Sony DCR-DVD301
Manufacturer: Sony Part number: DCR DVD301
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CNET Editor rating:
Not yet rated
- Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 14 reviews
- More product information:
- Product brief
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Description:
- Experience exceptional video quality and direct-to-DVD convenience with the DCR-DVD301 DVD Handycam camcorder from Sony. With a 1.0 Megapixel Advanced HAD CCD imager, 10x optical zoom, and a professional quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, the DCR-DVD301 delivers crisp, clean video that rivals MiniDV in overall quality. Best of all, you record directly on to 3-inch DVD-R and DVD-RW discs ... Read more
Where to buy
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as of 07/06/2009 |
Product brief
Intro: The Sony DCR-DVD301 is a DVD-RW (8 cm) and DVD-R (8cm)-based, consumer camcorder.Compared to other consumer camcorders on the market, it is relatively inexpensive at around $500.It ships with PIXELA Image Mixer software.This unit weighs 1.3 pounds and has a sensor resolution of about 0 megapixels.
Noteworthy Features: Has a 3.5-inch viewscreen, which is considerably larger than some similarly priced camcorders.Offers manual focus control, whereas many camcorders have only auto-focus.Weighing a little over a pound without battery or media, this camcorder is reasonably portable.
Weaker Features: Has MJPEG digital video format, which is less favorable than some similarly priced camcorders.For example, the Canon DC40, a DVD-R (8cm) and DVD-RW (8 cm)-based camcorder at around $500, has MPEG-2 digital video format.
Suitability: Made for those who want the perks of a DVD-recordable disc but don't mind the compromises.The manufacturer estimates that a fully charged battery will provide 120 minutes of power, though this will vary depending on your usage.
Value: Overall, this camcorder's features are in line with its price.
Suggestions: For more help selecting the right digital camcorder, visit CNET Reviews' buying guide.
User reviews
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Another Betamax fiasco from Sony
Pros: Quality of videos produced, features
Cons: Beware - you CANNOT edit your movies with ANY SOFTWARE except the "Imagemixer" product shipped with the camera. And it is absolutely horrible. I would NEVER have bought this camera if I knew that. Shame on Sony for pulling another Betamax...didn't they
5 out of 6 users found this user opinion helpful.
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I spent $1000 and no one said it wouldn't work without a flash.
by amom2seven on April 4, 2005
Pros: lightweight
Cons: Must have a filter to use outdoors and a flash to use indoors. Camera is useless if you do not buy these additional items.
4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Great camcorder
by mingstersol on March 8, 2005
Pros: Compact size, Large hybrid LCD screen, Zeise lens, Still photo function, night shot
Cons: Costly media when using RW, low light picture is not very sharp and color leans towards a blue hue, short recording time on dvd
Summary: Great camera for a beginner and fun to use. I replaced my Panasonic GS120 for this becuase of the convenience of the DVD media instead of MiniDv. The MiniDV camecorders ...
Summary: Great camera for a beginner and fun to use. I replaced my Panasonic GS120 for this becuase of the convenience of the DVD media instead of MiniDv. The MiniDV camecorders does produce a better picture but this camera is a lot more fun to use. If you are not looking to do a lot of editing of the video the DVD is the way to go. This sony camcorder has a great image stabilizer and the Night shot function is a lot of fun when just fun stuff at night. The DVD301 is also very easy to use and also has a few manual functions if you like to tinker with the image a little. If you are looking for the best picture you can get and more manual functions from a camcorder I recommend any Panasonic 3ccd camcorder but if you are just looking for a fun camcorder that takes decent video and ready to go right when you're done this will be the camcorder to use. Right when you are done filming you can pop the disc in the your dvd player and enjoy or you can do some simple editing with the program provided in the package.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Bleeding Edge Technology Not Ready for Prime Time
Pros: Compact size, interesting use of Mini-DVD technology, battery compatibility with my DCR-TRV8 Handycam (both use M batteries), superb LCD viewfinder.
Cons: Mini-DVD technology is not ready for prime time. Changing disks is cumbersome and slow, even after pre-formatting. No USB 2.0 software support from Sony on my Mac G4 DP500 running Quicktime 6.2 in OS 10.2.8 environment running a USB 2.0 card (disk not re
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Very nice, be careful when using other media brands
Pros: Great camcorder overall, but I had a tremendous disappointment on it's first use. We welcomed the arrival of our newborn son and used a MEMOREX dvd-r (which is supposed to be compatible) to record many special moments of his first three days at home. Incl
Cons:
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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This is one cool gadget
Pros: Love the small size, ease of use, and reliability. Awesome real-to-life video with natural lighting. Paid $700 and bought an external dvd-rw for my computer to burn the discs to so I didn't have to buy so many minidiscs. At 15 minutes (high resolution)
Cons: Video playback is a little degraded without natural light, and a little digital blurring when panning the view around.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Good Camcorder
by Wildlifer on January 7, 2006
Pros: DVD, small size
Cons: Video Length, Cost of Media
Summary: DVD media recording is a great idea, but...
