This is my first handycam and I did good amount of research before buying this one. Gives very nice and clear picture as well as crystal clear sound in recordings. Easy to use interface, handy, not much weight and amazing picture quality. When you carry this, you dont need to carry camera to capture pictures as it has 4 MP camera built in which is good enough for most occassions. Flash for the camera is also pretty good and works very well when needed. Transferred all recordings and pics to my computer with just click of a button without much hassle and wait. it took very short time to transfer everything to my PC. I never used direct disc burn so I am not able to say anything about that. But in all this is the product worth buying if you ever consider about buying Handycam. Hats off to Sony !!

The sirens song of a HD based Camcorder was too much to resist. Based upon hours of research I too finally settled on the DCR-SR200. Not quite as high resolution photos as the SR300 but sported longer battery life and CLEARLY a step above the previous models and other vendors. How could I go wrong - look at all these 4 and 5 star reviews. I can't speak for their experiences but I'm going to tell you mine. So pull up a chair and get comfortable b/c the ride is going to get bumpy...

I've spent the last 6 months using this device and feel compelled to return to where I purchased it and share the good the bad and the ugly news.

The Good News: I'm not going to drill on the obvious benefits of HD based camcorder. If you like not having to replace tapes/DVD in your Walkman; you are surely going to enjoy not having to do this with a camcorder - FINALLY.

Videos: The video it takes is good in full daylight. (Warning see below!)

Photos: Takes nice 2 or 3 MP plain photos in full daylight. (Warning see below!)

Camera Controls: I personally don't mind the touch screen controls. Occasionally I just use the tip of a small finder to invoke the functions more accurately.

Software: Wow! It works with Vista. The software that comes with it does a fantastic job of simplifying copying images and movies from the camcorder to the PC in a organized fashion. Its not saying much - click - copy to new folder with today's date. But its brain dead simple.

The Bad News: I'm not trying to SLAM this camera out of any kind of mean spirited vengeance; my goal here is to level set buyers expectations based upon my 6 months experience actually using this device. I do feel a bit of buyer's remorse b/c this camera is NO WAY a 4 or 5 star device like I was lead to believe by all the other reviews. Not in million years would I say that I got my $700 dollars worth. Had I known this I surely would have gone to a higher priced model to get the quality I was expecting.

Zoom and Lens - No disrespect to Carl Zeiss - This camera has a really crappy lens configuration. I'm no f'stop expert - but what I do know is even when I zoom all the way out - I have to stand really far back to get a group shot b/c the field of view is quite limited. Translate that into lens mm/mm speak if you want; but that's what you get. The optical zoom is so lame. Its like really really lame. My old Minolta SLR, Sharp VL-A10U and Cannon S30 set the benchmark for what I expect in field of view and basic effect of hitting the optical zoom in/out. This thing stinks in comparison. Sure you can turn on digital zoom with about 10 clicks on the touch pad and go like 80x more...but that's the point - I was sold a Carl Zeiss lens. Nothing in software makes up for the fact the field of view is so limited. I think someone slipped a decimal point during the design calculations b/c this is a total total let down. Maybe the Sony engineers took a crumpled up design paper out of Carl's trashcan and unfolded it and used it.

Videos: The video camera ONLY takes "good movies" in broad daylight. The video stabilization feature causes a sort of "heat wave" ripple effect when you pan across scenes. Its kind of annoying b/c the camera apparently can't figure out that its not canceling a "vibration/shake" and its panning and the image should stream horizontally across the viewfinder. Get ready - The minute you are not in full lit daylight - Oh I don't know, say taking a movie of a birthday party indoors of a cake with less than 70 candles on it. You will find the video is, how shall we say, horrible. Absolutely snowy and all faded out as this device completely fails to realistically capture the moment. What a LET DOWN! My 7 yr old $308 tape camera SOARED at moments like this! You do have an option - turn on night mode! OOOH-Yea! Now your guests eyes appear as large black circles effectively you are now filming zombie vampires under a pale green light; effectively recreating a Night Stalker episode. $700 bucks - no indoor birthday parties?

How about taking a few minutes of video of the first few weeks of a newborn child sleeping to send to distant relatives? Well just be sure to turn on all the halogen lights so you can get this shot too. Or you can choose the night shot mode mentioned above. Depending on how soon you do or don't want them to visit...maybe so.

