Camcorder Reviews

the sony trv38 is one of sony's mid-range miniDV camcorders. it's a solid camcorder but i believe you can do better in this price range.

pros:
- very good video quality - colors are reproduced accurately.
- 1 megapixel still capability.
- miniDV media is widely supported.
- great connectivity options: firewire, USB, S-video, headphone, mic input, etc.
- carl zeiss lens with 10X optical zoom.
- steady shot and night shot.
- ability to record mpeg videos directly to memory stick.
- progressive shutter system.
- supports exif 2.2.
- the 3.5" LCD screen is great.
- very clean design (controls are accessed via the touchscreen lcd).
- low motor noise.
- intelligent accessory shoe.
- allows some degree of manual control.

cons:
- no pop-up flash for taking stills and no built in video light but you can get a flash/video combo light for less than a hundred bucks.
- you could do better on the still photo department. for example, sony's trv80 and trv70 have 2 megapixel capability but those camcorders are more expensive.
- as with most sony products, you pay a premium, pushing up the price.
- navigating menus on touch-screen LCD isn't terribly intuitive.
- don't expect miracles from 1 megapixel stills.
- short battery life with included battery (you'll want a spare battery anyway).
- bottom loading cassette - can't remove tape while camcorder is on a tripod
- not as compact as i would like. dimensions are 3-5/8"H x 2-7/8"W x 6-3/8"D, and it weighs 1 lb 7 oz without tape and battery.
- the included 8MB memory stick is unacceptable. be prepared to shell out more money for at least a 32MB or bigger memory stick.

this is a solid camcorder but i would recommend three sonys (trv33 or pc105 or trv70) and the panasonic gs70 over this camcorder.

The DCR-TRV38 is in the mid-range Sony's 2003 line of consumer camcorders. It is similar to the DCR-TRV33 but has a larger LCD screen, which is a nice plus. The DCR-TRV70 and 80 have higher resolution, but at significantly higher cost. The reviews I've read state that the DCR-TRV38 hits the sweet spot in terms of video quality and price. My impressions are as follows:

PROS:
-Build quality and performance are excellent. The video is very clear and sound is pretty good. Low light resolution is much better than competing camcorders in the same price range.
-Compact size
-The SteadyShot function works exactly as delivered. The motion sensor method that Sony utilizes is superior to the digital method used in competing products (such as the Panasonic GS-70).
-The Carl Zeiss with 10x optical zoon is great.

CONS:
-The main negatives of the DCR-TRV38 really deal with the overall cost of ownership. In addition to purchasing the camcorder, I ended up buying the following:
-A larger battery (the included one is woefully underpowered)
-A protective lens filter to shield that great Carl Zeiss lens
-A charger to quick-charge the larger battery
-A firewire cable to connect the camcorder to my PC
-A camera case (Sony only includes a strap)
-A tripod, which some people might not need
As you can see, this made the camcorder really much more expensive than I initially expected. (Reminds me of buying a car.)
-Having the MiniDV tapes load through the bottom means that you can't keep the camcorder on a tripod and change tapes. Not a major inconvenience.
-As with most camcorders, the still picture function is a joke. You'll get better pictures from a disposable Kodak digital camera.
-You have to use the touch screen on the LCD to navigate through many of the camera's functions. This can get the screen dirty or can actually damage the screen if you are too forceful.

Overall, I think the camcorder is a very good product. Just plan on spending $100-200 extra to make it worthwhile. At least Sony gave a 20% discount coupon for accessories when I received the camcorder. The other camcorders I considered seemed to have one or two areas superior to the DCR-TRV38, but the overall package fell short. For instance, the Panasonic GS-70 has the highly touted 3 CCDs for better color representation, but resolution suffers due to the smaller CCD sizes. (The digital motion stabilization was another negative). The Canon camcorders in general are tidy and inexpensive but seem to suffer from poor low light capabilities. I'm happy with my purchase.

Can't see how a camcorder could be any better unless it were bigger. Easy to use (even my wife uses this one - she never used our Panasonic). We Bought this instead of the Sony DVD Camcorder because of the Good Reviews on this and the bad ones on the Sony DVD model. So glad we bought this one.

