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  • Performance

  • Format

  • Tour

  • Auto / Manual Controls

  • Still Features

  • Handling and Use

  • Audio / Playback / Connectivity

  • Other Features

  • Comparisons / Conclusion

  • Specs/Ratings

  • Performance
  • Format
  • Tour
  • Auto / Manual Controls
  • Still Features
  • Handling and Use
  • Audio / Playback / Connectivity
  • Other Features
  • Comparisons / Conclusion
  • Specs/Ratings

Performance

The Sony DCR-DVD305 comes a’calling with a 1/5.5" Advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD, with 1.3 gross MP (690K effective pixels). This is the same size chip as the DCR-DVD205, the next model down, but that camcorder does not have the HAD technology. HAD increases the amount of light hitting the sensor, thus increasing the signal-to-noise ratio.

At 3000 lux, the picture looked a lot like every other Sony in their lower and middle-end DVD line. It’s not terrible, and it’s not great. It’s… fine. The color balance is healthy, and does not show a leaning towards blue, as some Sonys do. The apparent sharpness of the image is decent, pretty much what we’d expect to see from an imager of this resolution.

We are pleased to observe that there seems to be some noise reduction compared to the DCR-DVD205. The DVD205, like several Sonys of the past, have tendency to produce blotchy, blue noise. While the 2006 camcorders seem to be producing this aberrancy less frequently, it still crept its way in to some of our findings. Perhaps it’s the HAD technology, but the blotches are gone. Of course, there’s still noise in the image, but no more that we’d expect from similar camcorders in its class. The DCR-DVD205 and DCR-DVD305 had virtually the same color palette.

The next model up, the DCR-DVD405, has a much larger imager, a 1/3" HAD CCD. The performance on this camcorder was just terrific – there’s little comparison. It did seem to lay a little heavy on the reds, but overall, the crispness of the image could not be topped.

The Panasonic VDR-D200, priced about a hundred dollars less than the DCR-DVD305, produced a dull, grainy image, which was a problem plaguing almost all the Panasonics this year. After color and noise concerns, how sharp the picture looks to the eye is the third major concern. And this is where Panasonic was able to top Sony. Though the imager is smaller and has fewer pixels, the picture looked sharper.

Finally, the JVC GZ-MG77 has no problem showing its colors – they pop like neon on the Sunset strip. Some people appreciate a little glitz in their video performance. The DCR-DVD305, on the other hand, might relate better with the June Cleaver-types. This makes the Panasonic VDR-D200 the perfect camcorder for the Eeyore crowd. The lack of noise was also a point in favor of the GZ-MG77.

Overall, the Sony DCR-DVD305 would be a suitable, perhaps even complimentary camcorder for the infrequent shooter (as most camcorder owners are). The video performance is decent, and as the review will go on to describe, very easy to use.

{column='Video Performance' models='Sony DCR-DVD305,Sony DCR-DVD205,Sony DCR-DVD405,Panasonic VDR-D200,JVC GZ-MG77'}

**Video Resolution ***(11.0)*

The Sony DCR-DVD305 was tested for its video resolution by shooting a standard ISO 12233 resolution chart and running stills from that footage in Imatest imaging software. In 4:3, the camcorder produced 319.0 lines of horizontal resolution and 345.1 lines of vertical resolution, yielding an approximate resolution of 110086.9. In 16:9, the camcorder produced 368.0 lines of horizontal resolution and 325.3 lines of vertical resolution, yielding an approximate resolution of 119710.40.

This resolution is on par with other camcorders in its class. It’s a bit lower than the DCR-DVD205, though manufacturing and testing variances land it in the statistical ballpark.

{column='Video Resolution' models='Sony DCR-DVD305,Sony DCR-DVD205,Sony DCR-DVD405,Panasonic VDR-D200,JVC GZ-MG77'}

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

We tested the Sony DCR-DVD305 at two light levels, 60 lux and 15 lux, in order to determine its low light performance. Because the imager is only 1/5.5", we didn’t expect to see a power-house performance.

Sure enough, at 60 lux the image picked up a good deal of noise. It seems that the Advanced HAD technology, which is supposed to increase the signal-to-noise ratio, has a breaking point – somewhere above 60 lux – where the noise has no problem accumulating. What’s most bothersome is the tenacious blue noise that we see on so many Sonys. And it must be a byproduct of the CCD, because the camcorders that use the ClearVID CMOS do not show the same problem.

The DCR-DVD205 and DCR-DVD305 looked essentially the same. Colors managed to distinguish themselves, likely through some auto gain, with the clearest colors being in the green portion of the spectrum. Both had noise issues.

The DCR-DVD405 was much brighter – no surprise, given its larger chip. The colors looked remarkably more vivid. Again, there’s no competition between these camcorders. The DCR-DVD305 is simply outclassed. No hard feelings – they’re siblings after all.

The Panasonic VDR-D200 at 60 lux was a little darker and a lot grainier. The 3000 lux image was so dark  and this doesn’t come as much of a surprise. The JVC GZ-MG77 just looked blown out. This was a real surprise, considering how vivid the colors were in bright light.

