Sony Handycam DCR-DVD300 DVD Camcorder

Pros: Price, ease of use, large swivel screen, ready-to-play DVDs, random scene access
Cons: Bulky unit, low still image quality, poor DVD reliability, awkward zoom, NOT for video editing

I got this camcorder for my wife about a month ago. The price was good, compared to a similar Sony midi-DV camcorder, for a quality almost as good. We used to have a PC10 miniDV for 5 years before that one, but due to extensive use while traveling, the ...

Pros: Go directly to any video clip.
Superior video quality.
Plays right in my DVD player.
Cons: Only 30 minute recording size on DVD media (SP).
Still pictures are poor in low lighting.

I recently purchased the Sony DCR-DVD300 Camcorder and I love everything about it. Features: No more fast forwarding/rewinding: The best feature that sets this camcorder apart from any other digital format camcorder is the random access ...

Pros: Easy specific scene access, value for the technology and quality, still shot/video all in one
Cons: Supplied computer software NOT user friendly, still shot quality could be a little higher

I just purchased my DVD300 Dec. 5,2003. I went from C-VHS to mini DVD. How conveinent can you get? If you are looking for a certain scene, just scroll through the thumbnails and hit enter, the scene comes up on the screen. I wanted to have a unit that ...

Pros: DVD-RW recording is THE BEST. .
Cons: Short battery life with supplied battery using the LCD flip out screen.

This camera is the one I have waited for 10 years to own and I spent 15 years in the consumer electronic "rep" business. I use only the RW discs and then transfer to my computer for video editing and burning to full size DVDs so one only needs a couple ...

Pros: Excellent styling, good color saturation, easy to use, nice video editing software included.
Cons: Out of stock most of the time. Mini DVD software is a bit pricey.

For many years, the VCR has been a "die-hard" product that refuses to go away. Well, finally, its' demise is inevitable. The DCRDVD300 will have a lot to do with the validity of the VCR. The camcorder has many features and functions that will ...

Pros: Image Quality, Low Light Image quality, Easy to use (to do the actually filming).
Cons: Short Media Length (30 Minutes/better quality), Incompatible with Adobe Premiere, Sony Support Nonexistent

We bought this camera for the benefit of being able to take the mini DVD disc out of the camera and being able to play it immediately in a DVD player or computer. Our other objective was to use the camera to create editable video. We returned the ...

Pros: Great idea, direct DVD recording, all digital
Cons: No DVD-Rs, DVD-RWs to use in camera, no assistance from Sony, Camera returned!

I recently purchased this product from Best Buys with their discount coupon. After purchasing this product on Saturday, December, 6th, I tried to find the DVD RWs they promote with the item to save on the cost of the single use DVD-Rs. After being told ...

Pros: Great picture quality, easy to use, DVD Media for the masses.
Cons: Expensive add-ons and accessories

One of the main advantages to using this camera was the fact of actually recording directly onto DVD, which gives you great control and durability over tape. However, such feat does not come cheap. During the first minutes of camera operation, I realized ...

Pros: Great zoom capability. Easy to use.
Cons: Short battery life. Software company and Sony don't work together for customer satisfaction.

We purchased this camcorder thinking that it would finally make us take more home movies. Yes, I think it is easy to use, yes, I enjoy the quality of the digital zoom, and yes editing on the camera is rather easy. However, the software that comes with the camera has a problem. We have been unable to capture any videos to our computer even though our pc's operating system meets all requirements. We received the camera on Oct. of 2003 and now it is Feb of 2004 and no resolution has been made. Sony, states that since it is not a defect in the camera, we must work with Pixela to remedy the situation. However, as a third party (the consumer) I believe that Sony and Pixela should solve the problem and not rely on the consumer to waste time, energy, and any extra money to remedy their problem, which now has become ours. Do not buy this product until you are sure that they have remedied their problem.

