Sony Reviews

Great camera with large LCD screen. Takes great pictures
in bright light. Not bad in low light with slow shutter.

Problems
No shutter speed control above 1/30.
No pass through of RCA/Svid to IEEE 1394 for capture use.
No line level audio input while taping.
Focus controls right next to microphone.
Zoom control fragile.
Camera forgets last mode when shut off.
No histogram of exposure.

I feel compelled to comment on the Canon vs Sonycomparison. I've used both and find the TRV8's picture as good orbetter than the Optura and Elura. The audio for the Canon models was horrible, the Sony is good, not perfect. As far as value, the Sony gets the nod. I love the size--the light weight will make you use the camera all the time. The only drawback is that some of the controls are a little too small for my large hands.

This camera easily connects to a computer via Firewire. This is very cool. I connect to my Mac and I can control the camera functions on screen, capture clips, edit and output back to tape or as a digital file on my hard drive. Granted, the Canon cameras can do this too--the Sony makes it easier since capture and device control is approved in Premiere and Final Cut Pro---the two major editing software programs.

I would actually give this camera a 4.5/5, but since there isn't the option, I will just round up. This camera is fantastic for what it does for its size and price. I couldn't decide whether to go for the PC-1 or the PC-100 (the little rectangular cams.) or this camera, which holds true to the "standard camcorder shape"; but, after trying out the alternative designs, I found them to cramp my hand and just be awkward to use with such tiny buttons and strange button/control placement. I am glad I went with this design instead. The quality of the picture and sound on this camcorder is simply great! The colors are well balanced and contrast is handled quite well. When watching what has been recorded with an S-Video cable (another review mentioned that one wasn't included in the box - he's right, but I would recommend getting one if you're going to use this camera the way it was meant to be used - a decent S-Video cable is only about $5-$10 anyway), you can really tell there are about 500(!) lines of resolution. The picture is almost DVD quality it seems. Also, the stereo mic does a great job in picking up voice or other ambient audio. For instance, during one filming session, we had a CD playing in the backgroud and the music ended up sounding as if it were dubbed onto the tape; it was not overpowering but actually added to the "atmosphere" of the recording. Very nice in my opinion, but it my be bothersome for some users that the mic can be a bit touchy sometimes. This camera is loaded with features and I would recommend it over the TRV10 with a savings of about $200. While this camera doesn't have the memory stick option [and a few other bells and whistles], you really won't need the TRV10 if you a) have a digital camera already or b)plan on connecting your MiniDV camera to a PC/Mac. However, I wouldn't really recommend using this camera for stills. While they are okay, an actual digital still camera would be better. It should also be noted that the build quality of this unit seems very good. This camera, while fantastic, is not without its subtle flaws. One small problem I have noticed is that when recording in low light conditions, the picture tends to be a bit "grainy" on playback. The picture is still good, just not exceptional like those taken with this camcorder outdoors or in well-lighted conditions/rooms. I haven't tried the "Low Lux" mode to see if this will compensate for or reduce the grainyness, but it will probably help a bit. Another problem with this camera and the MiniDV format in general is the price of the media. It can get a bit pricey if you don't plan on transfering recordings to VHS or SVHS tapes with your VCR. Sixty minute tapes can run you anywhere between $8 and $25 depending on what brand/quality you purchase. I usually use Sony tapes that end up costing about $11.50/hour. And the last problem I have is that the use of the 3.5" LCD screen can really eat up your battery charge (almost cuts it in half, it seems). The screen is great, but just expect to charge a bit more often if you use it regularly or buy a spare battery. So, to sum up: for the money, this camera is absolutely superb. It provides a *fantastic* picture outdoors or in well-ligthed areas, and a good picture in dimly lighted rooms. This camera is also LOADED with features that will make any user happy. I highly recommend this camera to anyone in the MiniDV Camcorder market.