At 15 lux, the DCR-DVD305 lost most of its color information. We passed the point of a useable image. Blue noise was present, though all of the colors succumbed to a rather somber dark grey. The DCR-DVD205 told the same sorry story. The DCR-DVD405 managed to retain a little more color, but it too struggled at 15 lux.

The Panasonic VDR-D200 actually managed to push a little more color through than the DVD205 or DVD305, but just barely. And the thick, black grain was more than enough to make us say "pass, please." Finally, the JVC GZ-MG77 showed surprisingly little noise for what amounts to a difficult shooting environment for a camcorder. There was hardly any color, but the lack of noise meant that some of the more high-contrast fine detail (like text on the chart) was still readable.

{column='Low Light Performance' models='Sony DCR-DVD305,Sony DCR-DVD205,Sony DCR-DVD405,Panasonic VDR-D200,JVC GZ-MG77'}****

Wide Angle*****(8.0)*

The DVD305 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 40 degrees. In 16:9, it showed a wide angle of 44 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-DVD305 uses MPEG-2 compression for video like most other DVD camcorders on the consumer market. MPEG-2 video recorded to DVD tends to suffer more from compression than MiniDV tape-based camcorders, and there is a trade-off, inherent to disc, between convenience or quality. However, the performance inferiority of DVD camcorders is about to change. Earlier this summer, Sony announced the first ever AVCHD high definition DVD camcorder, the HDR-UX1 will be available to consumers in October. The UX1 uses a completely different compression method – MPEG-4 H.264 to squeeze an HD image onto a conventional DVD. While we have yet to see AVCHD DVD footage, we have high hopes for this new format.

Back to the present. The DCR-DVD305 records at three compression settings: HQ, SP, and LP. At the highest quality HQ setting, the DCR-DVD305 can record 20 minutes of; it produces 30 minutes in SP, and 60 minutes in LP. These settings correspond to maximum bit rates, and the highest data rate DVD camcorders can manage is 8.5 Mbps, utilized during HQ mode. In comparison, MiniDV is captured at 25Mbps contributing to its generally superior video quality.****

Media* (5.0)*

The DCR-DVD305 records 3-inch DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW.  All of these disc types are readily available everywhere from your local pharmacy to large electronics box stores.  If you're planning to shoot in rough and tumble settings, be aware that DVD's are more liable to skip than MiniDV tapes or HDD drives, though the media itself is relatively stable once it has been finalized. 

In addition, this camcorder supports Sony’s proprietary MemoryStick PRO Duo card format for still photo capture.  It's certainly an appreciated addition over the DCR-DVD205, which only captures stills to DVD, but it’s a proprietary format that’s more expensive, and possibly harder to find than SD cards.

Editing*****(3.0)*

Video recorded to DVD is notoriously difficult to edit which is one of the reasons the format has seen virtually no adoption by serious video hobbyists. Professional editing programs like Avid and Final Cut Pro don’t support MPEG-2 material for this reason, relegating MPEG-2 post-production to proprietary or low-end editing software. For many DVD camcorder users, this won’t be a problem since they have chosen the format for reasons of convenience. No other media type is instantly playable on a consumer appliance as common as a DVD player. If you do want to edit some of the MPEG-2 footage you shoot, you’ll need to convert it to a format that is compatible with your editing software, a process that is time-consuming but easily accomplished with a program like QuickTime Pro. The DCR-DVD305 ships with Nero Express 6, a rudimentary software package for DVD creation.

Tour

**The Front ***(6.5)*

Sony’s DCR-DVD305 shares a body design that is nearly identical to its DCR-DVD205 and DCR-DVD105 cousins. A few upgrades from the DCR-DVD205 are reflected in the appearance of this camcorder: ports for the included remote control and USB 2.0, a card slot for Memory Stick Pro media, and the Active Interface Shoe. Beginning from the camcorder’s front is the prominent Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens with a 27mm filter diameter, aperture of f1.8-f2.5 and 3-36mm focal range, located on the upper right side. Below and just to the left of the lens is an opaque black plastic cover concealing the camcorder’s infrared sensor. The only other feature on the front of the DCR-DVD305 is the onboard stereo mic, located on the lower portion where the camcorder curves away.  This is the camcorder's default mic, though it does ship with a 5.1 channel mic as well (see The Top, below).

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

The main feature of the right side of the DCR-DVD305 is the DVD drive mechanism, occupying the bulk of available space. The DVD compartment door is hinged on the bottom in the vicinity of the hand strap, but opens wide enough to facilitate quick disc changes. In an unusual move, Sony has placed the MemoryStick PRO Duo card slot behind a small hatch on the outside of the DVD compartment door. It’s surely a space-saving approach but we question whether it’s wise to literally locate a door (for the card slot) on a door (for the DVD compartment). Clearly this will add some wear and tear to the hinge and locking mechanism of the DVD door, but it's also inconvenient from a usability perspective. We prefer that ports and features, on a camcorder’s body, be as accessible as possible during normal use, and in this case, swapping out a Memory Stick Duo Pro card during handheld shooting entails changing your grip. This may sound minor, but it will cost a few potentially valuable seconds, and any grip change is another chance to drop a camcorder.

