Sony DCR-DVD108 DVD Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom
By: Sony Average Rating: 4.0 Total Reviews: 121
More Information
 On: 2008-06-04
This camcorder may have good features, but it fails its primary function. It turns out that if you have a full DVD and try to finalize it, it can corrupt the DVD and lose all your data. I had to spend $351 on a data recovery service to recover footage of my newbord daughter. Youd think they would mention something like this in the instruction manual!
 On: 2008-05-17
I have had it for over a year now and love the quality and ease of use. It produces great family videos!
My only complaint is that its hard to find compatible video editing/burning software. I finally found Sony Vegas Movie Studio 8 with Dvd Architect 4.5 This software is necessary to make great family dvds with this camera. Try the free download at sony before you buy.
Would definately recommend!
On: 2008-04-06
This was a gift for my boyfriend and he loves it. Its easy to use, the quality of the picture is great for the price, and its small enough to bring anywhere. FYI it does not come with any of the discs.
 On: 2008-04-06
Initially, I loved this camera.
Pros:
EXCELLENT video quality. Absolutely stunning imagery.
Great zoom-in for extreme close-ups.
Long-lasting battery that charges quickly.
LCD screen is good quality.
BUT it died within a year of purchase, inconveniently AFTER the manufacturers warranty expired. After the first ninety days, the camera stopped recording on DVD-RW (even the more expensive ones made specifically by Sony), bringing up an error message that said the disc was dirty or corrupted, even if the disc was brand-new out of package. A few months after that, it would not record on ANY type of disc and refused to even play back the ones that had already been recorded.
Worst of all, because I did not purchase any extended warranty, Sony has a flat-rate repair policy that would be 211.00 specifically for this model, REGARDLESS OF WHATEVER NEEDED TO BE REPAIRED. It doesnt matter if they just had to blow air in around the lens, I would still have to pay nearly two-thirds of the purchase price to fix it.
My advice:
If youre adamant about buying a camcorder that records onto DVDs, regardless of which brand you decide on, purchase an extended warranty plan.
If you dont really care what your camcorder stores your memories on, go for something that doesnt rely on laser capability which is more pricey to repair (or theyll pretend it is and jag up prices for it).
On: 2008-04-04
The unit workered fine until the LCD screen failed. The camcorder was still under warranty for parts and labor. (90 days) I only got the run-around from Sony. They had me send it to the repair center at my cost to reair it. After numerous phone calls, they refused to fix it under warranty. They thought it was damaged by being dropped. All I did was turn it on and it failed without physical damage. That was their out and wanted to charge me $211 for labor. I will never buy from Sony again because of their lack of service and warranty.
 On: 2008-04-04
This video camera is light-weight and small enought to tote around. Its easy to use and takes great video!
 On: 2008-03-27
ok camcorder for the price but quality is not overwelming. I would have expected something better from Sony.
On: 2008-03-18
This is a nice little camera. All that I can say negative about it is that putting in and taking out DVD blanks is slightly tedious. Not a big deal though. I have been using this device fairly regularly for about a year without any malfunctions whatsoever.
On: 2008-03-13
We bought the Sony DCR-DVD108 last year before our cruise through Europe. We have always just used our cell phones or digital cameras to snap pictures, and being a middle-aged guy not too familiar with many entertainment electronics, I was somewhat intimidated by a Camcorder. My partner and I had a lot of fun with this device. We just used it again last month in the Caribbean, and will be taking it to Europe again this September!
I would have given this a 5-star rating but cannot because of one little issue (and of course I didnt notice this until after our trip last year and we were editing 9 DVDs)...but that is when I pushed the zoom button, I would let go of the button too quickly and you can hear a "click". Its OK at first, but after a a few DVDs, it was irritating. Luckily we are having these (finally) edited and most of it will be put to music. When we were on our last trip to the Caribbean last month, I was cognizent of this and was careful not to quickly release the zoom button; however, when youre in the moment of taping, its sometimes hard to remember you cant quickly zoom and release the button without that annoying sound.
If you have never owned one of these, you really dont realize how often you will zoom, but you will. The zoom function is really incredible. Just be careful not to let go of the zoom button too quickly. From what our DVD editor tells us, this is a common issue with most Camcorders...the only other option is to turn the sound off...but that wouldnt be fun!
The camera takes great movies AND great pictures. The night vision was great too. We took some vids of some of the evening performances on the last Caribbean cruise, and they turned out pretty cool. We did purchase a wide angle lens recently, as well as a polarizer.
I love this little guy and when were ready to upgrade will get another Sony.
On: 2008-03-06
Camera fits the bill. It replaced a Sony high 8 from 1999. The wife really likes the camera.
On: 2008-03-03
I love this mini dvd camcorder. I really didnt want to purchase a Sony, since they seem over priced for quality sometimes but after buying & returning 2 other dvd camcorders I gave this one a shot. I have had it almost a year, and have enjoyed the ease of use. I use it for family functions & recording our toddler twins. I save & edit the video with the included software on the PC. It is pretty simple for computer literate people.
On: 2008-02-23
Love the camera. Easy to use. Picture quality is good. Love the touch screen! My only quirk.......Im not tech savvy be all means. But I wanted to transfer video from the camcorder to my computer via USB. On my computer, it recognized the video and uploaded fine except for some reason the first thumbnail of clips had an error. I tried playing it without the software and it was the same thing (by going through my computer and it played with WMP and WinDVD) Wasnt sure why, so we tried uploading to my husbands computer, and all the clips uploaded fine. Only catch was that the clips would only play alright if you used Sonys Picture Motion Browser. If you tried to go through My Computer, it would open the files in WMP and play the video but there was no sound. Also, all the clips had a green line through them! After a day of digging, I realized that my computer had the WinDVD software that read IFO files (which is part of the video file) and my husbands computer did not. So I downloaded some freeware that plays IFO files and opened up the clips by going through My Computer, and boom.....everything worked perfectly.
Technically, I didnt need to worry about this since on both computers the clips played fine using Sonys software, but I didnt like that when using my own programs it didnt work right. I think the only reason the first thumbnail clip didnt play on my computer was because the DVD did get a little scratched and my husbands DVD drive was just better at reading it than mine.
After figuring out this little quirk (quite proud that I did figure it out too!!), everything seems to work well!! I look forward to making home movies to share with friends and family!
On: 2008-02-18
Sony DCR-DVD108 DVD Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom
I have a sony 408 DVD model already and i bought this model 108 again for my friend. I should mention first amazon delivered in just 3 days and product is best for the cost that i paid. Zooming is the best in this category and touch screen operations are simple and easy for any novice user to start with. I am happy with this product as it satisfy my need.
On: 2008-02-14
It does everything it promises but it has a major (in my opinion) problem. It records on the mini DVDs and they only come in 30 min or 60 min recording time.
The problem is you have to stop every 30 minutes to change or flip the disc. In my experience this is damn inconvenient. I never realized how short 30 minutes can be. And all those discs! I have only had the camera since just before Christmas and have already amassed 7 discs. Thats just three and a half hours.
Otherwise it is a good video camera.
Jewel
Houston
On: 2008-02-09
This is a great camcorder but Sony has ruined it by having a warning pop-up every time you turn the camera on saying that "Sony discs are recommended". I dont want to pay premium prices for Sony discs, and I want to be able to turn the camera on and begin filming right away. Unfortunately, I cant do this because of the warning and there is no way to disable it.
On: 2008-02-08
This was not as easy to operate as I had hoped. Finalization was sometimes difficult to manoeuver. Some good features, but on the whole, I would rate it just average.
On: 2008-02-03
Takes nice pictures but it is a pain to get from the camera into a computer where you can actually edit the footage. I have had nothing but trouble when it comes to this step, usually because the computer will not recognize the disc, and will not pull up the file when it is connected to the camera direcly. Overall I like Sony equipment but I dont think this is a great product, and I would not recommend it.
Why would you sell a camera that wont load its information into a computer ? I am running Vista on my newest computer (like we have a choice?)and still have an XP computer so I am going to try that to see if it works any better.
On: 2008-01-24
We bought the Sony DVD108 just before the birth of our 2nd child. Since we didnt have a lot of time to get familiar with it, we were looking for something that was easy to use right out of the box. I also have relatively high expectations for quality and performance and so far, this camcorder has exceeded on all accounts.
We charged the battery, popped in a DVD+RW and started recording after the camera recognized & formatted the media. You can pick either 3:4 (old TVs) or 16:9 (Widescreen TVs) aspect ratios. The touch screen/menu operation of the camera is very intuitive and Ive yet to find a real need to reference the instruction manual. Honestly, this camera is VERY easy to use and even has an "easy" button that you can press to put it in "idiot proof" mode that does all the thinking for you.
The 40x optical zoom is more than adequate for just about every situation ... any closer and you cant hold the image steady enough to get good footage. Weve only used the highest quality record setting and have been very impressed with the clarity of the video. I would liken them to DVD quality and far better than an ordinary TV broadcast.
