Decent DVD Camcorder

Author's Rating:

Pros: Convenient LCD Touchscreen. Easy to use. Record straight to DVD/view in minutes!

Cons: Short battery life, DVD holds 30 min., No USB/firewire, wind noise.

The Bottom Line: 
I'd recommend this camera based on ease of use, relatively low price and quick media viewing for the person who could care less about editing their movies.

Author's Review
This is my first camcorder ever. We purchased it on 5/29/05 at Circuit City for $569 plus tax(before $25 Sony Mail-in rebate). I hadn't done any research on this camera because I went to the store with the intentions of purchasing Sony's DCR-DVD403. That was on sale for $899.

The salesperson convinced my husband and I that the DVD-92 was as good a camera as the 403, with the major differences being:

1 - No Picture Package Software
2 - No USB port
3 - No Widescreen recording option

Well, we found out that the 92 does have Widescreen (16:9)recording capabilities that work just wonderfully. Way Cool!

The camera is very easy to use even without ever pressing the "Easy" button. The LCD touchscreen, which seems to be standard on all of Sony's DVD Camcorders, is great and easy to navigate.

We recorded on SP(Standard)last night with very good quality results. Today's HQ (High Quality) recording however, didn't seem that much better, so for a few minutes more of recording time, I would stick with the standard.

Plus, either I pressed something I shouldn't have or HQ changed the focus on me. It took a while for the camera to focus on it's own. Might have been O.E. - Operator error
:(

The wind noise was horrendous,however, when I filmed outdoors this morning. I didn't even realize there was any wind until I played back the recording. It sounded like Thunder. So I will definitely look into a different Sony microphone (external).

Recording to DVD-R, Finalizing and viewing on my computer was a breeze and only took about 3 minutes from finalizing to viewing.

I don't have a DVD burner yet, nor do I have DVD burning Software, ( I know! I'm trying to catch up) so I can not comment on the editing possibilities.

I was able to view the Mini-DVD on both my TV and Computer, with no format issues. The sound was good. Especially on my computer which has 5 surround speakers.

I can not get into any techie aspects of this thing, because I am a non-techie and just learning how to use it.

Others have recommended upgrading to Sony's NP-FP71 or FP90 batteries for more recording time, which I plan to order today.

Additional accessories for purchase include: Telephoto & Wide-Conversion lenses, polarizing & neutral density filters, a waterproof protection case to film under water up to 16 ft., additional light sources and microphones and more.

Bottom Line: A great camcorder at a low price that allows you to view your recording in mere minutes. Perfect for the low-tech person (like me, but I'm trying to change)on a budget.