Sony DCR-DVD105 DVD Handycam Camcorder with 20x Optical Zoom

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Product Details

• Item Weight: 5 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000E0G00K
• Item model number: DCR-DVD105
• Average Customer Review: 3.2 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (35 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #4,549 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 3, 2006

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Enjoy up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution with the Advanced HAD CCD on the DCR-DVD205 Handycam camcorder. You'll enjoy crisp and clear monitoring and playback on the 2.5-inch-wide touch-screen LCD display. And you'll enjoy versatility in your home movies with Super NightShot Plus infrared for low-light shooting and plenty of scene and Picture Effect modes for extra creativity.

1/6-Inch Advanced HAD CCD Imager, 680K Pixels Gross
1/6-inch Advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD with 340K (effective) pixels provides stunning detail and clarity with exceptional video (up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution) and still image performance.

20x Optical/800x Digital Zoom
The optical zoom helps to bring the action close up from far away. In addition the Digital Zoom Interpolation means that extreme digital zooming is clearer, with less distortion than previous types of digital zooms.

Professional Quality Carl Zeiss Vario- Tessar Lens
Carl Zeiss lenses have an advanced optical multi-layer coating that offers less glare and flare with increased contrast. This results in vivid image brilliance, true-to-life color saturation and perfect renditions of subtle tones.

DVD Format Video Recording
The DVD recording format delivers digital picture and sound quality comparable to that of MiniDV, but on DVD. Playback of the DVDs couldn't be simpler. After finalizing the disc in the camcorder, the disc can play back in most DVD Players, computers and even PlayStation 2 video game consoles.

DVD-R/RW and +RW Compatible
The DCR-DVD105 is compatible with a variety of DVD formats allowing the easy of use and simplicity found in DVD Media. With DVD+RW media there is not a need to finalize the disc (minimum recording required). Simply remove the disc and insert the media into a compatible DVD Player.

2.5-Inch Touch Panel SwivelScreen LCD Display (123K Pixels)
Provides excellent viewing clarity with improved resolution. The high resolution 123K pixel LCD screen rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles providing sharp, detailed images for monitoring or playback.

SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System
Picture stabilization system that uses motion sensors to detect and compensate for camera "shake" without compromising picture quality like some other digital stabilization systems.

InfoLithium Battery with AccuPower Meter System
Charge the battery at anytime because unlike NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) batteries, Sony's rechargeable Lithium Ion batteries are not subject to a life shortening "memory effect". Sony's exclusive AccuPower meter displays the battery time remaining in minutes, in either the viewfinder or on the LCD screen.

Manual Focus
Allows the user to manually adjust the focus of the camcorder using the touch panel. Manual focusing also allows the user to control the focus in difficult situations where either the environment or the subject does not allow the camcorder's auto focus to perform optimally, such as when shooting through a window or in a crowded environment.

Super NightShot Plus Infrared System
With Sony's Super NightShot Infrared System you can capture natural looking video, even when shooting in low light. Record subjects up to 20 feet away using the built-in infrared system, but without the overall monochrome color common with earlier low-light recording systems.

Stamina Battery Power Management System
Using the optional NP-FP90 InfoLithium Battery, the DCR-DVD105 can continuously record for up to 8 hours on a single full charge, providing extra long battery life.

Picture Effects
Get creative when recording or playing back your videos with Sony's Picture Effect Modes. Effects available in Camera mode: Monotone, Mosaic, Pastel and Sepia. Effects available in Playback mode: Monotone, Mosaic, Pastel and Sepia.

Fader Effects
Enhance your personal videos by adding professional looking fader effects. Choose from Black, Overlap, White and Wipe.

Program AE (Auto Exposure) Modes
Program AE modes make recording easy even when filming in challenging situations. Choose from Beach and Ski, Landscape, Portrait, Spotlight, Sports Lesson, and Sunset and Moon.

Battery Information
At the touch of a button, battery information is displayed on the LCD screen when charging and when the camcorder is turned off. The display will show how much the battery is charged, in 10% increments and the recordable time left when using the LCD screen or in the viewfinder.

Additional Features

• Easy Handycam button
• Fader effects

What's in the Box
Sony DCR-DVD105 DVD Handycam camcorder, power adapter/in-camera charger (ACL25), InfoLithium rechargeable battery (NPFP50), stereo AV cable, lens cap, Nero Express 6 (3-inch media conversion only), LCD cleaning cloth

Product Description

Simple digital video and still image recording is here with the DCR-DVD105 DVD Handycam camcorder. It's simple because Sony has created a camcorder with easy-to-use features, and you can record directly onto DVD. Features such as Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization compensates for camera "shake" and makes it easy to record smoother video. It's also easy to capture distant objects with 20X optical zoom and 800X digital zoom.Though easy-to-use, the DCR-DVD105 is fully capable of capturing difficult shots. With Super NightShot Plus infrared system, you can record even in low light situations. The 2.5" LCD screen provides image clarity and easily rotates to give you the best possible viewing angle. The DCR-DVD105 also comes with additional LCD touch screen controls for extra convenience. Could digital video and digital still image recording be any easier?

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

209 of 213 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Good camcorder if you are not serious about editing your footage, August 4, 2006

By	Ganesh Kumar Eswaran "Ganesh Kumar" (Bangalore, India) - See all my reviews

This camcorder does capture good shots. But the main drawback is that it records to DVD. Initially its nice and easy to capture video and watch it on DVD instantly. It gives you instant gratification. But after capturing 4 or 5 hours of video, you will notice that your videos aren't so great as you expect it to be. Its not the fault with your camcorder. Its because all of us shoot extra footage, unwanted scenes, shakes, etc which we want to edit. You may want to add a title or two, add transitions, add backgroud music, combine your photos with the video, etc. Basically you may want to edit your footage. Its here when you find the major drawback of this camcorder. The DVD that you used to capture is non-editable. Therefore you need to download it to your computer and use a program like Pinnacle 9.0 to edit it. But the original picture quality is so bad that you won't have sufficient bandwidth to edit the video. As you know, DVD videos are compressed in MPEG2 format. This is a lossy compression that is good enough to watch the video on TV but not good enough to edit. When you edit these videos, add some transitions or special effects, increase/decrease brigthness or noise, etc, the newly edited video loses further clarity and thus makes your video look ugly and pixelated.

In summary please don't buy this camcorder if you are serious about your videos and would like to edit them. But if you are not bothered about editing and want to watch your "RAW" unedited footage forever, then go for it.

That said, if you still think you want to go for this camcorder, please read the review on its other features:
1. Super NightShot Infrared System: Not a useful feature. Its amazining to initially see how this camcorder is able to "see" using infrared light. But the moment you shoot your wife or kid using infrared light, you never want to shoot again as they will appear like devils when shot using this infrared light. Remember infrared footage appears in black-and-white and not color. And the subject's eyes really look like devil.

2. 2.7-inch wide SwivelScreen LCD display with touch panel capabilities: Good feature if you always want to shoot in widescreen. In fact I would suggest you to shoot in widescreen only as all future TVs and current LCD/Plasma TVs are widescreen. You can future proof your video by shooting widescreen

3. Digital still photos: Please don't rely on this feature. The best photos from this camcorder as as good as the worst photos from any popular digital camera. Technology has still not matured to the point where a camcorder can shoot as good as a digital camera and vice versa.

4. 20x optical/120x digital zoom: Optical zoom is very good. You can handle upto 10X optical zoom without a tripod. Any more zoom requires the use of a tripod. I was able to zoom in and read a car tag from the top of Sears tower, Chicago. I love the zoom feature in this camcorder. Don't use the digital zoom feature. Turn it off. As mentioned above, MPEG2 compression already makes the video bad in quality. The digital zoom further makes it worst.

5. Progressive shutter system: Sony tries to mislead you into thinking that the camcorder is progressive. Not its not. Video is still interlaced only. Only digital photos are progressive which obviously they must be. Its no big deal. Forget about this feature.

6. Professional-quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar T* lens: Yes its good. The image quality is truly great till it gets compressed into MPEG2 format for storing onto DVD.

7. Super SteadyShot picture stabilization system: Good enough to avoid small vibrations caused when going on a ship for example. But not good enough for the shakes encountered when walking with the camcorder. Don't expect to get great footage in such conditions. For great footage, you must still rely on a steady hand or a tripod.

8. Dolby Digital 5.1-channel recording: Not a big deal. If you have a 5.1 home theatre, you may get some good results. But if you are watching your video on ordinary TV, you will actually lose some audio as your DVD player downsizes the 5.1 audio into 2 channel audio. All professional Hollywood DVDs actually have at least two seperate audio information. One for 5.1 systems and one for ordinary stereo. The DVD produced by this camcorder has only one track for 5.1. So if you watch on an ordinary Tv, you may lose some audio information. I would suggest not to rely on this feature and instead shoot in stereo only as its more than enough for everyday regular home videos.

9. On-screen zoom and record buttons: Not an useful feature. The camcorder tends to shake more when you use these zoom buttons on the LCD because the LCD is always projecting outside when shooting video. Hence you shake the camcorder more when you touch the LCD than when you touch the camcorder's body.

10. USB 2.0 interface: NOt a useful feature. Its easier to remove the DVD and place it on your DVD ROM drive on your computer, than to connect the camcorder using USB cables. The USB interface is useful if you want to burn DVDs using the camcorder's DVD burning feature. But remember, this camcorder can burn only miniature sized DVDs and not the regular DVDs. Moreover its cheaper and more convenient to use the computer's internal DVD writer or external DVD writer than to use this camcorder as a DVD burner. You don't want to decrease the life of the camcorder's DVD writer as the camcorder is far expensive than an ordinary DVD burner.

11. One-touch wide-angle shooting: Useless feature. You tend to always shoot in wideangle or letterbox. Who would want to switch constantly between these modes? Also as suggested earlier, better to shoot in wideangle only and future proof your videos.

12. Picture Package software: Very useless software. The free Picasa software from Google is far better in organizning your videos and pictures than the software that comes with this camera. Forget about this software.

13. DVD-R/RW and +RW Compatible: The camcorder is somewhat slow and non-responsive when you use DVDRW. This may be because DVDRW always have slower burn speeds compared to DVDR. So this is not a very useful feature unless you are planning to shoot still photos only. The slow speed problem occurs when shooting video only.

14. Active interface shoe: You can use this to connect external flash or mic. Not a very useful feature as any external device spoils the compactness of this camera.

15. InfoLithium battery with AccuPower meter system: Great battery life. I could shoot for upto 1 hour 20 minutes with one battery. Remember we always don't shoot continously in everyday life. We turn the camcorder on and off repeatedly when shooting. This battery last for 1 hour 20 minutes during normal shooting as explained above. If you shoot continously you may get longer battery life.

Overall summary. Buy this camcorder only if you are not serious about editing the videos. Its a good buy for point-and-shoot-and-view viewing pleasure.

174 of 181 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Great camera IF you have no interest in editing your videos..., April 19, 2006

By	al dojer (ny) - See all my reviews

This camera is a lot of fun to use, it has Great quality (low-end professional), lots of features (widescreen mode, black & white, faders etc), it was very easy to use especially with the touchscreen lcd. I did find one big issue with the functioning of this camera, when you play back the video you can actually hear the sound of the dvd spinning in the camera, pretty hard to overlook or try to tune out.

Then, after hours of toying around with this camera I became extremely disappointed. Editing with this camera is virtually impossible. The software that it comes with (nero 6) only allows you to burn the small dvd onto a regular dvd. In order to attempt to edit I had to burn the small dvd onto a cd as data, then I had to open the cd folder and drag the contents to the desktop, then I had to download a converter to change the formats from vob to mpeg and then the converted file wouldn't even drag onto the desktop. After hours of all the complicated nonsense I have decided to return this camera and purchase the Sony DCR-HC46 mini dv camcorder. This one has the same if not better quality as the dvd105, but will be better for editing, then if I ever want the film on dvd i can just burn it onto a regular sized dvd since i'll actually be able to get the videos on the computer with this one.

But of course if you are a point > shoot > play sort of person this camera will be great for you.

41 of 41 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Excellent Reviews of the Product, November 21, 2006

By	Edward Lee "ncc1205" - See all my reviews (TOP 1000 REVIEWER)

I have to say that I've been tremendously impressed with the reviews of (especially) this product after owning it for a brief period just to check the Sony DCR-DVD105 Handycam myself: it's a great "first" camcorder for the novices -- especially if you're not looking for crystal clear high quality images -- but that's saying about all you can. The features -- the 20x Optical Zoom, onscreen programming, etc. -- are all terrific, and, at a glance with a reasonably informed sales associate -- you might think you're getting a camera that'll make you the next Steven Spielberg, but, truth be told, you won't even end up as a Russ Myer (sp?). The images are less than one megapixel, and they're strained and grainy. While the photos burned to the MiniDVD are Windows compatible, the video isn't, and I had tremendous difficult getting the Nero software to keep my Windows XP from crashing (according to Nero, this was due to other software I had installed but not running on Windows). The camcorder has no ability to interface with a computer, so viewing your video footage is only possible through one burned movie OR hooking a DVD player up to your TV card via computer in order to capture the video a second time, at which point you can do some modest editing.

Don't get me wrong: the 105 is a great camera for beginnings OR for folks who are looking to get their feet wet through experimenting and planning to upgrade at some point in the near future. Sony makes some great products, and, after a week of trial use, I immediately went out and exchanged the 105 on the vastly superior DCR-DVD405, which is a truly awesome camera. I just felt it highly relevant to post a quick review here stating that most of the folks who've contributed to these Amazon reviews TRULY are helpful and know what they're talking about, especially from a consumer perspective. Had I spent more time researching my initial decision here, I probably would've went for the Sony 405 right away, but, dollars to doughnuts, the 105 is a nice first camera.