The mini DVD format is very convenient, although it should be said that each DVD only holds about 24 min of footage at the highest quality setting. This is really not a problem because the disks are inexpensive and the RW format allows you to reuse them over and over again. You have the option to pop them right into your DVD player where all your individual clips are organized in a menu for easy viewing. To edit your files, youll want to use your computer. The software provided with the camera is actually very good for basic editing and archiving video files so that you can reuse the DVD, if they are RW format.
On: 2008-01-19
So far, this has proven to be a good buy. The image stabilization worked even better than I expected and I have not had any issues in low light conditions despite there being no built-in light. If you want to record long sessions, you may want to pre-format your mini-DVDs or spring for a media card because it takes several minutes to swap out unformatted media. My only serious complaint is inconvenient battery charging. The only way to charge the battery without buying an overpriced charger is to plug the included charger directly into the camcorder. The location of the plug is very bad. Ill probably break either the plug or the socket if I dont spring for the external charger.
On: 2008-01-18
I am very satify with the performance of this camcoder...it has a really good picture quality... and very easy to use.
On: 2008-01-18
So far, this has proven to be a good buy. The image stabilization worked even better than I expected and I have not had any issues in low light conditions despite there being no built-in light. If you want to record long sessions, you may want to pre-format your mini-DVDs or spring for a media card because it takes several minutes to swap out unformatted media. My only serious complaint is inconvenient battery charging. The only way to charge the battery without buying an overpriced charger is to plug the included charger directly into the camcorder. The location of the plug is very bad. Ill probably break either the plug or the socket if I dont spring for the external charger.
On: 2008-01-16
This camera has nice features and a cool touchscreen but the video quality is not great. When your watching the movie back it looks a little shaky even if the camera is held still. The video quality outdoors is better but it does not have a wind cut setting so it sounds like you are in a hurricane. I do like the fact that I dont have to re-record from a tape to dvd with the chance of accidently erasing something important.
On: 2008-01-15
This camera has nice features and a cool touchscreen but the video quality is not great. When your watching the movie back it looks a little shaky even if the camera is held still. The video quality outdoors is better but it does not have a wind cut setting so it sounds like you are in a hurricane. I do like the fact that I dont have to re-record from a tape to dvd with the chance of accidently erasing something important.
On: 2008-01-10
I really adore this camcorder! Very easy to use! I havent tried to edit yet, but other features are wonderful!
On: 2008-01-09
The product functions as described on the Amazon web site. No complaints.
Overlall I am satisfied for ease of use, etc.
If one is a casual video camcorder user, if one is going to simply view the video captured directly from the Mini-CD to a TV (via a DVD player), then, the camcorder is ideal for those purposes.
If one is going to record video with the intention of creating a travel/family movie; if one plans on uploading it to a computer, editing it, and burning it to a DVD, then, I would strongly recommend buying a camcorder that records to a mini-tapes.
As others have stated, the quality of video recorded to Mini-CD is inferior to the quality of camcoder-to-mini-tape recordings. I was aware of that but expected --hoping for the impossible-- almost tape-like video quality. It does not produce tape-like quality. Whenever I view one of our newly created videos on a TV, I regret not having bought a mini-tape camcorder. My wife, kids, family, etc., on the other hand, think that the video is fine... but they think unedited video is just fine.
To conclude, IMHO, the only reason to buy a Mini-CD camcorder is to be able to quickly create and view/share unedited mini-CD videos. Its ideal for taking family videos and mailing the mini-CD to family, friends, etc.
I would have returned the product if not for the high Amazon restocking fee (20%).
I gave it four stars since it performs as described.
On: 2008-01-08
This camera uses a mini DVD disc that is not compatible with most DVD players and computers.
So, if you want to be able to shoot something and then with-in a few minute be able to view the images via a DVD player do not pick this unit.
My solution was to sent it back for a refund, a very quick and easy solution.
On: 2008-01-08
I realy like this camcorder, it is fun, and very easy to use. My family and I went to a indoor water park for christmas break and I had fun with it. I realy like the touch screen. I also have a relative that has an older one but realy likes mine and is looking to buy. Its great for the price and a beginner.
On: 2008-01-08
I like the camera and it is easy to use once you have the required recording devices. I received the camera at my vacation destination (poor prior planning on my part). Other such equipment always arrives with all the necessary equipment to begin use immediately. This camera did not. I had to find a store with compatible recording disks, which was not all that easy. I could only find a disk for the movie application but not the still/digital camera. Also the formatting for the downloading is quite involved and not really intuitive. Downloading the applet also called for me to remove my CD burner applet - not a happy camper on that since I have not found a way to burn CDs again without reloading my burner applet, which may impact the movie capability.
Good camera - poor planning!
On: 2008-01-07
This is a good camcorder for its price. The still camera is a bit grainy. Ill rate this as average.
On: 2008-01-05
I bought this camera last fall, I have been without a video camera for a few years and was missing out on a lot of our kids lives. I used this to tape my kids christmas concerts and was sitting on the other side of a dark gym and was able to zero in on my childs face and get a great shot.
The battery holds a decent size charge.
I found the camera super easy to figure out and the discs go right into my computer CD drive and I was easily able to download and edit them in my computer. I am not super computer knowledgable either.
My one complaint is that I cant find DVDs large enough to record more than 30 minutes at a time, usually 30 minutes would be plenty but for my daughters gymnastics recital it wasnt enough time and we are going on vacation and I would rather not have to take a bunch of discs with me.
On: 2008-01-02
Extremely easy to use with excellant results. My 8 yr old uses it with great ease. Recommend it to anyone.
On: 2007-12-30
Simply im happy with my Sony DVD108,all it characteristics not only the met what i expected from the begining but it really suprised me ,video quality is great,sound is really good and its extemely user friendly
On: 2007-12-28
Purchased the camera as a gift for our daughter and family. Very well satisfied with our purchases from Amazon.
As for the camera, we will find out after our daughter uses it for awhile.
On: 2007-12-28
I purchase a Sony Handycam Camcorder as a christmas gift. It arrived minus the small DVD disc totally spoiling the gift for my friend who wanted to take movies of the family. Shame on you!
On: 2007-12-26
I have had this camera for a month. So far it has done everything I need it to do. I am just learning how to use it but I am pretty satisfied overall.
On: 2007-12-21
Its so easy that even a caveman can use it. Really, its so simple. You can pretty much take it out of the box, charge the battery for two hours, load a mini-dvd in, then start recording. If you use a dvd-rw you can take the mini-dvd out anytime you like and insert it into a dvd player then put back into your camcorder and start recording again. I really recommend using the dvd-rws because there is no finalizing involved and you can use the dvds over and over again.
The zoom is more then you will ever need. The night vision is really cool, but a little creepy.
I havent used the film editing yet but would like too soon.
Overall, a really nice and easy to use device. Highly recommended.
On: 2007-12-21
I am extremely satisfied with this camcorder. It does everything I expect it too and for a lot less than several others I checked out. It has its disadvantages as noted above, but for family shots and the occasional wildlife moment, it is perfect. Setup was a breeze. Disk (CD-RW) goes right from the recorder to my DVD player and back again. Simply awesome.....
Small enough to fit in my coat pocket, instead of carrying a bag.
On: 2007-12-18
This is a great camera, esp. if you are like me and just need family video in an easy format. I love that it records straight to dvd and that I can finalize the disc right in the camera. Everything is very easy to do too, it is all touch screen and so simple. Quality is decent, just dont move around too much while recording. Definitely a great product and Amazon has the best price!
On: 2007-12-18
I picked up this model understanding the price trade-offs. I wanted it for convenient, good-enough videos of family events and kids performances. Its fine for that. (Ive got a real camera for stills).
I usually run it in its best mode - 4x3, HI quality - which yields 20 mins of crisp video per Mini DVD. I generally use a tripod or mono-pod to allow me to take videos with gentle/subdued motion. I like the touch-screen controls on this camera and the gentle zoom in/out offered by the W | T buttons on the edge of the viewfinder.
No matter what camera you have, lighting/color needs some intelligent help - learn about white balance settings, and use back-lit and manual exposure settings in high light-level contrast situations. (Just as in normal photography, you sometimes need to decide what parts of an image are correctly exposed and which get washed out).
In practice, I find I generally capture video "clips" of very specific subjets that are typically 30-40 seconds, and seldom more that 3 mins. So, the record time on a single Mini DVD is not an issue for me (a few of them easily fit into my shirt pocket, and can be changed easily when pre-formatted).
I use my computer software to do video editing - when needed - and it allows me to combine video clips from the mini DVDs into larger presentations. Video editing of course takes time, so I dont do much of this, except on special occasions. Mostly, I do a straight copy of MiniDVDs to DVDs, or I capture clips by playing chosen segments of the MiniDVDs, recording them into .mpeg or .avi files using video capture software.
To step up from this camera to the next level of quality and features, I would need to spend north of $1000. The points in between dont seem worth the differences.
For my general usage, this DCR-DVD108 does what I expect, and I am happy with what I am getting for the price.
On: 2007-12-17
First of all, I must say that the one and two-star ratings for this product are rather amusing.