Photos: OK at first you think - Cool! I don't have to bring 2 cameras any more! A camcorder and still photo camera all in one! Mostly WRONG! The still camera has absolutely NO FEAURES - NONE! Did you want sepia mode for a "old time effect" while posing at a national landmark? Did you want landscape mode to capture a vast panoramic scene or portrait mode for close up? Forgetaboutit! None. Not one. It stinks! From the company who makes a decent SLR'esque still cameras couldn't we get 1-2 features accessible from the software touch screen as an upgrade? PLEASE? I don't' count selecting flash/no flash and 3MB or less as camera configuration choices. I'm talking real features here and this thing has ZIP - Cero! Oh yea - and while in movie mode - you can snap pictures too. Of course you don't get flash anymore; and you can only take 3 shots while filming. Not 4 mind you, all scenarios under all conditions only need 3 according to Sony. When you stop the move; it takes a few moments to stream the 3 photos to disk/memory stick. I have both flash stick and HD; you would think we could do both in parallel; they almost accomplish it; but some engineering limit I'm sure made 3 the count. Why is this an issue? Assume you are taping your kids' ballet. And you take 2-3 photos during the movie of child #1. Then you keep the tape rolling to have a full video of the event. Child #2 comes on and you only have 1 photo left in the chamber; and you click it off when they weren't looking just this way...Hmm...where is my $130 7 MB still photo camera again??

Camera Controls: Hello FOCUS FOR *%&$ SAKE FOCUS! I only film in the high resolution mode (i.e. SP mode for VCR aficionados). And nothing annoys me more than 15-30 seconds of out of focus video while the stupid camera tries to figure out that the group of people about 15-20 ft in front of me are actually of interested to me and I would like the camera to somehow find a way to focus if is not too much of an inconvenience right now. This doesn't always happen but it sure does enough to say FIX IT SONY!

Software: I'm running Vista these days and you get free super generic movie making software. So you really don't need much here. Also just b/c the moves are *.mpg format doesn't mean you can just plop on a DVD and go. You still have to go through an "overnight" rendering phase to create a DVD w/ menus etc on any personal computer short of something NASA owns. And the videos don't play on an XBox360 media extender right now!

So there it is, in all its glory - the true story about this Camcorder based upon my past 6 months of real world use and the reasons why I only can be so generous and give it a weak 3 stars.

So there it is, in all its glory - the true story about this Camcorder based upon my past 6 months of real world use and the reasons why I only can be so generous and give it a weak 3 stars. Once again I felt compelled to write this manifesto b/c so many were so gaga over this barely acceptable device.

I'm mad it doesn't have 1-click to burn on MACINTOSH but otherwise it's a great camera. So easy to re-watch clips.. I honeslty have yet to burn a DVD yet.. my mac has a DVD burner but my PC doesn't... and then my PC didn't seem to "see" it... so all that of course can be a pain and take some patience to figure out. So in that way it's not as simple as tapes, but I don't miss tapes! I have uploaded some video's to youtube to show my parents in another state our new baby, that was easy (on my mac anyway). Sony sucks for not making the software to burn it easily on the mac!

Rich feature set in this camcorder. Stills are surprisingly good. However, after about one hour of use the LCD screen failed (went dark, but still functioned, just could not read under anything less than direct light). The unit is currently on its way back to a repair facility under warranty. Stay tuned.

One of the main reasons I chose this camcorder was the hard drive. This was a replacement for a 10 year old VHS-C camcorder. The thing I liked least about the old camcorder was having to find a tape when you need it. With young kids you never know when a video moment is going to pop up. Trying to find a tape and make sure it was queued to a spot so that you didn't record over previous footage made spontaneous recording almost impossible. The HDD on this camcorder eliminated all of those troubles, just turn on the camcorder and hit record. It also is great for quickly and painlessly deleting shots such as when the little one just won't do that cute thing again after you start video taping or the ever popular 10 minutes of the inside of the camera bag because you forgot to turn it off and bumped the record button while packing it away. The ability to randomly access the clip you are looking for is also a huge plus. No more time spent fast forwarding or rewinding looking for the clip you want to view and then having to Queue the tape again to record later.

