Sony DCR-DVD7 Camcorder Reviewby David KenderPublished on Jul 8, 2005 12:00 PM 
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Frisbees, beware. Your time has come. Herald the birth of the electronic, all-purpose gizmo – the Sony DCR-DVD7. The design is sleek, cool, and revolutionary; no one could deny that. Borrowing from the Sony Discman as much as sheer imagination, aesthetic appeal is, sadly, the only appeal we could find. This was a poor performer all around. Purported by its manufacturers to be a camcorder only, we found that definition to be a bit limiting. See our photos for more uses.
Video Performance (4.75)
The Sony DCR-DVD7 features a modest 1/6” CCD, with 680K (340K effective for both video and stills). With such low numbers, don’t be surprised to find out that this camcorder is like a summer blockbuster, all style and no substance. In fact, when compared to all the camcorders we’ve reviewed this year, nothing seemed to perform as poorly, save the equally flashy Sony DCR-PC55.
In general, colors appeared dull and lifeless. At 3000 lux, the rough equivalent of a sunny day, the yellows and greens tended to run together. The upper right yellow block, in particular, looked like a peculiar blend of pea soup. The picture was grainy overall, with a definite lack of sharpness. These same characteristics appeared in the test for the Sony DCR-DVD92 (Review, Specs, $365), which shares the same imager specs, as does the DCR-DVD203.
The DCR-DVD203, with its step up to a 1.07 gross megapixel CCD, was remarkably brighter in every color. Though the blue noise is more prevalent, sharpness is much better. The MiniDV DCR-HC32 (Review, Specs, $490.7) (Review, Specs, $490.7), while still in the same price range as the DVD7, is also remarkably sharper – no noise, no graininess. Other better-performing DVD camcorders included the Panasonic VDR-M53 (Specs, $402.85) (though it has an equal 680K CCD) and the Hitachi DZ-MV780 (Review, Specs, $499.99), both of which are much sharper and more accurate in their colors.
Only when compared to the Sony DCR-PC55, a MiniDV camcorder, did the DCR-DVD7 finally show an edge over its competition. Colors were somewhat sharper and brighter. This gives the DCR-DVD7 the dubious honor of second-worst performer of the year.
Video Resolution (7.7)
The Sony DCR-DVD7 captured video footage of a standard resolution chart in both aspect ratios (4:3, 16:9), and stills from the video were exported to Imatest Imaging software for calibration. In 4:3 mode the camcorder produced an image with approximately 180.4 lines of vertical resolution at its best, and approximately 292 line of horizontal resolution. At its best, this model’s 16:9 mode provided approximately 266.9 lines of vertical resolution, with approximately 289.2 lines of horizontal resolution, generating a true resolution of 77187.48.
The Front (7.5)
Curves, curves, curves. The front of the DCR-DVD7 is as stylish as they come. The roundness of the body, in highly reflective black plastic, takes it visual cue from the DVD inside. The lens is placed on the far left. It comes with a built-in lens cover, which has a switch underneath the thin lens barrel. The remote sensor and record light all curve along the lower half of the front, carefully designed so as not to mar the smooth countenance. Oddly enough, this is where the audio playback speaker is located. The shiny plastic on the right is meant to act as a finger grip. This is where Sony’s “form over function” ethos takes a nosedive. It doesn’t provide much of a grip at all, and I could easily imagine someone dropping this camcorder right into the pool or barbecue if the wrist strap was not secured.
The Right Side (6.0)
The right side of the DCR-DVD7 is meant to act as the handhold, and in this sense, it’s not a terribly good design. Smooth plastic is not an easy thing to hold on to. Clicking the switch on this side opens the battery compartment hidden underneath, and this is an impressive design .move Sony engineers have found a way to tuck everything away in this unique camcorder.
The Back (7.0)
The back is as neatly designed as every other bit of the DCR-DVD7. A 2.5-inch touch screen LCD is the centerpiece. The DCR-DVD7 is not equipped with a viewfinder, which probably would have been redundant on this type of body. Many of the controls are located underneath the LCD: Display / Battery Info, Backlight, and the Power / Mode switch.
Above the LCD is the Easy button, which glows blue when selected. An Access indicator light, located next to the Easy button, blinks when the DVD is being scanned by the optical drive.
The upper right side of the back has been molded into a thumb grip, which is the same smooth (and potentially slippery) plastic as the front and sides.
The Left Side (5.5)
The left side of the DCR-DVD7 bumps out to accommodate the lens barrel, short as it is. As it slopes towards the bottom, the ports are revealed, hidden under a hard plastic cover with a rubber strap. The ports include USB, composite A/V / S-Video, and DC power.
The Top (5.5)
On top, you’ll find the Record button, surrounded by the zoom toggle. Zoom control is a little different here, but what isn’t different on the DCR-DVD7? It works by jogging the switch clockwise or counterclockwise. It’s weighted to return to the center every time and has relatively smooth action. We still would have preferred a standard toggle.
Next to the zoom is the switch to open the DVD mechanism. Next to that is the microphone. This seems an odd place to place a mic, as there is more than enough room on the front of the body. Logic tells me there could have been a smarter place to put this.
Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (8.5)
We hardly need to tell frequent readers of this site that Sony automatic controls are generally the best in the industry. On the DCR-DVD7, automatic controls over focus, exposure, shutter speed, and white balance are available. The auto focus is decent, and responds rapidly to zooming. Auto exposure (AE) is quick, very quick, and features five presets: Spotlight, Portrait, Sports, Beach & Ski, Sunset & Moon, and Landscape. White balance presets include indoor, outdoor, full automatic, and manual settings.
If you don't quite feel the automatic control is up to par, Spot Metering and Spot Focus are available to assist you. Spot Focus, a common Sony feature, creates a frame around the LCD screen. The user can touch any portion within that frame to dictate a particular point of focus. Its sister feature, Spot Metering, which is similar to Spot Focus, allows the user to touch the LCD screen to select a point in the frame from which to adjust its exposure. I like the Spot Metering and Spot Focus, especially on this camcorder, because it is heavily geared towards audiences that don't really care so much for manual control.
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Overall Manual Control (3.0)
Every manual control must be accessed through the touch screen. This is necessarily a two-handed operation because of the way the DCR-DVD7 must be held. Anyone familiar with Sony’s touch screen menu system will know that manual control can be a tedious process. Mistakes will be made frequently by all but the smallest-thumbed of us. This is a camcorder designed for ease of use first. If manual control is at all dear to your camcorder operation, this is not the model for you. The DCR-DVD7 has odd zoom control, and touch screen control of focus and exposure as well as white balance. The camcorder lacks any shutter speed control or white balance control. Of course, considering the market for the DCR-DVD7 the lack of manual control might not kill it as it might some higher-end Sony camcorders.
Zoom (5.0)
The Sony DCR-DVD7 reaches a 10x optical zoom and 120x digital zoom. Digital zoom can be capped at 20x. The zoom control is a circular switch, moving clockwise for zoom in and counterclockwise for zoom out. It’s certainly not an ideal control, and probably meant more to keep a curvilinear look to every aspect of the body. Any zoom adjustment requires you to push, however slightly, down on the camcorder, subsequently jarring the frame of your subject. There appear to be three zoom speeds, but the circular toggle makes it difficult to control the speed settings with any accuracy.
Focus (4.0)
The manual focus on the DCR-DVD7 must be accessed through the touch screen menu, a process so cumbersome that Sony has all but assured the exclusive use of automatic focus. As it is, the manual focus interface consists of a man on the left side and a mountain on the right side. Each icon can be tapped to shift focus. A picture of a hand with the letter F (for “Focus”) appears when the camcorder believes itself to be in a range focus. The range is so broad, however, and the process so tedious, that you may be giving the camcorder your own F-hand if manual focus is important to you.
Exposure (Aperture) (4.0)
The manual exposure, located in the on screen menu, consists of a sliding scale with 24 stops. The scale is marked only by a plus and a minus, and does not include numeration of any kind. This style of bundled aperture/shutter adjustment is common on lower-end Sonys and negates independent adjustments of these functions. We like to see as many manual controls as possible included on camcorders, and it doesn't seem like much to ask for Sony to give advanced users the option of splitting the aperture/shutter control into separate domains.
Shutter Speed (0.0)
There is no manual shutter speed on the DCR-DVD7.
White Balance (7.5)
White balance on the DCR-DVD7 is controlled through the touch screen menu. Automatic settings for white balance include Auto, Outdoor, and Indoor. The One Push button allows you to set the white balance manually. These are standard options, and really represent the most usable and conveniently placed manual control on the camcorder. Indoor and Outdoor presets are based on average color temperatures for indoor and outdoor environments. They do a passable job, but manual settings should be utilized whenever possible.
Gain (0.0)
There is no manual gain control on this camcorder.
Other Manual Control (0.0)
There are no other manual controls on the DCR-DVD7.
Ease of Use (9.0)
DVD camcorders are, by design, generally easy to use. Sony camcorders are also generally easy to use. Put them together and you have the DCR-DVD7. Which makes it a what? Yes, a very easy camcorder to use. Simplicity is key, evidenced by the fact that not a single manual control button exists on the body. The only button, in fact, that manipulates the image quality is the Easy button, making operation even simpler. In Easy mode, user controls are limited to clock set, menu language, and menu beeps. The camcorder takes over every other control.
The DCR-DVD7 fits just about everywhere
This is all great news if you don’t like to futz with controls. Even simple adjustments, though, must be made through the touch screen menu, which can be a hassle. The touch screen menu is relatively easy to navigate. Advanced options, such as Steady Shot on/off and 4:3/16:9 shooting modes, are located lower in the information tree. More common controls, like manual focus, manual exposure, and Program AE are towards the top.
The most common beginner's mistake, leaving the lens cap on, has been conveniently made a non-issue. The built-in lens cap, operated by a sliding switch under the lens, must be open for the camcorder to record. The warning message "Cover is not open," appears on the LCD screen when it is closed. Almost anyone could take the DCR-DVD7 out of the box and be recording within minutes.
Still Features (5.0)
The DCR-DVD7 has limited options for capturing stills. Image quality can be set to Fine or Standard, but it only shoots at a 640 x 480 resolution. It cannot shoot widescreen stills, and none of the digital effects can be added. There is no flash, so shooting stills in low light could be a problem. All stills are recorded to the DVD, which has its benefits and deficiencies. DVDs can hold an enormous number of stills - up to 8600 in Standard setting on a DVD+/-RW. However, a dedicated still media, like a MemoryStick, would have been a valuable addition. It scored low for all these missing features.
Still Resolution (0.8)
Stills can only be captured to the DVD disc, which will yield an equivalent resolution to that of the captured video. The Sony DCR-DVD7 yielded video and still resolutions of 0.077 MP. This is a quite a low score, but comparable to other camcorders with low-end CCDs.
Still Performance (3.25)
Still performance on the DCR-DVD7 was simply tragic. Colors were so dull that they made us long for the over-saturation of the DCR-DVD203. The green portion of the spectrum is so dull, it appears to have fallen asleep and missed the spectrum party altogether. Reds and blues are a little livelier, and the overall sharpness is better than in video mode. Again, the only camcorder than performed this badly was the DCR-PC55.
Low Light Performance (2.0)
Low light performance on the DCR-DVD7 was – no surprises here – poor. Most DVD camcorders have proven to do quite badly in low light, save the remarkable performance of the DCR-DVD403.
At 60 lux, the image quality is completely washed out in a haze of grain. Blue noise abounds in the blue-violet end of the spectrum. This camcorder did not do nearly as well as the slightly more expensive DCR-DVD203; it performed about equally with the DCR-HC32, an equally priced MiniDV camcorder.
At 15 lux, the picture is just about black and white. The one plus in this test was a surprising brightness in the white color blocks on the chart (see photo). In the rare instance you’re shooting a monochromatic subject in low light conditions – who knows? You might be in luck. You’ll have to deal, however, with a great deal of grain. All in all, this is a poor low light performer, even for a DVD camcorder; it was unable to retain hardly any color information.
Zoom Power/Ratio(10.0)
With an optical zoom of 10x, and a digital zoom of 120x, the DCR-DVD7 could have done better. The comparatively priced Sony DCR-DVD92 and DCR-DVD103 will both get you 20x optical zoom.
Too many uses to name
Wide Angle (9.0)
Wide Angle measurements of the Sony DCR-DVD7 were taken at both the 4:3 and 16:9 modes. The Widescreen mode produced a measurement of 45 degrees, which is identical to this model’s 4:3 measurement, indicating that the camcorder does not truly possess a widescreen mode.
VCR Mode (9.0)
All VCR playback is controlled through the LCD touch screen. When in VCR mode, the DCR-DVD7 thumbnails each video clip. Press the thumbnail to play each clip. Only then does the recognizable set of playback controls appear (play, forward, back, stop, etc.). In order to play video on a DVD player or computer, the disc must be finalized. This is where DVD+/-RWs shine. They can be unfinalized and reformatted, deleting all the old content when you have tired of it or have downloaded it to a hard drive.
LCD/Viewfinder(4.0)
The only viewing on the on the DCR-DVD7 is achieved through the 2.5-inch LCD screen (123.2K). A viewfinder would have been a nice addition, especially when trying to see your subject with a glare behind you. Viewfinders have slowly been diminishing in importance on consumer models in favor of larger LCDs, so it’s no surprise to see the viewfinder jettisoned on a radical new design like this. Like most Sonys, the DCR-DVD7's LCD doesn't solarize nearly as much as the ones most other manufacturers produce; however, compared to some other Sonys we've seen, it solarizes a bit more.
Audio (3.0)
Interesting and unique design choices can lead to interesting and unique problems. In the DCR-DVD7, audio takes a bad hit. For some strange reason, the playback speaker is located on the front of the body, under the lens. Then again, you might not want to hear the audio. The designers have chosen to place the microphone on top of the body rather than the front. “But putting the microphone on top is common practice,” you say? This is true, and on a conventional body this might not be a problem. The DCR-DVD7, however, is held with the right or the right & left index fingers directly next to the mic, zooming, tapping and scraping the camcorder’s body – all of which are sure to be picked up on the audio track. Audio can be captured at 12 and 16 bits. Audio dubbing is available as a feature.
The chance of expanding audio options are virtually nil. There is no microphone input, and no accessory shoe, not even the proprietary technology shoe that Sony has been bolting on top of so many camcorders this year. If monitoring the audio recording is a concern, you're out of luck. The slim and fit DCR-DVD7 does not have a headphone jack, either.
Handling (3.5)
If Sony is considering continuing this design model, they need to rethink how users are holding the camcorder. The DCR-DVD7 is meant to be held by the right hand. At least, this is what the design would indicate. A finger grip on the front and a thumb grip on the back would are simply not practical when the entire body is made of smooth plastic.
The DCR-DVD7 Discus Competition
It’s a question of balance. The weight is evenly distributed across the camcorder, which is a boon in traditionally shaped camcorders. But the DCR-DVD7 is designed for handling on the right side. Thus, the camcorder has a tendency to slump to the left, risking tilted footage, or worse, a drop to the ground. Sure, the camcorder can be supported underneath by the left hand, but there’s no firm place to rest that hand. Half the time when I used my left hand for support my index finger went straight into the lens.
Handling is going to be a key issue for any new design, and this is a particularly radical departure for a camcorder. The lack of a viewfinder was a difficult loss. With only a little glare, the LCD screen washed out and I was unable to see my subject.
Accessing the touch screen menu is definitely a two-handed job, and all of the manual control is located there. This is a point-and-shoot camcorder, no doubt about it. The real downside of a camcorder that has only an LCD screen for viewing is that is must be held out from the body, often for long periods of time. A viewfinder-equipped camcorder can be tucked into the body, giving your arms a chance to rest.
How and where you set the camcorder down is a vital, and often overlooked, feature. Traditionally shaped camcorders rarely beg this question, but the DCR-DVD7 raises the concern. With such a thin body, it shouldn’t be set on its bottom. Sony has provided some stabilization – metal and rubber feet – but the slightest bump would flatten this camcorder on its front or its back. The DCR-DVD7 ships with a neat little docking station. It does not connect to a computer, or recharge; it is entirely cold. The sole purpose of the docking station is to give the DCR-DVD7 a place to sit down. It works well and provides all the stabilization you’d need. But who’s going to carry the docking station around all the time? It’s too big to fit in a camera bag. Your choice, then, during on-the-go shooting, is the difficult one of laying the camcorder down on its lens or its LCD. You decide.
Portability (7.5)
The DCR-DVD7 is a highly portable camcorder, but impractical. Weighing only 14 ounces, its slim design would easily fit into a small bag or purse. It’s a little wide for pocket-size, but if you were determined, you might squeeze it into a side-leg pocket. The problem is what to do with the camcorder when you’re ready to set it down. If you don’t want to carry the base (and who could blame you), you’re stuck resting it on the lens or the LCD. A light breeze could knock this thing over if you tried to stand it upright. In short – it’s so portable you can’t put it down.
Battery Life (11.7)
In our tests on the included battery (the NP-FA50), the Sony DCR-DVD7 was able to record for a total of 117 minutes. Test conditions set the camcorder to record with the LCD screen on and without zooming. This is a very good battery performance, but if you're looking for longer life, consider upgrading to the NP-FA70 battery, which almost doubles the time frame. Unfortunately, because the battery compartment is so compact, the DCR-DVD7 will never be capable of extremely extended battery life. The non-expandable battery is going to kill this camcorder if you have any plans on taking it on a trip or somewhere where you'll be away from a charger for an extended period of time.
Compression (5.0)
The DCR-DVD7 compresses video into an MPEG2 format. Sony has included three recording formats: SP (the default), LP, and HQ, a high quality format. Audio is compressed to Dolby Digital two-channel. A DVD camcorder is inherently inferior to MiniDV in video performance, because there is less data recorded to a DVD. Less information translates to less quality. Stills are also recorded to the DVD in a JPEG format in two qualities – Fine and Standard – both at 640 x 480.
Media (6.0)
All of the Sony DVD camcorders this year have made the big upgrade to compatibility with DVD+RW. Panasonic and Hitachi tried to include reusable media, but their DVD-RAM suffers the setback of not being playable in a home DVD player. After finalization, DVD+/-RWs can be played in DVD players, which would certainly make the Sonys more convenient. Especially for this camcorder, the DVD+/-RW compatibility is key. I can't imagine anyone buying this camcorder who wouldn't want that convenience. The DCR-DVD7 records video to all formats of 8cm DVD: DVD-R, DVD-RW, and DVD+RW. Stills are also recorded to the DVD, which can hold an enormous number. Sony puts the max number at 8600 stills at Standard quality on a DVD-RW.
Editing (3.0)
Editing from a DVD camcorder is not necessarily easy. DVD camcorders are designed for ease of use. Record, finalize, and pop it in the home DVD player – this is the manufacturer’s intent. For anything beyond the most rudimentary editing, MiniDV is the recording format of choice. DVD footage is compressed to a much greater extent than MiniDV, and therefore any editing performed on a computer will only compress it further. MPEG2 video from DVD is just terribly difficult to edit, you have to go through many compression steps to get the video into a quality editing program like Final Cut. If you're interested in editing your video, DVD is not for you.
Widescreen/16:9 Mode (5.0)
The DCR-DVD7 offers a widescreen shooting mode, but it is not true 16:9. This mode merely places black bars on the top and bottom of the 4:3 image.
Scan Rates/24P (0.0)
The DCR-DVD7 has no other scan rates.
Ports (4.0)
Ports on the DCR-DVD7 are few, but they meet the expectations we have created for DVD camcorders. They include a USB and a composite A/V / S-Video. The A/V cable is included, but you’ll have to buy the S-Video. The camcorder lacks a Microphone in jack, a Headphone out jack and even an accessory shoe for attaching even a Sony branded microphone.
Other Features (4.0)
Non-Expandable Battery-- This really isn't a feature but it's a huge downside. As we mentioned in the battery section the non-expandable battery means that you can only use one other battery (with double capacity) in the camcorder. You can't use a high capacity battery with hours of ability, which means that this is a bad camcorder for travel or long trips.
Color Slow Shutter-- In darker environments, this feature can record with better color than normal by slowing down the shutter speed.
Super SteadyShot-- An electronic image stabilization, this feature is available through the menu.
Digital Effects-- Digital Effects include Lumi.Key, which replaces the brightest portion of the video with a previously recorded image, and Old Movie, which slows the shutter speed and converts the image to a sepia tone.
Picture Effects-- Sepia, Black & White, Pastel, and Mosaic are all included as picture effects.
Comparison
Sony DCR-DVD203
With better video performance, better low light performance, and better still performance, all at the same price range, you’d be remiss to opt for the DCR-DVD7 instead of this camcorder. Other improvements you might enjoy include a viewfinder, better handling, zoom power, and audio. Sure, it lacks the style of the DCR-DVD7, but that is probably the sole sacrifice.
Sony DCR-DVD92
For a little less money, Sony also offers the Sony DCR-DVD92. The specs on this camcorder appear to be the same as the DCR-DVD7 (340K effective pixels, 1/6” CCD), but the video and low light performances appear to be much better, regardless.
Sony DCR-PC55
Sony released two one-trick ponies this year, the other being the DCR-PC55. Slightly more expensive, this MiniDV camcorder is more portable and comes with a larger LCD, 3” to the DCR-DVD7’s 2.5”. In terms of performance, this was the only camcorder to score worse than the DCR-DVD7 in video, still, and low light. The DCR-PC55 has the benefit of a MiniDV format, which offers much more flexibility in terms of editing. Handling on both these camcorders is unusual, and will not please users looking for tight control.
Panasonic VDR-M53
For about a hundred dollars less, you could try Panasonic’s VDR-M53. The imaging specs are the same as the DCR-DVD7, but it performed slightly better in bright light conditions. At low light, both camcorders performed disappointingly. The VDR-M53 records to DVD-R and DVD-RAM, a medium which has been getting mixed reviews compared to the increasingly popular DVD+/-RW. This camcorder is a bit larger, but the decidedly non-revolutionary design allows for useful features like an accessory shoe (cold) and buttons for manual focus and exposure.
Who It’s For
Point-and-Shooters (6.0)
DVD camcorders are generally directed at the point-and-shooter crowd. Ease of use is a Sony specialty, as well.
Budget Consumers (4.0)
For the same price, there are certainly better performers out there than the DCR-DVD7. However, this is not a terribly expensive experiment, if you're up for the test.
Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (3.0)
Poor video and still performance and a lack of dedicated still media make this an unlikely option for hybrid fans.
Gadget Freaks (6.5)
Gadget freaks, particularly the fashionable ones, are the target market for the DCR-DVD7. Certainly, no other camcorder has ever had such a unique appearance.
Manual Control Freaks (3.0)
The DCR-DVD7 has precious few options to offer for Manual Controls Freaks. This is a convenience-oriented machine.
Pros/ Serious Hobbyists (1.0)
Most definitely, no.
Conclusion
Doubtless, this camcorder has an audience. This is the camcorder to be seen with, if you want to show off, but still want to avoid the more than doubly-expensive Sony DCR-PC55. So hip, so trim, so cutting edge. The future is now. The DCR-DVD7 might make you popular at the party, but only if you don’t show them the finished footage. At best, this camcorder is an experiment in design. It's highly portable, as long as you have a soft surface to set it down or, or if you don't mind toting around the bulky plastic base.
Portability and good looks come at the high cost of performance and battery life. The peculiar design does not allow for a large battery to fit inside, so you'll have to limit your operating time to the bare minimum, even with the upgraded battery. The good news is that Sony could only improve its performance from here. A better imaging system, a dedicated still medium, and a few more manual control options could make this a real competitor in the DVD camcorder market. As it is, the DCR-DVD7’s performance puts it at the bottom of the barrel.
This camcorder has an audience for sure, thought it's probably a small audience or at least not one that commonly visits this site. For users who want a camcorder that looks cool, with an innovative design but lacks much substance in the performance or functionality department, the DCR-DVD7 is a good choice. However, if your looking for something that looks cool and performs well, the DCR-DVD7 is not for you.