Product Description

The Sony DCR-DVD308 DVD Handycam(R) Camcorder captures the powerful sound and sharp images you expect from digital photography and video. Instantly capture all your moments and record them directly to DVD-R/-RW/+RW/+R Dual Layer discs. The Professional Quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lenses have an advanced optical multi-layer coating that offers less glare and flare with increased contrast. Built for serious recording, the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens delivers superior image quality -- and its 12x optical and 800x digital zoom make sure you never miss a detail. Its DVD recording lets you share your video more quickly than ever -- once your stills or movie has been recorded, simply pop the disc into any DVD player and watch it instantly. Preview your images on the large 2.7-inch SwivelScreen(TM) LCD display, and add multiple effects directly from the camcorder -- or transfer your images and video to a PC through the USB 2.0 port. Creating great video and sharing it quickly has never been this easy. Professional Quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens Aperture - f1.8 - f2.5 Touch Panel Full Range Auto & Manual Exposure Focal Distance - 3.0 - 36mm Shutter Speeds - Auto, 1/4-1/4000 sec. (AE Mode) Progressive Shutter System Program AE (Auto Exposure) Modes - Beach and Ski, Landscape, Portrait, Spotlight, Sports Lesson, and Sunset and Moon Compatible with DVD-R, -RW and +RW White Balance Modes - Auto, Indoor, One-push, Outdoor Picture Effects - Monotone, Mosaic, Pastel, and Sepia Fader Effects - Black, Overlap, White and Wipe Onboard battery information (displayed on LCD) Easy Handycam(R) Button USB 2.0 Port Optional S-Video out Dolby Digital 5.1 Channel Recording InfoLithium Battery with AccuPower(TM) Meter System Battery Life - Continuous recording for up to 8 hours on a single full charge Dimensions - 2-1/4 x 3-5/8 x 5-1/4 inch (54.5 x 89 x 130.5 mm) Weight - 16 ounces (4

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #393 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Sony
• Model: DCRDVD308
• Dimensions: 1.94 pounds
• Display size: 2.7

Features

• 1-megapixel Advanced HAD CCD imager
• Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens; 25x optical/2000x digital zoom
• Dolby Digital 5.1-channnel recording with built-in microphone
• 2.7-inch Hybrid SwivelScreen LCD; one-touch wide-angle shooting
• DVD-R/RW+ RW/+R DL (Dual Layer) compatibility

Manufacturer Description
Easily capture video directly to DVD with the DCR-DVD308. Record in crystal clarity and 5.1-channel surround sound to DVD-R/-RW/+RW/+R DL (Dual Layer) discs. The active interface shoe provides additional powered accessory options and you can transfer your video direct to your PC with the hi-speed USB 2.0 connection.

DCR-DVD308 Highlights

1-megapixel Advanced HAD CCD imager 1/6-inch Advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD imager with 690K effective video pixels provides excellent detail and clarity, for exceptional digital video (up to 520 lines of resolution) and still image performance. Realize great-looking digital still images with 1,000K effective pixels.

Advanced HAD CCD technology Enhanced CCD design allow more light to reach the imager which reduces video noise to improve signal-to-noise ratio by up to 6dB (2x better than a standard CCD). Particularly effective when shooting in dark situations.

DVD format video recording The DVD recording format delivers digital picture and sound quality comparable to that of MiniDV, but on DVD. Playback of the DVDs couldn’t be simpler. After finalizing the disc in the camera, the disc plays back in compatible DVD Players, computers and even PlayStation 2 and PlayStation 3 video game consoles.

DVD-R/RW+ RW/+R DL (Dual Layer) compatibility The DCR-DVD308 is compatible with a variety of DVD formats allowing the ease of use and simplicity found in DVD media. With DVD+RW media there is no need to finalize the disc (minimum recording time required). Simply remove the disc and insert the media into a compatible DVD player.

25x optical/2000x digital zoom The optical zoom helps to bring the action up close from far away. In addition, the digital zoom interpolation means that extreme digital zooming is clearer, with less distortion than previous types of digital zooms.

Professional-quality Carl Zeiss Vario- Tessar Lens Carl Zeiss lens have an advanced optical multi-layer coating offering less glare and flare with increased contrast. This results in vivid image brilliance, true-to-life color saturation, and perfect renditions of subtle tones.