The video quality taken is excellent in my opinion. I did take all of my video so far in the standard quality, which looks crystal clear on my 51" widescreen HDTV. It appeared to me that in the highest quality video setting the auto focus was a little bit slow. I only tried the highest setting once and I didn't spend much time messing with it so perhaps there are some settings that would improve that.

I took some outdoor night shots under street lights and the picture was bit grainy while in auto mode. I selected the twilight profile and although the picture got slightly darker, the graininess went away and although a bit dark is remarkably clear. I also had the chance to use the fireworks profile and the fireworks looked excellent when played back.

Battery life is very satisfactory. I just got back from a vacation and I never had the battery die on me. I did charge it every night however. Unless you are planning on doing some very long recordings I don't think the battery would be a problem.

The amount of video the camcorder can hold is amazing. I have yet to buy a PC that can burn DVD's (next big ticket purchase) but that's OK because the HDD just keeps sucking up the footage. It was wonderful to go on a week long vacation and not have to worry about carrying extra tapes with.

Bottom line, I'm extremely happy with the performance of the camcorder and the price on Amazon is one of the lowest I have seen.

Just so you know where I'm coming from, this DCR SR200 replaces a 9 year old Sony Hi-8 camcorder. Of course this one is super light, getting video from the camcorder to the computer is effortless, the quality is light-years better, and the camera feature is handy to have. I shoot mostly fast action (hunting), and the slightly quicker autofocus is a big help. I've looked at a lot of camcorders and Sony as a brand has the fastest autofocus around.

I was surprised that startup time was not that much faster (about 5 seconds). And when the SR200 goes into idle mode you must turn the top switch off and back on. On the old camcorder, pressing the record button woke it up. That feature would be nice to have back.

It doesn't perform nearly as well in low light as the old one, and a lot of hunting happens at dawn and dusk. (Night shot is useless since all the color is lost.) The old one compensated and still kept pretty good color, but the SR200 starts washing out when the sun sets.

I actually like the bulky battery that others complain about, because if it wasn't there, my thumb would not land on the record button.

I have had this video camera for a about a year now and its the best camera i have owned so far. The video is very nice quality inside and outside. I have had dvd video and 8mm and this is by far the most convenient and best recording. it takes ok stills but my digital camera takes awesome pictures so keep your digital handy. I am giving this a 5 because of video quality and ease of use. If i included the quality of digital stills i would give this a 4 star. But then again your buying a video camera the stills in my opinion are just bonus. Enjoy.

1.I can't use 4M mode in still picture
2.Not good at night video capture.
3.All others are good.

I got a very good deal for sony dcr sr200 camcoder. I chose the super saver shipping and it arrived before promised. The packing was awesome. I got a brand new US version piece and registered in sony website. Have been having fun using the product. I would definitely buy again without any hesitation.

I have bought this camcorder in Dec 20th and extensively used for xmas and new year holidays trips. I was very well impressed with the performance. Specialy the photos are very bright and crispe than my 4.1 Mega pixal digital camera.

Even the video qualtiy is very nice. Easy to operate Easy to save to computer.no worries of tapes and DVD's...
Only 3 draw backs are (but they are not hidden)
1.The original batery comes only for 120 min...so for going long trips u'll definately need a better battery
2.While take the video u can only take 3 pictures that too with out flash.
3.If you want to use it as a digital camera there is no timer mode for taking pictures until use use a tripod and a remote.

Overall this is a worth buying camcorder and I'LL SUGGEST EVERYONE WHO WANTS TO BUY A CAMCORDER IN GOOD BUDGET THIS IS A NICE ONE ALSO THE PURCHASE WAS EASY WITH AMAZON.

I purchased this camcorder in early Januray 08 to document my chemotherapy treatment process (I guess I think my future kids will like to look back on when dad was bald). I had considered the dcr-sr82 but chose this model due to the higher video resolution, better still picture quality (and flash), and higher quality audio. I've been very saisfied so far. The only complaint I have is that the low light quality isn't that fantastic, it is a little grainy. But even in my living room with just the lamps on it isn't that bad, and in normal lighting the picture is great. Besides that it's been mainly pros...

