Performance

The DCR-DVD205 features a 1/5.5" CCD with 1.07 gross MP (in 4:3 video: 690K effective pixels; in 16:9 video: 670K effective pixels). At 3000 lux, the DVD205 produced a surprisingly decent picture, with a relatively sharp image, favorable color performance, and not too much noise. We use the term "surprising" because last year’s model, the DVD203, was generally terrible.

The color saturation is rather high, but no different than that from the DVD105. High saturation is common among low and middle-end camcorders, where consumers are led to believe that bright colors are more important than accurate colors. Hence, the DVD205 has strongly saturated blues and greens, but we can accept that, given the price category. There are some patches of blue noise, a problem that has hounded Sony camcorders in the last few years. Fortunately, the blue noise is not all that noticeable. Compared to most DVD camcorders, the compression artifacts are relatively few. Sometimes artifacts can negatively affect the curves and diagonals, creating some ugly stair-stepping, but the DVD205 kept that to a minimum.

The DVD203 was more strongly saturated. The picture was much brighter, with colors that absolutely popped off the screen. This helped to differentiate the colors a little, but also tended to blow out the whites. All in all, it was a rather poor image.

The DVD105, the entry level model and next step down from the DVD205, had a noisier image and did not look as sharp. The colors were also more vivid, all of which are likely a result of the DVD205’s slightly larger imager (1/5.5" versus 1/6").

The VDR-D100, Panasonic’s entry-level DVD camcorder, was very noisy and had a worse color balance. Both camcorders are saturated, but the Sony is saturated evenly, while the D100 pushes the red at the expense of everything else – as a result, the magenta tones tended towards pink. Finally, the Canon DC10, the lower-middle end DVD model, had flatter but more accurate colors. The Canon’s main strength was its lack of noise.

**Video Resolution ***(13.4)*

The video from the DCR-DVD205 was tested for its resolution. How? We shoot a standard ISO 12233 resolution chart and running stills from that footage through Imatest imaging software. In 4:3, the camcorder produced 401.4 lines of horizontal resolution and 334.6 lines of vertical resolution, yielding an approximate resolution of 134308.44. In 16:9 aspect ratio, the DVD205 yielded 414.9 lines of horizontal resolution and 292.6 lines of vertical resolution, yielding an approximate resolution of 121399.74.

**Low Light Performance ***(3.75)*

We tested the Sony DCR-DVD205 for its low light capabilities, which we consider to be among the most important elements of any camcorder. Video is not as sensitive to light as the human eye, so there are often situations where you can see just fine but a camcorder may struggle. Low light performance is based largely on chip size. The 1/5.5" CCD of the DVD205 may give it a slight advantage over the standard issue 1/6" for entry-level models, but we didn’t expect too much.

At 60 lux, the camcorder produced a decent image. The colors are clearly oversaturated, which is often the solution for lower-end camcorders – if you can’t capture the light, fake it! And it would have worked, were it not for the abundance of blue noise that appears through much of the image. It’s a splotchy, distracting sort of noise, which is hard to ignore. Regular issue noise, the pepper-like black variety, is also in abundance. The apparent sharpness (how it looked) did not suffer too much, and the camcorder had no focus issues.

Last year’s DVD203’s images looked very similar, though saturation was higher, particularly in the yellows. This made for a less balanced color spectrum. The DVD105 is almost exactly the same in terms of color performance, though there is slightly more red in the DVD105 and more blue in the DVD205. Fine grain black noise is higher in the DVD105. However, there is almost no blue noise. The smaller imager made for less fine detail than in the images the DVD205 produced.

The Panasonic VDR-D100 had a brighter image with less saturation, likely a beneficial by-product of better gain. However, the fine grain black noise is much higher and overwhelmed a lot of the fine detail. The Canon DC10 is arguably the best low light performer. Sure, there was color saturation, but it was more consistent than in the Sonys’ images. The whites were not boosted out of proportion, there was no blue noise, and the blackish noise was apparent but not overwhelming.

At 15 lux, the DCR-DVD205 lost a good deal of color information. You can recognize the general tones, but that’s about it. Blue noise did not increase any more, but it didn’t get any better. There was quite a bit of fine detail loss.

