I quit using the camera after the kids were grown and now have the grand kids and thus my husband thought this a good item to buy.
He was looking at the 405 model but decided the LCD screen being larger was a better choice plus a couple of other features not to mention the 4 mp camera.
However, I am a Noob to mini dvd's and so I thought that I should post.
First, I have had negative responses about doing any editing with this camera indicating that mpeg will make the subject especially moving objects unclear mixing mpeg edits with the digital source from the camera.
First off, before I start doing editing I planned on setting a side mini dvd's for each of our 5 grandchildren and our visits etc. and then burn them on our external BenQ I burner as I totally fill up a 30 minute mini dvd.
Not doing any editing at all just burning the first dvd's 30 minute contents and then the second 30 minute mini dvd contents onto the 4.75 dvd that I would put away for editing later so that I would have an hour of a 4.75 R+ which BenQ recommends as media for the external burner with 60 minutes of content per family.
Just to start out, since I am not familiar with this mini dvd concept.
With my old Hi 8, I used to add titles and music and comments at the end via my Sony edit equipment.
One forum that I was in indicated that I will mess up the 4.75 dvd by trying to mix formats mpeg etc. with digital source movie from the camcorder.
I am new to all of this as I mentioned and wondered am I not going to be able to add titles, music and text at the end fo the 4.75 dvd without making it look messy?
I asked about a program to do this and got no response except that I should get rid of this Mini DVD camcorder and stick to a film camcorder.
Then I may as well go back to my old Hi 8 which I often had to chase film for or decent batteries.
I would like the following from experienced members:
1. opinion on the Sony 505 mini dvd camcorder?
2. recommended program that is user friendly to add music, titles etc. (Windows Movie Maker) was mentioned however if there is a more user friendly purchase program I would buy it.
3. can I burn one 30 minute mini dvd to the 4.75 and then add a second 30 minute dvd after it or will I get an error message?
4. is this a wrong time to look at camcorders b/c of potential poor quality edits b/c of digital and mpeg mixing, though my edits would be minor.
5. is there a discussion on camcorders in this forum and programs suggested.
6. This is the Link for the 505 that the better half bought here in Canada for $1049 at the Future Shop
My Webpage
We don't want to be wasting money on this mini dvd camcorder even though the better half purchased it at a not bad price or $1,049 if we can't buy a user friendly program to add music, titles and text at the end.
We want to buy an easy program to do this so the end product is going to be good. We did this for each of our children with the Sony Hi 8, however the Edit equipment was a little pricey but did the job well.
We would really appreciate experienced comments from Mini DVD Camcorder users.
Thanking you in advance.
Best Regards.

(Right now we are really confused as we went to the Sony store and can't use their Vegas software as it is fire wire and none of our Toshiba notebooks are and they are new models XP sp2, one with 512 RAM and the other with 1gig expandable to 2 gigs. ( We don't want a camcorder to burn to the HDD)
We really hope someone can respond soon as we have not even taken this camcorder out of the box.
The extended plan cost the bucks, $269 and we were advised by friends to get this because of the touch LCD screen which is relatively new and that the 3 year extra coverage may likely be worth it.
Edited by newbie geek, 06 June 2006 - 09:31 AM.