Sony DCR-DVD101 DVD camcorder

Features
Remote Control
Supplied Software
Specifications

Features

Advanced HAD CCD: The DCR-DVD101 features a 1/6" Advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD imager with 680,000 gross pixels. The 340,000 effective video pixels provide excellent detail and clarity for exceptional digital video performance with up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution. The 340,000 effective still image pixels give you great looking digital photos.

Professional Quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar Lens: Carl Zeiss lenses have an advanced optical multi-layer coating offering less glare and flare with increased contrast. This results in vivid image brilliance, true-to-life color saturation and perfect renditions of subtle tones.

2.5" Color LCD Screen: The DCR-DVD101 features a flip-out 2.5" LCD monitor with 123,200 pixels for excellent viewing clarity. When the LCD screen is out, it can be rotated up to 270 degrees, allowing you to choose the best angle. You can also push the panel flat against the camcorder until it is flush with the side, with the screen facing outwards.

Super SteadyShot Picture Stabilization: SteadyShot picture stabilization system uses motion sensors to remove unwanted picture shake. The Super SteadyShot system controls an even higher range of shake and vibration frequencies, to achieve an even higher level of smoothness without degradation of video like some other image stabilization systems. The Super SteadyShot feature may be turned on/off.

Super NightShot Plus: This unit is equipped with NightShot Plus and Super NightShot Plus, advanced versions of Sony's NightShot, which allow you to shoot a subject in complete darkness (0 lux) using infra-red technology. With NightShot Plus, you can record natural color images in low-light conditions without the blurring common with other low-light recording systems. Super NightShot Plus records at a maximum of 16 times more sensitivity than NightShot Plus. You can make the colors deeper by using the built-in infrared NightShot light. You can also record clearer pictures in color by activating the Color Slow Shutter function.

DVD Format Video Recording: This innovative camcorder records movies and photos to mini-DVDs. The DVD recording format delivers digital video and sound quality comparable to that of MiniDV. Playback of the DVD media is simple and convenient. After finalizing the disc in the camcorder, the DVD disc will playback in most DVD Players, computers and even PlayStation 2 video game consoles. The camcorder records in high-quality DVD-Video and DVD-VR formats (DVD-Video is MPEG-2; DVD-VR is a modification that works only with DVD-RWs and permits functions like playlists and editing). Still images are stored as JPEG files.

Recording Mode: You can select one of the following recording modes: HQ (High Quality), SP (Standard Play), or LP (Long Play). Using a single-sided mini DVD-R or DVD-RW, you can record approximately 20 minutes of video in HQ mode, 30 minutes of video in SP mode, and 60 minutes of video in LP mode.

Digital Still Memory Mode: Digital Still Memory mode captures high quality still images at 640 x 480 resolution directly to mini DVD-R or DVD-RW media. Images are stored in the JPEG format providing easy transfer to PCs for e-mailing, printing, or sharing with family and friends. Each image can be recorded using one of two quality settings: Fine or Standard.

Backlight: When you shoot a subject with the light source behind the subject or a subject with a light background, you can use the backlight function.

Self-Timer Recording: If you want to record yourself, the self-timer recording feature will automatically start recording 10 seconds after being activated. Using the self-timer, you can record moving images or still images.

White Balance: When the white balance is correct, all other colors will be accurately reproduced. This camcorder can adjust the white balance automatically, plus it gives you the option to perform manual white balance adjustment. Besides auto white balance, you may select Hold mode, Outdoor mode, or Indoor Mode to suit your shooting needs.

Wide Mode: You can record a 16:9 aspect ratio picture, which will play back properly on a 16:9 widescreen television. As you are recording, black bands appear on the top and bottom of the LCD screen.

Program AE: You can choose one of the following Program AE modes to suit you specific shooting requirements:

• Spotlight: prevents people's faces from appearing excessively white when they have a strong light source shining on them
• Portrait: brings out the subject while creating a soft background
• Sports: minimizes camera shake on fast-moving subjects
• Beach & Ski: prevents people's faces from appearing dark in strong light or reflected light
• Sunset & Moon: allows you to maintain atmosphere when you are recording sunsets, general night views, fireworks displays, and neon signs
• Landscape: for recording distant subjects

Fader (for movies only): You can fade in and out using a standard fader. You can also fade in using overlap or wipe modes.

Picture Effects: You can select one of the following Picture Effect modes:

• Sepia: picture appears in sepia
• B&W: picture appears in monochrome (black and white)
• Pastel: picture appears as a pale pastel drawing
• Mosaic: picture appears mosaic

Digital Effects: You can choose from the following Digital Effects:

• Luminance Key: allows you to replace a brighter portion of a still picture with a moving picture
• Old Movie: this camcorder simulates an "old movie" by automatically setting the wide mode to On, the picture effect to Sepia, and choosing an appropriate shutter speed

Review: This feature lets you quickly check the last recorded scene on a mini DVD-R or DVD-RW.