The DVD203 was essentially the same, except that the yellows and whites were brighter. It also had much higher levels of fine grain noise. Color information was about the same. The Panasonic VDR-D100 was completely overwhelmed with noise, though color levels were better. Finally, the Canon DC10 had high levels of noise, but the outlines of subjects remained strong, and noise did not blur the detail. Color information was slightly higher.

Overall, the DVD205 was not great, due largely to uneven saturation and blue noise.

Wide Angle* (7.8)
*The DVD205 was tested for its wide angle in both 4:3 and 16:9 in order to determine if it has true widescreen. In 4:3, the camcorder showed a wide angle of 39 degrees. In 16:9, it showed a wide angle of 42 degrees. However, when switching from 4:3 to 16:9, a significant portion of the top and bottom of the frame is cropped. The minor amount of information added to the sides, in addition to the loss of information on the top and bottom makes this a quasi-widescreen mode. You're really not gaining any information, and you may actually have a little bit less in 16:9. But if you're simply looking to fill up your  widescreen TV, this will do the job.

Format

Compression* (5.0)*

The DCR-DVD205’s compression system produces MPEG-2 video files. This is consistent with the nearly every DVD camcorder on the current market. If you’re concerned with how this relatively heavy compression will affect your video, then you should probably be already looking at MiniDV camcorders, which offer less compression and higher quality. Like the DCR-DVD105, the DCR-DVD205 records at three different quality modes: HQ, SP, and LP (similar to Panasonic’s XP, SP, and LP recording modes). In HQ mode, the Sony DCR-DVD105 will yield approximately 20 minutes of playback/recording time; it produces 30 minutes in SP mode and 60 in LP mode. These qualities correspond to maximum bit rates. The highest data rate that a DVD camcorder can manage is 8.5 Mbps (which most manufacturers round up to 9Mbps). Compare this to MiniDV’s 25Mbps rate. Data rate is not the sole factor in image quality, but it certainly helps.

Media* (5.0)*

The Sony DCR-DVD205 records on three DVD disc types: 3-inch DVD-R, 3-inch DVD-RW, and 3-inch DVD+RW. It cannot record onto 3-inch DVD-RAM, a format that this year’s Panasonic and Hitachi camcorders accommodate. DVD-RAM and DVD-RW used to be the subjects of a strange format rivalry between Panasonic and Sony. It seems DVD-RW won, and is now available on both manufacturers’ lines, though Panasonic has kept DVD-RAM as well. Sony seems to have made the correct choice: DVD-RW as it allows multiple viewings and recordings and also plays back in many conventional players.

Editing* (3.0)*

The editing problems associated with DVD camcorder formats have been horrible. The MPEG-2 format often leaves users dependent on crappy proprietary software designed to provide the illusion of a solution, without providing independent, dependable large editing sources like Avid or Final Cut Pro. The DCR-DVD205 doesn’t ship with any proprietary software, which could be a good thing, but it seems that Sony has said goodbye to editing and instead banked on the fact that these camcorders (expensive and not too versatile) attract people who want to put the DVD in the player and press play. Sony therefore includes Nero Express 6 software with the camcorder. While this differentiates the DCR-DVD205 from the DCR-DVD203, it’s not anything to write home about. This seems to be a really stripped down version of Nero, the well-known burning software, which allows the user to easily convert 3-inch DVD discs to regular size, using Nero to dump and burn. The user (I imagine) they have in mind is a person with a camcorder, a 3-inch DVD-RW disc, and a big stack of regular-size DVD-Rs, just shooting, ripping, burning, and repeating until the DVD-RW wears out.

Tour

**The Front ***(6.5)*

The front of the DCR-DVD205 is exactly the same as that of the DCR-DVD105. These two DVD camcorders, entry level and next step up in Sony’s DVD line this year, are nearly identical in design, aside from body color.

The end of the lens barrel dominates the DVD205’s front. Below this is the camcorder’s infrared sensor, followed by its stereo microphone. As with the DCR-DVD105, the DCR-DVD205 is slightly smaller and more slender than last year’s DCR-DVD203, the model which it replaces. This becomes evident on the front, where the lens barrel is comparatively minimized.

