Sony DCR-DVD92 DVD Handycam Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom
By: Sony Average Rating: 3.5 Total Reviews: 42
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 On: 2007-09-09
This camera has served me well for over a year with no technical issues or defects.
I purchased it because my digital camera died while on a road-trip, and I had always wanted a video camera. I had the money, so I thought what the heck.
I should have done my research on this camera before buying, since I didnt notice that the camera was not equipped with a fire-wire port until after getting it home.
However, using a simple DVD Ripping program (ImTOO DVD Ripper), I am able to convert my videos, directly from the discs to the computer for editing.
I do recommend this camera, as it is small enough to put in a cargo pocket or backpack and takes beautiful home-videos.
 On: 2007-07-05
This is truly a remarkable dvd camcorder, until you go to make a copy of your dvd-r that you recorded. What? Sony wont let you make a copy of your own recording? Thats correct, if you use a dvd-r, you cant make a copy for friends and family. also, you cant rip it to your hd for editing on your pc, combining multiple discs etc. here is your solution.
Honestly, I searched over the net and finally found one person with this answer and I wanted to share it with more that are having problems. If you use a dvd+rw mini dvd, your problems are solved. The original problem with the dvd-r comes when you finalize the dvd, as sony puts some unreadable copyright protection of some sort on the dvd. If you use a dvd+rw, there is no finalize required. Just pop it in your pc and copy or rip it to your computer. Just wanted to put that out there. although, if you dont plan to make copies of any of your footage ... ever, you wont have any problems. Hope this helps.
Railey Marie (11-25-06 to 12/10/06
On: 2006-12-25
i love this camera i hear people are having problems editing on this but you can edit right from the camera and use rw disks this thing is awesome and you can record over them
On: 2006-12-23
This camera is small enough to carry around "just in case." And the small DVDs are easy to duplicate quickly onto larger DVDs so I can easily share them with others.
 On: 2006-10-10
Every time I turn on the DCR-DVD92 if Im not using a Sony dvd I get a annoying message asking me to use Sony dvds. This message lasts for about 15 seconds and blocks the entire lcd screen and view finder. If Im trying to make a quick shot I can forget it. This message is something that Sony should have left off. I feel its simply an attempt to make you buy Sony dvds. I have found viewing still pictures also to be a problem.
I havent found a way yet to view them on anything but the DCR-DVD92. Unless I use the the handycam when I select still pictures to view from the menu it rapidly goes through them not allowing me to make a selection. I do mean fast (blink of the eye).
Had I known these things pryor to purchase I would have never bought this Handycam.
 On: 2006-07-29
When I bought this from Wal-mart the salesman said I could use it with my computer. He was wrong. There is no way to copy or edit the recordings. Unfortunately, I didnt try to use it with a computer until several months after buying it so I cant return the camcorder. I FEEL CHEATED!
On: 2006-07-02
This is certainly a system ofhighest quality! I wouldnt hesitate to recommend Sonys Handycam to anyone. Its easy to use and quickly converts to outstanding snapshots in time. Both picture and sound are fantastic! Most of all, the unit is user friendly. Doctors dont have a whole lot of time to read manuals. Regardless, Sony came through once more!
Dr. Paul Gervais
Augusta, Maine
On: 2006-06-29
Yes, it works well within its (limited) parameters. But, what is the point of making recordings that you cant copy? This limitation was not mentioned by the salesman at Circuit City. When I went back and complained about this, they sold me $100 of software to allow downloads to my computer, for editing and copying, which did not work. The best I can do is copy discs to VCR tape. Also I have suffered the "black screen of death" others have mentioned.
On: 2006-06-04
I really like this camcorder. Easy to use and small, Also records to disc. Very Cool
On: 2006-05-15
This camera is a cool way to have your videos on a DVD but does not offer any (GOOD) way of editing the discs. The picture quality is fair and the sound provides a good general result. Not the greatest "true to life" quality that you would expect for a camera at this price. Once you find a way of ripping the disc to your computer and converting it to AVI format editing it is a breeze (takes many downloads of freeware).
