Sony DCR-DVD305 Camcorder Review

by David Kender
Published on Aug 31, 2006 10:00 AM

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


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.






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