Sony Handycam DCR - DVD403

This is the first camcorder I've purchased and I intentionally held off until a good DVD camcorder was available. The dcr-dvd403 is worth the wait.

Video quality is outstanding; I'm recording everything in 16:9 with the highest quality possible (the camcorder records in low, medium and high quality yielding 1 hour, 30 minutes or 20 minutes of recording time per dvd) and surround sound. The camera picture quality is good but not exceptional.

I've heard of horrible startup times in previous DVD camcorders and am happy to say that after you turn this on you only have to wait a few seconds to start recording. With DVD media, you do need to format the disc one time, which takes about 20 seconds, but that is a one time cost. You also need to finalize DVD-R or DVD-RW media (you don't need to finalize DVD+RW). The cool thing with DVD-RW is that you can unfinalize it and keep recording.

There are a few things on this camcorder that really stand out:
- Super quick startup
- When you take pictures they are stored on the DVD instead of a memory stick. You can record video and pictures on the same DVD.
- The night shot mode is really cool, let's you see in the dark
- The touch screen is really cool, much better than having a million buttons on the camcorder.
- 16:9 support and 5.1 surround sound is really cool.

If you are reading this, chances are you are trying to decide what camcorder you should buy. Specifically, if you were like me a few weeks ago, you were unsure whether to go for the miniDV tape format, or miniDVD format.


Previous early models that used the miniDVD format were not great. The picture quality was marginal, compatibility with different miniDVD manufacturers was spotty, and there were other issues.

The DVD403 from Sony is really the first miniDVD camcorder to really solve all the problems with the format. I have had mine for about 6 months now and have used it extensively under a variety of conditions and have been thoroughly impressed.Start up time is minimal--there is no lag and no different from my old tape-based camera. There is no motor noise unlike many tape cameras. The form factor is great, the camera is small and light.

The most obvious selling point is the fact that you can shoot video, finalize the disk in the camera, and stick it in your DVD player and watch it right away. You can even put the miniDVD back in the camera and record more video afterwards! Thats great!

The real surprise to me was the video quality. The picture is excellent and the sound superb. Being able to record in 16:9 widescreen is a big advantage for me since I own 2 widescreen TVs, and even for those of you that still own the old-school 4:3 TVs, the widescreen format will dominate all TV sets in the future so think ahead to future years when you are going to be watching these videos and this is a no-brainer for most people.

The camera is easy to use, very user-friendly, and has a bright widescreen monitor. I was really pleased with the quality of the still photos--I have been waiting for a camcorder that would eliminate the need for me to carry around my digital still camera, and this is it-- It's awesome and the way all camcorders should be.

The built in flash is excellent for stills as well. Battery life is more than needed.

The software is not superb but it is adequate and allows you to edit your video after downloading it to your computer--you can cut out parts you don't want, copy your miniDVDs for others, make music videos/slideshows, etc. It takes a while to figure it out but once you do it's easy. If you are heavily into major editing of videos like making movies you will want to stay with the miniDV format since it is somewhat more friendly for intense editing, but for the average guy who is taking video of his family and simply wants to do basic editing like making fun movies for the family or cutting out bad parts of a video, miniDVD is perfect.

Cons
You can only record for 21 minutes in high quality mode. But for $1 I really don't mind having to switch DVDs every 20 minutes of video. For most people, 20 minutes is a LONG video and will last you a long time depending on how much you shoot. Depending on what you are shooting you can use the lower quality modes that allow you to fit 1 hr into one disk instead of just 20 minutes, but the picture quality will suffer a little. its up to you.

Overall this is a great option if your looking to record home video it will get the job done, if your a professional I think you would probably need something more advanced.
thanks for listening.

Chris in Va

The only thing I don't particularly like is the limited recording time on the 1.4GB mini-DVDs (1hr, 30min, 20min for low/med/high quality video) compared to digital camcorders with 30GB and larger hard drives. However, there ARE certain advantages to having the mini-DVDs, including being able to record to them (in the DVD403) from a computer, giving you an external USB mini-DVD burner.

Some reviewers are critical of the inevitable loss of video quality due to the high compression of the data (MPEG2) to store as much as possible on the mini-DVD. I find the image quality of the standard setting (30min/mini-DVD) to be perfectly acceptable, and haven't even tried the high quality yet. Even the standard setting's image quality is far superior to the quality of my old (RCA) VHS camcorder.

Having said that, I did extensive pre-purchase research, particularly comparing professional reviews of this DCR-DVD403 (2005 model) to the newer DCR-DVD405 and DCR-DVD505 costing hundreds of dollars more, and similar technology of comparable models from manufacturers other than Sony.

I bought a brand new in-the-sealed-box DVD403 from an eBay seller for a friend and after checking it out liked it so much I bought another (used) one also on e-Bay.

I also purchased an optional s-video A/V cable (Sony supplies an A/V cable for audio and composite video only) and an s-video capture card to use the DVD403 as a webcam and direct-to-PC camera. The 2.0+ Megapixels of the video image is fantastic quality! (This model does not have built-in USB streaming for webcam use).

The ability to also capture, whenever desired, 3.0 Megapixel stills effortlessly onto the same miniDVD as the video is great. The quality of the stills is every bit as good as those taken with my 3.0 Megapixel digital still camera. And there is also built-in flash, not to mention the built-in infrared Nightshot feature. Maybe the Super Nightshot of more expensive Sony Handycams is better, but I'm thrilled with the DVD403's.