On: 2006-05-14
This camera is a cool way to have your videos on a DVD but does not offer any (GOOD) way of editing the discs. The picture quality is fair and the sound provides a good general result. Not the greatest "true to life" quality that you would expect for a camera at this price. Once you find a way of ripping the disc to your computer and converting it to AVI format editing it is a breeze (takes many downloads of freeware).
On: 2006-02-27
I may have missed this answer in someones review, but could someone tell me if this camera comes with cables to connect to a dvd recorder and/or vcr (yes, vcr)for copying?
On: 2006-02-25
This model does just what I wanted. Play the mini dvd immediately after recording. You can burn them onto a full size dvd and clear up your dvd-rw disc and reuse them. It is simple to navigate. And most of all it has good quality tv viewing unlike other camcorders I tried before purchasing this one. I did try the jvc hard drive camcorder and the picture quality after putting it on dvd was very bad in normal household lighting. But the Sony as I said has very good picture quality. Also the battery holds its charge very good. I think you can record something like 80 minutes on one charge. With the other camcorder batteries the batteries would not hold their charge while being stored. This one the battery charge holds when not in use. Great product, and would buy it again.
On: 2006-02-04
Most people, when it comes time to buy a camcorder, are overwhelmed with the overabundance of choices on the market these days. Either this is the first time that theyve decided to purchase a camcorder or they havent upgraded since they purchased their old 8mm or VHS-C 10 or 15 years ago. With all of the choices and relatively little difference between them, this camcorder is definitely one of your best bets. It is probably the simplest camcorder on the market today. If you are ready to join the DVD camcorder craze, this is the perfect place to start. First of all, the DVD92 is very easy to understand and set up. Its as simple as: 1.) Load the disc. 2.) Press record. 3.) Finalize the disc. Thats it! The mini-DVDs play in virtually any DVD player on the market. The mini-DVDs are relatively inexpensive, depending on where they are purchased. Ebay is a great place to find deals on any type of camcorder media. The DVD92 also features a 3.0 MegaPixel still-shot function which is absolutely wonderful. You can enlarge your still images up to a 5x7 without any distortion or "digitizing". The still photos are conveniently separated on the DVD from the video, allowing easy transfer to your computer. The video quality is a given, DVD-quality is as good as it gets without venturing into the higher priced High Definition camcorders. The sound quality is phenomenal, featuring a built-in surround sound microphone. The only drawback I could find was that the DVDs can only hold, in standard DVD quality, 30 minutes each. Then I got to thinking...How many times do you record for more than 30 minutes at a time? Anyhow, you can lower the video quality if you have to, and give yourself a total of 60 minutes on each disc, the same amount of time you would get on a standard MiniDV tape. So if youre in the market for a new camcorder and you want something that is very user-friendly and of exceptional quality (as Sony camcorders have been for the past 15+ years), then look no further. I guarantee you wont be disappointed.
 On: 2006-01-04
My husband purchased this camera 2 days ago and I returned it tonight allready. After video taping our sons 6th B Day he tried to edit the dvd and copy it for every one to watch after multiple hours later he found out that the soft ware to edit cost $100.00 thats a rip after spending $549.00 for the camera to begin with so we took it back to Walmart. However the camera guy told me their sony 203 does come with the cabels and editing soft ware but he said its still too soon to buy the dvd camcorders because they sill need to improve on them(ie) work out the bugs in his opinnion. Allso he said that sony customer SVC Sucks. I can vouch for that because we bought a monitor from them and it only lasted 2 years before it crapped out and it was a $600.00 one. Sony said oh well. beware....
On: 2005-12-30
Pros:
1) 20X zoom is nice which is very imp for an handycam.
2) Easy to use. You dont have to read the manual.
3) looks wise its awsome.
Cons:
1) If you need to download the DVD recorded video to your laptop you have to look for a ripper software. Sony should have provided this software along with the Handy Cam.
On: 2005-12-23
For all the people giving this camera bad reviews here and everywhere .. What do you expect from a camera in that price?
This cam has it all .. get an extra battery, external flash if you want and youre all set!
Whoever complains about the still picture quality..GO GET A DIGITAL CAMERA INSTEAD! i have both .. Sony DVD92 and Canon Ixus 40 .. both small and nice.