Pros: Picture quality, Hi8 Playback Capability, Price

Cons: Zoom Control, Image Stabilization, Bottom cassette loading, Handling Comfort, 15x Zoom

While holding out for the cost to come down on DVD camcorders and needing a new camcorder that would play my existing Hi-8s, I went with the backwardly compatable Digital8. The TRV740 appeared to be a solid choice with it's many features and great output quality. But when I first started to use it I was quickly disappointed by the following:

Zoom Control: My previous camcorder was a Canon ES5000 (Hi8). The TRV740's zoom control is awful in comparison with the Canon. It's very difficult to activate the slowest zoom speed as the sliding switch does not move smoothly. 9 times out of 10, you'll go right past the slow speed as the force needed to get the switch moving is much greater than the force to keep the zoom speed steady so an overzoom situation happens. Then you're zooming rapidly and have to slow it down which ruins the slow zoom effect.

"Super" SteadyShot: Huge disappointment here. Electronic stabilizers simply do not compare with optical stabilizers (Canon). It almost seems that when the stabilizer is turned off, Sony added shake to the image so that when the stabilizer is on, it looks better in comparison to when it was "off". Just a silly conspiracy theory to let you know bad it is.

Bottom cassette loading: Did you ever think you'd see a camcorder that had to be removed from a tripod in order to change the cassette? You've got it with this one. Unbelievable.

Handling Comfort: It's a little heavy and not something you want to use for an extended period.

15x Zoom: This is on the low side and the only reason I can imagine that they went with this low of an optical zoom is because of the poor image stabilizer. At 15x, let alone 20x, you need a tripod or it looks like you have some sort of neuro-muscular affliction.

I'll probably keep it to use as a player to backup my Hi-8 collection by playing those tapes to a DVD burner. I recommend looking for something else if you think you'd be bothered by the same things as I am with this camcorder.

This is a great camera, but I wish I had done a little more research before going ahead and purchasing this. The quality is absolutely great. It has the ability to transfer data with the iLink, and the backwards compatibility is also a plus. However, the "digital camera" aspect is pretty poor. If you want to take digital pictures, buy a digital camera. The photo resolution on the still images is horrible and the actual size of it is too small. Also, there are a ton of extra features on the camera that are worked into the price that are never used, like the superimposing is a waste. It you want to do things like that, you probably should look into some editing software.
If I could go back, I would have definatly got a MiniDV camcorder. The quaility is just as good but it's much smaller and more lightweight. After filming for awhile, your arm hurts lugging this monster around. I personally would stick with the Sony brand, only due to the great NightShot feature. If Cannon or Panasonic offered it, I would check them out. However, Sony is the only brand to go with in the ghost hunting buisness...

The Sony TRV-740 is an upgrade to our old analog Sharp 8mm camcorder. The difference in picture quality is amazing between analog and digial 8. There is no noticeable buzzing noise on the recordings as other reviewers have claimed. Originally, one of the features that sold me on this camera was the 1 megapixel digital camera feature, which records still images on a Sony Memory Stick. Don't buy this camera with that feature in mind. Quality of still pictures is just OK. If you are seriously wanting to take digital pictures, stick with a digital camera and buy a less expensive Sony Digital 8 model without this feature. First thing is that there is no flash, so you can't take still pictures indoors. Also, you should get at least a 2 megapixel still camera if you're wanting to print out pictures. I have also purchased the SONY EZ Editor package. This camcorder works great for video editing. I have been able to easily edit videos - adding music, transitions, and titles using the Sony EZ Editor and my PC. You can even transfer old analog tapes onto a digital 8 tape through the included inputs on the camcorder. Then, you can transfer the video onto the PC for editing in digital format. Digital 8 is a plus for existing analog 8mm users, since you can playback analog tapes on your digital camcorder. Buy one of the higher capacity batteries--it's definately worth it.

I actually borrowed a DCR-TRV720 from a friend to shoot my kid's school play. Then purchased a DCR-TRV330 which is smaller with a smaller LCD. The DCR-TRV720 was so much better I took the 330 back and purchased the older 720 model! The large LCD is great and I find the color viewfinder helpful.