To the left of the DVD door is a small port cover that conceals a jack for the included remote control, and the AV port. This port cover is the same as the DCR-DVD205, but that camcorder lacks the remote control jack. Running end-to-end along the camcorder’s bottom edge is the hand strap, which angles slightly downward, towards the front, to better position the DCR-DVD305 for handheld shooting. The strap is nicely padded like those on all of Sony’s consumer camcorders, and is better than most straps made by other manufacturers.

**The Back ***(5.5)*

The back of the DCR-DVD305 shares the elegant design commonly found on Sony’s consumer camcorders, though this model nests the DC-in port in the midst of some vital controls. The Mode Dial is just above the DC-in port on the top left side and the Record start/stop button is just below and to its right. When the DC-in cable is connected, the camcorder can be powered from an outlet and it is inconveniently close to both of these controls. Plugging the DC-in cable also precludes use of the EVF (electronic color viewfinder) just above and to its left. It is worth noting that in situations where the camcorder is DC-powered, it’s likely to be tripod-mounted rendering its location just a minor annoyance, but it’s still a design choice that we find less than ideal.

The EVF is extendable, and has a dioptric adjustment switch on its right side. This isn’t a control that most users will need to manipulate often but it’s tiny and very difficult to adjust accurately with large fingers (and, needless to say, impossible to adjust when the DC cable is plugged in). The camcorder’s battery slot takes up the balance of the DCR-DVD305’s back, from just below the EVF to the base. The battery release is on the underside of the body, making it inaccessible when the camcorder is tripod mounted, potentially at the cost of a few valuable seconds. Our criticisms aside, the Mode Dial and Record button are good for handheld shooting.

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

The DCR-DVD305 shares a 2.7" widescreen LCD display with both the DCR-DVD205 and the DCR-DVD405, and it’s mounted on a sturdy hinge. The hinge swings open to 90 degrees, and the display can swivel through 270 degrees offering numerous monitoring angles. Sony LCD’s suffer less from solarization than those made by other manufacturers, enabling a user to monitor the shot from quite an angle. Below the LCD screen on its frame are three buttons aligned horizontally, from left to right: Record start/stop, W for "wide" or zoom out, and T for "tight" or zoom in. These buttons are redundant controls that offer another interface when holding the camcorder in positions that make accessing the main controls difficult, such as overhead.

Inside the LCD cavity are three buttons stacked in the middle of the camcorder. On top is the ubiquitous Sony Easy button, which instantly shifts the camcorder into full automatic mode. The Easy button may be the single control that sums up the key strength of this and other Sony consumer camcorders: ease of use. Below the Easy button is the Wide Select button, which toggles between 4:3 and 16:9 video recording modes. The last button is labeled Disp/Batt Info, and when the camcorder is in recording mode, it turns the LCD on and off and shows or hides screen info. Holding this button in, when the camcorder is off, brings up a detailed battery charge level display on the LCD.

The Top* (6.75)*

The top of this camcorder has configuration like the DCR-DVD205, but adds an Advanced Accessory Shoe that accommodates Sony devices such as the included surround sound microphone. This Advanced Accessory Shoe is proprietary – you are limited to only Sony-made devices for consumer camcorders, and this shoe is the camcorder’s sole device interface. The shoe is positioned just above the EVF. To the right of the EVF and Shoe is the Mode Dial at the back edge of the camcorder, followed by the Photo Button and Zoom Toggle. On the top surface of the DVD drive housing is a release switch which opens the compartment for inserting or removing DVD media. To the left of this switch is the NightShot On/Off switch.

The ECM-L100 Surround Sound external microphone fits into the hot accessory shoe on top of the camcorder, and has a rather curious design. This microphone is shaped like an L rotated 90 degrees clockwise when viewed from the side, and the wire mesh screen faces upwards.

Auto / Manual Controls

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (9.0)

This camcorder’s auto controls are classic Sony: they are a cinch to activate by pressing the Easy Button, and they work very well. In this regard, Sony consumer camcorders tend to slightly edge the competition in terms of accuracy and speed of automatic adjustments. The DCR-DVD305 like its brethren benefits from snappy auto-focus, exposure, and white balance adjustments that yield a well-balanced image.

Like other consumer camcorders, the DCR-DVD305 can suffer from adjustment lag when moving between two very different shooting environments, such as a brightly lit exterior to a dim interior, and has trouble focusing in low-contrast shooting situations. In general, we found this camcorder’s auto adjustments to be a slightly more refined than those found on Panasonics or Canons. In less demanding situations, picture adjustments feel relatively seamless, while in more demanding situations, the adjustments hold their own with similar DVD camcorders.

The DCR-DVD305 also offers some Automatic Exposure (Program AE) presets shared by both the step-down DCR-DVD205 and the step-up DCR-DVD405. AE modes include: Spotlight, Portrait, Sports, Beach and Ski, Sunset and Moon, and Landscape.