The media will only allow for 28-31 minutes of video recording. The media is also expensive. About 3 dollars per disc for ...Summary: DVD media recording is a great idea, but...
The media will only allow for 28-31 minutes of video recording. The media is also expensive. About 3 dollars per disc for the DVD-R media. Digital Pictures are 16x22 in size, but at 72dpi. This is not a replacement for a digital still camera.
The microphone on the camera is great, picks up the smallest whispers, it's ok in the wind. The standard battery lasts about 110 minutes. Replacement batteries are expensive.
The night shot function is for close up action, don't try filming deer across a field. -
Eats DVD's
by Bob Aronson on September 12, 2005
Pros: All of the pros are eliminated because the camera eats the DVD's.
Cons: DVD errors prior to finalizing.
Summary: Eats DVD's. When it works, it's great. But it only works about 75 percent of the time. I keep getting error messages when recording on DVD R's. ...
Summary: Eats DVD's. When it works, it's great. But it only works about 75 percent of the time. I keep getting error messages when recording on DVD R's. I am a veteran at using camcorders but this one has me stumped. Errors come before finalizing. I'm using Sony R's with no adhesive stickers on them. Anyone got a solution?
Updated
I use this camera for training (been a trainer for over 20 years). It is impossible to critique anyone when the recordings won't play back. Very embarrasing. I quit using it...thinking about going back to video tape. -
20 Minutes of Recording time isnt enough!
by smoothjazzss on August 16, 2005
Pros: Sleek Design and great sony imager
Cons: I paid $9 for each DvD and I only can record 20 minutes
Summary: If you break it down I paid .45 cents per minute of recording time. That?s just not right.
At this rate I will have to refinance my home to ...Summary: If you break it down I paid .45 cents per minute of recording time. That?s just not right.
At this rate I will have to refinance my home to make my home movies. Every time I was video tapping something important I ran out of space. Why can?t this thing record 4 hours straight? Also you can?t edit you home movies with other pro editors, you have to use sonys. -
BETAMAX Stupidity!
by William Gray on March 16, 2005
Pros: None that I can think of.
Cons: Can not edit the DVDs on my MAC!!!!
Summary: Sony should have never made this DVD camera without considering the edit software out there. I believed the Best Buy sales person who told me I could edit with my ...
Summary: Sony should have never made this DVD camera without considering the edit software out there. I believed the Best Buy sales person who told me I could edit with my MAC. Now we have hours of un-edited DVDs of our new child that we can't do anything with.
Yes I can look on line for some kind of video 'fix' but that isn't what I bought this camera for. I am so pissed that Sony hates MAC.2 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sony
- Part number: DCR DVD301
- Description: Experience exceptional video quality and direct-to-DVD convenience with the DCR-DVD301 DVD Handycam camcorder from Sony. With a 1.0 Megapixel Advanced HAD CCD imager, 10x optical zoom, and a professional quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens, the DCR-DVD301 delivers crisp, clean video that rivals MiniDV in overall quality. Best of all, you record directly on to 3-inch DVD-R and DVD-RW discs that can easily be viewed on most current DVD players and personal computers. The DCR-DVD301 features a 3.5" Hybrid SwivelScreen LCD display that rotates up to 270-degrees and provides excellent visibility in even direct sunlight. Other stand-out features of the DCR-DVD301 include 1152 x 864 resolution still images capture, Super NightShot Plus night recording system, and Super SteadyShot picture stabilization. Its lightweight, compact design makes it ideal for practically any shooting situation, whether at home, in the office, or on the road.
General
- Product Type Camcorder
- Digital Zoom 120 x
- Effective Sensor Resolution 690,000
- Total Pixels 1070,000
- Optical Sensor Size 1/5"
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Min Illumination 0 lux
- Analog Video Format NTSC
- Digital Video Format MJPEG
- Special Effects Sepia, Mosaic, Pastel, Monotone, Old Movie, Luminance Key
- Image Stabilizer Electronic (Super Steady Shot)
- PCM Digital Sound 16bit (48KHz / 2 channels), 12bit (32KHz / 2 channels)
- Digital Scene Transition Wipe fader, Black fader, Overlap fader
- Min Shutter Speed 1/4 sec
- Max Shutter Speed 1/4000 sec
- Shooting Modes Digital photo mode
- Shooting Programs Landscape, Spotlight, Night mode, Beach & ski, Sports mode, Portrait mode, Sunset & moon
- White Balance Custom, Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Indoor, Outdoor
- Exposure Modes Program, Automatic
- Camera Flash None
Main Features
- Camcorder Sensor Resolution 1 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Still Image Format JPEG
- Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
- Media Included Qty 1
- TV Tuner None
Memory / Storage
- Flash Memory None
- Floppy Drive None
- Image Storage Fine 1152 x 864 : 2250 - With DVD-RW disc, Standard 1152 x 864 : 4300 - With DVD-RW disc, Fine 640 x 480 : 5400 - With DVD-RW disc, Standard 640 x 480 : 8600 - With DVD-RW disc
- Media Type DVD-R (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm)
- Recording Speed LP, SP
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 3.2 mm - 32 mm - F/1.8-2.3
