For a smallish standard DVD camcorder with optical image stabilization, the D230 isn't very pricey, but neither is its video quality especially attractive. In fact, what you'll get from it is the same run-of-the-mill image quality of all 1/6-inch sensor camcorders, marred by the strong compression. Not to mention that DVDs give you short recording times and require long pauses for finalizing each disc. But if shiny circular objects are your thing, the $400 price on this model is bearable, and it does come with Panasonic's stellar manual controls. Compare it to Panasonic's high-end consumer MiniDv camcorder, the identically priced GS320, and the three 1/6-inch sensors of the more traditional model crush its performance.



One 1/6-inch 680,000 pixel, native 16:9 CCD sensor outputs standard definition interlaced video. Image quality under good light conditions is perfectly average, lacking real-world resolution and suffering from a bit of noise under any light conditions. Low light performance is not much of a 'performance', but that is the case with all camcorders that are built around a small sensor.



MPEG 2 compression at 10Mbps causes some visible image artifacts. This is over twice the compression of standard MiniDv, and it shows. The supported 8 cm DVD formats (DVD-RAM, DVD-RW, DVD-R DL, DVD-R) will hold just 18 minutes of video at 10Mbps.



Panasonic's consumer camcorders don't have lenses with a true wide-angle on the short end, and this model is no exception. The 35mm-equivalent field of view of this 32x zoom lens is 43.9 - 1405mm mm. Its maximum aperture range is f1.8 to f3.7. The D310 comes with a very good optical image stabilizer that is one of its few real perks. The 2.7-inch widescreen LCD has a 123,000 pixel resolution, but the “Power LCD” feature that Panasonic has gotten us used to is nowhere to be found. The 0.33-inch viewfinder has a 113,000 pixel resolution, but I don't see consumers getting very excited about this one.



The FullAuto mode is quick and smooth, with immediate but delicate transitions in exposure and white balance. For the manual controls, Panasonic does the only thing it knows how to – the red carpet is rolled out and a real show is put on. There are independent settings for shutter speed (1/60 to 1/8000), aperture (F1.8 to F16), white balance, gain and focus; but nowhere in sight is the very basic (and very popular with every other manufacturer) exposure shift setting that beginners will require.



In other features, 'Magic Pix' improves low-light performance by greatly reducing shutter speed, only to prove unusable due to its tendency to produce heavy blurs on any movement. 'Soft Skin' applies a very slight blur to areas the camcorder detects as being human skin, and 'Backlight Compensation' adjusts the exposure for backlit scenes. A cold accessory shoe can hold an external video light.



Photos can be recorded at a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels, which will be appreciated only by those jumping through time from 1993.



The D230's zoom microphone records stereo audio, and focuses on sounds coming from the front of the camcorder, modifying the audio levels in accordance with the visual zoom. No microphone or headphone jacks are included. A noise reduction function rounds out the audio features.



The ports provided on this camcorder are USB 2.0, S-video out, and AV out.