Sony DCR-DVD108 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Jun 18, 2007 9:12 AM
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Comparison
Sony DCR-DVD105 (Review, Specs, $399.95)
Last year’s DCR-DVD105 ($499 MSRP) received some major upgrades for 2007, and the DCR-DVD108 (Review, Specs, $339) flaunts them in all its entry-level glory. First off, nothing has changed as far as imaging goes. Both camcorders utilize a single 1/6” CCD with a 680K gross pixel count, lending to a near identical picture—noisy with loud blues. More shared traits include the lack of a video light and flash, and the stunted ability to snap only VGA-sized images (640 x 480). Here’s where the road forks—the DCR-DVD108 comes equipped with a MemoryStick slot, USB terminal, and whopping 40x zoom (putting the DCR-DVD105’s 20x to shame). You also get Sony’s home menu, rife with user-friendly features. The best part is that the DCR-DVD108 is $100 cheaper than its predecessor. Manufacturers are forced to up the ante in terms of product quality at the sacrifice of a price cut, and the DCR-DVD108 falls under that umbrella.
Canon DC210
We just spent some time with the Canon DC210’s ($399 MSRP) big brother, the DC220 (Review, Specs, $318) ($449 MSRP) and found that its image could not even match the likes of last year’s Sony DCR-DVD105. Both sport the same 1/6” imager with a 680K gross pixel count, but the DC220 produced larger heavier noise. Where does that leave the DC210? In a pretty tight spot. Expect the same poor video performance as its older sibling. That said, this year’s DCR-DVD108 will undoubtedly conquer the DC210’s image due to the fact that its chip is identical to that of the DCR-DVD105’s. With that aside, the DC210 does have its charm, sporting a 2.7” widescreen LCD, beloved (by us) rear-mounted joystick, and rapid Quick Start button. The DC210 also has a maximum still size of 1024x768, though it is strapped with a 35x optical zoom while the DCR-DVD108 boasts a massive 40x. Hmm…features or image quality—how does one decide? It will all come down to true brand royalty when you see identical price tags dangling from each hand strap.
Samsung SC-DC173U
Samsung announced a couple new DVD camcorders at CES back in January, one of them being the SC-D173U ($369 MSRP). The SC-DC173U also includes a video light, USB PictBridge support, remote, and an SD/MMC memory card slot. You’ll just have to deal with a dreadful Hitachi-esque menu button cluster and shorter 34x optical zoom. Video quality is unknown. However, it should not be anything too electrifying based on its single 1/6” chip with 680K max pixel count. We suggest trying them both out in the store—if you can find the SC-DC173U.
Panasonic VDR-D210
According to the Beatles, “money can’t buy me love,” but an extra $50 will get you optical image stabilization, an accessory shoe (cold), a rear-mounted joystick, and a better manual control set. Whether or not this equates to love, we’re not sure, but we do know that the Panasonic VDR-D210’s ($449.95 MSRP) elimination of still features could possibly lead to a rocky marriage. But think about this—the DCR-DVD108’s maximum still resolution is 640 x 480. We’ve seen cell phones with better cameras. Wouldn’t it be nice to trade off for more useful features shutter speed control? The VDR-D210’s 1/6” 680K gross pixel imager should perform similarly to the DCR-DVD108’s, so don’t expect the price jump to yield a significant difference in image quality. If you can spare the green, the VDR-D210 will sweep you off your feet.
Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters
This is a point-and-shooter camcorder all the way. Cheap image quality. Flimsy construction. Preposterously large zoom. Mom and dad will have a field day with the DCR-DVD108.
Budget Consumers
For $399, you can record cherished memories to DVD instantly. The DCR-DVD108 will offer decent image quality, an easy to use interface, and a reasonable set of auto and manual controls. Budget consumers who are hell-bent on a DVD camcorder should strongly consider.
Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid
640 x 480 is quite a humorous size to a modern photographer. VGA is all you get with the DCR-DVD108. You can throw them on a disc or MemoryStick. They’ll still look terrible no matter where you stick them—we have a few suggestions…
Gadget Freaks
There are no giblets of gadgetry goodness in, on, or around the DCR-DVD108.
Manual Control Freaks
Sony offers a decent manual control suite on the DCR-DVD108, but manual control freaks will long for a control ring, joystick operation, or anything that is not a touch screen. Check out some Panasonics.
Pros / Serious Hobbyists
Need not apply.
Conclusion
The Sony DCR-DVD108 will satisfy most of the needs of the entry-level user, but only if we make the assumption that that user wants to stay entry-level. Sonys are well-regarded for their ease of use, which the DVD108 delivers in spades. Couple that with a limited feature set and the family-friendly DVD format, and you have yourselves, more or less, the simplest camcorder on the planet, just about. However, if you have any inkling towards manual controls, or wanting to learn manual controls, or raising a kid that might someday want to play with manual controls, this is the wrong camcorder. We just want to make that absolutely clear.
The DVD108 offers decent image quality for its price range, but don't bother with the 640 x 480 stills. Low light was, yet again, a disppointment. Sony has not been able to shake the problem of blue noise fuzzing up the picture. It has a solid grip, which is good, because the construction quality feels cheap and it will probably not survive a fall. Overall, we think the DCR-DVD108 is a good buy for people who want to point, shoot, and move on. More ambitious users should look towards Canon and Panasonic for their DVD camcorders.