The DCR-TRV720 has excellent video in good light. At low light levels it gets a bit noisy. The super low-light mode (NightShot) is amazing. You actually can video in NO LIGHT! It is a bit green (due to the infra-red) but compare that to getting no image at all.

When coupled with Adobe Premier and a firewire enabled computer you can produce near broadcast quality video.

The still image mode is too low resolution for anything other than quick snapshots for the web (640x480). But hey, its a digital video camera! Ideal for using with your computer to edit your video with no loss. The memory stick also allows for some special overlay effects I've yet to play with.

Overall I am very pleased. I found the image quality better than any other DV camera in it's price range. Battery life is GREAT! But you'll want to buy a second high-capacity battery...

Great camera, video recording is phenomanal and the 450x zoom is a fun feature not to mention all the cool filter options for recording and editing (solarized, B&W, etc.)... One thing though - it only records photo images resolution with 0.3 megapixels (640 x 480) that's a snapshot and can not really be manipulated on a computer(enlarged) with out revieling excessive pixelation. I reccommend 2.0 megapixel (1600 x 1200) at a minimum, it offers much more room for enlargement and manipulation of the photograph.

I am working with one of these 720's every day since 2.5 years and I think based on my experience that the 720 is one of the most beautiful and versatile camcorders ever built by Sony

Spend a lot, get a lot more. Although it was a tough choice to spend the money when I purchased my TRV70, I have no regrets. My camera is DA BEST!. After I figured out the Still Picture recording is best taken when not recording video simultaneously, I never looked back. There are so many features to mention but I don't use. The key things to consider:
- Bigger lens, means better image
- Good size CCD is a treasure; otherwise 3 CCD is next option
- Manual focus override; in photography, this is VERY important
- Backlight control; it's a great override in low light conditions like opening up your camera aperature
- Manual disable of on-board flash; continue taking pictures when flash is not allowed
- Touch screen LCD is sweet, don't listen to button fanatics
- Steady Shot works.... when camera is light, more chances of jarring movements, so here its really important.
- Memory stick convenience ... buy larger capacity, more over time.
- Battery Status; Info-lithium means no guessing game. By several small batteries, charge them, and carry them a-l-a Rambo.
- Don't install Imagemixer software. Instead, use Sony's Screenblast Movie Studio 3.0. You'll be happier.
- Don't skimp on footage. Take lots of footage. It's easier to edit, than to say... I don't have enough!

It's unfortunate, Sony is discontinuing the product in 2004. It's a great product! I'm ready to buy a second one so I can get the same footage from another vantage point. Silly, two people using different cameras. :-)

this is a power packed camcorder!
pros:
- other than the sony trv80, this is the only sony miniDV camcorder that has a 2 megapixel still camera built in.
- miniDV media is widely supported.
- great connectivity options: firewire, USB, S-video, headphone, bluetooth, mic input, etc.
- has a built in pop-up flash for taking stills.
- carl zeiss lens.
- steady shot and night shot.
- ability to record mpeg videos directly to memory stick.
- progressive shutter system.

cons:
- this camcorder is bigger than i would like. you can get smaller camcorders like the trv33 or the pc105. granted, those have less features, mainly still camera capability (2.0 megapixel vs 1.0 megapixel).
- bright 2.5" LCD screen: but i definitely prefer the 3.5" in the trv80.
- as with most sony products, you pay a premium, pushing up the price.
- the included 8MB memory stick (for a 2 megapixel still camera!) is unacceptable. you'll need at least a 64MB memory stick with if you want to take full advantage of the higher resolution pics you'll be taking.
- although bundling the camcorder and still camera together means you only have to carry one piece of equipment, it also means that if one breaks, you have to replace both.
- as an alternate to this bundling strategy, you can get a trv33 or pc105 and get a 3 megapixel still camera for about the same price.
- no built in video light but you can get one less than a hundred bucks.

all in all, a very nice camcorder. nice work sony.

