Ups and Downs of Sony DCR-DVD305
Pros:
Easy Cam, Compact, flip screen, digital stabilization, night vision, cheap accessories, Easy Edit and format
Cons:
Battery life questionalble, USB port with no webcam ability, Digital zoom useless, memory stick useless
The Bottom Line:
Fun and easy to use. You get what you pay for.
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Overall Rating:
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Author's Review
I like this product alot. In fact, I think it is a great deal for the price of it. If you are undecided in getting a cheaper or less featured version of the 305 it is NOT worth it. Spend the extra $100 and you will be getting a much better deal.
Downs: I think the absolute biggest flaw, dumbest move Sony made was to not have it be able to connect as a Webcam. What is the point in having a USB connection if you can not use it has a webcam. The USB connection makes it no easier to transfer video from your camera to the laptop. All you need to do is transfer the disc. So why did Sony even create a USB connection if you can not have a live video feed directly into your computer? I have no idea. BUT, since I do NOT do any webcamming or have a desire too, this flaw does not bother me. You can still get your message across in an email video if need be. Unless you are apart of the underworld in live sex cam's, then this is not the camera for you.
Even though it has up to 800x digital zoom, which is great, the visual is not that clear and comes out distorted, so you may only want to go up to 24x digital zoom.
Undecided: I know some have complained about the battery length, but for me, I think it is OK. It will last about 60-90minutes of standby and recording. If you think about, how long will you actually be recording at once. Also, you can purchase an extra battery which I feel is necessary, and is rather expensive for about $60-$100.
Even though I use it, I do not find much use for the Memory StickDuo Pro. Yeah, you can take around 500 pictures on a 512mb stick. But you can also take stills on the DVD. THE DOWNFALL IS THAT YOU CAN NOT CAPTURE VIDEO ON THE MEMORY STICK.
Ups:
All the features are great and takes time getting used to. Compared to other products I always feel Sony comes out on top. Also, make sure you get the warranty deal. Yes, for this camera it is $150 but in my opinion it is well worth it. It is a four year, no questions asked (pretty much) deal. So with out hesitation I bought the extra coverage. One more thing, there are a few camera's now that have come out with a hardrive version. Where you do not need a recordable disc or mini-dv tape. All video's and picure stills are recorded into a built in harddrive. This I find will eventually not become popular. Of course, that is my opinion, I like the idea of having my video's recoreded directly onto a disc. Even though, the harddrive version, such as the JVC one, can record up to 9 hours of video, you will eventually have to download them onto a disc. So why cause you the extra hassle, so I feel the DVD recordable disc version to be the best and most convenient.
Records on all types of discs and formats them to your liking.
Has an easy cam feature where recording and editing is in a sense done automatically and makes it easier for us less technologically advanced users.
