which can make precise adjustments a little finicky. There is also an issue with the ring only being able to control either zoom or focus when the LCD is open. When using the viewfinder, however, the ring can be set to control white balance, shutter speed, iris, or focus. It seems Panasonic wants you to use the LCD touch-screen whenever the LCD is open and we're unsure why Panasonic would limit the versatility of the lens ring like this. Overall, however, the ring is excellent and it is easier to use than the control dials featured on the Sony HDR-XR520V and Canon HF S100.

The lens ring is great for manual adjustments.

While the lens ring is useful for manual adjustments, Panasonic has also introduced a number of auto controls on the HDC-HS300. Most of the controls make good use of the new LCD touch-screen system, which can be both a blessing and a problem. The touch-screen offers a simple interface and controls can be easily activated with a tap of your finger. Using the screen in this manner also results in plenty of greasy fingerprints and a cluttered LCD.

The electronic viewfinder does extend, but it cannot pivot and is not very comfortable to use.

The buttons on the HDC-HS300 aren't very well designed, particularly the 'membrane buttons' located on the bottom of the LCD panel. These 'membrane buttons' are embedded inside the LCD panel, which means you have to push them very hard with your fingertips, or use your fingernail to get them to work. The rest of the buttons on the camcorder aren't great either, although there are only a few. The iA and pre-record button on the left-top of the camcorder are small and don't give in much when they are pressed. The OIS button (for image stabilisation), located inside the LCD cavity, blends into the body of the camcorder too much and can be difficult to find and press. The buttons near the front of the camcorder, which activate manual controls aren't designed too bad, but they can be blocked by the LCD screen when it is open and tilted.

Stabilisation (9.41)

The Panasonic HDC-HS300 features optical image stabilisation, which can be activated using a small button in the LCD cavity. In our testing, the camcorder did very well in both high and low-shake situations. In our low shake test, the HDC-HS300 reduced 60% of the shake. With our shaking rig cranked up to its high setting the OIS did an even better job—reducing 71% of the shake. Both of these results are quite good for a camcorder of its class. (More on how we test stabilisation.)

Interestingly, the HS300 did better on this test than its sister model, the HDC-TM300. We assume this discrepancy is due to the heavier weight of the HS300 compared to the TM300. The Sony HDR-XR520V had the best stabilisation of the camcorders in this set, however, while the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 put up terrible results with its digital stabilisation system. The Canon HF S100 didn't put up great numbers, but it did much better than the Sanyo.

Portability (6.03)

The Panasonic HDC-HS300 is an average size for a high-end consumer camcorder, especially one that records to an internal hard drive. Obviously, it is a good deal larger than the lower-end Panasonic HDC-SD20, but it is also over 100g heavier than its sister model, the HDC-TM300. The HDC-TM300 records to 32GB of internal flash memory instead of a bulky hard drive, which should illustrate how much room those internal drives must take up. Nevertheless, having 120GB of storage space on your camcorder may actually increase its portability in the long run. There's no need to pack extra memory cards or constantly back-up your footage (although it is still recommended that you should back-up often).

The HDC-HS300 is not pocket-sized by any means, but it will fit easily into a small camera bag or large purse. In comparison, both the Canon HF S100 and Sony HDR-XR520V are roughly the same size (give or take a few millimetres), although the Sony is a good deal heavier because of its huge internal hard drive. If you're looking for high-end performance from a smaller camcorder, check you the Sanyo VPC-HD2000, which weighs a mere 311 grams and has an upright, pistol-grip design.

Battery Life (5.1)

The Panasonic HDC-HS300's provided battery lasted 102 minutes and 19 seconds in our battery test (1 hour, 42 minutes, 19 seconds). This is an average score for a high definition consumer camcorder. It is slightly better than the battery performance we got out of the Sony HDR-XR520V and Canon HF S100, but it is nothing too significant. All the camcorders in this set, other than the Sanyo VPC-HD2000, have open battery compartments. This means you can purchase larger, longer-lasting batteries if you want to. (More on how we test battery life.)

Battery Life Comparisons

The HDC-HS300, along with numerous other models from Panasonic, has an irritating design for its DC input. The input is located inside the battery compartment, which means you have to remove the battery in order to connect the camcorder to a power source. This design forces you to turn the camcorder off whenever you want to switch from battery to DC power—effectively forcing you to cease recording for a few moments. This flaw may not be an issue for some users, but if you're planning to film a long play or sporting event, you will definitely run into this problem as your battery gets low.