-- This is incompatible with Mac? Gee, people choose to buy a product that is incompatible -- no, that PRIDES ITSELF on being incompatible -- with every other computer made, and then its the other guys fault when their device doesnt talk to yours. Tell you what, why dont you petition Apple to build a camcorder for you. They can call it the I-Cam (of course), Steve Jobs can evangelize about it at MacWorld and you can wait in line for three days on Powell street to get the first buggy, overpriced models.
-- This takes lousy still pictures? Of course it does. It costs less than my still camera. In fact, it costs less than any of my lenses. I would have preferred it if Sony didnt include the still photograph option at all on this camcorder, but its a shame that people expected Ansel Adams quality images out of it. Hey, its better than nothing in a pinch.
-- Only a half hour recording time? Yeah, well, its a DVD camcorder. Didnt you do your research?
So, for what it is, what its supposed to do and what it costs, this camcorder competes very well in its market sector. Lens quality is good, zoom is impressive but could use a little more sensitivity, image stabilization is fair, DVD upload to computer (PC) is easy and uneventful, effects are decent, touch screen interface is intuitive, battery life is good. Backlight setting isnt very helpful. The software worked fine once I downloaded the upgrades. Unit is a bit small for my hand. Sound quality is very good but I would have preferred a jack for external microphone, I agree that the "reminder" message about using Sony DVDs instead of off-brands is cheesy, but its harmless. For what I spent here I got my moneys worth and have no complaints.
On: 2007-12-16
First of all, I must say that the one and two-star ratings for this product are rather amusing.
-- This is incompatible with Mac? Gee, people choose to buy a product line that is incompatible -- no, that PRIDES ITSELF on being incompatible -- with every other computer made, and then its the other guys fault when their device doesnt talk to yours. Tell you what, why dont you petition Apple to build a camcorder for you. They can call it the I-Cam (of course), Steve Jobs can evangelize about it at MacWorld and you can wait in line for three days outside the Apple Store on Stockton street to get the first buggy, overpriced models.
-- This takes lousy still pictures? Of course it does. It costs less than my still camera. In fact, it costs less than any of my lenses. I would have preferred it if Sony didnt include the still photograph option at all on this camcorder, but its a shame that people expected Ansel Adams quality images out of it. Hey, its better than nothing in a pinch.
-- Only a half hour recording time? Yeah, well, its a DVD camcorder. Didnt you do your research?
So, for what it is, what its supposed to do and what it costs, this camcorder competes very well in its market sector. Lens quality is good, zoom is impressive but could use a little more sensitivity, image stabilization is fair, DVD and cable uploads to computer (PC) are easy and uneventful, effects are decent, touch screen interface is intuitive, battery life is good. Backlight settings and infrared arent very helpful. The software worked fine once I downloaded the upgrades. Sony has done an impressive job of making this camcorder and software easy to use, but you still have to read the instructions or youll end up griping about how something doesnt work. Unit is a bit small for my hand. Sound quality is very good but I would have preferred a jack for external microphone. Unit also has no hot-shoe or other interface for aftermarket onboard light, so if youre the type that likes to use such peripherals, look elsewhere (sufficient ambient light or floods work much better anyway, IMO). I agree that the "reminder" message about using Sony DVDs instead of off-brands is cheesy, but its harmless. For what I spent here I got my moneys worth and have no complaints.
On: 2007-12-16
The camcorder works just fine and I am relieved that it does because it arrived in a large shipping box with no packing material inside. The box that the camcorder comes in (the Sony box) was bounced around in the shipping box during transport. I am surprised that there is no apparent damage. (so far)
On: 2007-12-14
I bought the Sony 108 thinking its a Sony should be good. We are coming from an aging HI8 and thought it was time to replace. I did not like going from 2 hours recording to 30 minutes but with a 1 hour option that would be ok.
Well we used it and my wife said the colors were muted. Normal indoor light light conditions cause the colors to be muted. Also the picture quality is awful compared to my Hi8. When there is motion there are line and the images are grainy.
The camera images are a joke at 680 Pixels. Most Cameras are 2 Mega Pixels now.
Also researched that the DVD recordings only last about 5 Years and you need to back those up to another media.
I guess I will be going to MiniDV since I cant get a HI8 anymore.
I will be returning this and paying a 15% restocking fee.
On: 2007-12-12
We purchased 3 of these camcorders for our adult children for Christmas. This is a great little camcorder but the package is stripped down. I expected to purchase an extra battery, but the batteries have to charge on the camera while TURNED OFF AND PLUGGED IN. Therefore an "optional" battery charger has to be purchased which is really pricey ($40. for the Sony charger which only worked in the house, not the car) I finally found a charger that works in the house and in the car for $18. By the time I purchased extra battery, charger, pkg of DVDs, and the Sony Duo Stick for the camera memory, I just about doubled the price of this camera. So be sure to count the cost of ALL the needful "options".
On: 2007-12-11
I purchased a Panasonic about 3 years ago. It only uses DVD-RAM and is pretty much useless unless you want to use it through a computer, which we did not. If you want a camera to point and shoot and then just pop the DVD into the DVD player....THIS is the camera for you. It shoots on to all of the Mini DVDs that are actually able to be used in normal everyday DVD players.
Neither this product nor the Panasonic that I had did very well in low light, so that may be an option you would want to buy if you have the cash.
Save your money, save your time and effort and BUY this camera if you are looking for something easy and high tech all at the same time. Just an AWESOME camera. Thanks Sony...you made my Holiday!
On: 2007-12-11
I check on Amazon what was the better camera, both price and quality, and this looks like a simple, yet reliable camera, and to be honest, it is. Im not a pro, I will not claim to be one, but it is very simple to use and even more to "finish" the DVD once is full.
But it has some details:
a) the still camera (picture) is very very poor, and of course, if you want nice quality pictures, you should get a real camera (my old olympus D540 of 3.2 is by far better).
b) the microphone of the camera is on top of the lens, so this fades the voices of the target, which happen to be in front of the camera.
But... overall is good.
Good luck...
On: 2007-12-04
With a battery ordered from Amazon.com with 6.5 hours of power, the Sony camcorder is absolutely worth the price, Especially since the camcorder has a touch screen display that is very responsive and great video quality. It takes great photos too! In general, a great product to buy thats worth the money.
On: 2007-12-03
With a battery ordered from Amazon.com with 6.5 hours of power, the Sony camcorder is absolutely worth the price, Especially since the camcorder has a touch screen display that is very responsive and great video quality. It takes great photos too! In general, a great product to buy thats worth the money.
On: 2007-11-29
I got the camcorder, charged it up and went home and shot some video of the dog. Very easy point and shoot use! The fact the menue is touch screen adds alittle to the coolness factor too! But as a new parent I didnt want ot break the bank, and am not that into editing my movies...i just wanted a camcorder I could capture moments of my little girl! Sony is as good as always!! I highly recomend!!
Oh and if you are going to add a bag purchase...i picked one that is too big..no need to super size there..this thing is small enuff to fit in any of them!
Also i know some people have said it doesnt use certain disks..but I have used the SONY and JVC brands...JVC wasnt a problem!
On: 2007-11-26
This black friday, I get excited to purchase a new camcorder. My gf and I were looking for decent entry level camcorder. With all the new media format available now, we were confused. But, we knew Sony with its name and quality ... we should stick with another Sony. The new camcorder is to replace an aging Hi8 Sony Camcorder..due to its size and weight.
Upon brief research and reading reviews such as these, we decided to purchase the Sony DVR-108. Great looking camcorder with DVD capability. Im pretty savvy with technology, but was hesitant about the storage capability of the mini DVD. As my fear became reality, with limited storage space ( 30min recording time in SP mode), I started to have buyers remorse. I paid only $300 for the camcorder...so dont get me wrong, it was a great price. But after playing with camcorder...recording indoor and outdoor... the buyers remorse kicked into high gear. The color is horrible, it does not maintain the hues correctly. With limited color adjustment function, I was stuck with the horrible color rendering. To make the product worse, its non-film format makes the quality of the video horrible ( pixelated). We have HDTV 42" Plasma..and the camcorder playback looks horrible on the screen. Ive tried it on standard TUBE tv..it was less pixelated but still worse than our old Hi8 Sony. After much consdieration, I returned the camcorder for a refund.
To my understanding now, current Hard Drive, Flash Drive, and DVD recording camcorders are still behind the MiniDV resolution capability. Until technology catches up with old school quality, I will stick with MiniDV.
On: 2007-11-23
this sony video camera is the best, take pictures and videos, is small and very beautifull....the image is very clear but the best is the price, i always check other stores before i buy something and it cost so much in other stores that i was very happy with the price....is a very nice gift for christmas..my wife love it.....