Videos taken at night were ok .. i mean OK! I used it in the desert with NO LIGHTS at all .. and this baby performed VERY WELL! just switch "super nightvision" and shoot!
miniDVDs carry 30mins of video .. which is enough . get a double sided miniDVD .. format on cam..edit on cam and go :D
There isnt a USB port .. but still YOU CAN EDIT YOUR DVDs using 3rd party software. why pay more for a camera with usb port when you can edit your videos on your pc?
Minus one star because sony tries to fool people and say there isnt a USB port..there IS but no drivers and why not supplying a better battery? why do we have to buy the FP90?
Buy this camera for travelling .. fun and indoor :)
by: Anonymous On: 2005-12-20
Shutter got stuck on the first try. This camera is the absolute worst ever built.
On: 2005-12-09
My parents gave me one of these camcorders as a wedding present. Im not a camera expert, and this is a super simple camcorder that records good quality videos and decent pictures if your in a pinch (or you dont have time to whip out the camera) and has a pretty good zoom. And honestly, you really cant beat the price. It travels really well too, as its quite compact and pretty tough. I recommend you get an extra battery. I got more than what I expected from the battery included, but the bigger battery just wont die no matter what! And who wants to lose a terrific shot on account your battery died?
The dvds are pretty cute, and theyre not terribly expensive. They come in packs of three, and happily you dont have to just buy Sony. Even though it says they can hold 30 minutes of video, dont fret. Thats A LOT of recording!
The only problem I have with it is that its a royal pain to copy your dvd onto the computer. It is possible, and thanks to the power of Google I figured out how to record our wedding onto the computer. Thats why it got three stars, instead of five.
On: 2005-11-11
I bought this SONY DCR-DVD92 DVD Camcorder at the exchange in time for my daughters delivery at the hospital towards the end of September,2005, well it did got some good videos and not so good still pictures that was okey. But then after spending a lot of time figuring out and reading the specs i cant find the section where it shows you how to download and save it in the computer, reading further it does not support that simple function, no place to connect any cord to the computer in order to save your videos and pictures, no accessories that support it anyways. I finalized the disc and played it in my regular DVD player it displayed a some good videos but when i tried to save the content of the disc in the computer, three hours later and until now still trying to save a copy and duplicate the disc to my computer that is also SONY Vaio by the way but to no avail..nothing, personally i suggest that SONY Corporation should recall this camcorder, reconfigure how it will work on this features and just refund my money. Because i will never buy any SONY products again and because what you are paying on this item is the NAME maybe add $200.00 to the cheapest no name brand that work as good or maybe works better and that is a SONY Product. The Quality of your products are not as good as they use to be, and your TECH support sucks..
On: 2005-10-11
I purchased this item in advance of my first European vacation. I read the materials in advance and anticipation of capturing the wonderful sites ahead. The handycam gave out after about 20 minutes of use: the screen went totally black on the right half without any explanation. Thankfully, I purchased the unit from a reputable source who exchanged the product without question within the first 30 days. I had contacted Sony, but their "warranty policy" is to either repair the unit or provide a repaired model to the customer. BAD IDEA
On: 2005-09-25
Having moved from MiniDV to DVD, I am so pleased with this purchase. I did not want to spend this much money, but when I watch a replay of my sons T-ball game on our home DVD player, it is worth it! No more wires to connect to the TV, or adapters to hook up. Simply take the DVD out of the camcorder and pop it in the DVD player on your TV. Thats it. The zoom features are great - not too much that the images get shaky, but enough to bring far-away images up close. I would highly reccomend this product.
On: 2005-09-22
The camcorder is very lightweight and small, easy to use, and replaces the need of having a digital camera and a video camera. The best thing is that it saves directly onto the DVD disk so that you can see it immediately without tape transfers or computers. It also saves the photos and movie all on one disk, which I like so that everything is together. It doesnt work that well in low light and the digital photos are not of the high quality of a good digital camera, but if you mainly use digital photos to email to family, as I do, then its a very good buy.
On: 2005-09-12
We have many ruby-throated hummingbirds that visit our front porch feeders each summer. We finally decided we needed to record their activity. I went to Sony.com, and researched video recorders, then we went to 2 or 3 different electronics stores to buy. Only one store had the camera we wanted on display, but it was out of stock. I logged on to Amazon.com, and found the camera for almost $100.00 less than the stores!!
The camera is very easy to use, lightweight, and loads of fun! Charging and recharging the battery is easy and quick, and all the directions are very simple to follow. This camera records on the "mini" DVDs, and I was concerned about where to play them. They are readily accepted into the computer and the DVD player we have for the television. I highly recommend this camera.
We can now watch our hummingbirds all winter!
On: 2005-09-12
The Sony DCR-DVD92 is an excellent camcorder. Very compact, easy to use, and the DVD recording is a great feature. No complaints.
On: 2005-09-08
If you intend to make copies, edit or dub your DVD movies do NOT buy this camera. I bought this camera and I love it, but there is no way to make copies of the dvds. It comes with no editing sortware, and there are no ports to plug into your computer. You can take the discs it records and play them in your DVD player, but no editing sofware can read the file types of the movies. The only way I was able to make copies of my home videos was to go out and buy a DVD recorder, and copy the movie the old fasioned way. That really sucked and wasted a lot of my time and money. I do not recomend buying this camera unless you dont intend to make copies or edit your movies. Other than that its a great camera. It is easy to use and it takes great picture and film. It was just more hassle for me then it was worth. Too much money for zero results.
On: 2005-09-06
It did what it said it would do.
On: 2005-09-04
This is our first video camera, and we love it! The night vision is great, and its very clear in pitch darkness. The still shots are OK, but most cameras with high zoom usually compromise the quality of still shots. Its very easy to use, and it works in the DVD player. The mini DVDs can be pricey, but we just shop around online for the best price. ENJOY!
On: 2005-08-31
Buy this camcorder only if you have the right dvd player or computer. The camcorder works fine, but you cannot connect to your computer. Lack of Usb and firewire ports.
On: 2005-08-29
I am someone that takes alot of pictures. Still, digital and video. And this camera is well worth the money. Very easy to use, great picture, the touch screen is amazing. And you can also take lots of digital still pictures. It is a must have. No more video tapes. Just finalize the dvd, and put it into your player and that is it.
On: 2005-08-28
There is currently a known issue with many of the Sony Camcorders. This is being called the "black screen of death".
What happens is that the camera works great for 1-2 years then the CCD goes out like a light. The camera will not take video again.
Sony is evasive if not downright deceitful about this issue when you call tech support. The fact is Sony does not stand behind their product. If this happens to you, Sony will not own the defect and you will be out hundreds of dollars.
There is a lengthy thread on CNET on this issue. Search for Sony black screen.
Wishing you luck in the purchase of your (not Sony) video camera,
Scott
On: 2005-08-21
I got this one few months ago. The DVD recording medium is much more convinent than tape. You can view and playback the recorded sequence without rewinding, what a improvement. The startup time is as quick as the traditional tape machine. The overall picture quality and ease of use with touch screen control are excellent.
On: 2005-08-19
The Sony DCR-DVD92 model is entitled as "Easy Handycam" by Sony.
Something that even your kids can easily handle.
This, then, makes Sonys cheaper model DCR-DVD92 quite an expensive childs game. However, I would suggest parents to stay away from it and keep away their children as well.
This is probably one of Sonys worst models ever.
True, it is small, light and full of gadgets, but one must keep in mind that it is not a new gameboy they are dealing with.
Here is a list that points out the most important faults (that cannot be reasoned with) of this particular model:
- The DCR-DVD92 can record in 3 different resolution modes: LP, SP and HQ.
Out of the three, only the HQ mode delivers a normal quality picture that is worth recording and saving. The other two are a laugh.
- Nevertheless, recording your video in HQ mode does not guarantee a smooth picture. The DCR-DVD92 seems to freeze the picture now and again, especially upon quick movement of the object, not to mention the camera holder. This may eventually lead to jumpy and asynchronous results, i.e., voice and video do not match.