This camcorder also offers Spot Meter and Spot Focus auto controls. These controls provide a higher degree of control over what part of the frame is used to make auto adjustments, and when engaged, a frame appears on the LCD display, and then you simply touch the part of the frame you want to focus on, in the case of Spot Focus, or expose correctly, in the case of Spot Meter. These auto controls won’t give you the degree of fine-tuning you’ll get making manual adjustments, but some users will find them a useful shorthand.

Overall Manual Control (3.0)

Now that we’ve discussed this camcorder’s strong auto controls, it’s time to take a look at manual picture control, a serious weak point for Sony consumer camcorders. The Sony DCR-DVD305 is no exception, and the bottom line is this is not a camcorder to buy if you typically shoot in Manual control mode. In fact only high-end Sony consumer camcorders deserve consideration by shooters who eschew the imprecision of Auto.  Panasonic camcorders like the VDR-D200 generally have very strong manual control feature sets, with independent settings for gain, aperture, and shutter speed that are controlled with a nicely designed joystick.

The few manual controls that are available on the DVD-305 are accessed through the touch screen menu system. It’s an efficient and accessible means of navigating a menu that anyone who has used an ATM will intuitively understand, but we think it does as much harm as good. Making picture adjustments on-screen while shooting hinders your ability to track your shot, and it’s impossible to hold the camcorder steady when you’re navigating through options such as the 24 manual exposure steps. Touching the screen will also lead to grease buildup, no matter how good your hygiene is, and this can impair the clarity of your LCD’s image. Finally, scrolling through Sony’s extensive menu options can be time consuming. So, if you do plan on making adjustments manually, you’d be advised to give yourself plenty of time.

Zoom (8.0)

Sony’s zoom toggle design is very good, and may be the best iteration of this control among the major consumer camcorder manufacturers in terms of handling and performance. The toggle on the DCR-DVD305 has a raised rocker design that most users will find positioned comfortably for hand-held shooting. This design offers good control over zoom speed with little finger strain. The surface of the toggle has thin ridges to add friction, and is raised slightly from the top of the camcorder. The optical zoom ranges up to 12x, and the digital zoom can be turned off, capped at 24x, or set to the full 800x in the P Menu

*The primary zoom (left) and secondary zoom controls on the LCD panel (above). *

Zoom Power/Ratio (12.0)
*This camcorder sports a modest optical zoom of 12x, which seems especially low in comparison to many camcorders with zoom powers exceeding 30x from Panasonic, JVC, and Samsung. While this may be a drawback for people who insist on getting close to the action (voyeurs and birdwatchers, anyone?),  it is partially a function of this camcorder’s slightly larger 1/5.5" CCD. Given the same-sized camcorder body, smaller chips are generally capable of higher optical zoom power but produce lower video performance scores than camcorders with larger chips.
***

Focus (4.0)

Manual focus may be the control that suffers most from the touch screen interface. Here’s how it works: you tap the P Menu icon on the screen, which brings up various image control setting. You then scroll to page 2 of the menu, and select Focus. Once engaged, a frame appears around five icons – large buttons for Auto or Manual focus control, an icon of a person on the left for tight focus, an icon of a mountain on the right for telephoto, and a Return to Previous icon at lower right. When Manual is selected, another icon of a hand, indicating "manual" appears in the center of the screen. Most infuriatingly, these icons cluttering up your view remain on-screen as you tap the right and left sides to adjust focus! For anyone who has used a camcorder with a manual focus ring, this system probably sounds absurdly cumbersome and slow since fast and accurate manual focus adjustment is one of the keys to getting a good shot. We think manual focus on this camcorder is sufficiently flawed as to render it useless for the majority of shooting.

The DCR-DVD305 does offer automatic Spot Focusing, a feature that allows the user to tap the area in the frame on which s/he wants the camcorder to focus. This provides another means of coaxing the camcorder to focus where you want it to rather than relying on auto. It’s effectively a compromise between manual focus and auto focus, and may provide a workable alternative to touch screen focusing.  Yet this camcorder would be better still if it included truly useful manual focus - something Sony has implemented with aplomb on its high-end models like the HDR-HC1, with its excellent focus ring.  Even lower-end Panasonic and JVC camcorders offer better manual focus control via the external joystick.

Exposure (Aperture) (4.0)

Fast and accurate exposure adjustments are another major manual control, and Sony’s interface for exposure is just as difficult to use as focus. You reach manual exposure adjustments via the same circuitous path, and engaging the control similarly obscures your view of the image. This time, the icon on the left is a minus sign, and the one on the right is a plus sign. A long scrollbar crosses the middle of the screen between these two icons. The exposure level is raised and lowered by pressing the buttons on either side of the screen. Needless to say, assessing your exposure level is not easy when a morass of icons blocks your view of much of the image.