On: 2007-11-23
I did quite a bit of research before buying this item as I was a newbie to handycam. Everyone said Sony camcorders are best in the market in the price range of the DCR-DVD108. Well I dont know if thats true, but I am completely satisfied with the quality of the video it generates. When one is thinking of buying this handycam one should not be worried about the picture quality and the usability stuffs. Great. But there is a tradeoff in the media type. While Mini-DVDs produce better pictures and are more portable than the tapes, this form of the product comes with obvious overhead
1. 30 mins recording time instead of 60 with tapes, the effective RT is actually 25 mins
2. If you do not carry formatted DVDs with you, every time you insert a new DVD before you can continue recording you need to format the media, and you well might miss an event in that 30 seconds
3. Before you can view the DVD in a player or computer, you need to finalize it. Thats a 3 mins process (I dont consider this one a big overhead though)
4. An annoying message appears and lasts for around 5 secs each time you insert a non-Sony mini-DVD
Another problem with this piece of hardware is that it doesnt come with any integrated memory and they dont ship any Micro-SD card. So unless you bought one, you cant take stills. Sometime, while I am recording, I want to take a VGA picture using my camcorder, coz I am reluctant to hold a camera and a camcorder in both hands. Well, I really feel they should have at least some integrated memory.
Lastly, the Software they ship with the cam did not work on my Vista machine. May be, now they have an update, as Vista is about an year old now.
Having said all the drawbacks, they are in fact minor, if not trivial compared to the features and quality of video this one can produce. An infra-red shooting capability enables you to shoot completely in dark. Battery Life is alright, about 110 mins.
So, in gist, this product is recommended.
On: 2007-11-22
I purchased this camera from amazon in May 2007 and have been very satisfied with the performance in terms of quality of videos, camera features and ease-of-use. I have not tried taking pictures from this camcorder as I believe that digital cameras do better job there and made for taking pictures only.
Pros:
- Small size, easy to carry and handle
- High zoom which is very stable in terms of focus
- Night shot is great for indoor videos with low light
- The screen can be swiveled completely, which makes it easy to make your videos with camcorder in your hand. (Most fun is while recording kids and showing them themselves while recording)
- Mini DVDs can be formatted in wide angle, which makes videos look great on wide screen monitors and TVs.
- Battery life very good and sufficient for people like me who are not in making pro videos.
- Software given by Sony is easy to use and transfer videos to computer.
- Lot of otehr features in terms of light control and editing the videos are also very convenient to understand and use.
Cons:
- None yet. Will update the review later, if I find any.
On: 2007-11-13
This camcorder takes really good pictures, but I find it difficult to understand the operation. Guess it will take a little time to figure it out.
On: 2007-11-02
I purchased this camcorder( I like the term movie camera) a few weeks ago to capture my grandchildrens activities which are better suited to a camcorder than a still camera . The camera has been an excellent investmente and the movies are super "awesome". Ive used the camera at football games, school events and playground activities. It works very well and I would recommend it to all my friends . I like the fact I can play the mini-dvd in my regular DVD player on the T.V.
On: 2007-10-27
Ive had this camcorder for awhile now and I am very happy with it. It is very user friendly and is excellent quality. I just love how I can take video of my kids and put it directly in my vcr to watch!! You wont be disappointed with this purchase!!
On: 2007-10-18
There are two major problems with this camcorder. Its incompatible with mac and the quality of still-image is extremely low.
1. If you are mac user, as I am: dont bother buying. Sony is a slave to Microsoft, so the output files (vob file format) are basically useless. Not only you cant import them to iMovie, but also you cant PLAY your footage on your Mac. Unless you download semi-legal software, rip the file (30min process), and are ready to sacrifice audio, the camcorder will be useless. This is a huge disappointment.
2. Still-image function is a joke. I first jumped on this option (we spent 2 months traveling in Europe this summer), because the perspective of carrying camcorder and camera at the same time was unpleasant. I downloaded the pics onto the computer only to learn, that I captured our beautiful memories with cell phone like quality pictures.
This equipment was nothing but a sad experience. I will never buy anything by Sony again.
On: 2007-10-11
The camcorder does a decent job of recording, the 30 minute disk limits what can be done with the camcorder. Its fine for family gatherings, etc. The software that comes with the camera was a real disapointment, I have not been able to combine disks to put on a regular dvd. I guess it is good for the money you pay for it. The 40X zoom is a plus, it allows a good picture from farther away. Betty Haith
On: 2007-10-10
I bought this camera to do video-blogging and to record special events with the intent to edit them in iMovie. Then I learned that Sony is a slave to Windows and isnt compatible with Macs. I was hugely disappointed and plan on returning it to get a Mac-compatible Canon.
On: 2007-10-09
I bought this camera to do video-blogging and to record special events with the intent to edit them in iMovie. Then I learned that Sony is a slave to Windows and isnt compatible with Macs. I was hugely disappointed and plan on returning it to get a Mac-compatible Canon.
On: 2007-10-08
This camera is simple, easy and just very practical to use - I bought this 4 months ago and was very surprised when all of a sudden it stopped working - the lens for the zoom suddenly failed and made the camera not function - while it was quickly diagnosed by Sony as a problem to mail to the factory - it took 2 weeks to get my camera back - when you have a first born baby - that can seem like an eternity. However Sony was very easy to deal with - I just hope it lasts past the warranty date. The camera is very simple - works very well and I would recommend buying the Sony Vegas Studio software to edit your videos to create interesting DVDs with music or for Youtubing on the net.
On: 2007-10-01
The other half and I have had this incredible Sony camcorder now for about 6 months, and already have made about 40 mini DVDs of our now 2 year old. The 40x zoom feature and picture quality is excellent, and the camera does fairly well in low-light, much to our surprise. But what really blew us away is the touch screen feature! All the camcorders weve had in past years never had a touch screen. Most everything on this camcorder is intuitive, and the unit has been very reliable thus far. Like any sophisticated piece of electronics, dont mishandle or abuse the unit, and get a decent case for it. I remember a few short years ago, these DVD camcorders used to go for close to a thousand bucks, so prices have really come down. Storing your priceless videos on DVD is the way to go as well, since it is a medium that supposedly will last at least a lifetime (I sure hope so) without signal/video degredation during playback.
On: 2007-09-23
I researched into camcorders and this one for the price is an awesome value. I love to make a movie and then its ready to play back on the tv or computer.The clairity and color are also awwesome.Its easy to use once you read the booklet.
On: 2007-09-19
This is by far the best camcorder I have ever owned, at first when I read the manual it seemed kinda complicated to understand but once you do it the first time its very simple, I would highly recommend this item to everyone I know, I promise you want let be let down.
On: 2007-09-14
Excellent zoom ..........feature rich.....
Though I feel there should be a place for holding the Styllus in camera and Styllus should be supplied with the camera.....
On: 2007-09-12
Everything is good so far, except the remote is missing...... As i was reading the manul,,, i m suppose to have a remote along with this camera... I dont know how to claim that...
On: 2007-09-05
I bought this for a present for my sister-in-law and brother-in-law for their baby shower. They loved it and have already been putting it to great use. They love how you can record directly to the DVDs and play them in your DVD player w/o having to run it through the camcorder. I wanted this feature so they could make videos of the baby to send to both sets of grandparents who live out of town. Thus far the camera has worked great.
by: wolfes02 On: 2007-09-02
this camcorder works great and takes great shots it is the best I could find for the price
On: 2007-09-01
The quality of the image created by this camera is somewhat less than what I had expected. The final product results in a large number of horizontal/interlaced lines, especially if the camera is panning, or the subject is moving. Also, the microphone picks up considerable noise, especially wind noise, or the noise of the camera being handled. Otherwise...many features and options. Good optical zoom. I dislike the mini DVD format...only 30 minutes of recording.
My previous video camera, the Sony DCR-TRV320 produced an excellent image...practically professional quality, and it recorded on DV tape. It is a much heavier and larger camera. This small camera will fit in your pocket!
On: 2007-08-22
I am an electronics "dummy" and this camcorder is just right for me. I wanted a DVD camcorder that I can record my four year old with and then play it right in my DVD player and it delivered. I dont edit or do anything fancy with it. Finalizing was simple with the touch screen and the quality of the picture was very nice.
I didnt realize it didnt have a built in light so the lighting has to be right or else it appears blurry since the lense constantly tries to focus. But in the right light its great since I practiced on my son at the gym and it kept up with him. The sound can be a little louder since it seems to record close sounds but not so good for far away sounds. I took it to the Toys R Us in Times square to record the T-Rex for my son to watch at home and I heard me and my son talking better than the roar of the T-Rex and I was standing close enough to it. It was very loud in there with the voices of hundreds of people so maybe that isnt a fair test. Other than that Im very happy with it.
On: 2007-08-16
This Sony DCR DVD108 Camcorder is so sleek and cool. I love it...I ordered this through [...] store and saved [...] bucks. Opened the box, charged the battery and I was good to go. I had to order a 3pk DVD+RW along with this order. I really wished the camcorder box had one free blank DVD as a part of whats in the box. Other than that, I have no complains...40X zoom is like awesome man!!
On: 2007-08-15
I had never used a camcorder before, was very nervous, but I got the product very quickly and started using the camcorder just as quickly, it is great, I am very happy with it still have to learn more, but you can use it almost immediately.