**still pictures are 4.0 megapixels and actually look alright, a dedicated digital camera with 7 or more megapixels is better but it's still pretty good. The stills taken while filming are just over 2 MP and do NOT look very good.
**audio is recorded in dolby 5.1 and sounds great. Every sound really does come thru in 3D which really will add to my recorded memories.
**The ease of use use great! The touchscreen is actually very easy to use. Viewing, deleting, reorganizing clips is done within seconds, and transfer to your PC is as easy as dragging files from one folder to another. (however, make sure you have video converter software as everything is recorded in DVD ready mpeg-2 which are very large files. If you plan on sending email videos, uploading to youtube etc you'll need to be able to convert to smaller files types.)
**the size and weight. It weighs like two pounds and fits in my hand perfectly. I see that some have criticized the way the battery sticks out, but I actually like it. I think it balances the camera weight and provides a nice thumb rest. I purchased an additional NPFH70 battery as the one that comes with the camera last about an hour when in use.

All in all, great camcorder! And at the price I see they have it listed for on Amazon.com (currently $619.00) it is definately worth the money.

This camcorder has Poor Low Light Recording based on 1) its specifications, and 2) other Customer Review complaints of poor low light recording, and 3) when compared to my very good low light recording F1.2 lens JVC GZ-MG255. I am giving this camcorder a low rating based only for its poor low light recording. This camcorder probably records okay in regular bright light.

The below are the specifications for this hard disk drive camcorder, and others:

-- JVC GZ-MG255: F1.2; 1/4" CCD Gross 2.1 MP, Effective 1.23 MP (I own and I recommend this.)

-- Sony DCR-SR200: F1.8; 1/3" CMOS Gross 2.1 MP, Effective 1.08 MP
-- Sony DCR-SR82: F1.8; 1/6" CCD Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.690 MP
-- Sony DCR-SR62: F1.8; 1/6" CCD Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.690 MP
-- Sony DCR-SR80: F1.8; 1/5.5" CCD Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.690 MP
-- Sony DCR-SR60: F1.8; 1/5.5" CCD Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.690 MP
-- Sony DCR-SR42: F1.8; 1/6" CCD Gross 0.680 MP, Effective 0.340 MP
-- Sony DCR-SR40: F1.8; 1/6" CCD Gross 0.680 MP, Effective 0.340 MP
-- JVC GZ-MG155: F1.8; 1/6" CCD Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.690 MP
-- JVC GZ-MG130: F2.0; 1/6" CCD Gross 0.680 MP, Effective 0.340 MP
-- Panasonic SDR-H18: F1.8; 1/6" CCD Gross 0.680 MP, Effective 0.340 MP
-- Panasonic SDR-H200: F1.8; 1/6" 3-CCD's, Gross 3x 0.800 MP, Effective 3x 0.640 MP. (Note: I think the RGB (Red, Green, Blue) 3-CCD's are in "Parallel", and are NOT "Additive", in other words I think 0.640 MP Red + 0.640 MP Green + 0.640 MP Blue = 0.640 MP Effective Color and NOT "1.92" MP.)

Note: "F1.2" lens is a larger aperture hole size that captures two times the amount of light than a smaller "F1.8" lens.
Note: For comparison purposes, "Effective" MP (Mega Pixels) are for 4:3 Aspect Only; and I am not using data for 16:9 Aspect.
Note: Low light comparisons are for using camcorder in "Automatic" modes (i.e. JVC "Automatic" mode, or Sony "Easy" mode, etc.), and not using any "Manual" night enhancement features such as shutter or aperture changes.

I have owned my JVC GZ-MG255 F1.2 lens camcorder since April 2007, and am very satisfied, and I say that my JVC GZ-MG255 is the best mid-priced camcorder for low light recording because it has the largest "F1.2" lens, which is the largest of all mid-priced camcorders. (See my Customer Review). My JVC GZ-MG255 F1.2 lens camcorder records very beautiful colors in bright light. My JVC GZ-MG255, when compared to the above other camcorders, records very good in low light.

It is the second camcorder I ordered from Amazon. Comparing with first order (Sony DCR-SR82) DCR-SR200 has much better video and photo quality, plus I purchase it with Amazon at promot price which costs just like SR82. I am so happy with it.

