Sony DCR-DVD403 First Impressions Camcorder Review

by Matt Culler
Published on Feb 9, 2005 12:00 PM



Sony’s DCR-DVD403 is this year’s top of the line, king of the heap, DVD camcorder from Sony anyway, and it’s pretty cool. It's definitely the most advanced DVD camcorder we’ve seen thus far in the DVD camcorder race (which is a relatively young one). It includes all of the new features found on the other recently introduced Sony DVD camcorders, plus: a newly designed body, a 6:9 LCD screen, a touch screen menu system, and an easy handycam mode. The DCR-DVD403 also includes a built-in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound compatible microphone, so you can record at this level without having to spring for an external mic.

Video Performance
The DCR-DVD403 ships with a 3.3 gross Megapixel Advanced HAD CCD. This imager contains over double the gross pixels of either the DCR-DVD301or the DCR-DVD203 of this year, and likewise, double the gross pixels of the DCR-DVD201 of last year. While last year’s models didn’t perform that well, nor did DVD camcorders on the whole for that matter, I am curious to see how the DCR-DVD403’s new imager effects its performance. Obviously, we could not test the camcorder’s video performance at the Sony booth at CES; however, our full review will be coming shortly. Stay tuned.

The Front
The front of the DCR-DVD403 is similar to that of this year’s DCR-DVD201 and DCR-DVD103. All three camcorders sport Sony’s new curvilinear design with the lens barrel rising from the back and culminating on the front of the camcorder. Below the lens barrel rests an infrared sensor, and below that, a port cover obscuring an A/V output port. The key differences in the front of the DCR-DVD403 from that of the DCR-DVD203, are the addition of a built-in flash to the left of the DCR-DVD403’s lens, and the removal of its stereo microphone, now found behind the lens, on the camcorder’s top. This microphone is capable of recording in Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound.

The Right
On the right of the DCR-DVD403, the user can find the camcorder’s DVD disc mechanism, upon which the user’s hand rests during recording. The camcorder’s strap, a nice, big, comfy, Sony strap runs along the bottom of the mechanism. To the lower left of the DVD mechanism, the DCR-DVD403’s LANC jack port can be found beneath a small port cover. This jack allows operation from an external controller so as to reduce camera shake and other motion during recording. Above the LANC jack is located the DCR-DVD403’s mode selector. Different than last year’s mode selector, this year’s switch is kind of like a jog dial, in that, when toggled, it returns to its original position, the mode being indicated by individual LEDs for each (disc, card, and playback). Above the mode dial is the camcorder’s DC input port, under a rubber port cover.

The Back
On the back of the DCR-DVD403 is the camcorder’s battery compartment, a color viewfinder resting above it. The same record button seen on last year’s models is also on the DCR-DVD403. It is slender and nice, although I like the buttons on Panasonic’s new MiniDV camcorders better. Above the record button, which is located to the right of the battery compartment, are the camcorder’s mode dial and LEDs which indicate which mode the camcorder is in.

The Left Side
The DCR-DVD403 has a 16:9 LCD screen with 123K pixels and a 2.7” diagonal. Unfortunately, it is a touch panel LCD screen, requiring the user to tap the LCD screen during recording. Fortunately, the ugly cluster of buttons found on the last year’s camcorders underneath the LCD screen has been removed. A display/battery info button and a wide select button (which selects the camcorder’s 16:9 mode) are found below the LCD screen, along with the camcorder's USB port. On the left margin of the LCD screen are secondary zooming and recording controls. The easy camcorder and back light buttons are located externally above the LCD screen.

The Top
The top of the DCR-DVD403, sports the camcorder’s built-in microphone, which looks very sexy swathed in metal grating. This little daddy can record Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound. It's a great feature but it should be located on the front of the camcorder in my opinion. Behind it is the camcorder’s hot accessory shoe which has been slimmed from the standard accessory shoe width, making compatibility with all products un-Sony pretty tough. The camcorder’s zoom toggle (a small yet easy-to-use little guy), and photo button, are located toward the rear, its SuperNight Shot Plus switch found along the way.

Picture and Manual Control
Automatic Control
Automatic control over focus, exposure, shutter speed, white balance, and gain are all included on the DCR-DVD403. As on many of these new DVD camcorders from Sony, the DCR-DVD403 also includes an Easy Handycam mode from which all of these automatic features are selected, making the camcorder a real point-and-shooter. Although CES didn’t afford us the opportunity to extensively assess the automatic controls on the DCR-DVD403 individually, our full review of the camcorder will discuss them in depth.

There are some presets in which windows of performance can be set for the camcorder’s automatic shutter speed and exposure features. Auto Exposure presets include: Auto, Sports (only in Movie mode), Portrait, Beach and Ski, Sunset/Moon, and Landscape.

Overall Manual Control
One of the most salient downsides of the DCR-DVD403 is its lack of good manual control. While manual control over focus, zoom, and exposure exist, only the zoom control works as an easy-to-access-and-use, functional, manual control. The others are trapped within the camcorder’s touch screen menu system, and require not only for the LCD screen to be open, but also tapped by the user's finger in order for adjustments to be made. This is nothing new for Sony, which has been offering touch screen menu systems and no shutter speed options for years now.

One improvement Sony has made, however, is its inclusion of actual numerical focal length indicators on the LCD screen during focal adjustment, although the touch screen must still be used. From such an otherwise developed camcorder, I want more.

