Sony Handycam DCR-DVD810 Camcorder Review

We start our video performance testing by shooting a DSC Labs Chroma DuMonde chart under a bright, even, 3000 lux of light. We then pull still frames from this footage and compare them to other camcorders that have made their way through our labs. At 3000 lux, the DVD810 produced a decent image—looking nearly identical to the frames we pulled from our Sony DCR-SR85 testing. The colors were very deep for a standard definition camcorder and the image was relatively sharp. Comparing to the DCR-DVD910, however, the DVD810 had a significantly worse image. The DVD910 showed crisper detail, less noise, and not as much interference or artifacting as the DVD810.

The blown-up images above show off the differences between the DCR-DVD810 and DCR-DVD910. Looking in the top right corner, it is difficult to read the numbers in the image from the DVD810, while the DVD910 produces legible numerals. Also, notice the vastly different color reproduction between the two camcorders, as well as the small blocks of discoloration and artifacting in the image from the DCR-DVD810. This is the same thing we noticed, especially in the blues and purples, coming from the Sony DCR-SR85. The image on the DVD810 does have more contrast than the DVD910, which makes text appear bolder and darker, but the DVD910 has a far smoother, crisper, and cleaner picture.

At 60 lux the DCR-DVD810 captured a good, deep image. It wasn't the brightest picture in the world, but the colors were saturated, blacks were dark, and whites popped with brightness. The image, again, looked very similar to our test shots with the DCR-SR85 (they both have the same CCD sensor and lens), which is to say a dark, yet rich image. The DCR-DVD910, in comparison, showed us a brighter, softer picture—however, colors didn't pop nearly as much and the text didn't appear as solid or bold as the 60 lux image from the DVD810. We must say, even though the DVD810's colors may be a bit too dark, the camcorder still produced a better looking image than the more expensive DVD910 at 60 lux.

At 15 lux, which is very low light, the Sony DCR-DVD810 continued providing a dark, yet colorfully robust image. Of course, noise and artifacting were prominent, but any camcorder in this price range will begin breaking down at 15 lux. The comparisons with the DCR-DVD910 at this light level were shocking. The DVD910 has a washed-out, grainy image at 15 lux, with colors that are more faded than your favorite childhood t-shirt. Yes, both camcorders have noise, blur, and grain, but the DCR-DVD810 still has a strong, pleasing image amongst the interference. This is the same quality we saw coming from the DCR-SR85 at this light level, which also produced a dark, strong picture.

For our second stage of testing, we use Imatest imaging software to determine the color accuracy, noise percentage, and saturation levels of the recorded video. We shoot an X-Rite Color Checker chart at an even 60 lux, and then run the frame grabs from that footage through the software. According to Imatest, the DCR-DVD810 produced a color error of 14.9 and an average noise of 1.6025%. Both these scores are very close to the numbers achieved by the DCR-SR85 (15.9 color error, 1.45% noise), which, again, makes sense because the two camcorders have identical sensors and processing systems. The DVD810's color error is a bit higher than some other standard definition camcorders in its price range (like the Canon FS100), but it's not a horrible score. It's also better than the 16.9 color error posted by the DCR-DVD910. Lastly, the saturation level on the DCR-DVD810 measured at 64.19%, which is also a slightly higher score than the DVD910 recorded.

Our final stage of testing determines low light sensitivity. We attached the DCR-DVD810 to a waveform monitor, which measures light in IRE (the standard in broadcasting). Watching the monitor, we slowly lower the lights until the camcorder is outputting a peak of 50 IRE. The DVD810 required 18 lux of light to produce 50 IRE, which is exactly what the DCR-SR85 required. The DCR-DVD910 needed only 15 lux to reach the same light level, but as we showed above, its low light image is washed-out and riddled with interference. Other standard def camcorders, particularly the Canon FS100 and FS11, the Samsung SC-MX20, and the JVC GZ-MG330 all required approximately 13 lux of light to output 50 IRE.

Overall, the Sony DCR-DVD810 isn't the best low light performer and it's light sensitivity is well below average for its price range. However, the camcorder retained color depth and provided a vivid image even in settings with very low light. In both our 60 and 15 lux tests, the camcorder exhibited an image far superior than what the pricey DCR-DVD910 showed us.