As a way of increasing or decreasing the brightness of your image, this control works – but there are no exposure measurements, save for a line on the scrollbar which moves left and right. It’s probable that this control adjusts exposure and shutter speed on an EV-type scale, but it’s neither precise (what you see will change depending on your LCD brightness settings and ambient light reflecting off the screen) nor easy to use. Getting good results from this control will require trial and error, and developing a feel for how the image on the LCD translates to your final presentation context. Like manual focus, this may well be a control you’re better off avoiding in favor of Spot Metering.  And once again, its useful to compare this camcorder to Panasonic's VDR-D200, which offers efficient and independent control over aperture as well as shutter speed (only auto on this camcorder) and gain (totally lacking on the DVD305). 

*Shutter Speed (0.0) *

Like the DCR-DVD105 and DCR-DVD205, the DCR-DVD305 provides no independent manual shutter speed control. JVC, Samsung, Canon, and Panasonic in particular, all offer more than Sony, in this regard. The camcorder does include an Auto Shutter that is set to on by default. When Auto Shutter is turned off, the shutter speed is not allowed to drop below the 1/60, which helps you avoid the risk of slow shutter speeds causing the image to stutter.

White Balance (7.5)

Manual white balance is serviceable, and is the one manual control that is easy to use. Its main drawback is that, like the others, it is buried deep in the touch screen P Menu.

To reach white balance, you enter the P Menu and select Setup > Camera Set > White Balance. Manual white balance is set by selecting the One Touch option and then pressing the White Balance set button to its right. It’s a quick control (once you’ve reached it…), produces good color balance, and resembles manual white balance settings in many other camcorders. In addition to One Touch manual white balance, the DCR-DVD305 includes presets for Auto, Outdoor, and Indoor. Other manufacturers offer more in the way of white balance presets, and Canon’s DC series camcorders include six presets for Auto, Daylight, Shade, Cloudy, Tungsten, Fluorescent, and Fluorescent H.

Gain (0.0)

There is no manual gain control on the DCR-DVD305. Panasonic camcorders have very strong manual control feature sets, including independent control over gain.

Other Manual Control (0.0)

There are no other manual controls on the DCR-DVD305.

Still Features

** Still Features*** (6.75)*

The DCR-DVD305 shares still features with the DCR-DVD205, and captures stills at an identical resolution of 1152 x 864, or 1MP. This figure compares similarly to MiniDV camcorders and falls far short of Canon’s new DVD camcorders. One upgrade, from the DCR-DVD205 which only records stills to DVD, is the camcorder’s MemoryStick Duo PRO card slot.

** **Compared to Panasonic DVD camcorders at this price range, the DCR-DVD305 offers a better resolution due to its larger 1/5.5" imager (vs. 1/6"). Panasonics support SD cards which are a much more common format than Sony’s proprietary MemoryStick cards.

The DCR-DV305 includes a self timer feature that can be used in both still camera and video modes, offering up to ten seconds of delay before photo capture or video recording starts. The manual and auto controls available in video mode are also available in still camera mode, including exposure, focus, Spot Meter, Spot Focus, etc.**
**

The Active Interface Shoe provides some additional options when mated with Sony accessories like the HVL-HFL1 Combination Video Light and Flash.  We don't like the fact that Sony chose the proprietary route here, but a selection of Sony products is better than no choice at all.

Still Resolution* (4.0)
*The Sony DCR-DVD305 was tested for the resolution of its stills by shooting a standard ISO 12233 resolution chart and running those stills through Imatest imaging software. In all, we found the highest resolution still, 1152 x 864, to have a total approximate resolution of 397924.92.

This score is a little higher than the stills from the DCR-DVD205, which takes the same size stills, but records them to DVD rather than MemoryStick.

{column='Still Resolution' models='Sony DCR-DVD305,Sony DCR-DVD205,Sony DCR-DVD405,Panasonic VDR-D200,JVC GZ-MG77'}

Still Performance* (3.75)*

Camcorders are not designed to take good still pictures. There, we’ve said it, and maybe that’s how we should begin this section every time. The Sony DCR-DVD305 is a prime example of what we mean when we say this. Still photos and video work with color differently, and no camcorder manufacturer seems to have mastered both tasks yet. In this case, the DVD305 produces stills that are far too blue, despite a proper manual white balance. As a result, the only two colors that seem to appear properly are blue and yellow. Everything was carted away by the color police, who have a particular bias against red.


These stills would be fine for record keeping, as the resolution is satisfactory, but they would need to undergo some serious color correction in order to secure a spot in the family album.****


The Sony DCR-DVD205 displayed exactly the same picture. Both of these were loaded with blue noise, indicating that HAD noise reduction properties are perhaps not at play in still mode. The DCR-DVD405 took a different tack. It didn’t lean in favor of any one color, and instead chose to undersaturate the entire image. However, the higher resolution of 2016 x 1512 (versus 1152 x 864) made for much sharper images.****


The Panasonic VDR-D200 can only manage 640 x 480 stills, and the results are not pretty. There is little color differentiation, though red seems to be the most popular, and made a cameo appearance while everyone else sits it out. The stills of the D200 had just as much grain as the video.

Finally, the GZ-MG77 had the best looking stills of the bunch, with exceptionally low noise and relatively even color performance. The greens were wanting, but the reds and blues look quite good, without overpowering the image.

{column='Still Performance' models='Sony DCR-DVD305,Sony DCR-DVD205,Sony DCR-DVD405,Panasonic VDR-D200,JVC GZ-MG77'}**

**

Handling and Use

[**Ease of Use*** (9.0)*

Sony camcorders are big sellers for one simple reason: they are easy to use, and in Auto Mode – actually "Easy" mode – they perform relatively well. This camcorder is even easier to use than other non-DVD Sony’s because consumers are well-initiated into disc media. Discs are ubiquitous, from CD’s to DVD’s so its no surprise that DVD camcorders are so popular. You shoot, finalize, pop the DVD into your player, and voilà! You’re watching the home movie you shot that day on a standard DVD player. The touch screen interface contributes to this camcorder’s ease of use. While we think touch screens are better suited to ATM’s and airport kiosks than camcorders, there’s no getting around the fact that they are exceptionally easy to use. So there you have it. Power up, hit the Easy button, and you’re good to go with the DCR-DVD305.

Handling* (7.0)*

As a point-and-shoot camcorder in Auto (Easy) mode, the DCR-DVD305 handles very well. As a manually controlled camcorder, it handles terribly. This dichotomy speaks to Sony’s approach to building most of its consumer camcorders with the point-and-shooter in mind. Therefore, it’s no surprise that this camcorder handles like a dream if you elect to let it do the heavy lifting when it comes to image adjustment. The DCR-DVD305 fits comfortably in your hand, and the zoom toggle is very nicely calibrated. Sony’s zoom toggles tend to offer a combination of good sensitivity and placement that beats out others on the consumer camcorder market. This camcorder is also very easy to use in Easy mode, which is due in part to the touch screen display menu which is entirely text-driven. If you can operate an ATM, you’ll have no trouble navigating this camcorder’s menu.

However, this camcorder is a beast to handle when it comes to manual controls via the touch screen. We believe placing manual controls like focus and exposure in the touch screen interface to be a misguided use of the technology. When operating a camcorder in manual control mode, it’s vital that controls like these are accessible, quickly adjustable, and can be tweaked without compromising the shot. This Sony fails in every regard. Manual controls are buried deep in the P menu; making adjustments is a slow and imprecise process; and the controls themselves block the shot by monopolizing most of the screen real estate. Panasonic camcorders offer a stark contrast in manual mode, with many more controls and an efficient joystick-based interface. JVC and Samsung camcorders also offer better manual controls, while Canon camcorders offer an extensive array of presets.

The DCR-DVD305 is a camcorder built for Easy mode, but if you hanker to venture into the world of manual control, you should look further.****

Portability* (6.25)*

In comparison to most DVD camcorders, the DCR-DVD305 is similar in terms of portability, making it a little too big to slip into a pocket, but small enough to stash in just about any purse or day pack. Camcorders that utilize different media formats are often smaller than DVD models. In DVD camcorders, the drive mechanism will never be smaller than the disc itself. MiniDV camcorders can be smaller in size because they accommodate smaller recording mechanisms. Another small consideration for portability is the ECM-L100 microphone, which adds to the profile of the DCR-DVD305. While this is a small device, you can certainly find smaller camcorders if ultra-portability is a prime consideration for you, but you’ll need to broaden your search beyond DVD. The pocket-sized MiniDV Canon Elura 100 is smaller, cheaper, and a stronger performer overall – but you’ll lose the ability to pop your just-recorded disc into the family DVD player.****

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* (6.9)*

The DCR-DVD305 was tested for battery life by continuously recording in its SP mode with the LCD open, the ECM-L100 surround sound mic attached, and no manual control adjustment. It lasted 68 minutes and 13 seconds. Because SP mode takes allows only 31 minutes of recording on one disc, we plugged the DC power in to erase the footage at each 30 minute mark, then immediately unplugged it and continued recording.

Audio / Playback / Connectivity

Audio* (4.0)*

Unlike the DCR-DVD205, the DCR-DVD305 is equipped with an Active Interface Shoe, and ships with the ECM-L100 Surround Sound Microphone. While Sony is marketing this as a big step-up asset on this camcorder, we don’t see it as a huge selling point. Our reasoning is simple: Yes, the ECM-L100 records sound for 5-speaker playback on your home theatre system but the sound recorded by this mic is not any better than what you’ll find from the onboard stereo mic. In other words, instead of low-quality sound recorded in stereo, you’ll get low quality sound recorded in five channels.

We’d much prefer an external microphone jack over the proprietary accessory shoe. With a microphone jack, you would have the ability to pick and choose from a myriad of mics based on your recording preferences, from wireless lapel mics to shotguns. Even inexpensive external microphones will generally yield much better sound pickup than on-camera mics. Rather than empowering users to record better quality sound, Sony has opted to give DCR-DVD305 buyers an add-on mic that will fill their living room with five channels of low-quality sound, rather than just two channels. It’s an upgrade to be sure, but one that should be viewed in the context of what the company could have offered their customers. We’ll take a decent external mic over the ECM-L100 surround mic any day.

***** *

VCR Mode*****(9.0)*

Play/Edit mode is the DCR-DVD305’s version of VCR mode, enabling you to review video footage and still photos on unfinalized or finalized DVD disc, and edit the contents of unfinalized discs. To access this mode, you press the Play/Edit icon at the bottom left of the LCD touch screen, or the Play/Edit button on the left side of the camcorder body above the LCD cavity.

Play/Edit mode is an area where DVD camcorders exhibit their random-access strengths over tape-based camcorders capable of only  linear searches. The interface is intuitive, with files displayed as thumbnails. Pressing each clip or photo thumbnail displays that file on-screen. If you are perusing the contents of an unfinalized disc, the DCR-DVD305 offers numerous edit options, including single file delete, and delete all.

For playback to TV monitors from the camcorder, the DCR-DVD305 is equipped with an Audio/Video output port and cable with RCA connectors.****

Ports* (5.5)*

The DCR-DVD305 includes ports for A/V and remote control behind a small port cover on the right side of the body, and a USB 2.0 port in the LCD cavity. This model also features Sony’s proprietary Active Interface Shoe, used to connect the included ECM-L100 surround sound microphone to the camcorder. Another add-on over the DVD205 is the MemoryStick PRO Duo card slot behind a hinged door on the DVD compartment hatch. The DC-in port is located on the back side of the camcorder behind a small port cover.****

**
USB port in the LCD cavity (left) and DC port (right). The port cover on the right holds the AV and wired remote.

**

Other Features

Widescreen/16:9 Mode* (5.5)*

The DCR-DVD305 features a widescreen mode, which can be selected via the button under the 16:9 aspect ratio LCD screen. The widescreen mode on this camcorder falls between crop and zoom and true widescreen, and adds some horizontal width to the video image.****

Scan Rates/24p* (0.0)*

The Sony DCR-DVD305 records video at the standard 60i, and does not offer any alternate scan rates such as 24p.

Other Features*****(4.5)*
Self-Timer - This feature provides up to a ten second delay recording begins; it can be engaged via the camcorder’s touch screen menu, or used with Start/Stop on the remote control.

Color Slow Shutter - Color Slow Shutter is Sony’s spin on slow shutter mode. This option will slow the camcorder’s shutter speed based on available light, and may result in a blurred image and impaired auto focus. Unlike the NightShot mode, Color Slow Shutter retains color detail.

NightShot Plus – NightShot Plus is Sony’s standard night shooting mode and can be turned on via the on/off switch on top of the camcorder body. It produces a greenish image reminiscent of military night vision footage.

Super NightShot Plus – The user’s guide to the DCR-DVD305 reports that Super NightShot Plus enables you to capture an image at 16 x the sensitivity of normal NightShot mode.

NS Light – The NS Light is an infrared lamp on the front of the camcorder body. This lamp is set to on by default, and adds illumination to images recorded in extremely low lighting situations. SteadyShot - This is Sony’s EIS (electronic image stabilization) system, and helps to minimize the effects of camcorder shake, especially during hand-held operation. EIS systems are effective, but inferior to OIS (optical image stabilization) systems found on a handful of higher-end camcorders like the Panasonic PV-GS500.

Fader – the built-in fader allows you to add fade-ins and fade-outs to your footage in the camcorder.

Digital Effect - This DCR-DVD305 includes a number of digital effects, which like fader, can be added to footage in-camcorder. The digital effects on this camcorder include Lumikey and Old Movie. Lumikey is a  keying feature that will key out the brightest parts of the image allowing you to superimpose the darker portions over another clip. Old Movie gives your footage the look of old-fashioned film.

Picture Effect - The DCR-DVD305 offers several picture effects including Sepia, Black and White, Pastel, and Mosaic.

Comparisons / Conclusion

****Comparison**
***Sony DCR-DVD205*
The Sony DCR-DVD205 is the step-down model from the DCR-DVD305, and aside from a few add-ons, the camcorders are identical. The camcorders each have 1/5.5" imagers, but the DCR-DVD305 is an Advanced HAD CCD, which results in lower noise levels in bright light for a slightly better picture. The 305 also adds the Advanced Interface Shoe, and ships with the ECM-L100 surround sound microphone, enabling 5.1 channel audio recording (but don’t expect much more in the way of audio quality). In addition, this model adds USB 2.0 support, a MemoryStick PRO Duo card slot for still image capture to card, and a remote control. Together, these add-ons over the DCR-DVD205 are worth the $100 extra dollars you’ll pay for the DCR-DVD305 over its $549 MSRP.