The DC-input is located inside the battery compartment.

LCD & Viewfinder (9.0)

The Panasonic HDC-HS300 has both an LCD and a 0.44-inch electronic viewfinder. Most people will likely use the LCD for their filming needs, but the presence of a viewfinder is good to see on a consumer camcorder. While Sony also includes an electronic viewfinder on the HDR-XR520V, Canon does not offer one on the HF S100.

The 2.7-inch touch-screen LCD

There are a number of brightness settings for the LCD screen. Power LCD (accessible in the Q.Menu or set-up menu) allows you to choose from Auto, +2, +1, 0, or -1. You can also manually set the LCD brightness in the camcorders menu (with 11 increments). There is also a colour adjustment feature that allows you to tune the colour settings of the LCD screen. Making adjustments to the LCD colour or brightness will not change your recorded image.

it is good to see a viewfinder on the HDC-HS300 and it is definitely something you'll be grateful to have on a bright, sunny day. The viewfinder does not have the best design—it is surrounded in hard plastic that is not very comfortable and it cannot pivot—but it does extend and offers a small dial for adjusting the dioptre. The viewfinder brightness can be set to any whole number on a scale from -16 to +16. If you're relying entirely on the viewfinder for image adjustments, the same warning applies: remember that a viewfinder adjustment will change the way your footage appears during recording, but it will not impact the final recorded footage. The viewfinder has an image resolution of 183,000 pixels.

The electronic viewfinder can extend.

Many people may prefer using the touch screen to make image adjustments. (Many controls are not available using the viewfinder.) Just remember that touch screen navigation tends to collect greasy fingerprints on an LCD. Using your fingernail or the included stylus will help reduce smudges. There is also an option to turn OSD data on and off. This will reduce the clutter on the small LCD, though it will hide your remaining recording time and battery life.

Menus (4.0)

The menus on the Panasonic HDC-HS300 are simple to work with, although there are quite a few options to sift through. Settings are located in three places—the function menu, the record menu, and the set-up menu. The function menu is accessed by pressing the F icon in the lower left corner of the LCD screen. It brings up important manual controls, like white balance, shutter speed, and aperture adjustment. In auto mode, the function menu only offers various scene menus and one-touch iA functions. It is a bit difficult to use the function menu, considering the icons have no labels. This means you have to have experience with the camcorder in order to know what option you are selecting from the function menu.

The Function menu in video mode		The Function menu in still mode

Pressing the menu button on the LCD panel brings up the camcorders main menu system. Here, you find the Record Menu, Picture Menu, Media Select Menu, and the set-up Menu. The Record Menu houses many important controls, essentially everything you would need to access to manipulate your video image and control the camcorders recording settings. The menu gets a bit long (there are 7 pages of settings), but options are easy to read and the system is simple to navigate. The Record menu can be accessed in both video and still image mode. In still mode, the menu has far fewer options, as only the controls that work with still photos are available (things like scene modes, guide lines, tele macro, etc.). We found this system a bit confusing and we would have liked to see these options moved over to the Picture Menu when in still mode.

The Picture Menu holds controls that work with still images. The menu is far smaller than the record menu (only three pages in length) and it is accessible in both video mode and still image mode. The Media Select menu simply allows you to switch between internal hard drive and SD/SDHC memory card recording.

The Record Menu		The Picture Menu

The third menu is the set-up menu, which comes with the clock settings, LCD adjustments, media options, etc. At least there aren't a lot of surprises here. Everything you would expect to find here is here, including options to display the menus in English, French, or Spanish

The Setup Menu

On the LCD screen there is also a button for opening the Q.Menu (Quick Menu). When the button is pressed, a row of icons appears at the top of the LCD screen. Each icon represents a setting or control that can quickly be adjusted by selecting the particular icon. While this is a great idea and it gives easy access to important settings, the icons can be very confusing to understand. You need to have a good deal of experience with the camcorder before the Q.Menu is truly quick. Otherwise, you'll want to use the Info button, which slows down the interface quite a bit.

The Quick Menu in video mode		The Quick Menu in still mode

The Setup Menu