This is my fourth camcorder, and first digital camcorder. I bought it to record my child's soccer games to make a DVD to send to college coaches. It recorded steady sharp video in all lighting conditions, including heavy overcast, light fog, and night games under stadium lights. I also bought the remote controll tripod, which makes it much easier to start/stop recording and adjust the zoom (the remote control zoom buttons have the correct sensitivity, as opposed to the camera zoom control as noted in a review below). The only problem I had that caused the loss of a few minutes of video was that the camcorder started displaying "Cleaning Tape". I packed the tape (fast forward to the end and rewound) and recorded over the bad section. I now pack the tape again whenever I insert a new one in the camcorder

While Sony equipment allows great interoperability between Sony laptops, cameras, and other Sony gear, it is by no means at all difficult to connect to other equipment...The reviewer below indicates that Firewire is a Sony only protocol. Hogwash! IEEE 1394 is a multiplatform I/O option that allows you to connect to any firewire card available. This allow high speed transfer of digital video to any computer platform that supports it (ubiquitous today; PC, MAC, LINUX).

Don't listen to the negative comments about interconnectivity. Sony gear also easily connects to USB devices. I can only conclude that the reviewer below had equipment that did not conform 100% to the standards for both USB 1.0 and IEEE 1394.

This is good equipment, and worthy of your dollar.

The first review of this item below, in addition to the mistake about the firewire standard, mentions a Flash Card. This camera uses neither a flash card or memory stick. Perhaps that review was for a different camera.

That said, this is a great little camera, works flawlessly with Final Cut Pro for video editing. Takes great video for the size. The camera is of couse no longer available as it was replaced by the TRV11. But if you come across one for the right price, go for it -- it's still very much up to date.

This is a very practical camcorder. Proves that Sony is the leading japanese mfr with an eye for innovation. Very intuitive controls, and the camcorder _almost_ worked without even having to read the manuals. The flash card, the hotwire - or whatever its called - are all extremely good - I could view my tapes on a VCR in a coiuple of minutes.
Only things I found somewhat weak - the camcorder was not that good in semi-dark indoor areas. And the plastic "covers" for the poer cord and hotwire - were not the easiest to snap on and off. These are minimal hindrances though - believe me, this camcorder takes excellent still pictures and videos and it is smaller than my (NEW cannon rebel camera) ..
The battery life seems to drop off with age. But since I use this at home (a lot) this is not usually a problem

A big issue to watch out for, is how Sony compatible your lifestyle is. I mean, is your laptop a Vaio. Is your PDA a clie. Is your camera a Sony. Because Sony makes it lovely and easy to integrate with other Sony equipment, but a miserable experience integrating with industry standard protocols like USB. My camcorder does not have a USB bus. Firewire is a sony specific protocol that is useless if you dont have a Sony laptop. So - watch out. ALso, I feel that compact flash (used by other equipment makers - Sony uses the memory stick) is faster but too proprietary for my liking.

I'm very happy with the image quality presented by this camera. The built-in mic, however, is quite sad. It picks up the buzzing of the camera when recording. This is especially annoying during quiet moments, but it can still be heard even when there are other environmental sounds.

Will a external mic fix this problem? Guess I'll have to shell out around 80.00 Sony dollars to find out.

As noted by others here in the reviews, the digital still picture component of the camcorder is useless (but taking digital still pics is not the reason to buy this camera - - moving into the digital video recording/editing realm is).

Also, it is true that the picture quality degrades quickly under minimal lighting conditions (more so than my previous analog Cannon Hi8).

A decent camera, overall. I hope to be more on the positive side once I start editing video with it.

Excellent, digital and optical zoom. Special efects wonderfull. I would be great better resolution for taking pictures.

Sony's Digital8 cameras have been consitently good for a number of years. This new line (the 30 series) seems to be a step down from their usual high quality.

I bought the TRV530, and for the most part, I am pleased.

