Panasonic NV MX300

Richard Price
27 February 2001

Panasonic claims their NV-MX300 is the world's smallest 3CCD digital video camera. It quite possibly is, but my hands have been the same size for years and I found it tiresome attacking those little buttons.

That said and done, the MX300 is a powerful camera that would make professionals envious. The Leica lens and three CCD chips help produce striking images regardless of whether or not you are Steven Spielberg.

The MX300 can also be used as a digital still camera. Using SD Memory Cards images are captured at 1.8 megapixels. While this is nothing like the 3.3 megapixel quality of dedicated digital still cameras, it is more than adequate. Panasonic has also included some technical wizardry to enhance image quality and ensure photo-quality prints.

Images recorded onto the Memory card are transferred to PC using the small USB Reader/Writer included with the MX300. Once the software is installed it shows up in Windows Explorer as a removable drive and the drag and drop principle applies.

A 16MB card is included with the camera and 64MB cards are available for around AU$329 each.

As a video camera the MX300 is remarkably quick and intuitive to use. Turn it on and by the time you have the image in the colour viewfinder you are ready to shoot.

The MX300 comes equipped with Panasonic's Optical Image Stabiliser System. This intelligent use of a few gyros and lens position detectors automatically compensates for unwanted camera shake. Having hooned around Sydney harbour on a seaplane and high-speed motor boat, I can honestly say, it works.

The MX300 is no slouch with sound either and comes with two recording modes and Panasonic's 4-capsule stereo system, which uses 4 omnidirectional ECMs - electric condenser microphones.

A special feature that intrigued me is that the MX-300 provides three different sound recording modes that can be selected depending on the situation. "Zoom" automatically adjusts the microphone according to the zoom lens; "tele" picks up distant sounds and "wide" records in stereo.

Background music or narration can be added without affecting previously recorded sound and the Wind Cut Filter function works well.

Like most digital cameras the MX-300 comes with FireWire support. The manual however, was a little short on information. There was only a brief explanation about copying between two digital cameras and no cable was included in the package.

I wasn't going to let that stop me. I plugged in an IEEE 1394 (FireWire) cable and connected it to the port on my Windows PC. I use a Maxtor 1394 PCI Adapter Card. Despite the fact the test PC had no known FireWire drivers installed, Windows ME instantly recognised the camera and Windows MovieMaker (all that I had) transferred the footage onto a hard drive. Well done Microsoft!

I was surprised how difficult it was to get my hands on a FireWire cable. PC shops I went to either had none in stock, or only sold them bundled with a card. So if iLink/IEEE/FireWire doesn't take off you know why, and remember who told you first!

I eventually bought one from a Mac shop for AU$35. Well done Apple!

The MX300 has five digital effects --- wipe, mix, strobe, gain-up and monotone --- for creating special effects while filming. I found it difficult to use them while concentrating on framing the shot. It seems more sensible to add special effects afterwards during the editing process.

In these days of digital editing, I would be happier to see less of those finicky little buttons and better editing software included in the package.

Price AU$5499
www.panasonic.com.au

By Richard Price, Editor, EnergyME.com

For information on getting a product reviewed email richard@energyme.com