The Sony DCR-DVD 108 is the company’s entry level DVD camcorder for 2007. They built it to replace the older DCR-DVD105 model. This camcorder excels in its ease of use but may lack the manual options that will satisfy the hardcore videographers.

Its slim design is very convenient for travel and proves to be a major space saver. With dimensions of 2.2in x 5.2in x 3.5in (W x D x H) and weighing only 15.5 oz it is one of the smallest DVD camcorders in the market.

The DCR-DVD 108 features a Carl Zeiss optical zoom lens mounted at the front. The lens is capable of 40x max optical zoom and an additional 2000x digital zoom. Focal length range is from 1.9mm-76mm and shutter speed range of 1/6sec-1/4000sec. The lens has a small filter diameter of 30mm. Aperture range for this lens is from f/1.8-f/4.1.

This camcorder makes use of a motorized drive zoom adjustment. Focus adjustment is available thru manual or automatic options. A built-in lens cover protects the lens. The lens cover switch is positioned at the bottom left of the lens and can be easily accessed by the pinky finger while gripping the camcorder’s body. The remote sensor also sits at the bottom of the lens, and a rigid plastic cover sits beside that that protects the AV out terminal ports.

The Sony DCR-DVD 108 is equipped with a 1/6 inch Advanced HAD CCD sensor for recording videos and still photos. It is truly an entry level DVD camcorder with its gross pixel count of 0.68 megapixels for both video and still photo modes. Video recording quality comes in three settings with HQ (captures at 9Mbps), SP (captures at 6Mbps) and LP (captures at 3Mbps). The camcorder records digital videos in MPEG-2 format and stores them in the DVD media drive. The DCR-DVD 108 is compatible recording in DVD-R (8cm), DVD+RW (8cm), DVD-RW (8cm), DVD+R DL (8cm) media types. With these media types, your videos can be stored for 4-10 years depending on the quality of your disks. It is advisable to make backups of your videos to your hard drive or other longer lasting media.

With its small imaging sensor, the DCR-DVD 108 has limited performance in low light conditions. Even under 60 lux, there is significant noise and darker video results. At bright light conditions however (at 3000 lux), the camcorder performs excellently producing crisp and sharp videos. At these conditions, color balance and overall video performance can easily compete even with high-end camcorders.

The DVD hatch is located at the right side of the camcorder, like most DVD camcorders in the market. Like most DVD camcorders, the main disadvantage of this design is the way the hand strap obstructs the DVD hatch from opening freely. For the DCR-DVD 108, Sony has incorporated a swivelling hand strap that enables it to swing underneath the camcorder to provide an unobstructed path as the DVD hatch opens. The well-designed strap on this camcorder is wide enough to provide a secure grip for the camcorder when using.

The DCR-DVD108 also features a viewfinder with a 0.123 megapixels resolution. The viewfinder is extendable and rubber tabs on both sides for easy grip. This provides a good option for video monitoring when shooting in bright light environments or under direct glare of the sun. There is also a diopter adjust knob on the right side of the viewfinder.

Also located at the rear of the camcorder, underneath the viewfinder, is the battery. The DCR-DVD108 comes with a NP-FH40 Li-ion rechargeable battery that can provide power for approximately 2 hours of extensive use. To the right of the battery compartment is the record button. For uninterrupted recording, users can opt to upgrade to a larger capacity battery or use the DC cord that plugs in to the DC jack located at the upper left corner on the right side of the camcorder – covered by a rubber hatch.

The DCR-DVD 108 can also accommodate Sony’s proprietary memory stick Duo/PRO Duo in its memory slot. The memory slot is located inside the LCD cavity. Above the LCD cavity is the playback, Easy and backlight buttons. The Easy mode is probably the best feature of many Sony products. With one click of this button, all controls go automatic making it a perfect camcorder for beginners. Also located inside the LCD cavity are the USB port, Battery Info Button and the speaker.

The DCR-DVD 108 is equipped with a 2.5-inch wide screen LCD. The touch screen LCD has an effective resolution of 0.123 megapixels. The touch screen LCD can be a challenge to navigate for many users due to its small screen area.

The DCR-DVD 108 also features still photography option and like most camcorders with this feature, you should not use this in place of your digital camera. The still photos have a maximum 0.3 megapixels resolution, considerably lower than most digital cameras that can provide 8 megapixels or more. The still photos can only be stored in the memory stick in JPEG formats. One disadvantage this camcorder has in the still photography department is the absence of a built-in flash and video lighting system.

Audio input for this camcorder is average. The built-in mic mounted at the top-front part of the camcorder records thru a 2-channel Dolby Digital stereo sound. Audio options are also limited with no headphone jack or mic jack included in the camcorder’s features.

The camcorder also comes with the Picture Motion Browser2.0 software for your editing options. With DVD camcorders however, there are less editing options provided and it takes more effort compared to other types of camcorders.

Comparing it to the Canon DC210 (at about the same price range) the DCR-DVD 108 can easily out class its Canon counterpart in video quality – both using the same 1/6 inch-sized imaging sensor. The Canon camcorder’s best assets would be its wider 2.7 inch wide screen LCD and its Quick Start button.

With a selling range of $250-$400, the DCR-DVD 108 is perfect for point-and-shoot applications, like capturing family events and gatherings. With its simplicity and ease in navigation, this is a perfect entry-level camcorder for beginners. The Sony DCR-DVD 108 with its DVD recording capability is definitely favourable for the point-and-shoot crowd, capable of satisfying the needs of most beginners.

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Technical Specifications

Hardware

• Light/Flash : N/A
• Docking Station : N/A