Sony DCR-DVD205 Camcorder Review

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.