**The Right Side ***(7.0)*

On the right side of the DCR-DVD205, the camcorder’s DVD mechanism drive, slightly smaller than last year, dominates the space. A relatively small port cover protrudes to the left of the DVD mechanism, making a slightly ugly addition to an otherwise good-looking side. However, as awkward as it seems, this port cover doesn’t really obstruct anything in handheld use, as it occupies the crook in the user’s index finger. The cover conceals the camcorder’s Audio/Video output port; unfortunately you’ll have to buy a DCR-DVD305 to get any more ports than this (including a simple USB port). Along the bottom section of the camcorder’s right side is Sony’s standard strap, which is comfortable, if a bit big (bigger than Panasonic straps).

**The Back ***(5.5)*

The back of the DCR-DVD205 includes the battery port, smartly placed to allow for extended battery sizes without disrupting the camcorder’s balance during handheld use. Also close by is the DC input port. To the immediate right of the camcorder’s DC port is the primary record button—though, the record button on the LCD screen margin (called here the secondary record button) is placed for more dominance.

Above all of these controls, on the top right of the DCR-DVD205’s back side, is the camcorder’s mode selector switch, which was moved up from its placement on last year’s DCR-DVD203. This new placement, which also appears on the DVD105 and DVD305, works out well for Sony. A color viewfinder is close by, to the left.

**The Left Side ***(6.0)*

A large, 2.7" widescreen LCD display on the DVD205’s left side is one of the biggest upgrades from the DVD105, which has a 2.5" non-widescreen display. The DCR-DVD205 is the cheapest Sony DVD camcorder this year to offer a widescreen LCD. Underneath the DCR-DVD205’s LCD screen are three buttons, one of which, the wide select button, switches to widescreen view. Other buttons select display options for the screen and show the battery info (remaining life, etc.), as well as accessing the camcorder’s Easy mode, an essential function on any Sony.

Two secondary buttons on the LCD margin itself—this time below the screen—stop or start recording and control zoom. Buttons to activate the LCD screen’s back light and to access the camcorder’s Play/Edit mode exist above the LCD panel.

The Top* (6.0)*

The top of the DCR-DVD205 is relatively unpopulated, though it does feature the camcorder’s excellent zoom toggle. This area has also undergone some change since last year, as the upper edge of the DVD mechanism is now flatter and less noticeable, which streamlines the general design . The switch to open the DVD mechanism is located on this upper edge, so you can easily change discs without navigating through the touch screen menu system.

Further back on the camcorder’s top are the zoom toggle, photo button, and mode selector device. These controls are close together and are meant to be accessed with the user’s index finger. My only reservation, which I frequently have about Sony’s recent camcorders, is that it would be better to see the zoom toggle more in line with my index finger. Maybe it's because I have pudgy hands; damn the Swiss and their cake rolls.

Auto / Manual Controls

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (9.0)

Sony camcorders are renowned for the strength of their automatic controls, just as Panasonic camcorders(at least on this website), are known for their manual functions. On DVD camcorders, Sony’s auto-focus pays off, particularly on their low-end DVD camcorders, such as the DCR-DVD105. On the DCR-DVD205, we would have hoped for more manual controls for the extra hundred bucks. However, the automatic controls on this camcorder are just as good as the DCR-DVD105’s options, and they’re better than those on comparably-priced Panasonics.

Automatic controls are subtle when they should be, and strong and sharp as well. White balance on the DCR-DVD205 is subtle and nice, while exposure and focus automatic functions are immediate, though lags do occur if you’re far into the zoom range. All this is made very simple by the Easy mode button, located in the LCD cavity. Switching to Easy mode locks all settings to auto.

The Easy Mode button (left), located in the LCD cavity. The mode dial (right), located in the upper rear.

Sony’s standard Automatic Exposure (Program AE) presets for different shooting environments are available on the DCR-DVD205. These include: Spotlight, Portrait, Sports, Beach and Ski, Sunset and Moon, and Landscape. That’s a lot of auto for you.

There are also the standard Sony Spot Meter and Spot Focus auto controls. When activated, a frame appears around the LCD display. Touching any part of the screen will tailor either focus (in the case of Spot Focus) or exposure (in the case of Spot Meter) to the subject or area you point to. It’s not a terribly fine control, but it works well in a pinch.

