Sony DCR-DVD405: Good thing, small package

Do good things really come in small packages? With the Sony Handycam Camcorder DCR-DVD405, this saying rings true and then some.

The camcorder is palm-sized (could we call it a palmcorder?), as the growing trend of "smaller is better" for consumer electronics continues. Size aside, it packs a wallop with its MiniDVD format, 2.7" widescreen LCD and 3.3-megapixel image capture capacity.

But wait, there’s more: This little baby comes with a Carl Zeiss lens (Carl Zeiss is the man who designs the lenses used in the Leica SLR camera), a Dolby Digital microphone, surround sound capability, a USB connection for quick and easy file download to your computer and true widescreen format capability.

Charging the camcorder is quick, with two hours of charge-time providing maximum battery life.

So what’s the catch? Well, when having fun with this camcorder, you would like to have more than just 20 minutes of high-quality video or 30 minutes of regular quality video recording time for each DVD-R or DVD-RW disc. After all, the battery does last 120 minutes when fully charged.

Oh, and Sony’s mini DVD-RW discs can be rewritten about 1,000 times without sacrificing file quality – which is a good thing since each disc costs P299 and you may want to get more than one.

For beginners or busy holiday videographers, the easy video recording mode and auto mode for shooting still photos provide the best way to begin, because you get great quality shots and video without any fuss, allowing you to concentrate on having fun, not on the camera. Seasoned photographers and video buffs may want to use the manual mode for greater control over aperture, exposure and focus.

On coverage in Phuket, Thailand over two stormy days, the camcorder proved its worth, with its backlight, night vision and 120X zoom serving this writer well outdoors as well as indoors.

The still pictures taken at best quality and maximum zoom were well-defined, as were the videos.

The audio pickup, though powerful and capable of recording the faintest background noise, performed best within six feet of the camcorder.

Under cloudy skies, the camcorder, even without the use of its powerful flash, still captured vivid images, thanks to its backlight. The seaside fog in stormy Phuket did not affect the camcorder’s performance, although this reporter occasionally had to wipe a misted lens.

The night vision feature reminds one of military-issue night-vision goggles (NVGs). The still and video footage is tinted green – great for Halloween videos in which the videographer wants trick-or-treating children to look spooky and vampiric.

Indoors, the camcorder is in its element, with fantastic video and photo quality. The surround sound maximizes indoor acoustics, thus the audio recording is crisp and flawless.

Users also have the option of burning their opuses directly to a regular DVD-R or DVD-RW by connecting the camcorder to a computer via the camcorder’s USB connection cable. It also comes with video and photo editing software that allows users to add music and voice-overs to their videos. Since video and audio files are separate, one can edit the audio files without altering the video files, and vice versa.

This camcorder also records videos in clips that allow you to go scene by scene when you edit, making it easier to produce almost professional-caliber video at the click of a mouse. With this feature, the cutting-room floor is easy to sweep.

One cautionary note: The camcorder will not run unless a mini DVD-R or DVD-RW is inserted in the camcorder or a memory stick is jacked into it.

Also, when using mini DVD-R discs for taking your footage and photos, you must finalize the disc before you can play it back, so remember this or simply get the mini-DVD-RW, which does not require finalization to enable playback.

The $900 price tag (as taken from the Internet) may seem steep, but when one considers that the Handycam Video 8 was sold for $1,000 in the 1990s, this price is par for the course and, if you surf the Internet enough, you could find sites where this baby sells for as low as $800.

What this writer loved most about the DCR-DVD405 is its touchscreen, which allows users to shoot videos and photos, adjust modes and switch from widescreen to regular width at the slightest touch.

A feature that came in as a close second to the touchscreen was the 180-degree flip of the video screen, which allows the user to engage in narcissistic self-documentation, as well as participate in self-shot group pictures and videos.

Of course, just the fact that the camcorder fits comfortably in this writer’s purse and that it looks incredibly cool when held aloft puts it in this reporter’s good books.

It was also so easy to use that this reporter’s twin 10-year-old daughters were able to document their pet cats’ daytime and nocturnal activities in crisp, clear footage without coaching from mom. The twins were also able to edit the videos they shot without any parental assistance. Yes, the DCR-DVD405 is definitely user-friendly.

So what else can one ask for in a camcorder? Well, something to control the shakes, for one.

The DCR-DVD405 is very motion-sensitive. If the videographer using it has a shaky hand, a tripod or steady surface may be necessary for taking decent video footage and clear, unblurred stills. Perhaps the anti-shake technology now used in some cellphone and digital cameras could apply here.

Overall, the Sony Handycam Camcorder DCR-DVD405 does distinguish itself quite admirably, price tag and shakes aside. And it is so cool, sleek and sexy that those who don’t have it envy those who do.