- Recording on small DVD discs: your videos must be short and not exceed the 20 minutes limit while using the HQ mode. First, it is very uncomfortable for one must carry many DVDs around. Second, it is costly: the simple DVD-R is for single use only and cost about 6-7 USD a piece. The more practical DVD-RW (or +RW) for multiple recordings may easily reach 15 USD. So lets say, you plan to go abroad and film the highlights, then you need at least 10 DVDs. Hey, thats about $150. It should make you think.
- The camera creates a DVD film (with a menu) of your recordings once the DVD disc is finalized. If you wish to store the files on your computer for later editing or for creating a longer film etc, then you must have the latest DVD editing software like NeroExpress or Vegas. Otherwise, you are stuck with many useless little DVDs running around your house.
- Taking stills: The DCR-DVD92 offers 2 modes for taking pictures, standard and fine. Both are of very poor quality. Pictures are in jpeg format and reach maximal volume of 140KB. So think twice before you press the button. It is neither worth the time nor DVD space.
- Should I go on? The manual (the English version) is 120 pages thick. Try finding which of its segments refer to your model. Apparently, the manual deals with 7 more models...that are much better than yours. Read the little words and find out that all the above faults are known to the manufacturer yet are described as "not a malfunction".
- The camera has a great zoom of x20 and offers up to x800 digitally; however, the latter results in evident pixilation, making it negligible.
- This model comes with no: built-in lamp/flash.
- Sound recording (Dolby Digital) is not exceptional.
- Sony normally offers long-life batteries, strong and durable pack. Would this model live up to the expectations concering its built-in DVD player/recorder? This is left to be seen.
True, the camera is easy to use, has splendid nightshot feature, nice rotatble LCD screen and so forth. True again, the DVD Handycam is new technology. Yet these are all mere excuses for a very bad product. I prefer to stick to my old Sony Handycam CCD-TR515E.
On: 2005-08-17
We purchased this camera with the intention of taping our new baby and sending the video via email or making copies of our created DVDs to family and friends. YOU CANNOT DO THIS WITH THIS CAMERA WITHOUT PURCHASING ADDITIONAL VIDEO EDITING SOFTWARE (which can be expensive).
There is not a USB port on this camera so you cant download video from the camera directly to your computer. This camera is the only SONY model that does not come with video editing software. Buy the next step up camera and save yourself a future hassle if you want to copy your created DVDs or email your video to others.
I would have thought that with SONYs name and reputation that this camera would at least cover our basic video needs since it cost more than other brands with similar features. I am disapointed that now I have to go to the computer store and figure out which software package will convert .VOB files (from the camera) to .MPG or .AVI files which are more recognizable.
On: 2005-08-06
This camcorder is fabulous. Its extremely simple to use and is small enough to take everywhere and not feel like you are toting around extra baggage. Would fit in most handbags. I highly recommend it.
On: 2005-07-29
I have never owned a camcorder before and since my child is now two, I wanted to have movies of him before he got much older. This DVD camcorder is really easy to use. I love the touch screen. If all you are wanting to do is make "family movies", I highly recommend the DCR-DVD92. Other reviewers complained about pixel quality, but I had no problem with the color vibrance or quality of the picture when I watched my dvd movies.
On: 2005-07-29
very easy to use. compact size. good video. thought it was the best value based on the specs and reviews and we are not at all dissapointed with our choice. hard to go wrong with a sony.
On: 2005-07-22
This cameras features are all so easy even my 5 year old son made some movie magic with it I recomended this to all my friends and family. the editing makes the picture even better! This is a ideal camera for everyone who is "mechanicaly challenged" like me because all of the features are self explanitory and easy BUY ONE!
On: 2005-07-04
The Sony DCR-DVD92, which I have since returned, was very disappointing. Its picture quality was substandard--colors appeared dull and faded, and overall sharpness and clarity were poor. In fact, my old Sony 8mm camcorder, purchased in 1991, delivered better results. And most comparably priced Canon camcorders produce videos with twice the number of effective pixels as the Sony DCR-DVD92.
Furthermore, videos taken on the DCR-DVD92 had missing frames, creating jerky and unstable playback images.
I did not experiment with the camcorders numerous editing features--the picture quality was such a deal-breaker that I returned it before testing its full range of features.
