I read the reviews and the software that comes with the camera isn't the best. i bought pinnacle 8 dowloaded the latest patches and it works great. I searched on google and found three programs that support micromv. I plugged the camcorder into my firewire card and transferred my vacation video to my pc. From their I edited my movie and made a DVD. it couldn't be any easier. Sony just released a new micromv camcorder. I don't know that noob was saying they discontinued micromv. Some people just don't have the brains for technology or computers. It funny how it's 90% user error that are most of the problems.

Bought it last year! Nice and small, but even Pinnacle Studio 8 can't handle the compression. No voice, can't burn to DVD, blah, blah, blah. You name it I had a problem with it! And now, come to find out, Sony has stopped production AND will no longer pursue MicroMV. They are moving back to MiniDV! ARGH! Pinnacle won't support their product any longer with this compatibility issue and Sony abandons it.

I bought the Canon Elura 50! Great with stills and video. Inexpensive, only 1 ounce heavier and about the same size!

As my wife called it...... I bought Beta instead of VHS! Never be an early adopter.

Mark

I have bought a lot of Sony products over the years so when I was in the market for a camcorder I foolishly just picked this up without researching it. After recording four tapes of my one year old I tried making a DVD and after 20-30 hours and using 3 programs, including Sony's Movieshaker (constant crashes) I have still been unsuccessful. I have just ordered a well reviewed Panasonic camera in DV. MicroMV is a terrible product with zero support from Sony. I won't be buying Sony again.

Sony made it sound like these MicroMV shoots in .mpeg format which you can edit directly. It is in .mmv format. There absolutely no software that will edit .mmv except the crappy one that came with it.

I have one. Here's how it works. After shooting, you have to download via MovieShaker, the software that comes with it. Then, export each clip via MovieShaker to DVI or .mpeg files. Then, use whatever editing software you use to open the exported files. It takes more than twice the time and twice the hard drive space if you want to keep the original .mmv files. I had to keep my original .mmv files because by the time I'm done, the audio would be off-track. After using it for a while, I ended up just downloading the shots to ... yeah, VCR!

Quicktime can read the .mmv files, so it is obvious that those .mmv files are in fact .mpeg files that Sony claims, but NO editing software that can downloand and read DV files and .mpeg files can recognize .mmv files. It is obvious that this incompatability is deliberate.

Avoid wasting your time doing double work. Avoid microMV at all cost.

5 stars when they support Macs

Please sign the petition http://www.petitiononline.com/osxmicmv/ requesting that Sony support MicroMV camcorders on Mac OS X.

the dcrip5 is for the early adopters among us. it has "wow" written all over it but make sure you're ready for the limitations of the microMV format.

pros:
- small size, and lightweight: 1.88"W x 4.0"H x 3.13"L weighing 12 oz. this is the main selling point of this camcorder.
- 10x optical zoom.
- Super SteadyShot image stabilization - and sony's system works.
- delivers vibrant colors when shooting in daylight.
- connectivity options: firewire, S-video, composite.

cons:
- microMV format is proprietary and may go the way of betamax.
- microMV video quality is noticeably worse than MiniDV.
- microMV also uses a different data-compression scheme than MiniDV, which means that it may be incompatible with your DV-editing software.
- no still photo capability.
- no video light.
- not Mac compatible.
- very bad ergonomics - a small camcorder will have small buttons and consolidated controls.
- as with most sony products, you pay a premium, pushing up the price.
- battery life could be better.
- only 2.5" LCD.
- non-intuitive menu system.
- no headphone or mic input jack.
- no accessory shoe.

given the limitations of the microMV format, a smaller camcorder is the only reason to use it. and a tiny camcorder is what sony has delivered and that's why this is a four star product for me. but if you can stand a slightly bigger camcorder, check out other miniDV options. these are more affordable, better supported, and almost as portable.

i hope this helps your buying decision. peace.

Unless you are already tied to the MicroMV format, you absolutely want to avoid it. MicroMV is highly compressed and very difficult to work with.

While the build and quality of the DCRIP5 is fine, you should very carefully consider whether you want to purchase a product and a format that have been discontinued for two years.