- Focal Length 3.2 mm - 32 mm
- Lens Aperture F/1.8-2.3
- Optical Zoom 10 x
- Lens system type Zoom lens
- Interchangeable lens No
- Min focal length 3.2 mm
- Max focal length 32 mm
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Lens Manufacturer Carl Zeiss
- Filter Size 25 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 46 - 460 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual, Automatic
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- Low Lux / Night Mode Yes
- Digital Still Camera Function Yes
- Additional Features Date/time stamp, Accessories hot shoe, USB 2.0 compatibility, Backlight compensation, Progressive shutter system
- Remote control Remote control - Infrared
- Software PIXELA Image Mixer, Drivers & Utilities
- Included Accessories Lens cap, Cleaning cloth, Camcorder shoulder strap
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type LCD
- Viewfinder Resolution 123,000 pixels
Display
- Type LCD display - LCD passive matrix - 3.5 in - Color
Digital Player (Recorder)
- Type None
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Composite video/audio (input/output), 1 x S-Video input / output, 1 x Microphone, 1 x USB, 1 x DC power input
Audio Input
- Audio input type Microphone
- Microphone type Built-in
- Microphone Operation Mode Stereo
- Microphone Technology Electret condenser
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Operating System Support MS Windows ME, MS Windows XP, MS Windows 2000
- Peripheral Devices USB port, CD-ROM drive
Miscellaneous
- Carrying Case None
- Cables Included Yes, A/V cable, S-Video cable, USB cable
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
- Battery type 1 x Camcorder battery - Rechargeable - Lithium ion
- Run Time (Up To) 120 min
Battery
- Supported Battery Sony NP-FM50
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery - 1180 mAh ( Included )
Viewfinder / Display
- Display Form Factor Rotating
- Display Format 123,200 pixels
- Viewfinder Color Support Color
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 32 ?F
- Max Operating Temperature 104 ?F
Expansion / Connectivity
- Wireless Connection No
Physical Characteristics
- Width 2.8 in
- Depth 5.4 in
- Height 3.5 in
- Weight 1.3 lbs
Product series
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Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Camcorder, CCD, 10 x, DVD-R (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), DVD-RAM (8 cm), 1.3 lbs
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Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Camcorder, CCD, 10 x, DVD-R (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), DVD-RAM (8 cm), 1.5 lbs
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Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Camcorder, CCD, 10 x, DVD-R (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), 1.1 lbs
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Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Camcorder, CCD, 10 x, DVD-R (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), 1.1 lbs
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Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Camcorder, CCD, 10 x, DVD-R (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), 690,000, 1.3 lbs
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Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Camcorder, Advanced HAD CCD, 10 x, DVD-R (8cm), DVD+RW (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), 1.4 lbs
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Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Camcorder, Advanced HAD CCD, 10 x, DVD-R (8cm), DVD+RW (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), 0.9 lbs
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Manufacturer: Sony
Specs: Camcorder, Advanced HAD CCD, 12 x, DVD-R (8cm), DVD+RW (8cm), DVD-RW (8 cm), 0.9 lbs
Accessories
- NP-FM50 InfoLithium M Series Rechargeable Battery for Select Sony Digital Cameras / Video Recorders / Camcorders
- Sony VCT-D680RM Tripod with Remote Control
- Sony AC-SQ950D Dual M Series Charger
- Sony Infrared Light - HVL-IRM
- Sony Portable Tripod Kit - VCT-MTK
- AV Cable
- Sony NP QM71D - camcorder battery - Li-Ion
- Sony InfoLithium M Series NP-QM91D - camcorder battery - Li-Ion
- Sony BC TRM - battery charger
- Sony InfoLithium M Series AC adapter + battery charger
- Sony RM VD1 - remote control
- Sony DCC L50 - battery charger - car
- Sony LCS VA40 - soft case for camcorder
- Sony LCS VA30 - soft case for camcorder
- Sony VCL HG0725 - converter
- NP-FM50 InfoLithium M Series Rechargeable Battery for Select Sony Digital Cameras / Video Recorders / Camcorders
- Sony VCT-D680RM Tripod with Remote Control
- Sony AC-SQ950D Dual M Series Charger
- Sony Infrared Light - HVL-IRM
- Sony Portable Tripod Kit - VCT-MTK
- AV Cable
- Sony NP QM71D - camcorder battery - Li-Ion
- Sony InfoLithium M Series NP-QM91D - camcorder battery - Li-Ion
- Sony BC TRM - battery charger
- Sony InfoLithium M Series AC adapter + battery charger
- Sony RM VD1 - remote control
- Sony DCC L50 - battery charger - car
- Sony LCS VA40 - soft case for camcorder
- Sony LCS VA30 - soft case for camcorder
- Sony VCL HG0725 - converter
Manufacturer info
- Sony
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sony products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.sonystyle.com
- Address:
16765 W. Bernardo Dr., San Diego, CA 92127 - Phone: 1-877-865-SONY
- Email: contact@sel.sony.com
- Fax: 941-768-7790