I am very satisfied with the product. Both quality and features are as expected. Look wise almost same as 300. Its good for beginners.

This camcorder has Poor Low Light Video Recording. This low rating is only for its poor low light performance.

Below are the technical specifications from the official websites and official User Manuals:

Notes: F1.2 lens is larger than F1.8 lens. F1.2 lens captures twice the light than a smaller F1.8 lens. "Effective" MP (MegaPixels) are only for 4:3 Aspect, and not 16:9 Aspect. Low light recording comparisons in full "Automatic" mode, and not any "Manual" mode. Only comparing Standard Definition, and not High Definition, mid-priced hard disk drive camcorders. The JVC GZ-MG255 is the best, and has "Superior Low Light Performance", as JVC proudly advertises.

-- JVC GZ-MG255: F1.2 lens; 1/4 inch CCD, Gross 2.1 MP, Effective 1.23 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR200: F1.8 lens; 1/3" CMOS, Gross 2.1 MP, Effective 1.08 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR82: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR62: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR80: F1.8 lens; 1/5.5" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR60: F1.8 lens; 1/5.5" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR42: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR40: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG155: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG130: F2.0 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H18: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H200: F1.8 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP X3, Effective 0.64 MP X3.

(New 2008 camcorders below:)
-- Sony DCR-SR85: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR65: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR45: F1.8 lens; 1/8" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H60: F2.0 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP, Effective 0.40 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H40: F1.9 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP, Effective 0.40 MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG730: F3.5 lens; 1/2.5" CCD, Gross 7.38 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG365: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG360: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG335: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG330: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
== ==

Incredible camera with easy to use features.-Touch screen is nice and failry easy to use-Intuitive control functions-Does pretty good in Low Light. Indoors (under indoor lighting conditions only) does pretty well. Other notes:Included software for video editing is basic and does not serve its purpose well. Plus, Windows Movie Maker will not work with your video clips. I ended up purchasing Adobe Premier Elements 4.0 (works great!).

This camcorder's Low Light Video Recording is not good, and therefore, gets this low rating. Below are the official Technical Specifications facts from the official websites and official Camcorder User Manuals, and so you can make your own logical decisions. ( "?" will be used if official data can not be found ):

Footnotes For Technical Specifications:
1) F1.2 lens is larger than F1.8. F1.8 is larger than F1.9, F2.0 and F3.5. F1.2 lens has larger aperture than F1.8 lens.
2) F1.2 lens is larger aperture and captures twice the light than a F1.8 lens.
3) "MP" = Mega Pixels = 1,000,000 pixels.
4) "Gross" MP is total number of pixels on CCD sensor, but not all Gross total pixels is used for video recording.
5) "Effective" MP is an industry standard, and "Effective" MP is actual number of pixels used for video recording through the lens.
6) Only listing and comparing "Effective" MP for 4:3 Aspect. ( And not comparing 16:9 Aspect. )
7) Only comparing low light recording in full "Automatic" mode. ( And not "Manual" aperture/shutter speed low light settings. )
8) Only comparing mid-priced hard disk drive camcorders in Standard Definition. ( And not High Definition. )
9) JVC GZ-MG255 has the best Low Light Performance due to its large F1.2 lens, and large 2.1 MP CCD.

-- JVC GZ-MG255: F1.2 lens; 1/4 inch CCD, Gross 2.1 MP, Effective 1.23 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR200: F1.8 lens; 1/3" CMOS, Gross 2.1 MP, Effective 1.08 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR82: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR62: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR80: F1.8 lens; 1/5.5" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR60: F1.8 lens; 1/5.5" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR42: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR40: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG155: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG130: F2.0 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H18: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H200: F1.8 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP X3, Effective 0.64 MP X3.

(New 2008 camcorders below:)
-- Sony DCR-SR85: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR65: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR45: F1.8 lens; 1/8" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H60: F2.0 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP, Effective 0.40 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H40: F1.9 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP, Effective 0.40 MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG730: F3.5 lens; 1/2.5" CCD, Gross 7.38 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG365: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG360: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG335: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG330: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
== == == == ==

After reading some of this camcorder's Customer Reviews about not-good low light video recording, and looking at this camcorder's Technical Specifications facts, in my opinion, this camcorder's "Low Light Performance" is not good. This low rating is only for this camcorder's "Low Light Performance" category, and not for any of its other features and advantages. This camcorder probably records video okay in regular bright light, and therefore, have received high Customer ratings.