Overall Manual Control (3.0)

The Sony DCR-DVD205 doesn’t have a lot of manual control. Bottom line: this is not a camcorder to buy if you’re into the manual control; that goes for most DVD camcorders, as well. The camcorder’s white balance is useable, and the zoom is very good, now that Sony has put nice toggles on most of their equipment, part of the recent design revision across the board of all Sony camcorders. This is one of the things you get if you buy a Sony over a Panasonic: the Sony looks good, and in some cases (zoom), it also handles well.

The P-Touch Menu, which appears when you hit 'Menu on the LCD.'

*The next level of the menu, with titles for each sub-menu. The first sub-category, Camera Set, has most of the manual controls. *

Again, on the DCR-DVD205, as on all Sony DVD and low-end MiniDV, the touch-screen menu system controls nearly all operation. This is a pretty lame feature, and this website has been criticizing it for years now. Basically, the touch screen system turns your LCD into the central control panel for the camcorder; you touch it like you would touch a button. The bad thing is that it also turns your camcorder into a jittery, bumping machine when you adjust manual controls, makes access tedious, and turns the screen into a greasy mess.

Zoom (8.0)

The zoom toggle on the DCR-DVD205 is excellent, and consistent with those on many of Sony’s redesigned camcorders. The toggle is located just above the camcorder’s main body, allowing for easy use without nearby obstacles or rough patches of movement. This is much better than, say, the Panasonic sliding switch-type zoom toggles, which are generally harder to control smoothly and consistently. Even the novice can achieve smooth, consistent, reliable zooms on the DCR-DVD205.

On of the major downgrades from the cheaper DCR-DVD105 to the DCR-DVD205 is the decrease in optical zoom. The DCR-DVD205 offers a 12x optical zoom (so does the DCR-DVD305), while the DCR-DVD105 offers a healthy 20x optical zoom. Both are going to have a tough time competing with Panasonic’s DVD machines, the cheapest of which offers a 30x optical zoom. Panasonic has been beefing up their zoom as of late, an attractive gimmick for some buyers. Of course, our savvy readers know that big zooms require solid stabilization or they risk shaky footage, right?

Digital zoom options of 40x and 800x also exist, and can be found in the menu.

Zoom Power/Ratio (12.0)

One of the main downgrades from the DCR-DVD105 to the DCR-DVD205 is that, when you go up in imager size, you go down in zoom power. This isn’t unusual in the camcorder world, and has to do with the mechanics of optical systems. The DCR-DVD205’s zoom goes down to 12x from 20x, while Panasonic’s DVD camcorders hold at 30x. Comparable Canons are doing equally as poorly, if it’s anything to Sony.

Focus (4.0)

One of the manual controls on the DCR-DVD205, that you’d probably do better not fiddling with, is the focus control. This control, as on all Sony camcorders that operate using the touch screen menu system, rocks the camcorder as your scroll through the focus bar. Basically, you tap a cursor across the screen to achieve focus. While the display, or lack thereof, is pretty average for low-end camcorders (you’ll see the same lack on Panasonic DVD camcorders), the tapping has just got to go. Look at Panasonic’s joystick navigation/adjustment system for a better option.

One feature of this touch screen menu system that sets Sony apart from other manufacturers, however, is the capacity for Spot Focusing and Spot Metering. Spot Focusing basically allows the user to tap the area of the screen to which he or she would like the camcorder to focus. While this option is not the best thing to use during recording, it is a nice gimmick that allows you to quickly see what a shot looks like from different focal points. You can dictate the camcorder’s automatic focus adjustments but not control them: an interesting compromise between manual and automatic controls.

Exposure (Aperture) (4.0)

This is another feature the user is probably better off leaving alone. An "in between" control (meaning somewhere between automatic and manual), this function lets the user control both the iris and the shutter speed, the ratio of the two being "exposure." "What is the ratio?" you ask. The answer is: I don’t know. No one knows. Sony may not even know. It appears to be an EV range of some sort, but the actual number of EV steps between increments is unknown. The control appears as a scale with a + on one side and a – on the other. You tap to move it across the scale. Simple? Yes. Effective? To a point? Satisfying as a manual control? No way. The DVD205 is an auto-centric camcorder, and this is why.

*Shutter Speed (0.0) *

This is no manual shutter speed on the DCR-DVD205, the DCR-DVD105, or the DCR-DVD305. Sorry to disappoint. Look to other manufacturers, namely Panasonic, for this manual control.