Dolby Digital 5.1-channnel recording The DCR-DVD308 will record in Dolby Digital 5.1-channel surround sound through the built-in microphone. By recording in 5.1-channel surround sound you can experience your home movies with active sounds coming from all directions. Enjoy your personal home movies the way you experienced them while recording.

2.7-inch Hybrid SwivelScreen LCD Provides excellent viewing clarity with improved resolution. The 123K-pixel LCD rotates up to 270 degrees for multiple viewing angles, providing sharp, detailed images for monitoring or playback. The Hybrid LCD Screen provides accurate viewing in sunlight or bright light, virtually eliminating the "wash-out" common with traditional LCD screens.

One-touch wide-angle shooting Easily switch between 16:9 and 4:3 aspect ratios for shooting with just the touch of a button.

Memory Stick Duo media slot Capture still images up to 1152 x 864 resolution directly onto Memory Stick Duo media for easy tranfer to your PC and emailing, printing, or sharing with other compatible Memory Stick devices.

Visual index screen Shows thumbnail images of video clips and still images when playing back on your camcorder or DVD player, making your selection easier.

Super SteadyShot picture stabilization system An advanced version of Sony’s SteadyShot system that controls an even higher range of shake and vibration frequencies, to achieve an even higher level of smoothness without degradation of video like some other image stabilization systems.

Super NightShot Plus infrared system An advanced version of Sony’s NightShot infrared system that allows users to record natural color images in low-light conditions, but without the blurring common with other low-light recording systems.

Active interface shoe Conveniently gives you the option of adding accessories such as lights, flashes, and microphones to the camera, which can communicate with the camera and also draw power from the camera.

USB 2.0 interface The USB 2.0 interface provides an easy way to connect your DVD Handycam to quickly transfer video and still images to your computer for editing. The camcorder can also be used as an external DVD burner, which is convenient for making copies of your DVDs or burning edited movies.

InfoLithium battery with AccuPower meter system Charge the battery at any time because unlike NiCad (Nickel Cadmium) batteries Sony’s rechargeable Lithium-Ion batteries are not subjected to a life shortening "memory effect." Sony’s exclusive AccuPower meter displays the approximate battery time remaining in minutes, in the viewfinder or the LCD screen.

Additional Features

• Progressive shutter system
• Scene selection modes
• Fader effects
• Picture effects
• Multi-language menu

Customer Reviews

Edited video quality questionable
Sony DCR-DVD308 works beautifully and seems well put together. It's light, compact, convenient and generally well designed. Operation is very easy, though it is so light it is very difficult to keep steady on a long zoom, and the zoom is extremely rapid and difficult to make unobtrusive - both probably what you get in this kind of camera. It may be a wonderful camera if you just want to watch what you shot, conveniently immediately, on your living room DVD player. Not so much if you want to edit it for anything other than YouTube. The problem seems to be the specific MPEG-2 compression for mini-dvd storage (which is not limited to Sony). I shot one dvd and then tried to edit it, which was a bit of a nightmare. I did manage to find a converter so I could edit in Adobe Premier Elements but the result was jumpy movement and otherwise pretty inelegant. I had much happier results from my old analog 8mm tape camera and a capture card. I have seen some references to simple editing software supplied, but couldn't find it on either of the cds that came with the camera. Sony's highly rated Vegas suites were not developed by Sony and reviewers say they don't provide any proprietary advantages for editing these miniDVDs. I eventually found an obscure software that will edit in the camera's native format without conversion, and that might work better - for another $100. These are just moving snapshots for me, but if I put a lot of work into editing (and I do want to edit), I want decent results that I won't be embarrassed to share or hate to watch myself. Reviewers (I later read) say the quality of miniDV format is better though tape is less convenient. So I've stepped back a technology, ordered a refurbed Sony DCR-HC62 miniDV, and if it proves better, this one goes on Craig's list.

Very Pleased
Very nice camera/camcorder and the price was an excellent deal. The camera arrived quicker than I had expected. I used it this weekend at my brothers wedding and the video and pictures turned out great.
Thanks so much, I am very pleased!!!!!!!!!!!

Easy to use..works great
I am completely satisfied with the picture quality and zoom of this handy cam. I would completely recommend this handy cam.