Here below are the official Technical Specifications facts from the official manufacturer company websites and official camcorder User Manuals.

You may look at the facts and make your own decisions.

Footnotes For Technical Specifications:
1) F1.2 lens is larger aperture hole opening than F1.8, F2.0, and F3.5. F1.2 lens captures twice the light than a smaller F1.8 lens.
2) "MP" = Mega Pixels = 1,000,000 pixels for capturing light and recording RGB images.
3) "Gross" MP is the total number of pixels on the CCD light sensor, but not all Gross total pixels is used for video recording.
4) "Effective" MP is an industry standard, and "Effective" MP is the actual number of pixels used through the lens for video recording.
5) For equal comparisons, only listing and comparing "Effective" MP for 4:3 Aspect. ( And not comparing 16:9 Aspect. )
6) Only comparing low light video recording in full "Automatic" mode. ( And not any low light "Manual" aperture or shutter speed change settings. )
7) Only comparing mid-priced hard disk drive camcorders in "Standard Definition". ( And not "High Definition". )
8) JVC GZ-MG255 has the best Low Light Performance due to its larger F1.2 lens, and larger 1/4 inch, 2.18 MP CCD.
9) Some official data and facts can not be found on the Internet yet, and " ? " will be used if official data can not be found.

-- JVC GZ-MG255: F1.2 lens; 1/4 inch CCD, Gross 2.18 MP, Effective 1.23 MP.

-->> Sony DCR-SR200: F1.8 lens; 1/3" CMOS, Gross 2.1 MP, Effective 1.08 MP.

-- Sony DCR-SR82: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR62: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR80: F1.8 lens; 1/5.5" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR60: F1.8 lens; 1/5.5" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR42: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR40: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG155: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG130: F2.0 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H200: F1.8 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP X3, Effective 0.64 MP X3.
-- Panasonic SDR-H18: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.

(New 2008 camcorders below:)
-- Sony DCR-SR85: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR65: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR45: F1.8 lens; 1/8" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H60: F2.0 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP, Effective 0.40 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H40: F1.9 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP, Effective 0.40 MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG730: F3.5 lens; 1/2.5" CCD, Gross 7.38 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG365: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG360: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG335: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG330: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
== == == == ==

After reading some of this camcorder's Customer Reviews about not-good low light video recording, and looking at this camcorder's Technical Specifications facts, in my opinion, this camcorder's "Low Light Performance" may not be good. This low rating is only for this camcorder's "Low Light Performance" category, and not for any of its other features and advantages. This camcorder probably records video okay in regular bright light, and therefore, have received high Customer ratings.

Here below are the official Technical Specifications facts from the official manufacturer company websites and official camcorder User Manuals.

You may look at the facts and make your own decisions.

Footnotes For Technical Specifications:
1) F1.2 lens is larger aperture hole opening than F1.8, F2.0, and F3.5. F1.2 lens captures twice the light than a smaller F1.8 lens.
2) "MP" = Mega Pixels = 1,000,000 pixels for capturing light and recording RGB images.
3) "Gross" MP is the total number of pixels on the CCD light sensor, but not all Gross total pixels is used for video recording.
4) "Effective" MP is an industry standard, and "Effective" MP is the actual number of pixels used through the lens for video recording.
5) For equal comparisons, only listing and comparing "Effective" MP for 4:3 Aspect. ( And not comparing 16:9 Aspect. )
6) Only comparing low light video recording in full "Automatic" mode. ( And not any low light "Manual" aperture or shutter speed change settings. )
7) Only comparing mid-priced hard disk drive camcorders in "Standard Definition". ( And not "High Definition". )
8) JVC GZ-MG255 has the best Low Light Performance due to its larger F1.2 lens, and larger 1/4 inch, 2.18 MP CCD.
9) Some official data and facts can not be found on the Internet yet, and " ? " will be used if official data can not be found.

-- JVC GZ-MG255: F1.2 lens; 1/4 inch CCD, Gross 2.18 MP, Effective 1.23 MP.