Sony does include an "auto shutter" function, buried in the touch screen menu. Apparently, this feature automatically adjusts the shutter to speed up in especially bright light environments. Its default setting is ‘on’, leading me to believe that this is an expected augmentation to the camcorder’s automatic adjustment mode. This is not a manual control, but it is worth mentioning.

White Balance (7.5)

White balance is perhaps the most usable manual control on the DCR-DVD205. Like all the others, it is located deep in the camcorder’s touch screen menu system. However, users are most likely to operate when not recording. This makes the extra digging through the Byzantine dungeon that is the touch screen menu system not too much of a hassle.

Once in the camcorder’s menu system, the user can select the manual white balance option and then hold the camcorder towards what he or she wants to be "white" in the picture. This is a pretty easy process, and may be easier than Panasonic’s method, as their icons can be confusing sometimes. However, you’ll definitely need two hands to do this, while on the Panasonic you’ll probably only need one.

If you don’t choose manual white balance, you can select indoor, outdoor, or automatic options. Auto is self-explanatory, and indoor and outdoor are variations on its theme: you tell the camcorder to assume a certain light temperature. These are pretty standard options across the industry.

Gain (0.0)

There is no manual gain control on the DCR-DVD205, a limitation which is apparent across the board in Sony’s low-end camcorder lines, regardless of format. For manual gain controls, look to Panasonic.

Other Manual Control (0.0)

There are no other manual controls on the DCR-DVD205. Sheesh, it barely had enough to almost fill the section.

Still Features

Still Features* (5.75)*

With the same still features as last year’s DCR-DVD203, the DCR-DVD205 captures stills at a resolution of 1152 x 864 (1MP). This is roughly comparable to MiniDV camcorders priced about a hundred dollars less, and can’t really compare with the still resolutions on Canon’s new DVD camcorders. Also, the DCR-DVD205 only records stills to DVD discs, which is a terrible disadvantage, especially in a model aimed for convenience. Having to go through a bit of a hassle to get those stills off the disc and on to your computer isn’t fun. It would be much better to pop out an SD card or memory stick and shove it into your computer. This is an advantage found on many Canons, including their least expensive models.

Compared to Panasonic’s offerings at this price range, the DCR-DVD205 offers a better resolution due to a larger imager; however, the Panasonic does offer a SD card slot for storage (I don’t know how much good it will do at 640 x 480 though). Compared to the cheaper Sony DVD105, the DCR-DVD205 features a larger resolution and that’s it. The still performance, as on any low-end DVD camcorder, is bad, and there is absolutely no reason to either buy this camcorder for its still capabilities or to replace a digital camera.

The DCR-DVD205 also ships with a self-timer that can be operated in still and video modes and offers up to ten seconds delay before capturing data. All of the same manual and automatic controls that are found in video mode are also available in still mode: exposure, focus, Spot Meter, Spot Focus, etc.

Still Resolution* (2.9)*

The DCR-HC205’s stills were tested for their resolution by shooting a standard ISO 12233 resolution chart and running those stills through Imatest imaging software. In all, the DVD205 managed an approximate resolution of 294470.67.

Still Performance* (3.75)*

The Sony DCR-DVD205 has poor low light performance. Color balance is completely off-kilter, seemingly split into a blue / yellow duotone. This is only a slight exaggeration. The yellow tones dominates the entire spectrum from orange to green; then blue dominates the red to blue-green. There is also blue noise in the image, which we saw in the video, as well. The noise is distracting, but the image is virtually shot from the beginning, so it doesn’t matter too much.

The DVD203, by contrast, is perhaps the most saturated image we’ve ever seen. Most of the colors look as though the color chart was made from neon, except for the yellow, which we can only liken to looking directly into the sun. Infants should be warned before exposure to these stills, lest it permanently affect their vision. As much as it pains us, we have to favor the DVD205 in this contest.

The DVD105, this year’s entry-level DVD camcorder is far from exemplary, but the color balance is more even. Maxing out at 640 x 480, noise and poor sharpness overwhelm a lot of the fine detail. At least the DVD205 manages to retain some of that detail, which is preferable, despite the deplorable color.