Delete: On a mini DVD-RW, you can delete the last scene on the disc.

Disc Title: You can give each disc a title up to 20 characters in length. If you do not enter a title for a disc, the camcorder will enter the date the disc was first used as the disc's default title.

Visual Index Screen: The Visual Index Screen shows thumbnail images of movies and still images when playing back on your camcorder or DVD player, making scene selection simple.

Playback Zoom (PB ZOOM): This feature lets you enlarge images during playback. The magnification can be adjusted from 1.1x to 5x.

Slide Show: This function allows you to play back all the still images on a disc in sequence.

Finalizing: In order to play back your recordings on DVD players or computers with DVD-ROM drives, you need to finalize the disc. Once a mini DVD-R is finalized, you cannot record on the disc again. You can however "unfinalize" a mini DVD-RW, allowing you to use it again for recording.

Playlist: Playlists can be created on DVD-RW discs recorded by the camcorder in DVD-VR mode. By creating a Playlist, you can rearrange your recorded scenes, cut and divide scenes, and create the playback order that tells your story in the most effective way. Note: Performing these functions within a playlist does not affect the actual data recorded on the disc.

Editing Original Data: You can edit the original data of a DVD-RW recorded in DVD-VR mode. You can delete movies and still images and you can divide a movie.

High-speed USB 2.0 Interface: The camcorder's USB 2.0 interface provides an easy way to connect the unit to your computer for fast transfer of video and still images.

Disc Duplication: When the camcorder is connected to your computer, you can make a copy of a finalized disc. You must first download all the data from the finalized disc to your computer. Then, insert a new disc into the camcorder and download all the data from your computer.

Intelligent Accessory Shoe: The Intelligent Accessory Shoe conveniently gives you the option of adding accessories such as lights, flashes and microphones.

Flash Modes: Using the Intelligent Accessory Shoe, you can add an optional external flash for shooting in low-light conditions. When flash is connected, you can choose one of three flash levels: High, Normal, and Low. You can also set the camcorder for one of the following flash modes:

• Flash On: the flash fires regardless of lighting conditions
• Forced Red Eye Reduction Flash*: the unit pre-flashes to reduce red-eye, then the main flash fires regardless of lighting conditions
• Automatic Flash: the flash fires automatically when lighting conditions warrant
• Automatic Red Eye Reduction Flash*: the unit pre-flashes to reduce red-eye, then the main flash fires automatically when lighting conditions warrant

Remote Control

Dimensions: The RMT-835 remote has the following dimensions: W=1.633", L=3.699", D=0.53".

Functions:

• Photo: for recording still photos
• Data Code: displays data code (time/date/camera settings of recording)
• Scan/Slow:
  • Play Mode: lets you quickly scan through video in forward or reverse direction
  • Pause Mode: lets you view video in slow motion in forward or reverse direction
• Visual Index: displays thumbnail images of recorded stills or movies for viewing
• |<<, >>|: skips to next or previous recorded still photo or video scene
• Play/Stop: begin/end video playback
• Pause: to pause video playback and display still frame
• Power Zoom Control: zoom in (tele)/zoom out (wide)
• Up/Down/Left/Right/Enter: cursor controls for menu navigation
• Start/Stop: starts and stops recording video

Supplied Software

Overview: The camcorder comes with Pixela ImageMixer Version 1.5 for Sony DVD Handycam, which includes the SPVD-011 Sony USB driver. The supplied software allows you to do the following: view scenes on your computer, copy recorded scenes to your computer, edit scenes that have been copied to your computer, and duplicate discs.

System Requirements: To use the supplied software, your computer must meet the following requirements:

• OS: Windows Millennium Edition (Windows Me), Windows 2000 Professional, Windows XP Home Edition, or Windows XP Professional pre-installed
• CPU: Intel Pentium III 500 MHz or faster, AMD Athlon family processor or a compatible processor. (Pentium III 1 GHz or faster is recommended)
• Software: DirectX 8.0a or later
• Sound: 16-bit stereo sound card with stereo speakers
• Memory: 128 MB or more
• Hard Disk: 2 GB or more. In order to create a disk, the hard disk must have about three times as much free space as the disk which is being created.
• Display: 4 MB or more of VRAM; minimum of 800 x 600 at 16-bit high-color (65,000 colors)
• USB Port: must be provided as standard

Specifications

Approximate number of still images that you can record on a single-sided mini DVD-R or DVD-RW (dual-sided discs have twice the recording capacity):

Recording Time:

Playing Time:

Charging Time: