I have found the Discs VERY difficult to come by, so I am happy that I bought 2 3-packs when I picked the camcorder up. That would be my ONLY complaint - that SONY was not prepared with having more discs available. The official SONY website is also out of stock.

I very happy owner!
George

This camcorder is the best. Easy to use, I was filming about 10 minutes after I got it out of the box. The still photo capability is terrible, do not even use it. This is a camcorder, not a camera.

I made a one hour film on LP, after finalizing it I stuck it right on the DVD player (3 years old, mind you) and it played. The picture quality is great, even on LP mode.

The only one complaint I have is that my computer will not recognize the camera, I have tried everything. The only way for me to view or edit, you HAVE to use the "Image Mixer" software that comes with it, and by the way it is terrible. But once you get your images through the "POOR" software you can save them and edit them with a software of your choice. I have not done that yet, a later review will follow after I have owned the camera for a while.

Buy another battery. The battery that comes with it only lasts for 60 minutes"most",. First thing I did is bought another Lithium battery, you can get one that will run for three hours at $59.00 at the Sony Site.

Media, DVD-RW is almost impossible to find. If you happen to come across it, buy it right away or you may never have that chance again. DVD-Rs is very easy to find, but you can only record on them once and "in-camera" editing is not possible. DVD-RWs can be recorded and edited up to 1000 times. Much more worth your money.

This is a great camcorder and I would recommend it to anyone. Plus, its a SONY, and you cant go wrong with Sony.

I have done some looking around on various sites and forums and have found NO mac support. I have both a PC and a Mac and plan to use it on my PC.

When I finalized a full DVD, so that I could use it in my DVD player I was happy to see that it too 3 min to do so and played wonderfuly. The still picture quality is ok for 1 megapixel but with no flash on the camera I cannot recomend that aspect. I do have a 4.2 megapixel camera that I plan to use for still shots.

The last area of review, the editing software that comes with the camera... VERY frustrating to use!!! I am not sure if I didnt spend enough time with it or if its cheap, but I gave up on it.

The media that I use is DVD Rws and I have 3 of them (8 bucks each). They work great. I also love the large view screen.

One con, poor battery life with included battery.

I think that if your BIG into editing video, research this video camera before buying. But if you want ease of recording and high quality to be able to drop into a standard format (DVD) then I give this camera 4.5 stars.

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UPDATE: 12-22-03

After 2 weeks of recording I wanted to drop my videos onto my computer so I can edit them. I was unable to do so and called Sonys tech support. I went straight for the question "Do you have a driver update or some type of resoloution for the USB 2.0 issue with my sony handy cam"? The tech support guy was polite and said that they are working on it. I kept probing for more information about the problem, and the "Work Around" was to plug the sony camcorder into a USB 1 hub. This did fix my problem but I wanted to know when the USB 2.0 problem was going to be addressed. I was asked for my email address and they said I would be contacted when there was a fix or soloution. He did tell me that this has something to do with Chipsets on the mother board. He said that they KNOW that it works with SIS but were still working with testing others. (I have an Intel Chipset).

I also found out the following in regards to editing mpeg videos:
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(Taken from papajohn.org )
Playback/importing of MPEG2 content is completely dependant on the third party MPEG2 decoder installed on the users machine. Most do not work well. Some decoders go so far as to block decoding when used for anything other than rendering to the display (to make it harder to convert DVD content to other forms). Having DVD burning or playing software on a computer doesnt necessarily mean that the MPEG2 decoder that comes with it will work with Movie Maker 2.

MPEG2 files are common. They are used to burn SVCDs and DVDs. Some cameras record directly to this format. But there is a license fee associated with using an MPEG2 codec, so the codec is not commonly distributed. If you try to import an MPEG2 file without THE appropriate installed codec, Movie Maker will attempt to go through the process but, in the end, give you an error message like the one in the figure below. Another error message Ive seen is "...the file is empty." Sometimes itll import the clip, but then cause problems when trying to work with it in a project or render a movie from it.
*********************

I wanted to use Windows Moviemaker to edit my movies and I found that when I had Sonys software installed it will crash movie maker just after opening a movie to edit it. I also had to load Adobe Preimere to find a codec that would work correctly so I could edit the mpeg files from my camera in Movie maker.

I think that I am going to have to change my overall rating on this camera because of the difficulty of editing the videos in anything but the Pixela Cheesey software that comes with the camera. The camera that would better for editing on your pc: A camera that writes in DV format.

3.5 Stars

I use a Gateway laptop, with Winders XP Pro (SP2). I had a problem when following the instructions in the manual: everytime I loaded the drivers, ALL (and I *DO* mean *ALL*!!!) of my drivers for EVERY device (including video card, hard drive, audio card, etc) DISAPPEARED! Gone. Nadda. Zip. History!

If I tried to install the software that came with the camera, it wouldnt recognize that the camera was hooked-up. Bummer!

I called Sonys Lack-of-Techincal Support. I went through all three levels of support, ending-up with an "engineer." The second level said "Yeah, the camera wont work over USB 1.1" He then sent me to the third level (the "engineer") who told me that the second level was in error: the problem is that the camera wont work with USB 2.0 on Winders XP! Guess Sony doesnt really know which one it does or does not work with.

Said engineer had me do several more advanced things with my operating system (by the way, I teach computer programming, and been a-workin with em since 1973). Among other things, he asked me to "delete everything in your startup folder." To which I replied, "Uh, how about I move em to another folder. Ill need em back." To which he says, "Nah! Dont worry about em... you dont need em anyway!" When I pointed-out he had NO idea what was in my startup folder, he insisted I "dont need whatever is there." Of course, the software I teach for a living DOES need what it installs there, but Mr. Expert didnt know that, and didnt WANT to know!

After an hour of talking with people at Sony, the "engineer" decides its not Sonys problem: the problem must be with Gateway. Call Gateway!

My Solution:

After the "engineer" hung-up on me, he WOULD have left a normal household user in such a state that no drivers would have been loaded on every system start or reboot. So, after I returned my operating system to normal, I started looking for another solution: I didnt want to return the camera.

Winders XP recognizes the camera in either USB 1.1 or USB 2.0 as an external hard drive device... but Sonys software still wont talk to it. Even the third-level support guy told me NOT to install the drivers that come with the camera if using Winders XP... and I agree (at least, on my machine)!

I can use InterVideos DVD Copy to convert the MPEG 4 videos to MPEG 2. Then, I can use SonicFoundry Vegas Video (oddly, now owned by Sony!) to edit my videos. Im certain *you* could use any video editor of your choice (e.g. Ulead or InterVideo or whoever).

Side note: for those of you using DVD XCopy to, uh, "back-up" your commerically-made, non-rented, non-borrowed, copyrighted DVDs: installing ANYTHING from InterVideo will probably break your DVD XCopy! (InterVideo is supported my the Movie Industry people, so Im told). You have been warned. But since "backing-up" copyrighted video isnt something I do... it doesnt matter to me.

The camera is a darn nice camera. The videos are great. It beats converting VHS (or other format) conventional video to digital (you lose a lot in the process).

Buy it. Love it. Forget their technical support: youre probably "on your own."

1 - Noise and vibration: a lot has been said about this "noisy" camcorder and, in fact, the microphone captures the motor noise. But, unless you want to capture the "sound of silence", it wont bother you at all. The same about vibration: while holding the camcorder, you actually feel the DVD spinning. But again, its not an inconvenience - and this "vibration" does not interfere in any way with the DVD300 operation

2 - Menu: if you feel comfortable changing options on your cell phone or programming your VCR or TV, then you should be OK with the camcorders menu. You navigate using arrows (up, down, left, right) and a key - exactly like on your VCRs remote control. Of course, like any new electronic device, it takes a couple of days to get used and memorize the functions.

3 - DVD specifics: recording your video on DVD is totally different from recording it on a tape. A new video clip (or file) is created every time you press the record button. The DVD media allows you to select the exact scene you want to see, without having to watch the ones before it (or using fast forward). Two types of DVDs can be used with the DVD300 camcorder: DVD-R and DVD-RW. The latter can be recorded multiple times like a tape, and allows in-camera editing, while the first dont. Once RW discs are full, they have to be finalized prior to be played in another device than the camcorder; this operation takes 9 minutes. To re-use a DVD-RW it needs to be re-formatted. When finalizing or formatting, the camcorder MUST not be shaken. In some of the reviews that I read, there were some concerns about how reliable a DVD driver, a very precise piece of electronic hardware, would be after a couple of years in a portable device. Since I did not have an answer for this, I decided to play safe and bought a 3-year warranty with the camcorder - just in case...

4 - Editing: the biggest advantage that DVD camcorders have over tape ones its how easy is to edit your videos, even IN the camera, if you dont have the patience to work with an editing software. The in-camera editing, although not rocket science, demands some patience and understanding of some functions that can be easily learned. If you dont want to edit at all, thats fine; just finalize your DVD-RW (DVD-Rs dont need to be finalized, nor can be edited) and play it on your computer or DVD player (assuming it is compatible with the format, as most are). Two recording modes are offered for DVD-RWs - VIDEO and VR. The latter is the one that allows in-camera editing, but has some restrictions. For example, I wasnt able to copy a disc recorded in VR mode using the provided software. Additionally, VR mode may not be compatible with most DVD players. If you want to go one step ahead and edit your videos in your home computer using the provided software, loading a DVD to the computer is much faster than loading a tape - it takes about a minute to have all the clips (30 min) available for editing. Pixela Imagexxx, the editing software provided by Sony, is very basic and limited, but it will give you nice edited home videos. If you want to fly higher and give your videos a professional looking, look for a more sophisticated editing tool, starting at $100.