The Canon DC10 produced stills that were washed out, but much more balanced in its colors than the DVD205. There was far less noise, and absolutely no blue noise. The stills appeared sharper, which was natural considering the larger size (1280 x 960 versus 1152 x 864). Even so, the Canon appeared disproportionately sharper than the DVD205.

**

**

Handling and Use

Ease of Use* (9.0)*

This Sony is really easy to use, thanks to its Easy mode. This mode is accessible via a bluish button underneath the LCD screen; it basically locks the camcorder’s manual controls in their automatic modes, making the DVD205 a true point-and-shooter.

When not in Easy mode, it’s a hassle to shuffle through the touch screen menu system every couple of minutes. On the bright side, it is nice to have everything in one place for you.

DVD camcorders like this one are made to be easy: the DVD format, at this point, is one of convenience, a fact which its popularity and price can attest to. As convenience camcorders, the DCR-DVD205 and others make it really easy for the user to pop in a DVD disc, record it, finalize it on the camcorder, pop it out, and plop it right into a computer or conventional DVD player. And now, with Sony’s included Nero software, it’s pretty easy to convert those three-inch discs to regular sized DVDs if your home player isn’t compatible.

Handling* (7.0)*

This Sony handles well. Maybe it’s because I don’t really mind the touch screen menu system as much as some people do, or maybe it’s because the camera’s always in automatic mode. But, for simple shooting, this thing works wonderfully. It is comfortable in the hand, due partially to its large cushiony strap, an amenity that is rare on Panasonic camcorders. As long as the camcorder is in automatic mode, I don’t have to worry about fiddling with the manual controls and getting lost in the touch screen.

The zoom toggle on this camcorder adds a lot. Sony has been putting better and better toggles on their camcorders, and it pays off in handling. The ability to achieve really good zooms makes the overall handheld recording experience a more confident one and lets me concentrate on more important things, like little Timmy’s first completed lay-up or sweet Jenny’s prom pictures. What makes the zoom function a little iffy is the fact that the index finger has to move slightly to the right in order to directly sit on the zoom toggle.

If the touch screen menu is really a handling issue for you--and for those of us with manual control lust, it very well could be--look at Panasonic’s new (as of last year) joystick navigational system. It seems to work pretty well, and allows for easy single-handed use.

Portability* (6.25)*

DVD camcorders were never terribly portable, though compact ones have hit the market in the past. Just look at last year’s Sony DCR-DVD7 for an example of Sony’s new design overhaul and simultaneous effort to make the DVD camcorder as small as possible. Lucky for us, they never decided to reissue it. Instead, Sony has made some design improvements on most of their low-end DVD camcorders this year, including the DCR-DVD205. Basically, the body design has gotten slightly more compact, making the DVD mechanism less noticeable and less prominent. Still, the DCR-DVD205 is not a terribly portable camcorder; MiniDV camcorders, especially the low-end Sonys, are much smaller.

LCD/Viewfinder* (9.3)*

One of the major upgrades from the DCR-DVD105 to the DCR-DVD205 is the DCR-DVD205’s widescreen LCD screen. The camcorder is the cheapest DVD model from Sony this year to offer widescreen LCD. Bigger LCD screens are certainly popular after the outset of the widescreen television. The DCR-DVD205 ships with a 2.7 inch LCD screen with 123K pixels: oddly, this is the same resolution that the DVD105’s 4:3 LCD screen offers. Either way, Panasonic doesn’t offer these. Users can switch between widescreen and 4:3 using the wide select button underneath the LCD screen.

Battery Life* (8.8)*

The DVD205 ships with the NP-FP50 battery, which the manual indicates should last for 75 minutes of continuous recording. We put this claim to the test by shooting video with the LCD open, the backlight on, and the image stabilization on. In total, the battery lasted 88 minutes and 40 seconds (1 hour, 28 minutes, 40 seconds).

Audio / Playback / Connectivity

Audio* (2.5)*

The DCR-DVD205 lacks a microphone input jack. This is something that Panasonic has been really good about including on their models this year. For Sony’s lower-end DVD camcorders like the DCR-DVD205 and the DCR-DVD105, the only way to capture audio is through the built-in stereo microphone on the camcorder’s lower front. Audio is compressed according to Dolby Digital two channel standards. The Sony DCR-DVD305 and above include the ability to record Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound, though you have to purchase an optional microphone accessory to hook up to the camcorder’s accessory shoe. If you’re looking to do some manual audio dubbing or something, look at the Panasonic DVD camcorders. If, however, you’re just the average point-and-shooter, stick with Sony’s built-in microphone; it’s not that bad. If you do opt for the DCR-DVD305 though, the audio/video output port on the lower models will be upgraded to an input/output port. Jeepers.

