The Sony DCR-DVD100 Handycam ($900) makes sharing home movies with friends and family easier because it records them on disks that can be played on most DVD devices. No more forcing friends and families to sit through marathon screenings in your home–now you can give them their very own copy of Deedee's First Dance Recital: The Director's Cut.

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By recording on 3-inch DVD disks, this camcorder creates videos that can be played on more than 100 million devices worldwide, including PCs and video game consoles. Menus with thumbnail images make access to a favorite scene a click away–much easier than fast-forwarding and rewinding tapes. You can do some limited editing–erasing dull scenes and rearranging the order of others–directly on the DCR-DVD100.

The disks aren't as widely available as digital videocassettes or the standard, larger writable DVD disks that you use for your home-theater machine or computer. Be ready to order online. Though the camcorder can be used as a still camera, the pictures aren't that sharp.

The DVDs' convenience is great, but the DCR-DVD100 still feels like a first effort. It's friendly enough for first-time digital buyers, but budding filmmakers probably would be better off waiting for the next generation of DVD camcorders.
–Kenneth Terrell