My SONY 608e experience.. Review on Sony DCR-DVD608E

Sony Handycam DVD DCR 608E:Review

Sony's 2007 camcorder model DVD DCR 608 E is easily one of the best video cameras I have laid my hands on. The 608E impresses with its easy functions and controls.

To begin with, in the DCR 608 E, the recording media is DVD.(Digital Versatile Disc). My Sony DVD DCR 608E handycam records on to a mini-DVD rewritable disc of 1.4 GB. The shop owner gave me a set of three such mini DVDs in a pack . The DVDs which came with my camcorder are in the DVD-RW single-layer format.(Pronounced "minus RW" or "dash RW"). I am using this disc to record videos now, but the Sony DVD DCR 608E is also capable of recording on DVD-R, DVD+RW and DVD+R DL formats, says the Sony . A bit of research on the Net enlightened me to the fact that in all these formats, the DVD can be either single-layer or double-layer. Double-layer DVDs store more information than single layer ones. Don't relate this second layer business to the "B" side of an ordinary cassette - DON'T try turning the disc around to record on the second layer. The Sony DVD DCR 608E can record only on mini DVDs of 8 cm(3 inches). This is because a large DVD will make the handycam unnecessarily cumbersome, defeating its very USP - portability. The flip side is that the mini DVD stores less information than a full-size DVD. The mini-DVD that I use can record videos for half an hour in standard quality. In high-quality recording, the duration will be less and in low-quality recording, the duration will be longer. You can select your recording quality as standard, high-quality or long-playing from the touchscreen LCD menu.The controls are a breeze and very easy. When you start up Sony DVD DCR 608E handycam, you will be asked to set the language, time and location. Before starting to record on the DVD, you should know that whatever rewritable DVD you have, the handycam can record in VIDEO format or VR format. The two formats have their own advantage and disadvantages. If you are unsure, go through the DISC SELECT GUIDE option in the touchscreen menu. In VIDEO recording format, you can delete only the last scene, while in VR, you can delete any of the scenes you have recorded. VIDEO-recorded discs can be played in most of the DVD players and TVs and computers, while VR-recorded discs may not be. Also, VR-recorded discs can be played without "FINALIZING" processin some cases, while VIDEO-recorded discs need to be finalized before playing. Finalizing a DVD is a process where the contents, tables and other information are written on to the DVD so that it can be played in other devices.So, now I have the handycam, I have the rewritable DVDs and I have set the mode of recording to VIDEO. Like all other Sony handycam models, the DVD DCR 608 E is equipped with an LCD screen and a viewfinder. The LCD screen also incorporates the well-laid out touchscreen menu. The viewfinder can be pulled further towards you while shooting. The LCD screen can be turned sideways and can be rotated to face outward. The USP of the Sony DVD DCR 608E, in my opinion, is its powerful zoom. The camcorder has a 40X optical zoom, much higher than most of the handycams in the Sony stable. The digital zoom is a huge 2000X, though needless to say, the clarity goes down as you zoom in. Also, unless you have a decent tripod, it is difficult to shoot distant objects without the handycam shaking. The RECORD button, zoom lever and OFF-ON button are conveniently located, just like in all other Sony handycam models.The handycam's battery life is as important as the DVD's recording time. The DVD DCR 608 E has a small button called BATT INFO, which tells you approximately how long the battery will last. But note that this is only indicative - if you use zoom function frequently or start and stop several times in between, the battery will run for shorter than what it tells you.The Sony DVD DCR 608 E handycam can record with different effects like Beach, Candle, Fireworks, Landscape, Portrait, Snow, Sports, Spotlight, Sunrise & Sunset and Twilight. The zooming can be done manually or automatically. There are also convenient features like night shot plus, backlit shooting and "easy" operation.Some camcorders, used mostly for broadcast video recording, have three CCDs, each recording one colour out of the three primary colours. My Sony DVD DCR 608E has just one. I think most of the Sony handycams available on India are single-CCD camcorders.The Sony DVD DCR 608E handycam, like all aother camcorders, can shoot still photos as well as videos. The still images are stored in a memory stick, not the DVD. Sony does not give a memory stick as part of the package. You have to purchase it separately, if you want to shoot photos. The standard accessories provided include a battery charger, USB cable, introduction CD, application CD and AV cable. I would have loved it better if there was also a standard carry case. I do love my handycam because of its ease of use. Sony DVD DCR 608E is easy to learn if you have basic understanding of camcorders. It is light-weight and handy, and feels comfy in your palm. The functions are easy to use and well-located. It cost me Rs 19, 990. The price for the higher end DVD camcorder(DVD DCR 708 E) is 24, 500. It is better for still shooting, but the zoom is smaller. Overall, the Sony Handycam DVD DCR 608E is a loveable camcorder if you want the recording on a DVD. It is a good buy if you want good zoom and ease of use.I got this on my brothers marriage.and trust me, shooting videos was an awsome experinece.