a 2nd look at the PAL MX350
 

What's better? The MX300 or the MX350? Perhaps it depends on which shade of silver you like better and perhaps body style. The MX300 has a muscular body. Some people like this. The MX350 looks pokerish, and some people like that. To some, the MX300 says "I mean business." Do you think that, cosmetically, the MX350 looks too similar with the other Panasonic MX 1-chip models? Maybe this is a good thing. The MX350 is certainly better featured and the bigger and brighter LCD Panel is a blessing. MX350 still resolution is up compared with the MX300, and that's a good thing too. The flash is a welcome addition also, as is this flash's range adjustment. Would you say the MX350 loses it's identity compared to the individual brute looking MX300? I think the MX350's low & long poker-like profile may not be as well accepted by some shooters, but for me, poker-styled cams are just dandy---even though the "professional" looking DX100 came after the professional looking DX1/EZ1 models. Does the MX350 lens have the same width as the MX300 lens? MX300 & MX350 viewing angles: the MX300 is definitely wider than the MX350, however the MX300 has obvious E/W pincushion or barrel effect where as the MX350 doesn't.

YES! YES! 1/4' CCDs!' (3 of them)

MX350 Specifications

Power Source: DC 7.9/7.2 V
Power Consumption: Recording
4.7 W (When using Viewfinder)
5.6 W (When using LCD Monitor)
Recording Format: Mini DV (Consumer-use Digital Video SD Format)
Tape Used: 6.35 mm digital video tape
Recording/Playback Time: SP: 80 min.; LP: 120 min. (with DVM80)

Video
Recording System: Digital Component
Television System: CCIR: 625 lines, 50 fields PAL colour
signal
Audio
Recording System: PCM Digital Recording
16 bit (48 kHz/2ch),
12 bit (32 kHz/4ch)
Image Sensor: 1/4-inch 3CCD Image Sensor
(Effective Pixels: 360 K k 3,
Total: 570 K k 3)
Lens: Auto Iris, F1.6, Focal Length;
3.55-42.6 mm,
Macro (Full Range AF)
Filter Diameter: 43 mm
Zoom: 12:1 Power Zoom
Monitor: 3.5-inch LCD
Viewfinder: Colour Electronic Viewfinder
Microphone: Stereo
Speaker: 1 round speaker ? 20 mm
Standard Illumination: 1,400 lx
Minimum Required
Illumination: 8 lx (Low Light Mode)
Video Output Level: 1.0 Vp-p, 75 ohm
S-Video Output Level: Y Output: 1.0 Vp-p, 75 ohm
C Output: 0.3 Vp-p, 75 ohm
Audio Output Level (Line): 316 mV, 600 ohm
Video Input Level: 1.0 Vp-p, 75 ohm
S-Video Input Level: Y Input: 1.0 Vp-p, 75 ohm
C Input: 0.3 Vp-p, 75 ohm
Audio Input Level (Line): 316 mV, 10 kohm or more
Mic Input: Mic sensitivity -50 dB (0 dB = 1 V/Pa, 1 kHz) - Stereo mini jack
Digital Still Picture: Digital Still Picture Output, Control
Signal Input/Output
(Transfer rate: max. 115 kbps)
USB/Mini-SystemE: Card reader/writer function, USB 1.1 compliant (max. 12 Mbps)
No copyright protection support / Mini-System editing terminal
Digital Interface: DV Input/Output Terminal (IEEE1394, 4-pin)
Dimensions: Approx. 72 (W)k 94 (H)k 219 (D) mm
Weight: Approx. 720 g (without Battery and DV cassette)
Approx. 780 g (with VSB0419 and DVM60)
Operating Temperature: 0C - 40C
Operating Humidity: 10% - 80%
Card Memory Functions
Recording Media: MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
Image Compression: JPEG
Video Compression: MPEG4
Still Image Size: Mega-Pixel Recording;
1568k1152 (1.81 million pixels)
VGA Recording; 640k480
Sound Compression: G.726
AC Adaptor Information for your safety
Power Source: AC 100-240 V, 50/60 Hz
Power Consumption: 35 W
DC Output: DC 7.9 V, 9 W (Movie Camera Operation)
DC 8.4 V, 2.4 A (Battery Charging)
Dimensions: 76 (W)k 52 (H)k 101 (D) mm
Weight: Approx. 230 g
Weight and dimensions are approximate values.

Specifications may change without prior notice. :-)

if only the mx500 had this CCD size....

it makes a HELL of a difference.. :(

Ahh.. Frank fishing for my reply.

I like my MX350. And I tested the MX350 next to Steven Khong's MX300, the wide angle is the same coverage! But the stupid MX350 lens is offset to one side, so filters with a center doesn't work. The MX300 is also offset to one side, but not as much as the MX350.

Oh, for guys with large hands, the MX300 is more comfortble. For tiny hands like mine, the MX350 is welcomed!

I agree about the small/large hands thing. For me, the MX300 is a bit difficult to hold; small hands but hard knuckles. :-)

Wasn't fishing, just bored, and wanted to post something. I meant the physical size of the front lens element, though I believe we were there before at dv.com.

MX300 verses MX350: http://www.mycen.com.my/inbox/mx2.html