First off- the good features: this camera has a very nice, high-rez 3.5" LCD screen, a more sensitive focus ring than previous cameras, and all of the built-in connections are streamlined along the camera's base, freeing up room around the headphone and mic connections near the base of the lens.

Now, the bad. Most of these comments are more aesthetics than anything, so it'll just take a little getting used to.

Sony's new line now uses the InfoLithium M-series batteries, which are about half the size and twice the price of the L-series batteries used on all previous D8 cams. All of the digital, picture, and auto-exposure options are deep within Sony's on-screen menu instead of having easy-access buttons.

This camera is very compact in size and shape, which is very nice and sleek. However, one compromise of the camera's size is that now, the tape loads from the bottom. At first this is kinda cool, but then you realize that if you're using a tripod and need to change tapes, you must pop the camera off the tripod, remove the mounting plate, eject the old tape, pop in a new one, and remount the camera on the tripod, which, in my opinion, is extremely stupid on Sony's part.

Another thing that really annoys me is the Black and White viewfinder. Whereas all of the cameras in the 20 and 10 series had color viewfinders, all of Sony's new cameras have Black & white viewfinders, which makes it impossible to pick out anything colorful when it's too bright to use the LCD screen.

Also- whereas Sony's TRV720 had a huge 4" LCD screen, the largest LCD screen you can get now is the 530's 3.5" screen. (The TRV730, the so-called "replacement" to the 720, only has a 2.5" screen.)

But again, all of the above comments are aesthetics only, and I'm sure that eventually I can get used to these changes. However, one new feature that bothers me a bit is the grain. Sure, all cameras will become grainy in low-light situations because you have to gain up the iris in order to see. But I've been noticing a subtle but distinct graininess even in full sunlight. The cameras in the 20 series had a slight grain to them all the time, but in this camera the grain seems a bit more defined.

All-in-all, it's a good camera with many nice features (like the 1/30th sec shutter speed- great for a more film-like look.) But the problems with grain and the overall stupidity of a Black and White viewfinder knock down my rating for this.

The TRV-20 series was a work of art. The new TRV-30 series seems more like a step in the wrong direction.

Sony, why mess with a good thing?

I bought a TRV-525 in May '01 for a trip to Italy and I have had nothing but good success with this camera. The video output is of an excellent quality, in all sorts of light levels and situations. The built in picture stabiliazion works very well, even when taking video in a moving boat or just walking around. When coupled with a longer life battery, (I bought an 8-hour infoLithium) I was really able to burn through some tapes. Also, I have found a few uses for the 0Lux nightshot that I didn't anticipate ever using.

The still imaging function is okay, although I wish that this model had 1024x768 resolution instead of it's 680x480. The high side is the screen capture function during playback. The only really odd thing about the still picture function is that ou have to switch from video mode to still mode to save pictures to the memory stick--The photo button in video mode only freezes the frame for a few seconds.

The other thing that I found out (later) was that the 16:9 aspect ratio only works if you TV can handle it...otherwise the image gets compressed horizontally (the camera will not output letterbox).

However, all in all, this has been a great video camera.

My wife and I spent over an hour studying various digital camcorders at a local retail outlet and were very reluctant about moving into the realm of digital video, especially since neither one of us had even owned a VHS camcorder and both knew very little about modern digital technology. Needless to say that in the few days since our purchase of this model, I am utterly amazed at the wonderful capabilites this camcorder has. Most functions we may never use, but every day I seem to discover something novel with the machine. Plus, I feel it's very intuitive to use. I went from digitally ignorant to a competent video editor in a matter of days! This mid-range Sony camcorder is extremely versatile, capable also of capturing still images (1.3 megapixel). The large viewfinder is a definite plus and is worth the added cost. I highly recommend this product.

Great product all the way-I bought one of these at the same time Sony announced the new line, and I noticed that none of the new ones have a color viewfinder available. (At least at this price level!) If you want both a Sony, as well as a color viewfinder, this is the way to go. Grab it while you can-wonderful quality all the way, and quite a value as well!

