What do you want from a camcorder? If simplicity and the single-mindedness of just needing it to capture movies to DVDs you may be disappointed in the ever-growing line of cameras that do everything from recording video to playing back your favorite music.

But never fear, because the folks at Panasonic have heard your sighs and moans and have come out with a low-end camcorder that just takes video. No built-in digital camera. No built-in MP3 player. Just video!

The Panasonic VDR D100 camcorder ($499.99) is definitely not for the gadget geek, but it is for those that are easily confused by a gaggle of buttons and controls that allow higher-end camcorders to do everything except cook dinner.

The VDR D100 records directly to three-inch DVDs, giving from 30 to 75 minutes of video on each disk, depending on what type of media you use.

The recording process is also fairly simple: Hit the record button once and it begins capturing video; hit it again and it pauses. There are no other buttons to confuse you.

You can also set use the camera in autofocus mode or use the manual focus, which I prefer.

That's it. There's nothing else to push bang or cajole.

Now, don't expect the video quality you get with the ultra-high-priced spread, especially in low light. Obviously Panasonic had to cut corners somewhere to deliver a low-cost direct-to-DVD camcorder to consumers. But, truthfully, most people won't be able to tell the difference.

Other features include:

• A 30x optical and 1000x digital zoom lens.
• A color viewfinder that is activated when you close the camcorder's LCD display.
• A 2.5-inch LCD display.
• A high-speed USB 2.0 interface.
• It can record directly to three-inch DVD-R, DVD-RW and DVD-RAM discs.
• A joystick control for easy, one-finger navigation through saved videos or menus.
• A built-in microphone (but no connection for an external mic).
• AV connections to hook it up to a computer or TV.
• A delete button that allows you to remove unwanted videos from the disc while it's still in the camera.

If you want a built-in video light, the ability to take still images and save them to SD cards, you may want to take a look at the VDR D-200 ($599.95). This camcorder also comes with a packet of software, which is not included with the VDR D-100.

For more information, check out Panasonic's Web site at www.Panasonic.com.

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