Panasonic HDC-HS300 HDD HD Camcorder (Black)

My Camcorder worked great until it broke after 7 1/2 months of light use. I then sent it to be repaired and I am still waiting for it to be returned after 2 1/2 months, which will be after the warranty expires. When I called their repair facility in San Carlos, CA,I was given short status reports after phoning and when I sent emails they never replied. In frustration I contacted Panasonic and they gave me the exchange facilities phone number to call, but they never returned my calls. I still have no idea when or if I will see my camcorder, or if it does arrive how long it will work. My trust in them has diminished, leaving me wishing I had purchased a different brand of camcorder.

I bought this camera as the best in 2009 according to VideoMaker Magazine. It is truly high definition when you are near the subject, but if you are far away and use the digital zoom the image get pixeled.Very difficult to use the HDWriter Program that comes with it.

This is my trusty buddy that I shoot everything with. It's so easy to use!However, it has so many settings on it that it confused me when I first started using it. The videos are heavily compressed, so if you're filming in a dark room, you'd better hit the iA (intellegent auto) button and let the camera make it's determination as to what the best setting is.I love the fact that I can take over manual focus and make the background blurry and the subject clear and it also has a grid helper, so that I can shoot using the Rule of Thirds more easily.I didn't like the fact that it doesn't have a firewire port. Actually, that's a huge inconvenience that I was not expecting. It may be because I (unexpectedly to me) received the Japanese version of this camera. It has some strange port that they don't use here in America.I've used this camera along with my Canon T2i to take nice scenes. Using Adobe Premiere Pro, I was able to color match the footage to/with the phenomenal T2i and just get amazing footage. The footage straight out of the camera is far too dull.I've added a UV filter and a lens hood and the footage is much better, but still no where near a digital SLR. That being said, it's far easier to use.I hated this camera when I first got it, but that was my own fault for not reading the manual like I usually do. Now I love my little buddy! READ THE ENTIRE MANUAL!Please note: If you try recording straight out of the box in a low light situation, you're footage will look like it was shot with a cell phone! However, with the right setting you'll get good results. Add a good video light and you'll have no problems.You may also want to purchase an extended battery. I got two batteries, plus a charger on amazon for some ridiculously low price. Maybe $30. I can shoot for six hours plus now.

OK, So I have used this camcorder for about 1 week. I think the outdoor shots taken with this camcorder are top notch and look fantastic. I play them back via my PS3 using the USB port and a SD card adapter on my 46" Mitsubishi LCD TV. I also converted the videos to Apple TV format and they still look great. The indoor shooting seems to be best when you switch to manual. I would say these videos are good but not great. I had a Sony TRV38 before and that camcorder was worse indoors than the HS300. Keep in mind that I'm comparing the outdoor shots to indoor ones and all camcorder will be better outside. I will also say that they are still better as far as clarity and color than my old DVC camcorder. I will update this review once I have some more footage shot. The transfer from hard drive to SD card works well. I converted a 30 minute Christmas morning video on my MAC in less than 20 minutes using the SD card to transfer. So far I'm pretty please with using Imovie 09 to work with the files. Even though I have not used it very long I would have no problem recommending it to a friend,

I had 20+ years of experience working in the electronics field. I worked for Circuit City and The Good Guys! audio/video stores. When I wanted a new camcorder, I wanted one powerful enough to fulfill my demanding needs, but easy enough for my inexperienced wife to use. We went to Crater Lake and both used this camera to take both videos and still shots. This camera is one of the very best I have seen.

Es tal y como se anuncia. Buena grabación de calidad, cumple con las especificaciones. Muy útil para mi trabajo de abogado.