It is not perfect,but I have used it at least once a week for two and a half years now. The zoom is out of this world! I have taken photos as close as two feet and really far away and have gotten super clear shots. I have taken still, moving and portraits. I like it. My friends like it too. It has a lot of flexability for taking pictures. For example; I run the camera and then when I plug it into my firewall I am able to take out still shots,the ones I want.I can also put my film on a video cassette.Personally, I would have rathered gotten a full version of the MGI software for the price I had to pay for the camera though. But I do like the software. I also shoot a lot in the dark. I'm using the night shot & super night shot right now.Super night shot works well although if there is a lot of movement, the pics are distorted. I plan to buy a light soon. Bottom line, I don't regret my purchase.Mechanically, I have had absolutely no problems. I have an 8 hour battery and I use the lcd screen to film. It is sufficeint.

I've had my TRV520 for a little over a year now and I'm very pleased with it. The quality of the video when transferred to VHS is very high. The camera is implicitly easy to use and handle. But to be honest there were one or two things that I found disappointing: The quality of the stills taken are not that great. Unless the light on the subject is very good I find that the images are quite grainy. Do not buy this camera for excellent digital photos. You won't get um. The images are just okay. I'm in the market for a digital camera now. Another thing I find annoying is that the camera shuts off if there no activity for 3 mins. This is a 'battery saving mechanism' but I have not found a way to disable it if the the camera is plug into the AC outlet. Other than that, I think it's a very good buy and I won't be changing it anytime soon.

I've owned camcorders before but never digital. Before I made my choice, I did a lot of research on the net. The Sony products always seemed to show up on the recommended lists. I have a friend who owns the DCR-TRV320 and decided to check it out. I was very impressed with the camera. The features of the 320 and the 520 are basically the same. I like the bigger LCD screen on the 520 though and went for that instead. I Nightshot feature is GREAT on these cameras. You can shoot virtually anything up to 10 feet away in TOTAL darkness. I recommend this camera to anyone looking for a high quality, fully featured digital camera. But note that you can always save some bucksn if you opt for the DCR-TRV320. One extra note though. Get yourself a longer lasting battery with your new camera. Or at least a spare one. Anyone who's owned a camcorder will tell you the same!

The best thing about this Camcorder is that it has a 4 inchesscreen! It's big enough that you can show your video to other peoplewithout connect the camcorder to the TV. It's really nice! I have seen other people's camcorders with a tiny 2 inches screen, and that's no good for your enjoyment at all.-------------The night vision is amazing too! After you turned the night vision on, you can take pictures in total darkest. And the picture is really good.------------ The picture quality is great too. Very clear! But it didn't come out too good after I converted the 8mm tape into VCR tape.------------Reviews on Amazon said that Digital Camcorders's audio has CD quality, but I really didn't notice anything. I mean you really don't care too much about the audio if you are just video taping a family vacation or something.----------Something bad about the Camcorder.----------Because of the big screen and it's not Mini-DV, so it's a bit heavy. You will probably get very tired after holding the Camcorder for more than a hour. So if you are a weak person, try a Mini-DV camcorder with a smaller screen so that you won't have any arm problems.------------Another thing was that I thought I was going to be able to connect my camcorder to my Dell computer, but it didn't work at all. Be sure that you have an interface card if you want to use it with a computer. But I really don't see any point to edit your films on the computer, I am too busy for that, and I am not trying to make a public film, my film doesn't need to be perfectly edited. And also, I also thought that when I zoom in the camcorder, it could reach 35mm or something, but that didn't happen. Beware! Camcorders do not have a wide-angle view! you won't be able to tape the whole view, only partly. I think the minimal range of this camcorder is only 50mm. Just be careful. Don't be disappointed. END

I'm very pleased with the 510. I bought the 12 hour mother-of-all-batteries and took the camera to Papua New Guinea where I took the equivalent of about 3000 still photographs on 3 digital hi-8 cassettes. I also took a lot of straight video footage from which I was able to extract static images of rather good quality, depending on the amount of motion artifact. My one complaint is that in low light the image tends to get a bit grainy...I haven't figured out how to solve this problem. Let me know if you do.