Pros: To show off to your friends that you have own a new gadget.
Cons: slow, big, heavy, expensive, and cannot edit the video

I had this camcorder for about 3 months now, the reason why I bought this camcorder is because I thought that it would be very easy for me to edit the video, but I am very disappointed with the editing software that comes with the camcorder. The imagemixer editing program can only make a lot of DVD coaster for your home decorations. The camcorder is heavy to hold and the size is too bulky. The mini DVD-RW is expensive, and you have to keep on changing the disk when you want to shoot for a long period of time. The start up of the camcorder is slow. (I missed a few scene, when my friends are already shooting with their conventional DV camcorder).

Pros: Worked well with home DVD player.
Cons: Slow at power up. Software could have better features.

We have been using a HI-8 style Sony Camcorder for years, but finally it decided to go south. I have always enjoyed top of the line technology, but I have wondered why I spend so much, since I just like to point and shoot. Our last Camcorder cost $1500, so $850 for a DVD Handycam seems like a great deal, Barnone! We decided to stick to the Sony DVD100, the specs are not much different than the 300 with the exception of the screen, bigger is nice, but it uses more power, plus slightly larger video screens have made little difference for us. The quality of the video is beautiful, and the capability to select scenes is DVD style! The digital picture option on the DVD100 is fair, but not the reason we bought the Handycam, since we own a Sony 5.1 Mega Pixel camera. We now have the best of both worlds.

Pros: Camcorder operations, functions and quality of video.
Cons: Computer software leaves much to be desired.

I've only had the camcorder for about a week. I generally pick new ideas and things up fairly quickly. The camcorder itself works very well and is pretty easy to use after a short learning curve. Low light quality is fine on video and yeah the stills could use a flash...but it isn't bad by any stretch.
I wish I could say the same about the software that came with it. It is clumsy at best. I figured out how to combine video sections on the camcorder's DVD into the software(computer) and then back to the camcorder to make a copy. It is a little slow and not very "common-sensical". I have yet to figure out how to make a copy of the stills to a CD or copy them back to the camcorder(other than to make a "movie" out of them..... takes a ton of time for the software to convert the stills).
If there is other software available out there, I intend on finding it !

Camcorder: 9 out of 10 :)
Software: 3 out of 10 :( :(

Pros: Random Access, Ease of use, Perfect format (Mini DVD).
Cons: Battery time.

I used a mini DV handy cam for the last 4 years and I always hated the tape problems. If it wasn't jamming then you were accidentally recording over stuff. With the Mini DVD you can random access to any scene in seconds. I highly suggest taking advantage of the 20% off coupon in the box 2 buy Sony brand accessories. I bought the ACC-DVD Accessory Pack, AC-SQ950D Charger, and NP-QM71D battery a week or two after. The Nightshot feature is very nice during low light situations. Other than that the camcorder is great.

Pros: quick zoom, clear and efficient. Light, easy to hold.
Cons: software, software, software, software, software. need i say more? wish i had known!

My husband bought me this camera for Christmas and I was very excited about it. I video alot of soccer games with my kids and the zoom is absolutely wonderful. It zooms in and out with minimal blurring (in comparison to the regular vcr camera's) I love this feature.

The only problem is the software that comes with the product. Quite frankly, it is pathetic. It is hard to transfer pictures outside of the program. I sell on ebay and thought since it also took still pics that I could just transfer to ebay. NOT. I wanted to get rid of the digital camera and use this one as a multipurpose camera, but after over a thousand bucks, I am not able to do that.

Maybe Sony will upgrade and make it available to those of us that already purchased one!!

Pros: the ability to copy your VHS tapes to DVD
Cons: everything listed above

I received this camera for Christmas and used it to video my children Christmas morning.
After holding it for about 20 minutes, my for arm hurt so bad. It is very heavy for a little camera and the balance of the weight when holding it videotaping really pulls on the arm.

Also, I really think a camera of this price and with the latest technology could have a built in flash and provide better still pics than 1 megapixels. The pictures are horrible. No better than a cheap digital camera you can buy for $35 dollars at Wal Mart.

My camera is going back to the store!