Great Camera, Great Deal, Great Everything!
Written: Jun 21 '02 (Updated Jun 24 '02)
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Pros: Small, cheaper tapes than a DV, firewire
Cons: Still image capture is only OK
The Bottom Line: DCR-TRV330 is a great deal if you're looking for a digital camcorder that can hook up to your computer but won't break the bank I suggest you look into one.
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| MLF_Productions's Full Review: Sony Handycam DCR-TRV330 Digital-8 Camcorder |
Why I Bought It
My wife and I purchased this camera on a whim. We were going on vacation and we decided to get a camera to take with us.
Out of all of the cameras that were available to us (we went to multiple stores) the DCR-TRV330 seemed to be the best deal.
Price, features, size and brand name were all considerations.
The price was decent. At $599 it was only a couple more dollars than a good Hi8. Since this is a digital-8 it can take all my old Hi8, and 8mm tapes. The DV tapes are freakin expensive for only holding an hour.
There were enough features to keep us busy (and useful ones at that). It has Night-Shot, Super Night-Shot (where it keeps the shutter open longer to get even better quality video, but you get blurry movement). I especially like th 16:9 ratio I can put it in when making 'movies'.
The size was right. Actually, I was a little worried about the size because from what I had seen, the smaller/lighter cameras seemed to have a 'I'm about to break' feeling to them. It had neither and there's just enough weight to keep you from jiggling it because your heart just beat.
Sony is a company I can trust. I've purchased many Sony products, and have never been dis-satisfied or bought something that needed to be repaired/returned for any reason.
The picture quality is superior as compared to compact VHS, 8mm and Hi8. This is to be expected because it's recorded digitally to the tape. This, however, does not mean that it is recorded as an MPEG to the tape, but rather as an un-compressed recording that happens to be digital. Think of it as a CD as compares to an MP3 file.
In low light the picture quality degrades but this is true of just about every camera, wether it be digital, motion, film, or still. The night-shot feature helps by shining a couple of high-power infra-red LEDs. These help bring out the details because the camera is sensitive to this wavelength.
The Super-Night shot option simply holds the shutter open longer to give you a better picture. it is good if you need to do some spying or are watching wildlife in the middle of the night.
In my humble opinion the DCR-TRV330 is a great deal and if you're looking for a digital camcorder that can hook up to your computer but won't break the bank I suggest you look into one.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 599.99
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Epinions.com ID:
MLF_Productions
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Location: Sacramento, CA
Reviews written: 25
Trusted by: 10 members
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