-->> Sony DCR-SR200: F1.8 lens; 1/3" CMOS, Gross 2.1 MP, Effective 1.08 MP.

-- Sony DCR-SR82: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR62: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR80: F1.8 lens; 1/5.5" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR60: F1.8 lens; 1/5.5" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR42: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR40: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG155: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG130: F2.0 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H200: F1.8 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP X3, Effective 0.64 MP X3.
-- Panasonic SDR-H18: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.

(New 2008 camcorders below:)
-- Sony DCR-SR85: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR65: F1.8 lens; 1/6" CCD, Gross 1.07 MP, Effective 0.69 MP.
-- Sony DCR-SR45: F1.8 lens; 1/8" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective 0.34 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H60: F2.0 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP, Effective 0.40 MP.
-- Panasonic SDR-H40: F1.9 lens; 1/6" 3-CCD, Gross 0.80 MP, Effective 0.40 MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG730: F3.5 lens; 1/2.5" CCD, Gross 7.38 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG365: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG360: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG335: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
-- JVC GZ-MG330: F1.8 lens, 1/6" CCD, Gross 0.68 MP, Effective ? MP.
== == == == ==

I intended to purchase a camera that would be used for interviewing people on the street, open-air preaching and church sermons. I searched around and finally settled on the DCR-SR200 from Sony.

My first impression when I got the camera was that it is small, light-weight, stylish and easy to operate. The camera was a gift, purchased from Bestbuy.com with 3 year protection plan for $99.99 incase something goes wrong with the camera.

Things I liked...

1) 40GB Hard Drive: Because the camera is not High Definition I didn't need a larger hard drive. I bought an external 500GB hard drive ($115) to transfer my videos so I don't use up my hard drive on my laptop. I keep the record mode at the highest quality "HQ" and then use the free software "Microsoft Movie Maker" available for download at Microsofts website to modify the quality and size of the file so that I can upload the video onto Youtube and other sites that have a limit on file size & time length. Editing is simple and self-explanitory.

2) Picture Quality: In the day time it is excellent. For non-professional use this camera exceeded expectations. In low light situations I was not surprised to see noise (grainy picture) in my videos. Unless you are able to purchase one of the much more expensive cameras with the 3CCD lens you will be unable to avoid the noise in your video unless you have plenty of exterior lighting or an add-on light accessory which I haven't purchased yet.

3) Active Interface Shoe: Because the camera didn't have a microphone input I purchased the Sony wireless microphone for around $160 from the local camera shop and it has performed well. I also found another shoe accessory that has a microphone input so I can plug in a microphone as well which i found at www.bhphotovideo.com. I plan to purchase a wide-angle lens in the near future which will widen the viewing angle.

4) Extended Battery: I purchased a Sony ActiFORCE InfoLithium H NP-FH100 battery ($93) on Amazon which gives me 436 minutes (7.26 hrs)of filming. Playback is longer because it takes less power to operate. I think it's somewhere around 650 minutes of playback time. Adjusting different settings will increase filming time alittle. The battery it came with gave me alittle over an hour of filming which i no longer use.

5) Touch Screen: Simple to use. It works flawlessly. Easy to use.

6) 4:3 or 16:9: I liked how I could switch between regular and widescreen video with a button on the side of the camera. Depending on the situation such as uploading to Youtube I switch to 4:3 so the picture is not stretched top to bottom. For DVD viewing I switch to 16:9 for the nice widescreen.

7) 10X Optical Zoom: Works great. I haven't found a need for more than 10X but if I did, i could purchase a tele-macro lens and attach it for more optical zoom. The digital zoom is a feature I don't understand why they offer because it is completely useless and deceiving to people that don't understand that digital zoom makes your video look aweful and extremely shakey with even the steadiest hand. It appears to be a marketing ploy that gives the impression that you can zoom in from long distances for that perfect shot. Optical Zoom is what you're looking for 10X or more. Ignore Digital Zoom performance.

8) Nightvision: Works in total darkness. Very impressed.

That's about all I can say about it. Nothing really negative to tell you about it. I also like the automatic lens cover which protect the lens when you turn it off. No need for a lens cover that you could lose or tends to dangle and distract.