5 - Conclusion: this is a great camcorder, even for those who are not very interested in editing their videos. Being able to get a recorded DVD directly to the DVD player is a bonus, something that cannot be done with a MiniDV camcorder. The videos quality is very good, although the still pictures are not. This was actually my only disappointment with the DCR-DVD300.

Cons: It comes with just 1 hr battery. And the 3 inch DVD-R/RW are still costly.

All 3 makers have a lot in common; but I chose the Sony over the Hitachi and Panasonic for a few reasons. The Sony had better resolution available for both movie and still mode vs the Panasonic. (I doubt Ill use the still much since it is only 1 megapixel). Sony, has infrared and can do night imaging. The others dont. Panasonic and Hitachi use DVD-Ram instead of DVD-RW. My Denon DVD player will play back DVD-RW and not DVD-RAM. Check your player for compatibility. This is a big deal!! I can pop a DVD-RW directly out of my camcorder and play it in my DVD player. With DVD Ram you have to download it to your computer and then burn a copy onto DVD-R before you could play it. Finally, the Sony had a 3" display, is designed to be compatible with its other cameras in its ability to use accessories universally, felt more solid, and in my opinion has a better reputation.

The layout is similar to their digital cameras and only takes minutes to learn how to use. It has 3 recording modes DVD-R and on DVD-RW (Video and VR) mode. VR mode allows you to do basic in camera editing: (saving the still images as a movie file, erasing, rearranging,dividing) Otherwise, you edit on your computer. You can use the player to burn edited copies & dub old video cassettes. You can fade, overlap, and wipe when doing your intro and exits; quickly review images and delete the last one recorded. It has a plethora of digital effects: sepia, B&W, pastel, mosaic, luminace and old movie effects. It has auto and manual set white balance,auto and manual exposure and focus controls. The dial is a little awkward.

It has 10X optical and 120 digital zoom. Digital zoom is usually poor quality, so the fact that Hitachi and panasonic were 240x digital zoom made no difference to me.

Weak Points: Buy a larger battery. The one included doesnt have enough juice. No case included.

I paid $830 at digitalmegastore.com vs $1099 retail

The things I dont like are the media price. DVD-Rs and DVD-RWs are still quite expensive and not easy to be obtained. Sony should provide more media for free considering the price of this camera, not to talk about some other accesories such as filtering lenses, etc...

pros:
- records dolby digital stereo.
- carl zeiss lens.
- 10x optical zoom.
- video quality almost at par with miniDV camcorders (at slower recording modes).
- Super SteadyShot image stabilization system - and sonys system really helps.
- three low light shooting modes: Nightshot, Super Nightshot, and Color Slow Shutter.
- big, 3.5" LCD display.
- great connectivity options: firewire, USB 2.0, S-video, headphone, mic input, etc.
- USB 2.0 support for fast downloads.
- the convenience of DVD navigation - simply select the scene and youre there!
- supports analog-to-digital conversion.
- hot accessory shoe with lots of optional accessories.

cons:
- expensive - as with most sony products, you pay a premium, plus you pay for DVD convergence.
- average low light performance.
- no memory stick support; if you want to take a still picture, it is saved on the DVD.
- mic picks up DVD spinning noise in quiet environments.
- finalizing a DVD takes upwards of 10 minutes, and it can be a confusing process.
- dont expect much from the still images recorded, even at 1MP resolution.
- no pop-up flash for taking stills and no built in video light but you can get a flash/video combo light for less than a hundred bucks.
- no manual focus ring.
- getting video into editing software (e.g. Final Cut Pro) is harder than it should be.
- not Mac friendly.
- poor battery life with included battery so add $$ to your budget to buy a higher capacity spare.
- compared to current release camcorders, this is a pretty big one at 3.1 x 3.8 x 5.6" weighing 1 lb 9 oz.

this is a nice, solid effort by sony and i give them points for dvd convergence. however, in my opinion, the DCR-DVD300 is too big and not easy to use. its expensive for the feature set but the alternative to this dvd camcorder (a miniDV tape camcorder and DVD recorder combo) is even more expensive. i already have a dvd recorder so for me, a smaller and easier to use miniDV camcorder makes more sense. if this is your situation as well, i would recommend a panasonic gs-70 or sonys pc-105, both miniDV camcorders. otherwise, if you want a finalized DVD straight out of your camcorder, consider the DCR-DVD300.

a final note. if you have decided you want to record directly to a DVD, which camcorder should you buy? DCR-DVD300 or DCR-DVD200 or DCR-DVD100? only one hundred bucks separate these three camcorders (street price). for me, a hundred bucks is worth it to get the 1MP CCD and the big 3.5" LCD.

i hope this helps you with your buying decision. peace.

Has all the items you come to expect from Sony, nightshot, steady shot and such. Heck, is even smaller then my old MiniDV unit. Very good deal overall, love the camera.