The Panasonic PV-GS300 is a rather compact camcorder, even with blank cassette recording media. It fits nicely in your hand and has 
a primarily silver body made mostly of metal with exception to the plastic door covering the tape mechanism. The camcorder weighs 18.4 ounces with tape, battery and SD memory card in place. A very easily adjusted Velcro wrist strap places your hand in good position to reach the main controls such as the wide/tele zoom switch. I prefer horizontal configuration camcorders like the PV-GS300 compared to the upright shape of models like the Canon HV10 but that’s my taste—you should definitely do a hands-on of this camcorder or any other you’re considering.
The front is dominated by a 10x Leica Dicomar zoom lens with a built-in lens cover. The ring surrounding the lens can be removed to add accessory lenses. You’ll also find a flash, stereo mic and a sensor for white balance and the supplied remote. The top features a cold accessory shoe for optional mics, a tape eject button, the wide/tele zoom toggle, a dedicated button for taking 3-megapixel stills (2048 x 1512 pixels) and the main on/off power switch.
On the left side is the swing-out 2.7-inch LCD monitor with a widescreen aspect ratio. Although rated 123K pixels, it’s decent with a nice range of adjustments for contrast and brightness. Unfortunately you have to access it through a convoluted menu system; more on this in a bit. When you open the screen, there are just two buttons on the camcorder body: one to change between full auto and manual settings as well as one to boost the LCD brightness one level. There are also USB and DV outputs. The right side has a small speaker and a compartment hiding the A/V out and mic in jacks. Panasonic is one of the few companies that offer mic jacks for folks who want to use an optional improved microphone. It’s a nice feature but it’s the rare person who actually uses it. Panasonic PV-GS300 Review - Full Review - Camcorders - Mini DV - I4U Reviews provided by Digital Trends