I've had the Sony DCR-TRV-510 for about three months now. It's been a lot of fun to use and learn. Straight out of the box, charge up the battery, slip in a tape and you're ready to record. With a little practice and skimming of the manual, you can create some perfectly acceptable and fun still (digital) pictures. On the video front, the camera is exceptionally easy to learn and use. It takes standard 8mm video tapes - cheaper and more readily available than mini-DV tapes. Zoom lens is excellent although once you pass the optical zoom range and go into the digital zoom, you will likely notice the "pixilation" (you can turn the digital zoom off.) Tapes can be viewed on the flip out screen - excellent image. One feature I especially like is the one that lets you find the end of the last video recording -- no matter where you stop on a tape, hit this button and it takes you to where you stopped recording. Low light capability is outstanding even without using the Night Light feature. Still pictures are fun. Easy to do once you've mastered the technique. The picture is only 640 x 480 so it is really only suitable for web stuff or 2 x 3 or 4 x 3 snap shots. Images may be downloaded to your computer using the enclosed serial link or a FireWire interface if you have one. Serial link may be slow but it works just fine for me. I took a couple hundred stills (and 2 hours of video) while on a 10 day cruise and they were fine. Camera can only hold about 20 still pixs internally (in the fine mode) so I would copy them from the internal memory to a separate video tape I decided to use for still pictures only. Once on your computer, you can play with them to your heart's content. Consider buying a second bigger battery. I bought the 8 hour battery - a little extra weight but lots of extra time. I also bought the IR link for the TV. Saves having to hook up wires to the back of the TV/-510 every time you want to view a tape. It works flawlessly. And get a good camera bag.

This is a very nice camcorder with the best video imaging available in a single-chip camcorder. Video pictures are crystal clear, digital images are the best of any consumer level camcorder anywhere, and the manual switches on the camcorder put you in control of important functions. i must say this is better than any other camcorder. buying this camcorder is not overkilling. if you want good quality go for this. but if you think this is expensive then you have choice. you can go for trv27. but remember you cann't compare TRV50 with TRV27 becoz the features are different. TRV50 is latest....for this century.

Sony's MiniDV DCR-TRV50 is their upgrade to the popular DCR-TRV30. The camcorder is a standard form factor, with many neat features and good still quality. The DCR-TRV50 carries a street price around [$$$].

The Sony DCR-TRV50 has a 1/4 in. 1.5 Mega Pixel HAD CCD. The effective video pixels used is 970K while the still is 1,390K, but more about the still performance later. The DCR-TRV50 has a 10x optical, 120x digital zoom while the horizontal resolution is rated at 530 lines, the top for the MiniDV format.

An upgrade of the DCR-TRV50 over the DCR-TRV30 is the addition of a touch panel LCD screen. The LCD is 3.5 in. and 246K pixels. The camcorder also has a color viewfinder. When you first hear of the touch screen feature you?re likely to think it?s frivolous, but it?s actually quite useful. Using the touch screen LCD you can adjust the focus and the exposure. If you have an area that is under or over exposed or an area that you want to put in focus all you have to do is touch on it an the camcorder adjusts automatically. This is a great intermediate between automatic and manual control. It gives the inexperienced user a way of tackling the camcorder controls which can be very daunting. Sharp was the first company to add a touch screen LCD but I think Sony has really taken this option and flown with it. It?s a really great feature, especially for those less experienced camcorder users.

if you are planning to buy a good handycam go for trv50. if you are planning to buy trv950 or sony vx2000 please have a look this camera too. i bought this camera last month....it is really nice. picture quality is excellent. still mode is wondeful and touch screen is very useful. the only gimik is bluetooth technology, but other features are just fantastic...you cann compare trv50 with trv950 only.the difference is only 1ccd and 3 ccd. but otherwise you will not feel much difference. i recomend this handycam to semi professionls too.