VCR Mode* (9.0)*

Play/Edit mode, available on the DCR-DVD205, allows you to review your captured footage and stills and essentially peruse the contents of your unfinalized DVD disc. This is basically a VCR mode. To access this mode, press the Play/Edit button along the top of the LCD screen or the small touch screen button located on the bottom left of the LCD screen display.

This is a cool mode, yet gimmicky. Sony has upped the ante and spruced up the graphics. Moving thumbnails and little file cabinet graphics which frame data will wow viewers, I wish the captured video were as snazzy.

Users can also use the camcorder’s Audio/Video output port and supplied RCA cables to run the on-camcorder display directly to their television set.

Ports* (5.0)*

The DCR-DVD205 features the same ports as the DCR-DVD105, the cheaper model down. The only port besides the battery and the DC input ports is the camcorder’s audio/video output port, located on the DVD205’s right side. Panasonic certainly got the upper hand in the low-end DVD camcorder port battle this year, including microphone inputs and/or S-Video ports on many of their camcorders, which surpasses both Sony and Canon. Both Panasonic and Canon include dedicated still media ports as well, something that Sony does not do until the DCR-DVD305.

The camcorder’s battery and DC input ports are both located on its back, a placement which keeps all of the power supply ports together. The battery port is conveniently built to accommodate larger batteries if need be.

Other Features

Widescreen/16:9 Mode* (5.5)*

The DCR-DVD205 is the cheapest DVD camcorder to feature a widescreen LCD and widescreen mode, which can be selected via the button under the LCD screen. This is no longer the crop and zoom widescreen on the DCR-DVD105, but it’s not true widescreen either. It looks really snazzy, though.

Scan Rates/24p* (0.0)*

The Sony DCR-DVD205 does not offer any alternate scan rates. It records video at the standard 60i.

Other Features* (4.5)*
Self-Timer This feature provides up to ten seconds before any data is captured; it is located in the camcorder’s touch screen menu system.

Color Slow Shutter This is Sony’s special night mode, designed to add some more color to the greenish infrared night vision you’re used to. To do this, shutter speed is slowed dramatically to put more light on the CCD. This makes things blur, but they will appear in true color.

NightShot Plus - This is Sony’s normal night mode, included on most of their camcorders and accessible via the switch on top of the camcorder itself. It produces a greenish glowing image.

Super NightShot Plus - This option gives your NightShot Plus an extra little boost.

*NS Light *- This option activates the infrared light on the front of the camcorder, providing extra light, though it’s not visible to the naked eye, on scenes which are so dark that they still need lighting in NightShot mode.

SteadyShot  - This is Sony’s proprietary electronic image stabilization system, included on all of their camcorders. It’s electronic image stabilization, not optical, so don’t get too excited.

Fader - Pretty self-explanatory, this option allows you to add fade in and fade out effects to your footage.

Digital Effect - This DCR-DVD105 ships with various digital effects, accessible within the camcorder’s menu system, which include Lumikey and Old Movie. Lumikey, short for luminance key, enables the camcorder to select the brighter part of an image and place another video behind it. It is a crappy layering effect. Don’t use it.

Picture Effect - The camcorder also offers a number of picture effects, including Sepia, Black and White, Pastel, and Mosaic.

Comparisons / Conclusion

Comparison
Sony DCR-DVD203
The Sony DCR-DVD203 is the camcorder that the DCR-DVD205 replaces. These two guys are very, very similar. We see similar video and low light performance from both, due to the fact that their CCD chips are the same. Similarly, both capture still images at the same resolution and can only capture them to DVD-disc. In fact, the only real differences between the two is negligible. The DCR-DVD205 has a slightly more compact body, ships with the Nero 6 Express software, and increases the digital zoom from 480x to 800x. Digital zoom doesn’t really matter, and the Nero addition is easily solved by buying a relatively inexpensive full version. Then all you’ve got is a smaller body. What about a smaller price tag?