On: 2007-08-10
I purchased the camcorder for family events etc. The video quality is good, get what you pay for, but the still picture quality is/was horrible (@.39)!!!!! I took the camcorder back to Best Buy and will continue to look for a good zoom, high quality still & video CCD.
On: 2007-08-10
Otro producto sony que complace al comprador funciona muy bien solo deberian de optimizar el sistema para abrir la tapa del dvd es un poco complicado y desesperante, presionas el boton y no sabes cuando se abrira
On: 2007-08-09
Otro producto sony que complace al comprador funciona muy bien solo deberian de optimizar el sistema para abrir la tapa del dvd es un poco complicado y desesperante, presionas el boton y no sabes cuando se abrira
On: 2007-08-06
After taking it on a vacation and using it, this is a nice little unit. Two problems Ive noticed - it does not like non-Sony discs... and will not format Memorex discs for example. Also the LCD screen is very hard to see in sunlight.
On: 2007-08-02
After reading all the reviews on Amazon, and handling the camera in Best Buy, I bought this camera on Amazon. I read the manual fully before using it the first time. It was very easy to use, I was able to see all the footage using the playback mode. I taped a full 30 minite DVD of my Newborn baby, which was very important to me to tape considering its a ONE SHOT DEAL- not like going on a roller coaster that you can do again. I used a Maxell dvd- attempted to tape the last 3 minites left on the disc and WHAMMO- ALL OF A SUDDEN THE DISC DOES NOT WORK- The camera gives an error message- which they say is an error code for a "unsupported format", or a bad disc" . HOW CONVENIENT SONY! Sony customer service has done NADA to help at all! They will not help to retreive the data at all! Maxell says their dvd is NOT defective since i already recorded to it and played it back. The only thing sony did was recommend a data retreival service- that costs 350 dollars to do. they also recommended trying to tape another 30 minites of a dvd again. great advice sony- they play the blame game. I plan on returning the camera to amazon today- since it is within the 30 day time frame. PLEASE BEWARE OF THIS CAMERA- IT IS NO RELIABLE- YOU SHOULD BE ABLE TO USE ANY BRAND DISC WITH THIS CAMERA AND NOT LOOSE ALL FOOTAGE. I AM DEVASTATED OVER LOOSING ALL FOOTAGE OF MY NEWBORN.
On: 2007-07-30
I ordered this item on Amazon and the date of delivery was suppose to be 7/27/07 it is now 7/31 and I have not received the item and I get a run around on where I need to call to find out where my item is.
On: 2007-07-30
We have found this to be easy to use, convenient and produces excellent quality. We especially like the fact that you can immediately take the mini-disc out and carry it wherever to show friends in their DVD (or we have a mini-DVD player which makes it even easier). The night shot is cool. The cons are the annoying "Use Sony Disc" that several others have complained about, and the fact that it does not have a filming light (although it produces great results even in normal to dim inside conditions, so this is only a minor annoyance). The camera is small and easy to use. We love it.
On: 2007-07-28
I bought non Sony brand DVD-RW discs (no RWs Sonys were available at many different stores when I bought my camcorder), only to find out that the Camcorder displays "Sony Disc Recommended" in the viewfinder and LCD screen EVERY time you turn the camcorder on (or "wake up" camcorder when it auto powers off) when a non Sony disc is used. This message is displayed for about 10 seconds. This is VERY annoying because you can not see what you are recording while this displays. You can tap the screen to get rid of the message when using the LCD screen, but you will still miss shots while fooling around with this. You have to wait the message out if you are using the viewfinder, which is super annoying.
I called Sony customer support and they inform that there is no way to get rid of this message unless a Sony DVD disc is used. Pretty bad that Sony will, what seems like, harass you into buying Sony brand discs if you do not want to be annoyed with this message each time.
On top of this if you want to take still shots with the camcorder you need to buy Sonys proprietary, and very overpriced, Memory Stick duo. The Memory Stick duo will not work in any non-Sony devices. Other camcorders take standard SD memory cards that will work in many other devices like cameras, printers, and PDAs.
I returned my DCR-DVD108 and went with a similar priced JVC with a hard drive, and never looked back.
On: 2007-07-22
I dont know if the person below me got one that was defective, or if when he formatted his new disc it warns you do not vibrate it while formatting. I used only Sony discs, which run about $20 for a 5 pack so its cheaper on amazon to get them. It sounds like he used poor quality discs and not the camcorder.
My camcorder worked great for everything! We zoomed in and out, turned while filming, recorded ocean and vacation with no problems. I bought this camcorder because of the high ratings and I am very glad I did. I have not yet put them into my computer but I forsee no problems with a new computer and burner I am sure that an older puter might have a few problems and make it more complicated, but I did hook the camcorder to my TV to watch what was recorded and I must say we are VERY IMPRESSED! Quality was great! You need to keep your setting at SP for the good quality but it will only record 30mins on the disc. The other person may have set the setting to SLP (super long play but with poor quality but it records longer which is fine for VCR tapes but not disc recorders.)
It was simple for my father to use as well and at 61 nothing electronic is easy to operate! I am VERY happy with my purchase and may even get him one from Amazon for Christmas! The good reviews are defintely correct!
On: 2007-07-13
I decided to buy it after all the positive reviews here and I got a huge disapointment after I used it. The video quality is bad, blurry, well , i know for most camcorders in this price range, the quality is like this. And the most important thing is if you move during the film, the picture will become very inconsistant, like the camcorder cant follow the speed that you move even if you move very very slow. Dont count on it if you are filming a moving object, for instance, a guy riding a horse, a running car....On the contrary, my Canon A630 digital camera does well on this. It follows the moving objects very well, very consistant, even better picture quality! I cant believe this sony camcorder would beaten by a digital camera!!
The low light mode is ok.
and by the way, the camcorder died once during the filming.
In a word, this camcorder is not what you are looking for if you care about quality!
On: 2007-07-10
Its a splendid camcorder, but its quite a trick to copy your videos over to a computer and then edit them. The camcorder records in a special format, then you need to find and download a "codec" for your computer to read the files, and then Ive still had all kinds of compatibility problems. The software that comes with the camcorder really isnt much help. Be prepared for a major project in figuring out how to make it all work.
On: 2007-07-08
Product was received from Amazon in less time the forecasted. The Camcorder is easy to use, and the quality of the DVD movies is very good. The only thing I do not like about the Camcorder is the Photo feature. The quality of the pictures it takes is not very good. The resolution is poor.
On: 2007-07-04
I was hesitant to order such an expensive item online but it was so easy to buy the camera, plus preview and order any accessories it needs. This camera is wonderful in the hands of a novice such as myself. The picture quality is amazing. The only down side I could find was that the sound wasnt that great...in that it picks up everything. We recorded a couple of times in a restaurant setting and it was nearly impossible to hear the speaking person. I will see if the camera has a microphone accessory, which I would recommend, if they have one.
On: 2007-07-02
Wow what great Stablelzation this camera has. I took veido with it holding it out of the car window going at least fifty five and you would never have Known it. The clear shots are Amazing. I love the infared as well and taking stills. I highly recomend this camera and am very pleased that I purchased it. I had a JVC but this one is soooooo much better.
On: 2007-07-02
i bought this camcorder a couple months ago, and am very satisfied- very easy to use- basically, locate your subject in the lcd screen, and push a button to record- very easy for technology challenged people like me- and as an added bonus, this camcorder is small enough to slip into a medium sized purse- very handy! not to mention, sony is a trusted name- you know you are purchasing a quality product!! user-friendly!!
On: 2007-06-27
I bought it for my various trips I have planned with my family this summer. I have used this camcorder for 2 trips and it works great. I recommend this camcorder as the optical zoom is fantastic and ease of use.
On: 2007-06-27
I used several DV camcorders before and very interesed in editing the videos than just simply shooting. This SONY DCR really pissed me off since its not compatiable with my Mac system, which means I cant eidit the video using my Mac. In addition, many features, such as touch screen and Carl Zeiss Lens, exaggerated, but have nothing to do for the good qulity of the video. Zooming is rediculously awkward to use and its almost impossible to make stable shootings while using the zoom function.
Recommend for those who just do the shoot and show. For those who really want to make impressed shooting and editing things, you are almost insane (like me; I got it when I was out of mind) to consider this cheap but stuipid thing SONY ever made.
On: 2007-06-26
I have had this Sony DVD 108 for about two months and simply love it as it delivers excellent videos, true colors and great sound that can be played back on your home tv via the camera itself , or by putting the mini dvd into your puter or dvd player . I have also made large full sized dvds that I recordered with my out board dvd burner , again excellent results with no loss of quality.
Yes this camcorder uses mini dvds and I have been using both the + rw and the - rw .....I prefere the - rw which almost sure will play back on ANY dvd player.....some puters might not play back the + rws. Also I record in the HQ mode which will give you the best capture quality , but its for only 20 min. at this HQ setting. Yes only 20 min , but I know whats on it for that 20 min is excellent ......then I can burn this to the bigger dvd burner and I can put 3 20 min dvds onto the bigger dvd , giving me an hour of quality viewing ... OR ...edit what I dont want to onto the larger disk.
