Great Camera for the price.
Written: Sep 29 '03
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Pros: Features, picture quality, both USB and Firewire ports on camera. Easy to use.
Cons: Battery Life with Std battery.
The Bottom Line: An excellent choice. The best optical zoom in the price range. A great camera for the money.
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| maddogmd11's Full Review: Sony Handycam DCR-TRV340 Digital-8 Camcorder |
Ok lets get one thing out in the open right off the bat. If you want to take digital still images then DON"T BUY A MOVIE CAMERA!!!. This is the one knock that I have heard over and over again and it is simply not fair to judge a video camera on the basis of the stills you can take.
The camera overall, for videos is great right out of the box. Don't be fooled by the 700X digital zoom. Digital zoom functions distort images. Look at the level of the OPTICAL zoom as this is what really matters. This camera has the best optical zoom I could find in its price range.
The camera is very easy to control. All the really necessary functions are within easy reach while recording. The only exception might be the still image "shutter" button but that is more because of my hand size then any problem with the camera.
The quality of the video images is excellent. The colors are crisp and the stabilization works reasonably well. Transfering the video to computer OR VCR is equally easy with either Firewire or analog ports easy to access and use.
The eye piece is comfortable to use and I find that this also helps stabilize the camera rather then using the larger LCD screen. The use of the LCD screen while filming will REALLY shorten battery life as well.
I recommend buying the larger battery in any case. Also I recommend buying the SONY battery even though it is more expensive. I have used the cheaper ones (2) and they both failed in about 6 months.
The editing software that comes with the camera is garbage. IF you are really going to make movies then spend the $$ on good editing software. If you are just shooting home videos then simply copy to a VHS directly. The software worked but it is very limiting.
The 8mm tapes are MUCH cheaper then the DV tapes and I can't see any difference in quality. If you are making alot of tapes and saving them this can add up over time. If you are just using 1 or 2 and downloading to a computer then it really doesn't mean much.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 550
Recommended for: Budget Buyers - Best Values to Fit the Budget
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Epinions.com ID:
maddogmd11
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Location: Germantown TN
Reviews written: 11
Trusted by: 0 members
About Me:
Electrical Engineer
Senior Manager of Computer IT Department
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