Camcorders 
By Lori Grunin (March 8, 2005) 
Sony rolled out its extensive spring camcorder line at CES in January, including a radical new take on DVD camcorder design, a MiniDV-based ultracompact, and a compact consumer three-chip model.

Model	Price & availability	Specifications	What's cool about it
Sony DCR-DVD103  Check prices	$700 Spring 2005	1/6-inch CCD (340,000-pixel effective 4:3 video and stills); 20X zoom lens; DVD-RW/+RW media	The DCR-DVD103 is an upgraded DCR-DVD92 with a color electronic viewfinder, USB 2.0 support, and optional surround-sound recording.
Sony DCR-DVD203  Check prices	$800 Spring 2005	1/5-inch CCD (680,000-pixel effective 4:3 video, 1-megapixel effective stills); 20X zoom lens; DVD-RW/+RW media	The DCR-DVD103 with a higher-resolution sensor and support for surround sound with an optional mike.
Sony DCR-DVD403  Check prices	$1,000 Spring 2005	1/3-inch CCD (2.1-megapixel effective 16:9 video, 3-megapixel effective stills); 10X zoom lens; DVD+RW/-RW media	In addition to capturing and displaying true HD-aspect video (and potentially snapping decent-quality still photos), Sony's top-of-the-line DVD403 has a built-in mike capable of recording Dolby Digital 5.1 audio.
Sony DCR-DVD7  Check prices	$700 Spring 2005	1/6-inch CCD (340,000-pixel effective 4:3 video and stills); 10X zoom lens; DVD-RW/+RW media	The Sony DCR-DVD7 looks remarkably like a CD Walkman, but it remains to be seen if that's a usable design for a camcorder; the innards are also a bit low-end.
Sony DCR-DVD92  Check prices	$600 Spring 2005	1/6-inch CCD (340,000-pixel effective 4:3 video and stills); 20X zoom lens; DVD-RW/+RW media	DVD camcorders in general haven't done much to impress us, especially models on the low end of the market where the DCR-DVD92 resides.
Sony DCR-HC21  Check prices	$400 Available now	1/6-inch CCD (340,000-pixel effective 4:3 video); 20X zoom lens; MiniDV cassette	The bottom of Sony's MiniDV line, this is about as bare bones as a MiniDV model can get.
Sony DCR-HC32  Check prices	$500 Available now	1/6-inch CCD (340,000-pixel effective 4:3 video and stills); 20X zoom lens; MiniDV cassette and Memory Stick Duo media	The step-up model from the HC21, the HC32 adds still-capture capability.
Sony DCR-HC42  Check prices	$600 Available now	1/5.5-inch CCD (690,000-pixel effective 4:3 video, 1-megapixel effective stills); 12X zoom lens; MiniDV cassettes and Memory Stick Duo media	In addition to higher resolution, the HC42 adds a color viewfinder and a slightly larger (2.7 inches) LCD.
Sony DCR-HC90  Check prices	$1,000 Available now	1/3-inch CCD (2.1-megapixel effective 16:9 video, 3-megapixel effective stills); 10X zoom lens; MiniDV cassettes and Sony Memory Stick Duo media	Support for Dolby 5.1 surround sound (though it's optional), relatively high-resolution still capture, and the higher-quality Zeiss T* lens elevate this model to the top of Sony's single-chip MiniDV offerings.
Sony DCR-PC1000  Check prices	$1,300 April 2005	3 CMOS sensors; 10X zoom lens; MiniDV cassettes and Sony Memory Stick Duo media	Features such as support for Dolby 5.1 surround (optional) and Sony's filmlike Cinematic Mode position this compact, three-chip model for video enthusiasts.
Sony DCR-PC55  Check prices	$800 Available now	1/6-inch CCD (340,000-pixel effective 4:3 video and stills); 10X zoom lens; MiniDV cassette and Sony Memory Stick Duo media	This stylish model looks like the final nail in MicroMV's coffin. As long as the video quality doesn't suck, this is likely to be a must-have gadget for well-heeled technorati.
Sony DCR-TRV280  Check prices	$300 Available now	1/6-inch CCD (290,000-pixel effective 4:3 video); 20X zoom lens; Hi8 cassette	Thanks to low, low prices, Digital8-based camcorders remain a strong player in the market. The DCR-TRV280 continues the tradition of bare-bones video for a rock-bottom price.
Sony DCR-TRV480  Check prices	$350 Available now	1/6-inch CCD (290,000-pixel effective 4:3 video and stills); 20X zoom lens; Hi8 cassette and Memory Stick media	The DCR-TRV480 is an upgraded DCR-TRV280 with still-capture capabilities and a touch screen.