I have chose this mini dvd media over the hard drive models , as I dont always have a puter to download to......and dont have to worry about the hard drive of the camera crashing out.
And after owning several mini dv camcorders that require the tapes......well , no more jammed or pinched tapes.....or recording over something you didnt want to.....I had enough of them. The dvd will last a looooong time , for years to come.......look , guess how many times rented dvds are played back......thousands of times, right?
Alot of reviewers are complaining about this and that , that are no fault of the camera.......no it does NOT come with a remote or will not accept one ( buy the dvd 308 if you need the remote control) . Many find it hard to edit scenes you dont want.....why did you take them in the first place ?......edit when you re record to another burner then.
The DVD108 has a 40 power zoom....but if you zoom out that far you will need a tripod becuse youll be moving too much.....just like looking through a rifle scope or powerful binoculars.....buy a tripod.
Battery power is OK which will give you 45 min to an hour of taping.....but I bought the larger extra battery so I will never run out of power. Yes you must use ONLY SONY batteries.
This cam has an easy mode switch which makes it simple for any one to capture excellent videos , yet enough options for the experimenter to play with. Even has a " night mode" which records great in total darkness ( up to 20 feet )......better than no video at all , right !!!
No....I never used the camera mode, nor will I as I have a great digital camera for taking still pix.
Simply , you will love this SONY DVD108 camcorder.
On: 2007-06-26
I used several DV camcorders before and very interesed in editing the videos than just simply shooting. This SONY DCR really pissed me off since its not compatiable with my Mac system, which means I cant eidit the video using my Mac. In addition, many features, such as touch screen and Carl Zeiss Lens, exaggerated, but have nothing to do for the good qulity of the video. Zooming is rediculously awkward to use and its almost impossible to make stable shootings while using the zoom function.
Recommend for those who just do the shoot and show. For those who really want to make impressed shooting and editing things, you are almost insane (like me; I got it when I was out of mind) to consider this cheap but stuipid thing SONY ever made.
On: 2007-06-25
I have had this camcorder for a couple of weeks and have done several videos. It picks up sound from a very great distance and the video quality is incredible! Very easy to use. The zoom is awesome. The touch screen makes it very easy to navagate through the options. I did my research well. This is THE BEST camcorder for the money! You wont be sorry. The one downfall is the editing software. All it lets you do is trim it (cut out bad stuff). So you should buy good editing software.
On: 2007-06-12
Ordered the camera because of the reviews and they were right. Very nice camera, takes great video and easy to use.
The small controls on the touch screen are a bit difficult for big fingers but I manage. Id recommend it so far. Had it over a month and videoed several things and all turned out well.
On: 2007-06-12
After doing a lot of research on camcorders and based upon the rave reviews of other customers for this camcorder model, I bought this one. However, its not compatible with any remote control items. You dont find this out until you try to order a remote control and/or tripod from the accessories brochure. Even though I called Sony customer service and ordered a remote control from a group of 4 remote controls they said are compatible, theyre not. When I called them back about it when I wasnt able to install it, thats when they told me I had been misinformed. Also, you cannot edit the movie once you download it from dvd disc to the computer. I called Sony about this also. They said you have to buy separate software to edit from the computer, but you cant even do that with this model. The instruction manual provides either inconsistent or just plain wrong information. Sony customer service does the same thing. When I asked them why the enclosed material indicates that you can edit movies on the computer, but then find out you cannot, they had no answer except "Im sorry for the confusion." I am having to send back all 3 items to Amazon and will have to begin my research all over again. Very disappointing.
by: mililanihawaii On: 2007-06-09
I agree with all the reviews that am extremely happy with the camcorder. It is perfect in every way.
What Im really commenting on, however, is the one reviewer that rated Amazon.coms Customer Service as "one star". I cannot disagree more with that rating. Ive ordered hundreds of products from Amazon.com and without exception, service has been stellar! Ive had several dealings with Customer Service and they have always been responsive and courteous! I have NEVER has a bad experience! Amazon.com has earned my confidence and respect.
For the record: I am not associated with Amazon.com in anyway other than a customer.
On: 2007-06-08
I returned the product after one use because Im a Mac user and it is not compatible with I-Movie
The camera seemed ok but I was disappointed.
On: 2007-06-07
Although this product did have good zoom and sound quality, the picture quality was horrible. The colors were very dull and dark. It was not cooperative when opening the disk compartment and it was very small to hold. You need to use a tripod or get sick while watching your video. You also have to use the touch screen to do most tasks and that sucks down the small amount of battery life they provide you with.
On: 2007-06-03
This product is very easy to use. It has simple features, is light and easily managable. The features for the price cannot be beat. This sells for over $400 at Walmart and Best Buy. I would recommend this product to all!
On: 2007-06-01
This is very easy to use. Very compact and lightweight. I wish Amazon would state up front what comes in the box, which includes for this model: AC Adaptor, Power Cord, A/V Connecting Cable, USB Cable, Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-FH40, CD-Rom "Handycam Application Software and operating guide. The remote the one reviewer was talking about states it comes with models DCR-DVD308/DVD708. This manual covers multiple models-not just the DCR-DVD108.
Anyway, if you want to start shooting right away, that is after you charge the supplied battery that came with it (takes 125 minutes for the NP-FH40) make sure you order some 8cm Mini DVD-RW, DVD+RW to have on hand, and for still pictures get a Memory Stick Duo, or Memory Stick Pro Duo Do not get any other type, it will not be compatible.
I ordered an extra battery from Amazon for backup as well as the polorizer filter set. Amazon prices beat Sonys hands down, even with the 15% they give you when you register online. I had problems getting my registration completed on their website and was able to do so later on. I cannot wait to get the video captured loaded onto the computer with the software supplied. This is a great feature to have on a camcorder!!!
Amazon rocks!!
On: 2007-06-01
Good DVD camcorder . Powerful 40x zoom. Great Deal. Does not come with statrup Mini DVD or Memorystick. So Buy that seperately.
On: 2007-05-31
I used the camara on my trip to Maui and was very satisfied with the ease of handleing as a user.
On: 2007-05-31
This is very easy to use. Very compact and lightweight. I wish Amazon would state up front what comes in the box, which includes for this model: AC Adaptor, Power Cord, A/V Connecting Cable, USB Cable, Rechargeable Battery Pack NP-FH40, CD-Rom "Handycam Application Software and operating guide. The remote the one reviewer was talking about states it comes with models DCR-DVD308/DVD708. This manual covers multiple models-not just the DCR-DVD108.
Anyway, if you want to start shooting right away, that is after you charge the supplied battery that came with it (takes 125 minutes for the NP-FH40) make sure you order some 8cm Mini DVD-RW, DVD+RW to have on hand, and for still pictures get a Memory Stick Duo, or Memory Stick Pro Duo Do not get any other type, it will not be compatible.
I ordered an extra battery from Amazon for backup as well as the polorizer filter set. Amazon prices beat Sonys hands down, even with the 15% they give you when you register online. I had problems getting my registration completed on their website and was able to do so later on. I cannot wait to get the video captured loaded onto the computer with the software supplied. This is a great feature to have on a camcorder!!!
Amazon rocks!!
On: 2007-05-31
The LCD screen on my one-year-old DCR-HC21 miniDV camcorder stopped working so I figured it was a good time to upgrade to a mini DVD camcorder Ive been wanting for a while. The DVD108 is great, and so much more user-friendly than a miniDV camcorder. I love that theres no more rewinding, fast-forwarding or searching for scenes on a tape. There are nice thumbnail images on the DVD making it easy to find scenes. Also theres a play button in record mode, so no need to toggle the dial back and forth between play and record. And its nice to be able to review scenes, then start recording again right away without having to find the end of the last scene. You cant accidentally record over footage on a DVD.
The SP quality on miniDV tape looks slightly better than SP on miniDVD. So Im switching to HQ recording, which will only give me 20 minutes of recording on a 1.4GB miniDVD, but theyre cheap enough to buy a bunch.
Now, I purchased another Sony because I read that the batteries are compatible with both my old and new camcorders. This was important because I could use the 3 other (very expensive) extended Sony batteries from my old camcorder. A little side note about Sony, they are lunatics with proprietary technology. In other words, their products will often work only with their own branded accessories. I bought an off-brand battery before which fit on my old camcorder, and it powered up for a few seconds before telling me to use a Sony brand battery, before it shut down.
Anyway, I try to attach my "old" batteries to the new camcorder and they dont fit. However the new battery fits and works on my old camcorder. I then realize that Sony intentionally changed the locking tabs design on the new batteries so that they would be backward-compatible with older products, but the tabs on the old batteries would not fit on my new camcorder. Therefore I have to buy new extended batteries for my new camcorder. I just cant believe the ways Sony will screw with consumers and force them to buy more of their products.
Well thats my only tirade about this camcorder, otherwise its fantastic. I mostly bought it because I burn all my miniDV tapes to DVD anyway, so this way I can save a lot of time.
