Sony DCR-DVD610 DVD Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom by Sony
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Digital camera reviews of Sony DCR-DVD610 DVD Handycam Camcorder with 40x Optical Zoom
Digital camera Review: Great camera!
Summary: 5 Stars
I bought this camera about two years ago (not from Amazon), and I have to say that it's a great and affordable camera! It easy to use once you get the hang of it, and it has great night vision (sometimes it's blue, sometimes it's green, and sometimes it's a blueish green, so it changes sometimes). I also love all the other picture effects, like B&W, sepia, pastel, and you could also choose different "scenery"-like picture effects. The picture quality isn't the best, but it's still great. It also has a good battery life and it's versatile and easy-to-use for filmmaking. All in all, it's an amazing camera!Digital camera Review: Great camera, but instructions lacking
Summary: 5 Stars
The camera works very well, but as one who switched from mini-VHS tape to mini-DVD, it does take some figuring out. It's hard to understand why Sony doesn't include an instructional CD-ROM with the camera to help buyers. The written instructions are not easily understood and a CD-ROM about how to take better videos is included, but this doesn't help with basic instruction on how to operate the camera.Digital camera Review: Great video. Easy to transfer to PC
Summary: 5 Stars
This is a great camcorder. I use the highest quality and the videos have very good quality. Transfering the videos to the computer is very easy, just set the camera in USB mode, connect cables to camera and PC using the USB cable provided and copy the mpeg files to your computer. One file is created everytime you start and stop recording which makes it easy to create a DVD menu.
Another feature that I like is the ability to record video either using the mini DVDs or memory stick. I bought a 4Gb memory stick and I am able to record 59 minutes of video in HQ mode. I went on a trip to London and carried mini 3 DVDs which I didn't have to use. Every night I would transfer videos to the laptop in the hotel and start with 59 minutes of video the next day.
One thing I didn't like about the camera was the battery. It should last longer so I bought another with more capacity.
Digital camera Review: Hybrid technology makes this a cut above
Summary: 4 Stars
This is in effect a hard drive/ mini DVD recorder. Unlike many others the memory stick can record video. On some/most? other company's camcorders the SD card or what not can record only photos.
Without that cability it is still a fine camcorder. The touch screen is very easy to use and easy to learn, the video quality is very good, colors come out looking fine. But the video to memory stick is very nice. We have an 8gb memory stick. It gives roughly 2 hours of high quality video. Good enough for most situations where you are not on a multi-day vacation.
So you record video to the memory stick. Then connect to your computer via the USB port. A utility comes up with literally one touch copying to a DVD-R. DVD-Rs full size are very cheap. The memory stick works like an R-W disc. And 8gb for instance is much better than even a dual layer capacity. Works out to about 3 dual layer discs. So on most days you do not even need to buy DVDs. But on a vacation you have the flexibility of bringing as many discs as you want.
Finalizing discs does take sometime so it is nice to have 2 hours of capability without having to finalize. Recording straight to DVD we had no problem playing it back on a very old, at least 7 years DVD player.
I am giving it 4 stars because in the wide mode it seems to well widen people even when playing on an HD 16/9 set. Not sure if it is me or the camera but it is annoying.
Bottomline good camcorder with very easy to use and extremely useful hybrid recording.
Couple of updates after vacations. More pleased with the camera now. The video looked good with the exception of too much shake at high zooms. If you think you will be zooming a lot I would suggest one of those mini-tripods. Finalizing CDs took 2 minutes time after time. Not bad. Getting video from the memory stick onto full-sized CDs, not a problem.
Best of all because we were on a long-trip we went down from the highest video quality to standard to get more per tape. No noticable drop off on quality. Lastly on our 16:9 HD TV the width now comes out correctly. Colors were remarkably accurate, friends and family all commented positively on the quality.
As I mentioned though, the zoom does shake. So that brings me to my final advice. I bought this one over the 710 or 810 because of the higher optical zoom. But that is not as functional as I thought, at least without a tripod. The 710 and 810 have more pixels on the sensors and that should lead to better video quality. Something to think about. However very pleased with this little guy. Great results.
Digital camera Review: Is this a sony?
Summary: 1 Stars
Sony had been making good products. got DVD-DCR100 as gift to a relative. bought DCR300 for myself. after 4 years, the lense cover won't open. bought DCR610. after 3 months, i consider it as a piece of junk:
1. no flash light. very difficult to take pictures outdoor with bright sun.
2. highest resolution at 720x480,,, <1MB (0.4MB!!!). pictures on 19" computer screen show grains of rock-size. it is my fault that i did not do more research before buying it. But i never would thought someone is still making cameras with this kind of resolution.
3. after 20 some years of nice sony experience, it costs ~$300 to blow it all out. have to shop for one for next week's trip to disney world. will look for a hi-definition one to avoid this kind of mistake of fine-print. but WOULD never look into a sony again.