Digital Camcorder for a fraction of the price!
Written: May 20 '02
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Pros: Still shot pics on memory stick, video is sharp and clear, USB, cheap tapes
Cons: No light, no on film date, maximum 640/80 for still photos
The Bottom Line: It's a very competitive model in a rapidly evolving market. I would recommend it, but I would also recommend looking at the newest model.
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| MadamC's Full Review: Sony Handycam DCR-TRV340 Digital-8 Camcorder |
We began searching for a new video camera when our old one (also a Sony, but not digital) was stolen during a house robbery.
For a good solid month, we searched the internet for camcorders, weighing the pros and cons.
Then, we found this model listed. It was brand new and we had to wait a few weeks before the local stores finally got them. We went to a electronics store in the city close to us and tried it out. After a long discussion, we purchased it. There is a short 90 day warranty from Sony, but we've found that most every other video camera has around the same.
I find it easier to just list the pros and cons, so here it goes:
PROS: Image stabilizer works well. Wide zoom lens (700x). You are able to view your still shot pictures on the LCD viewer right away, which means you can take another if that one didn't turn out how you wanted it. The memory stick that comes with the camera holds around 99 pictures--20 are pre-loaded (most are borders to put your pictures into). It will also allow small streaming video footage that you can transfer to the computer. You are able to delete the pictures off on the camera, or via the USB port into your computer. The USB feature is very handy, as you just plug the camera into your computer--after you've loaded the provided software onto the computer--and you can just copy and paste the picture into any file you desire. Has a nice 'back light' feature, for when you are recording something with bright sunlight behind it. Has an S-Video slot, if you have a TV or VCR capable of using S-Video. Has a DV slot also, to connect to your computer. Also has one of the best features--End Search--which allows you to view your tape, then you push the button, and it finds the very end of where you last taped so that you don't have any wasted video tape space. Picture and sound are clear and bright.
CONS: No built in lens cap--is external (our previous one had it built-in, so that when you turned it on, the lens cap opened automatically). LCD is color, which means the view finder is black & white. The light is not built-in, but you may purchase the light extra for around $40--and it slides in a slot on the top front of the camcorder. Can use an 8mm tape, but uses twice as much space, so you can only tape 1 hour versus 2 hours with a regular 8mm camcorder. It is a larger camcorder than the ones that take the small DV tapes. Also annoying is that neither on the still pictures or the video recording can you have the option to stamp it with the time and/or date (which our old one had).
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 670.00
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Epinions.com ID:
MadamC
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Location: Norman, OK
Reviews written: 83
Trusted by: 12 members
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