On: 2007-05-30
The LCD screen on my one-year-old DCR-HC21 miniDV camcorder stopped working so I figured it was a good time to upgrade to a mini DVD camcorder Ive been wanting for a while. The DVD108 is great, and so much more user-friendly than a miniDV camcorder. I love that theres no more rewinding, fast-forwarding or searching for scenes on a tape. There are nice thumbnail images on the DVD making it easy to find scenes. Also theres a play button in record mode, so no need to toggle the dial back and forth between play and record. And its nice to be able to review scenes, then start recording again right away without having to find the end of the last scene. You cant accidentally record over footage on a DVD.
The SP quality on miniDV tape looks slightly better than SP on miniDVD. So Im switching to HQ recording, which will only give me 20 minutes of recording on a 1.4GB miniDVD, but theyre cheap enough to buy a bunch.
Now, I purchased another Sony because I read that the batteries are compatible with both my old and new camcorders. This was important because I could use the 3 other (very expensive) extended Sony batteries from my old camcorder. A little side note about Sony, they are lunatics with proprietary technology. In other words, their products will often work only with their own branded accessories. I bought an off-brand battery before which fit on my old camcorder, and it powered up for a few seconds before telling me to use a Sony brand battery, before it shut down.
Anyway, I try to attach my "old" batteries to the new camcorder and they dont fit. However the new battery fits and works on my old camcorder. I then realize that Sony intentionally changed the locking tabs design on the new batteries so that they would be backward-compatible with older products, but the tabs on the old batteries would not fit on my new camcorder. Therefore I have to buy new extended batteries for my new camcorder. I just cant believe the ways Sony will screw with consumers and force them to buy more of their products.
Well thats my only tirade about this camcorder, otherwise its fantastic. I mostly bought it because I burn all my miniDV tapes to DVD anyway, so this way I can save a lot of time.
On: 2007-05-24
Everything works well with this camcorder. The only difficulty for me is that Im left-handed and the controls are definitely set up for right-handed folks. That said, I can manipulate the controls, but my learning curve is a little longer. The 40X zoom is terrific. Also the instruction manual is good, and by following it, youll be up and running quickly.
On: 2007-05-24
Bought this camcorder after researching the different formats. Mini DVD is the easiest to work with for me. This camcorder has some awesome functions (touchscreen, night mode(children love this one), big ZOOM! I have two kids and after I finish a dvd i can put it into the dvd player and let them watch themselves. If you want to edit video one of the other formats may be better. Personally I like the ease of the record/play aspect of the dvd.
On: 2007-05-23
I dont understand digital tools very much. But using this camera is very easy. Optical zoom is very comfortable, even if you are on back seats at a large conference or a huge concert hall. when you use higher zoom scale, you might need a tripod. The quality of video is perfect when it is pictured in a very sunny day, at nights or in an indoor place. Battery life lasts in approximately one and a half hour. But it can be recharge in 2 hours completely. But anyway, I am thinking of ordering a higher capacity battery. Allthough we dont need it as a camera for pictures by now, I will also buy a memory stick. I wish this perfect camera included a case. By the way I have been using it just for some couple of weeks. So I hope all those features continues in the future, too.
On: 2007-05-22
Nice cam for the price. Has all the features i need for making home movies. using the usb and software that comes with it, its very easy to import to a PC to edit. I love the touch screen and that it lets you record in widescreen format. The picture quality seems good to me, ive seen worse on similiar priced cams. all in all i like it.
On: 2007-05-21
I really like this camera. I havent had a chance to play with all its features. I am very please this far. I did try the night vision out and its very cool!
On: 2007-05-19
just wanted to add a couple of negative points to the other positive reviews (i agree with most of those).
i bought this camera via amazon and it took less than an hour to figure out the features (there arent that many) and controls. i guess its a good camera in this price range but it doesnt adapt very well to movements. video appears blurred/shaky when you move the camcorder sideways while shooting (a little faster than a turtle :))
i noticed a stop-and-continue when playing back a long, non-stop recording (> 5 mins). initially i thought it could be because i am playing back the dvd directly through the camcorder but the brief (~1 sec) pauses do exist in the mpg files i extracted to my computer. Other than these two issues, it has been working fine.
Speaking of the software, its just horrible. You need to connect the handy cam to your computer to install the software (why would i install this useless software if i dont have this handy cam). after you get through installation, it wont allow me to save files (in mpg format) in a different folder. you need to register a folder before you can start using it (seriously!). after saving the files in mpg format, you are better of using some other software program.
On: 2007-05-19
just wanted to add a negative point to the other positive reviews (i agree with most of those).
i noticed a stop-and-continue when playing back a long, non-stop recording (> 5 mins). initially i thought it could be because i am playing back the dvd directly thru the camcorder but the brief (~1 sec) pauses do exist in the mpg files i extacted to my computer. other than this, its a good camcorder at this level.
On: 2007-05-19
It contains a lot of things and functionalities that I didnt know about them.
On: 2007-05-18
This camcorder works great inside and outside and in any light condition. Its easy to take anywhere because it is so light. Good quality and we can watch our little girls first steps over and over and remember our little boys laugh forever! It was a great purchase!
On: 2007-05-18
It contains a lot of things and functionalities that I didnt know about them.
On: 2007-05-16
I bought this camcorder for my daughter, and WOW, its terrific! I am going to give it to her for her high school graduation, and I dont know how Im going to wait. I have already had it out and tried everything--everything works just PERFECTLY. I told my husband that I want one now.
I checked prices all over the net, and at local stores like Frys Electronics, Best Buy, etc., and no one could come close to the Amazon.com deal. It arrived 2 days after I ordered it in outstanding condition, in a factory sealed box. I was nervous about buying electronics and having them shipped like this, but Im not nervous anymore (at least with Amazon.com).
I very much recommend this product, through this seller.
On: 2007-05-15
It is easy to use, and the 40X optical zoom is outstanding.
On: 2007-05-15
This camcorder is exactly what I was looking for in a camcorder in this price range. For $350 in the camcorder world, this is a great buy. One big thing I was interested in was a camcorder that used DVDs because I wanted to be able to put the discs in my dvd player and watch them. I didnt want to have to hook the camcorder up to the tv and so on in order to watch home movies. I never watch the home movies from our older camcorder because they are all recorded on, I think, 8 mm tape and the camera needs to be hooked up, and theres no other way to watch them. Electronics arent my forte so the less fuss, the better. With this camcorder you can buy DVD-R discs which you finalize in the camera and then they are ready to pop into the DVD player.
I made my first home movie with it and was watching it in my DVD player minutes later. Fabulous! But you can also use other DVDs that are rewritable, etc...most of them wont play in a DVD player and in that case you would need to hook the camcorder up to the TV to watch them. But my point is that there is an option and its just what I wanted.
Basically, the camcorder is easy to use, again, I am not completely electronics savvy but I was able to figure out the basics quickly, all on my own with just a little help from the manual. There is still a lot more for me to read up on in order to use the camera even better, but my first 20 minute movie of my dogs running around the yard and catching frisbees came out pretty darn good, if I do say so myself.
This is my first camera with the LED screen and thats something else I wanted and really like. This camcorder had all but I think one feature recommended to look for by CR mag. Again, for the price range, its great. If you want to spend more on a camcorder you may want more features but for simple home movie use, this one is terrific and a great value.
I recommend it and I look forward to using it even more to capture great memories with.
On: 2007-05-14
This was even better than I expected. A great value and quality picture.
On: 2007-05-14
It has worked out amazingly, the zoom is so ridiculous that it boggles..nay..BLOWS my mind. I started it out using some blank dvd-rws, worked great through bumpy moments, amazing nightvision, and its charge is good, though for a long trip I might recommend their upgraded battery. Great product, if I could make love to it, I would. A lot.
On: 2007-05-13
Okay, this is my first camcorder purchase. So what do I know about camcorders to be writing a review. Youre right, not much. All I can tell you is for someone that has never owned a camcorder I was surprised at how easy it is to use, and the picture quality is excellent. So if you are like me and dont know one camcorder from another, I believe youll be pleased with this product. I use the camcorder as a golf training aid. I set it up on a tripod at the driving range and push the record button. I come home, pop the DVD into the player and groan over my terrible golf swing. I hope your recordings are more pleasant to watch.
On: 2007-05-13
I got this camcorder for a graduation gift and it was huge hit. The touch screen is awesome and it is very simple to use. The battery life is two hours long. Good deal!!
On: 2007-05-09
This is the easiest Cam-Corder I have ever used!! HIGHLY recommend you purchase this one!!
On: 2007-05-08
I purchased the Sony DCR-DVD108 about a week ago and so far its been easy to use and video seems very clear. First time user of Camcorder and I found it very user friendly. Its small and very lightweight. I havent tried many of the features yet but so far Ive been impressed by the size and ease of use with the touchscreen. If youre looking for a great good quality camcorder I think youll be happy with this one.
On: 2007-05-07
Light and easy to use camcorder! This is my first camcorder and Im very happy with the decision I made!