On the plus side, the camcorder is easy to shoot with in "Easy Mode," and the mini-DVD format allows for quick playback videos on your DVD player. But this does not outweigh the overall lack of picture quality.
On: 2005-06-14
OK, I will not go into alot of the technical details that others have seemed to cover. What I will add is that for this much money I would have expected it to be able to be hooked up to my comouter and come with the editing software (only available on their top of the line models). Not that it is hard to download an editing program BUT....for this money I would have expected a bit more!!
The carrying case they suggest is a bit big if you are only going to carry the camera, it is ok for all the items but i suggest the personal over the shoulder bag for just a day outing of movies
On: 2005-06-07
BEWARE THE BLACK SCREEN OF DEATH. It happened when the machine was only 8 months old. Sonys warranty work really is poor. My handycam has been at the Sony repair center for a month and I am not sure when it will come back. They also are charging $135 for a general repair, even though parts are still "under warranty" and that cost is in addition to the shipping I had to pay to get the machine to Larado Texas. Below is my old review from when the machine was working. I would not rate it 5 stars now, maybe 2 stars. BEWARE the black screen of death is no joke.
Old review follows: I needed a new video camera when my old and heavy full size VHS camcorder quit working. I researched the options and decided on this Sony DCR DVD92 Handycam. It is very easy to operate. There is an "ease" button that once pushed makes the handycam a joy to use. I use it to record my kids and family events. It will only record onto the mindisks which cost about $4 per minidisk (this does NOT record to full size DVDs). You just place a minidisk in and push a button to format (takes a couple seconds only)then the handycam is just point and shoot. I record short videos (like singing happy b-day, or opening presents, or pets playing). On the ease setting these are automatically placed on the minidisk as separate entries. These can immediately be played back on the small screen on the handycam. The images are very clear on the screen. Audio is good as well. When the disk is full you finalize the disk by pushing several buttons and letting the camera sit for about three minutes. The minidisks play back on my regular DVD player. Check your DVD player for a smaller slot on the disk tray. If there is a smaller slot, the minidisks will probably play in that player. I have not found one that did not play the minidisks. The playback is good, and you can select different scenes. It really is quite easy and I like the handycam very much. (...)
by: Anonymous On: 2005-05-10
This camera is by far the best sony camera on the whole market! All of its features work awesomely and i bought it here at Amazon. Just because the price is lower doesnt mean the product is cheap! If you like video taping things a whole lot then this camera is for YOU! This is comming from a teen who loves to take pics and edit videos and i love it!
On: 2005-04-27
I have never used/purchased a mini camcorder before. This one was very easy to setup and understand. The video quality seems to be very good. I have not used the camera/photo option yet. The DVD played on my DVD player without any problem. The touch screen menu is super easy to use. I dont plan on editing my videos, or downloading them onto my PC, so I went with this model. Pretty much, using a DVD-R, its load, record, finalize. Thats it. Then pop it into your DVD player to watch. I guess the limitation is only 30 minutes of recording time on the DVD, but thats plenty for me. Cost of the DVD-Rs is about $3.00 each, so that is bearable for me as well. I played around with a DVD-RW. Rewriting the disk was easy, and the VR mode allows you to do some editing if you need to. I would have purchased this item on Amazon, but didnt because I was unsure if Id be happy with it, so I purchased from a local retailer for about $50 more than I could of from Amazon. I paid $570 for it at the retailer.
All and all, I am very pleased with my purchase thus far. I did however order an extra battery and battery charger through Amazon saving myself about $20 from what it would of cost me at the store.
Again, I am not an expert on camcorders, nor have I used anything comparable before, so for me, I have nothing to complain about by comparison. Some of the limited reviews available on the Internet say that this is still a developing technology, and may be worthwhile reading if you already own a mini camcorder, or are looking for something that may be a bit more flexible, or has more features, or better resolution. I can only say this camcorder works exceptionally well for my needs.
On: 2005-04-11
My 8 year old learned to use this within 5 minutes. It has a touch screen with easy to find controls. Pop the mini DVD in--format--record--finalize--and play on DVD player. This model does not have a USB connection to your computer or a remote. It is really designed for minimal editing--tape and go. Buy an extra battery and lots of mini DVDs as they only last 30 minutes.
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