Having the remote control, the Carl Zeiss lens, and on-board battery charging are also great features of the DVD403. I have since purchased a lens set with (0.5x) wide-angle, (2x) telephoto and three filters. These increase the functionality of an already-good 16:9 or 4:3 aspect ratio and the 10x optical (total 120x digital) zoom.

Some professional reviewers prefer the re-located controls on the DVD405 and DVD505, but I find that where they are on the DVD403 is just fine. Another reviewer disliked the fact that the battery's location is below the viewfinder (eye-piece). Because the viewefinder telescopes out, I don't find it to be a problem even with the larger, extended-runtime battery I bought for my DVD403.

And, of course, there is always the large, easy-to-see 2.7-inch swing-out 16:9 LCD panel. But, as with any LCD panel, even with the settings adjusted, it can be difficult to see in the bright sunshine. The touch-panel settings may take a little while to get used to, but a personal panel can be custom-configured for fast access to the settings you use the most. I also purchased a set of clear, self-adhering LCD screen protectors from an e-Bay seller that I recommend to protect the LCD screen from potential damage. You won't even notice it's on there, and it makes the screen simple to clean without worry about damage/scratching.

I have read the other e-Bayer reviews and suggest you do, too.

Thanks for reading this. Rob

I was planning on buying something special for my wife on her birthday. It also happened that we had a new born in the house. He was our first and my wife could never take her eyes of him. This is when I decided that we need a digital camcorder. We had the primitive Sony Tape camcorder, but I was beginning to feel that it is about time that we own a digital camcorder.

Honestly speaking, before our son was born we werent serious about taking pictures or capturing vedios. We were the odd couple. Even though we had a camera and camcorder at home, we invariably forgot to carry them when we went outdoors. Anyway after tonnes of research and suggestions from friends, i decided to buy the Sony DCR DVD403.

Firstly i was unsure unsure whether to go for the miniDV tape format, or miniDVD format. Most of my friends suggested against miniDVD for the fact that it has only 30 mins recording time. Also previous early models that used the miniDVD format were not great. The picture quality was marginal, compatibility with different miniDVD manufacturers was spotty, and there were other issues.

The DVD403 from Sony is really the first miniDVD camcorder to really solve all the problems with the format. I have had mine for about 10 months now and have used it extensively under a variety of conditions and have been thoroughly impressed.Start up time is minimal--there is no lag and no different from my old tape-based camera. There is no motor noise unlike many tape cameras. The form factor is great, the camera is small and light.

Yeah and what i really like about this camcorder was that it was so simple to use. It's a serious camera (Dolby sound recording..)for a family guy. The fact that it can record only 30 mins actually hasnt been a problem to me so far. I use a DVD-RW (have three of them). I have never shot 30 mins straight in the last 10 months.

The picture quality is simply amazing. I swear that I have never seen something so perfect. I am absolutely happy with this buy and I would give a strong recommend my readers.

The other thing is that when I bought this on eBay, I was also sold a tripod, telephoto lens and a wide angle lens. Unfortunately I have used these accessories only once. FOr non serious guys like my wife and I, I would have preferred to pay a little less without these accessories

Bottom line: The Sony Handycam DCR DVD403 is so good that I have stopped using my Casio Exslim 4.2 MegaPixel camera :-)

The Sony Handycam was in original packaging as promised! Great communicationwith the seller...and we love it...thanks!

I would like to buy the product as I need a camcorder for my own use. I shall make the payment on delivery of the item.

Thank You,

Jojo

This was a Christmas present for my husband. I spent hours researching all of the makes & models of DVD camcorders. I love the quality of Sony products, so I kept leaning towards them. I finally found this brand new from an authorized dealer for a great price. My husband loves it. It takes great video & still shots. It is light weight & easy to use. Also with the dvd's it is extremely convienient. You can find accessories here on Ebay very cheap also. When researching this I used www.zdnet.com

Beware of this camera!! there are several people having issues with the 13:02 "disc error" including myself. After a year of minimal use the DVD 403 I purchased is useless! Sony customer care is the WORST EVER !. Don't take my word for it, just search around and read some testimonials on net forums. This problem is very common with this camera. If you are looking for a $800 dollar paper weight then this camera may be for you.

nice camcorder haven't really used it to give details about it. too much information and option that i have play around with. but nice

If you are looking for the best quality Video, this camcorder will deliver. It has the larger CCD and supporting electroinics to produce better video and stills. PC Magazine gave it a glowing review a few months ago and their testing is pretty thorough for camcorders. I bought the camcorder on their recommendation andconcur with their review.
What I Like:
Compact Size
Excellent Video with Decent Stills
Flash Capability
Battery run-time
Build quality
Control responsiveness
Fast start-up (Recording Video)
Accessing Scenes (Video) by selecting thumbnails
Conversion to DVD is easy
Optical Zoom is high quality (Carl Zeiss Lens)
What I didn't Like:
Cost
flimsy tripod mount
manuals could use improvement
Reecod time limited to 30 minutes a side in highest quality mode
cost of RW mini DVD media is still too high
Recommendation:
If high quality video is your main buying criteria with 3 megapixel digital stills a secondary requirment, this camcorder cannot be beat for coveing video and stills in one chassis.

This is one of the very few cameras out of Japan that is definitely built to last, all other ones mostly come out of other countries and the workmanship does not compare. High-end camera and very highly recommended.