Zoom
The DCR-DVD403 offers a 10x optical zoom and a 120x digital zoom. The zoom toggle is small but very easy to use. The DCR-DVD403 suffers from a downsizing of optical zoom from the DCR-DVD203. It shares zoom measurements with the DCR-DVD301 of last year.

Focus
Using the touch screen menu system, the user can adjust focus manually moving a cursor along a +/- meter. This is tedious, though numerical focal length values have been added. Similar values for exposure would be nice too.

Exposure (Aperture)
As a composite of both aperture and shutter speed adjustment, Sony’s exposure value cannot be expressed with either an F Stop value or a shutter fraction value alone. It must include both. It is a shame that Sony doesn’t express either aperture or the shutter fraction on the LCD screen. Independent control of both or at least information on either value, would be better.

Shutter Speed
There are no manual shutter speed options on the DCR-DVD403.

White Balance
Standard white balance options include indoor, outdoor, one push, and auto. They are available using the DCR-DVD403’s touch screen menu system.

Gain
There are no manual gain controls on the DCR-DVD403.

Still Performance
Still performance on Sony DVD camcorders this year continues to be marred by their lack of dedicated still media, memory sticks and the like. While this is bad news, the good news is that the DCR-DVD403 captures stills to DVD-R/RW/+RW disc at resolutions of 2016x1512 and 1640 x480. It should be noted that the sheer amount of stills that can be captured on disc is pretty amazing. Fine and Standard quality JPEGs can be captured, and burst and exposure bracketing options are available. Though the DCR-DVD403 has a 16:9 LCD screen, still images can only be captured at a 4:3 ratio.

VCR Mode
All three formats to which this year’s Sony DVD camcorders record can be viewed directly, after on-camcorder finalization, on conventional DVD players. While the improvements to the DVD+RW format from last year’s are subtle, the main advantage, and it's the one that Sony loves to flaunt, is the seemingly universal compatibility of the recording format with any conventional DVD player. Panasonic and Hitachi DVD camcorders record to DVD-R/RAM discs. DVD-RAM discs do not offer such compatibility.

The VCR/Playback mode on the DCR-DVD403 is available using the mode dial.

Low Light Performance
The low light performance of the DCR-DVD403 could not be accurately evaluated at CES. We will have extensive testing results in our full review of the camcorder. The DCR-DVD403 does feature more pixels than we have seen on a DVD camcorder thus far. However, assumptions based on pixel count aren’t the most accurate form of analysis. We’ll see if the DCR-DVD403 will redeem Sony’s horrible track record with DVD camcorder low light performance. Stay tuned.

LCD/Viewfinder
The DCR-DVD403 includes a 16:9/ Widescreen LCD screen, making viewing and recording in widescreen more convenient. The LCD screen measures 2.7 inches in diagonal. The viewfinder is color. Sony’s LCD screens are great when they’re hybrid, and this one is. There is no solarization, even when viewing from an angle. An additional feature of this model, as well as the DCR-DVD203, is the inclusion of optional record and zoom controls on the LCD margin. This makes LCD-based controls, such as the touch screen system, a bit more convenient.

Audio
Unlike the DCR-DVD203 and DCR-DVD103, the DCR-DVD403 has Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound recording ability built directly into the camcorder’s interface. These other camcorders require an additional microphone to be purchased in order to record such audio (ECM-HQP1).

Handling
I’ve been talking trash about Sony’s decision to add the touch screen menu system on this year’s DVD camcorders, and while this decision does add some unnecessary hindrances to the user’s adjustment of manual control during recording, it actually isn’t too offensive when the user isn’t recording -- besides the fact that the user must open the LCD screen to get at the menu. Also, the new touch screen fits in well with Sony’s redesigning of the DVD camcorder as a whole. The ugly button cluster found on last year’s DVD camcorders is gone, leaving a nice, tazer-like camcorder with a great curvy design. If nothing else, this camcorder will be fun to hold.

The Ports
The Sony DCR-DVD403’s A/V output port is located under a port cover on the camcorder’s front. Additionally, the DC input port is located directly above the camcorder’s mode dial and the LANC jack is located in the lower left-hand corner of the DVD mechanism.

Other Features
Super SteadyShot Image Stabilization This Sony trademark offers good electronic image stabilization.

Super NightShot Sony’s infrared night mode is included.

Additional LCD controls Secondary recording and zoom functions are located on the LCD margin.

Touch Screen Menu System Sony’s own touch screen system allows for nice features like Spot Metering and Spot Focus. It also requires users to make manual adjustments within a time-consuming menu system.

Built-In Flash The DCR-DVD403 includes a flash for still capture. None of the other DVD camcorder’s this year include such a gadget.

Dolby Digital 5.1 Surround Sound Built-in Microphone That’s pretty much it. Pretty impressive.

Widescreen ModeThere is a wide-screen mode on the DCR-DVD403 and a 16:9, 2.7 inch LCD screen. We’re not yet sure just how Sony’s new widescreen function worksmore details in the full review.

Analog to Digital Pass-Through The DCR-DVD403 does not support analog to digital pass-through.

Conclusion
This camcorder will be available this Spring for $1000, which is equal in price, if not a bit cheaper than, last year’s DCR-DVD201, and it offers so much more. This guy is pretty impressive. What with the Dolby Digital Surround Sound, 16:9 LCD screen, and 3.3 MP pixel count, the DCR-DVD403 has a lot to like.

I am interested to see how this thing performs in a low light environment. It has nice imager specifications, but you never know. If it can redeem last year’s Sony DVD camcorder low light performance, it might give Hitachi DVD camcorders, last year’s champions, a run for their money.