Sony DCR-DVD108 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Jun 18, 2007 9:12 AM 
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Audio (3.5)
As far as audio goes, your options are minimal. The DCR-DVD108 (Review, Specs, $339) records 2 channel Dolby Digital sound through its built-in stereo microphone mounted to the top of the camcorder. You won’t find a mic or headphone jack anywhere, so get used to the DCR-DVD108’s recorded audio. The only control you have over audio is setting the microphone level, accessed in the final tab of the function menu. Here you can choose between normal (for recording various surround sounds), and low (for recording loud, exciting noises—as Sony puts it). Either way, you won’t be able to tell a significant difference between modes because the sound quality is highly basic. There’s not even a windscreen on the DCR-DVD108. Overall, don't expect your audio to sound good.
Playback (4.25)
Playing back video clips and viewing still images on the DCR-DVD108 is exceedingly user-friendly—it can’t get any easier than this, folks. The playback menu can be accessed three ways: the playback button located on top of the Easy button, the playback tab in the bottom left corner of the main screen, and the visual index button found in the “home” menu. Sony has made it pretty darn difficult to miss the playback screen.
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The playback button (upper left), |
Once you make your way into the playback screen, you’ll notice a grouping of six thumbnails that represent particular video clips. To the left of the thumbnails is a scrolling navigation bar that shuffles between pages. The bottom of the screen features a horizontal row of tabs: main screen/playback toggle, video clips, still images, and photo options. The good news is that you can switch between videos and stills right in the same screen, without having to change modes. The bad news is that the photo options tab only lets you print, delete, and view images in a slideshow. No other options are available for video.
In order to select a video clip, press the desired thumbnail. The clip encompasses the entire LCD screen and offers an arsenal of playback controls lined on the outer ridges of the frame: previous clip, next clip, stop, rewind, play/pause, fast forward, and options. In the options screen, you can control the clip volume via a horizontal slider and you can also set the camera data code display info, which includes SteadyShot, auto/manual, exposure, white balance, gain, shutter speed, and aperture value. Viewing still images is a bit more limited. Your options are previous clip, start/stop slideshow, next clip, and options.
Connectivity (5.0)
The DCR-DVD108 has a total of four ports—AV out, DC in, USB, and a MemoryStick slot. In front, the A/V out jack is housed by one of the flimsiest port covers we’ve seen all year—keep it closed at all times during transport or expect to lose it. On the right side near the mode dial is the DC input, covered by a rubberized strip of plastic. Within the LCD cavity you’ll find an open USB port and rectangular ramp designed to hold Sony MemorySticks. While most manufacturers slap an SD card slot on their camcorders, Sony aims to maximize their brand recognition by herding consumers into buying Sony-specific products. The problem with this is that Memory Sticks are generally more expensive than SD and SDHC cards of the same capacity.
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The AV-out port, located on the front, has a flimsy port cover. |
DC port located on the rear-right |