Sony DCR-DVD305
For around a hundred dollars more, you can get the DCR-DVD305. This camcorder includes the same imager as the DCR-DVD205, so don’t expect different video performance. Similar still resolutions and features are available, except that the DCR-DVD305 records stills to memory stick as well as DVD disc. The DCR-DVD305 also includes the ability to record in surround sound and an audio/video input/output port, rather than just output. It also ships with a small external mic that connects to the active accessory shoe. All those new options at only a $100 more make for a pretty compelling case. If you only need to shoot video and you can skip the bells and whistles, the DVD205 is the better buy.

Panasonic VDR-D200
Right off the bat, the VDR-D200 features more manual control than the DCR-DVD203, but the DCR-DVD205 does have a bigger imager, so expect better or equal video performance. The Panasonic does pack an impressive 30x optical zoom, S-Video (output only), Microphone, and USB ports. Its still resolution is poor, but it does record onto a card. If ease of use is your chief concern, the Sony is a better choice. If manual control is your bag, go with the Panasonic.

**

**

Canon DC10
Canon finally entered the DVD camcorder market last fall, and their entry camcorder is an impressive package. Good video performance out of this model, especially in bright light. In low light, the picture was noisy but colors remained decent. Also, such a big chip makes nice still resolutions available, as well as still recording to an SD card. The Canon does include a USB port and Aperture and Shutter Priority modes. One big advantage of the Sony DVD205, though, is the camcorder’s widescreen LCD screen, a characteristic that none of the above camcorders share.

Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters *(5.5)*

This camera is definitely for point-and-shooters. However, I don’t know whether I would recommend the DCR-DVD205 for its widescreen LCD screen or the DCR-DVD105 for its price and zoom. Certainly both camcorders are auto-centric, which makes point-and-shooter life easy.

Budget Consumers* (4.5)*

While the DCR-DVD105 is cheaper than the DCR-DVD205, I think, zoom aside, the DCR-DVD205 is a better camcorder for your money, as you get a larger imager and a widescreen LCD screen. If you’re really on a budget, I think that the Panasonic DVD camcorders sell for less; however, the really budget conscious should look to MiniDV camcorder for savings.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid* (2.0)*

This is not the camcorder to buy for its still capabilities. First off, it shoots directly to disc and nothing else; second, its resolution isn’t that great. It seems that the best DVD camcorders for this sort of thing, at the moment, are Canon’s. They provide the highest resolution and dedicated media for stills.

Gadget Freaks* (1.5)*

While most DVD camcorders are considered a good purchase for the gadget freak, I think even that label has been wearing off as of late. Sony’s special Spot Meter and Spot Focus stuff is getting out of the gimmick range as well. The only really gimmicky thing on Sony’s line this year is the new surround sound capability, available now on the DCR-DVD305, its the cheapest yet. If I had to pick a gimmick Sony, it’d be that one.

Manual Control Freaks* (2.0)*

We cannot really recommend a Sony DVD camcorder for the manual control freak. Better to look at Panasonic’s models for something remotely resembling manual control on a DVD camcorder.

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists* (2.0)*

There is no way I can recommend this to the serious hobbyist. Even those looking for a backup camcorder will need MiniDV for its editing capabilities.

Conclusion

The DCR-DVD205 occupies a kind of middle ground in the lower-end Sony DVD lineup this year. It sits in between the DCR-DVD105, Sony’s cheapest DVD model, and the DCR-DVD305, the model occupying the threshold between the higher level DVD camcorders and the lower. The DVD205’s improvements from last year’s DCR-DVD203 are not overwhelming – slightly better video and low light performance. The still performance increased dramatically, but in the grand scale of things, only bumped up from deplorable to terrible.

That said, the DCR-DVD205 could be the best deal within Sony’s lineup this year, if shooting video is your only concern. The camcorder features the same imager and still resolutions as the DCR-DVD305. The only things separating the two are dedicated card media (which you may not need if you already have digital camera), additional ports, (which you also may not need), and the ability to record in surround sound, a rather useless gimmick, we contend.

Simple, affordable, and convenient. It was Sony’s plan all along, and they pulled it off. Ladies and gentleman, the DVD205.

Specs/Ratings

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