Sony DCR-DVD405
The step-up Sony DCR-DVD405 is a more capable and significantly redesigned camcorder, but you’ll pay for its extra features – to the tune of $799 MSRP. In our opinion, the extra moolah is worth it since you get a significantly larger imager at 1/3" with 3048K effective pixels in 4:3 and 2286K effective pixels in 16:9 vs. a mere 690K/670K effective pixels for the DCR-DVD305. The resolution boost is also reflected in still mode, making the DCR-DVD405 a better hybrid camcorder. There are also a few other differences between the two camcorders worth noting: The DVD405 adds a video light/flash, has a filter diameter of 30mm vs. 25mm, a modestly lower optical zoom rating of 10x vs. 12x, and a significantly lower digital zoom of 120x vs. 800x – but that is to be expected from a more serious camcorder.

Panasonic VDR-D200**
Comparing the Sony DCR-DVD305 and Panasonic VDR-D200 is like comparing apples and oranges. The two manufacturers approach their consumer camcorder design very differently with Sony’s focus on ease of use, and Panasonic’s on user control. The VDR-D200 features significantly more manual controls but the DCR-DVD305, does have a bigger imager giving it the potential for better low light performance and higher resolution. The Panasonic adds a much stronger 30x optical zoom, S-Video (output only), and a Microphone port which is a huge plus in our book. When it comes to still resolution, the Sony does better, though neither camcorder is a stellar hybrid. If ease of use is your chief concern, the Sony is a better choice but the Panasonic is a better camcorder overall with excellent manual controls and a microphone input for only $599 MSRP.

JVC GZ-MG77**
The JVC GZ-MG77 is not a DVD camcorder, but it does use the same MPEG-2 encoding method found in DVD camcorders. This JVC is an HDD camcorder, and its specs are impressive with a larger imager at 1/3.9" than the Sony, and a joystick that makes navigation through its menu easy and quick. Its also boasts better still resolution, at 1632x1224, but for a camcorder of its cost ($900) it showed poor video performance. And then there’s the added hassle – or convenience – of HDD media. Unlike the Sony DCR-DVD305, you need to take the extra step of burning footage to disc with the JVC. The GZ-MG77 is in many ways a more interesting camcorder, but its added expense and disappointing video quality may make the Sony a better value.****

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

Point-and-shooters are Sony’ people, and this camcorder is made for them. It’s easy to use, performs solidly in Easy Mode, and it’s a pleasure to handle. If you want a DVD camcorder, and are looking for features like a USB port and memory card support, the DCR-DVD305 might be just the thing.

Budget Consumers* (4.5)*

If you’re looking for a DVD camcorder, and you’re on a budget, this camcorder is more than you’ll need. In the Sony realm, the DCR-DVD205 retails for $100 less with little compromise in terms of video performance, and the DCR-DVD105 drops another $50.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid* (2.0)*

Well, this camcorder is not a terrible hybrid camcorder, but the JVC GZ-MG77 might be a better bet if you’re willing to look at an HDD cam. It’s stills are quite good, and come in at a higher resolution than the DCR-DVD305. The DCR-DVD405 is another credble option, though it is a good deal pricier than the DCR-DVD305 with an MSRP of around $800.

Gadget Freaks* (1.5)*

Other than the (in our opinion) gimmicky ECM-L100 surround sound mic, this camorder offers the true gadget freak little of interest. The JVC GZ-MG77 is a cooler camcorder that does a whole lot – even if its video performance is lacking.

Manual Control Freaks* (2.0)*

Manual control freaks will only be frustrated by this (and most) Sony consumer camcorders. Check out Panasonic, JVC, Samsung…anyone but Sony for better manual control features.

Pros/ Serious Hobbyists* (2.0)*

This camcorder is pretty much the antithesis of a pro camorder. Thin on manual controls, relatively poor video, no external mic jack… This is a camcorder for soccer moms and dads, period.****

****Conclusion**
**The DCR-DVD305 ($700 MSRP) is the middle of the line DVD camcorder from Sony. That position might suffice in MiniDV camcorders, but DVD camcorders produce (for the time being) a lower image quality than MiniDV. Whereas a mid-line Sony or Canon MiniDV has what we can rightfully call "satisfactory" performance, DVD camcorders tend not to impress until they approach the $900 - $1000 mark.

Oh sure, they’re more convenient, but the tradeoffs are sometimes steep. The DCR-DVD305 is not a bum camcorder. It’s just that $700 is a fair chunk of change, which could buy you a whole lot more in MiniDV. We don’t like towing this pro-MiniDV line in every DVD camcorder review, but we place performance first, and so will your viewing audience.

If DVD is your preferred medium, be sure to give the DCR-DVD405 review a hard read. It may cost a little more, but the performance is far superior. Despite the add-ons like the external mic and MemoryStick slot, the DCR-DVD305 is just not exciting enough for us to warrant a recommendation.

Specs/Ratings

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Meet the tester

David Kender

David Kender

Editor in Chief

@davekender

David Kender oversees content at Reviewed as the Editor in Chief. He served as managing editor and editor in chief of Reviewed's ancestor, CamcorderInfo.com, helping to grow the company from a tiny staff to one of the most influential online review resources. In his time at Reviewed, David has helped to launch over 100 product categories and written too many articles to count.

See all of David Kender's reviews

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