Sony DCR-DVD205 Camcorder Reviewby Matt CullerPublished on Aug 17, 2006 5:00 AM
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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.
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