This camera is so easy to use. I charged the battery and was taking video within a few hours. The software is very easy to use, but doesn't offer a lot of features, so that is why I gave the camera 4 starts. It is easy to plug it in an burn a disc, but the options leave a lot to be desired. I haven't had time to look at other software options yet. I have burned 1 CD and the quality is very good. I purchased this camera for ease of use and the internal harddrive - it has exceeded my expectation.

First of all, this is a 4.0MP not the 2.1MP as described for still pictures.

40GB Hard drive which you can record video as follows:

For High Quality(HQ),you can take up to 7 hours of video.
For Standard Play(SP), you can take up to 14 hours of video.
For Long Play(LP), you can take up to 28 hours of video.
Your only limit is the battery that comes with the camcorder which is only about 1 1/2 hour of video so its a good idea to buy an extra battery.

The battery that comes with the camcorder says you can record up to 115 mins. on fully charged but that is for continuous recording.

What I like:

The 4.0MP for still images yield acceptable quality pictures.

It has extra slot for memory stick duo or memory stick pro. SD card does not fit.

Recording outside on sunny day. The video quality is very clear and sharp.

I recorded video at night in my family room which is well lit and the video quality is very good. (See my dislike on low light).

One touch video to DVD. That means you hook it up your camcorder via the base that comes with the camcorder to your computer with DVD burner and USB connection or DVD recorder then just press one button and it start recording to your blank DVD.

It comes with a basic editing software for video and still pictures. But, I ended up purchasing a $49.99 editing software so that I can add titles, make special effects, narration, etc.

I like the fact that the camcorder is made in Japan. No offense to U.S. electronic products(if there's even any now) or any other countries. Japanese electronics are very good qualities.

The controls and menus are on the LCD touch screen. That means it's pretty much most of the buttons you need for functions are in front of you.

The 4.0MP still picture quality is acceptable and it has a built in flash on low light picture taking. I would not recommend using your camcorder as your digital camera though.

Everything you need to burn DVD is in the box. No extra cable to buy.

It comes with a DVD you can watch that gives you tips on how to record quality videos. I learned a lot after watching this DVD presentation.

Dislike:

The battery life. But that expected for a small battery.

Recording on low light. I have one 40 watt bulb in my room. The quality is good when I'm close to the light but when I moved out 4 feet away, it start to get grainy. My solution, I bought a $40 detachable extra light that is compatible with DCR-SR200. DO NOT buy a light that says "fits on all camcorders" because the shoe (where you attach the light) for this model is smaller than the standard shoe.

When I'm using the extra light attached to the shoe, it significantly reduced the recording time of the battery by half. You can buy a light that has its own battery so that you're not using your camcorder battery.

The editing software is just a basic editing software. You can only delete portions that you don't want to record on DVD. You cannot add special effects, fades, etc.

You can only take 3 still pictures while recording video. And its only be taken on 2.1MP quality (which is crappy quality). Not the 4.0MP when you use the still camera function.

NO viewfinder! It would have been nice if I flip the LCD screen 180° so that family members and friends can see themselves being recorded while I can look in the viewfinder to see what I'm recording. People tend to smile or do goofy stuff when they see themselves which add more fun to the video.

In order to transfer your recorded video to your computer for editing, or to hook it up to your stereo TV for viewing, or DVD recorder for one touch DVD burn, you must use the base where you sit the camcorder. The only functions added on the base that are missing on the camcorder itself are the audio/video connection and USB connection.

I don't know why Sony people couldn't drill two more holes in the camcorder itself so that consumers don't have to worry about carrying the base or getting it lost.

Overall, I'm very happy with this camcorder.

Happy with purchase. First video camera I have had. Low light picture is not great. Shipping took longer than I hoped.

Love this camera... Could not be more satsisfied with it... Would recommend it to anyone looking for a great deal!!

Works good in day time. Its not that clear if the background is dark. Can't able to shoot if it dark with a small lighting.

Great camcorder....I love the ease of use but my DVD player won't play the DVD that is produced by the 1-step burn feature. The battery that comes with unit is a piece of crap so be prepared another $100 for an extended life battery. Sony should be ashamed to put something that cheap with such a good product. Overall I'd highly recommend this camcorder!