On: 2007-04-27
I used the camcorder to record my entire Hawaii trip with my family. This is very handy, easy to use. I used -RW s from Sony. Also I used dual layer RWs from JVC. They work great. Dual layer is better, because you can record upto 1 hour in standard mode. This is my second sony camcorder after 11 years and I love it. Finalizing the DVD is very easy, except that you get a warning not to vibrate the camcorder. I could connect the camcorder to both TV as well as my notebook. Havent done any editing on the recorded movie.
On: 2007-04-17
I ordered the Sony DCR-DVD108 on April 9. I still havent received the camera. What I have received are 2 e-mails stating that the product is late without any sort explanation why. As far as Im concerned it is too late! The first stated that the shipment would leave on April 16. When I purchase the camera, I did so because the add stated that if I wanted the camera by April 12, I needed to order it in the next 11 hours and 23 minutes. This I did. The next e-mail that arrived just this morning and Ive been informed that it will arrive between April 26 and May 3. I have already missed recording one of my seven year old daughters gymnastics competitions and now if stick with their delivery dates, Ill be missing 2 more. Well, Im not missing 2 more and Amazon is getting the camera back. The best part of this is that I dont even have the option of canceling the order because Amazon is and I quote, "... preparing these items for shipment and this portion of your order cannot be canceled or changed." If you cant get the order out on time, you should respect your customer enough to offer cancellation of the shipment or better yet, try some real customer service and have the product shipped from a competitor at your cost. I can tell you with certainty that sort of customer service would bring your customers for life.
On: 2007-04-11
This is the first electronic gadget I have bought in years that I was able to figure out in minutes!
Out of the box, after a 2 hour charge (gave me a chance to watch the tutorial and scan the manual) I was
making movies! I have not used the high quality setting yet but the mid-range is pretty darn good! The
most impressive feature is its "anti jitter" filtering. Any other Camcorder I have ever tried makes my
movies look like I am in the middle of an earthquake! Not with this one! (unless you are at max zoom) The
optical zoom is far more than needed so I never expect to even use the digital zoom. There is an "easy"
mode that automatically sets the camera to adequate settings. And it actually works.
The only thing I am having problems with is getting the camera to connect to the PC. The camera says
"connecting" and just hangs. I have a call in with Sony and will report back. I suspect better editing
software will cure that. The software provided is very basic. The workaround for now is to just insert
the DVD directly into the PC then use the software to read and edit it. It would be nice if you could
"finalize" the DVD on the PC rather than in the camcorder.
Initialy, I purchased the Camcorder alone to see how I like it but I just ordered ALL the options!
On: 2007-04-10
I research the daylights out of everything. So I wind up usually buying a menage of names since I dont believe any manufacturer is good at everything. Since my college days in the mid-80s, Ive hated Sony products. Ive always believed they waded into far too many product lines and their quality suffered. So, up until this purchase Ive owned nothing Sony for 20 years. Based on the reviews, though, I just purchased this camcorder and broke it in during a trip to Berlin. You cannot beat the price for the quality. Superb zoom (optical really counts as digital blurs the picture and is artificial), easy menu, great night shot capability. All in all, a wonderful purchase. Do not hesitate to buy this Sony. Tip: get a pack of DVD+RWs to play with since you can re-record and get a pack of dual layer Rs once youre comfortable because they have much more recording space but you CANNOT re-record on them.
On: 2007-04-09
I research the daylights out of everything. So I wind up usually buying a menage of names since I dont believe any manufacturer is good at everything. Since my college days in the mid-80s, Ive hated Sony products. Ive always believed they waded into far too many product lines and their quality suffered. So, up until this purchase Ive owned nothing Sony for 20 years. Based on the reviews, though, I just purchased this camcorder and broke it in during a trip to Berlin. You cannot beat the price for the quality. Superb zoom (optical really counts as digital blurs the picture and is artificial), easy menu, great night shot capability. All in all, a wonderful purchase. Do not hesitate to buy this Sony. Tip: get a pack of DVD+RWs to play with since you can re-record and get a pack of dual layer Rs once youre comfortable because they have much more recording space but you CANNOT re-record on them.
On: 2007-04-09
I have had quite a few camcorders over the years (none of them Sony), and when I was looking for a new one, I did my usual 3-4 weeks of researching, etc. I chose the Sony DVD handycam because it was easy to use, the menu was pretty straightfoward, it had a 40x optical zoom (compared to 32x) and it was DVD. I was skeptical about the dvd part because I had heard about the minimal recording time, etc but I didnt understand the different disk formats I guess. Anyway, I am very pleased with this camcorder, and being able to shoot in a 16:9 format is also a nice feature I didnt even think about at first. So, although I am new to Sony camcorders, I am really enjoying this one. My only advice would be to go ahead and buy the memory stick and the disk pack when you buy the camera because you will want them!
On: 2007-04-04
I love this camcorder. Its simple to use and I love the fact that you just hit one buttom and it formats the disc and then its ready to go into your DVD player. It has all the right features, but not so many that youll never use them all. I love the clear, precise focus and the night shot option for filming indoors and outdoors. Ive had this product for about 3 months now, Ive completed one disc and Im very satisfied with its performance.
On: 2007-04-04
when it comes to buying camcorders, i personally like the one with the build in memory. but after using this camcorder i was forced to change my mind.
unlike other sony camcorders, first of all, it offers upto 40x zoom which is a lot. its a good use of your money. you can have it for under $400 and still works better than a lot of choices out there. easy to use, touch screen, takes still photos, has a good speaker so its easier to record video and voice, fits into your palm so to speak, and if you use rewritable mini dvds, you wouldnt have to worry about go out of memory.
so when it comes to sony camcorders, i would say the better quality of this one would get the job done properly.
On: 2007-03-21
I am in the Military and I purchased this product online and had it sent to my wife so she can record my family activities cause I am currently in Iraq she said the camera is awesome it is nice to be able to view my family on dvd if my wife can work it without me being there therefor it is very easy to use. It is a perfect camera for the military family especially since you are away from home.
On: 2007-03-10
I did some research regarding this camcorder and a couple of the cannons. I picked this one because it has a USB port, a 40X Zoom, and was sold immediately when I tested it out in a local Circuit City. The touch screen is easy to navigate and I can use the memmory stick on my Sony VAIO Laptop. The only negative is it does not come with any memory; Other than that, its an outstanding value. I highly recomend this product.
On: 2007-03-06
This unit records video straight to mini-DVD disks. You can plug the unit into a TV and play back, you can play back on the LCD, you can finalize the disk and put it into a standard DVD player, or a computer DVD drive. The unit comes with software to install on your PC that you can then use to edit the video clips, then re-burn to a new DVD if you have a DVD burner on your PC. The Zoom function on this unit it so powerful its absurd. It has a standard 40X optical zoom that is more than enough. On top of that it has a digital zoom that you can program for 80X or a totally insane 2000X. I can zoom in on a single letter of a word, in a small print book, from 50ft away, and then the letter disappears and turns to pixels.
It has a "widescreen" setting in the video options, and the manual does not say that this model records in widescreen, but it does! It also has a really cool nightshot feature that uses Infrared Radiation so you can film in total darkness. The sound quality of this unit is what most impressed me. Very clear, and it has a dolby 5.1 surround converter. It weighs less than 1 pound, and the battery lasts for 90 recording minutes on a full charge.
On: 2007-03-05
This unit records video straight to mini-DVD disks. You can plug the unit into a TV and play back, you can play back on the LCD, you can finalize the disk and put it into a standard DVD player, or a computer DVD drive. The unit comes with software to install on your PC that you can then use to edit the video clips, then re-burn to a new DVD if you have a DVD burner on your PC. The Zoom function on this unit it so powerful its absurd. It has a standard 40X optical zoom that is more than enough. On top of that it has a digital zoom that you can program for 80X or a totally insane 2000X. I can zoom in on a single letter of a word, in a small print book, from 50ft away, and then the letter disappears and turns to pixels.
It has a "widescreen" setting in the video options, and the manual does not say that this model records in widescreen, but it does! It also has a really cool nightshot feature that uses Infrared Radiation so you can film in total darkness. The sound quality of this unit is what most impressed me. Very clear, and it has a dolby 5.1 surround converter. It weighs less than 1 pound, and the battery lasts for 90 recording minutes on a full charge.
On: 2007-02-06
I am in no way a computer geek, I had no idea what optical zoom and finalizing discs meant. But I am a mom that wanted quality home videos of my girls and wanted to spend less than $450. So here is my opinion. I returned my Samsung 164 for this camera. It was the same price but this has the Super Niteshot. The camera is very light and easy to control with one hand. The lens is made of glass versus the Samsung which is made of plastic. The zoom is amazing on this camera, I stood across my kitchen was able to zoom in on the small print on my calendar, AMAZING! I am so glad I took the Samsung 164 back - the indoor quality of that camera was horrible. This is excellent even in low light situations. Very pleased. I was also able to record on the DVD -Rs which do not require formatting - just put the disc in and record. Oh and finalizing is just when you are done recording you go the menu on the camcorder press finalize and it does in about 1 minute it says it is complete and your done. Not as complicated as I thought it would be.
|
|