The nightshot is awesome. Definitely buy a larger battery and extra tapes.

The good:

Clear picture when viewing the digital tapes directly on a television. I like the fade in/out button. Good value.

The bad:

The manual is worthless. ilink is the same as firewire? Won't read that in the manual. Uploading video to your PC via the USB port does not work. The software the camera comes with is horrid. Had to buy a memory stick. The still pictures are horrid. Apparently, through reading other reviews, to get decent uploads of video for burning to VCD's you need firewire. Now I have to buy a cable (35 bucks) and a firewire card for my PC. Perhaps I should have just bought a camera that burns directly to DVDs. Low light shots are not the best quality.

All in all, for the money and my first Camcorder, I am getting great shots of my four month old daughter.

As with all electronic things (first computer, dvd player, mp3 player, etc.), I will be a much more informed shopper on my SECOND purchase.

I wanted to make movies and I had heard that using my mac, this was possible. I didn't want to dither over what camera to use, so I called my sister and she suggested this model. She teaches photography and video production to adults and she's used just about every camera known to man. She said that the JVC was cheaper, but wasn't as steady as the TRV350. I said, "OK", went to Amazon and put my money down. Two days later, it was resting on my doorstep when I came home from work. I have had a blast making movies of all sorts.

It's true that you have to buy a firewire cord, but it doesn't have to be a "Sony" firewire cord, just firewire! As a Mac user, the hookup to imovie is seamless. Just plug it in and away you go!!!

The camera came with a one-hour battery which was fine for awhile, but then I went on Ebay and bought a huge battery for a fine price.

Imagine my happiness when my sister gave me a memory stick for Christmas... I was in hog heaven. Now I don't have to carry my digital camera around or take "freeze frames" from my movies.

I give the TRV 350 my unconditional love and approval. If it doesn't do what you want it to, then you probably haven't read the mannual. Hey, I don't blame you, it's massive! I read it when I have a question or just get to wondering, "I wonder if I can do that?"

I've run about 25 cassettes through the camera and am still finding ways to use it in my work (I'm a speech therapist).

Well, that's my two cents worth! If you buy one, I hope you enjoy it!

I would like to start of by stating its great film quality. Also with its perfect resolution and zooming, it makes this a bullzie for sony. On top of its great control, it has simple and easy to use and fun features. I was very suprisied when my parents bought this also and learned how to use this withen two days [a new world record ;)]THese features include fade, freeze frame (great for an intro) and many others. While the playback on the camera is OK, the sound isnt very good, but then again, you werent ment to watch the movie on the camera, watching it on the TV is what your supposed to do. Which brings me to uploading, The loading it onto the computer takes a longggggggggg time using a USB cable, but using the FireWire(which i am disappointed to say does not come with the package but is supplied at a low price on Ebay) takes a matter of a few minutes. Watching it on the TV is what it all comes down to, because, thats just what you want. To watch your Steven Speilberg movie on the big screen ;). Anyways...My friends and i have a blast fooling around with the features while making suprisingly excellent movies.
Overall: 4.5 STARS Great product

My wife and I bought this camcorder before we went on our honeymoon and we found it to be perfect! The quality of the picture is amazing. When we were replaying the tapes on TV it looked like we were watching DVDs. The sound was also very, very good. It's easy to use, everything is self explanatory. I realy like the feature that allows you to film and send it via e-mail as MPEG files. If you plan to send whatever you taped over e-mail make sure you buy 128mb memory card. (this memory card will allow you to record upto 1 minute) If you only plan to take still pictures, you will do fine with the standard (8MB) memory card that comes with the camcorder. Also, I recommend buying 2nd battery since the standard one, which comes with the camera will last you for about 75 minutes using LCD display (2 hours using viewfinder). I bought my second battery in a package with the camcorder bag (surpisingly the bag does not come with the camcorder). By buying in the package you will save $[money]...Overall, I love this camcorder and I think it the best Digital8 camcorder on the market. One of the reviewer complained about the size of this camera. I just want to say that my wife has the smallest hands and she said that it was not too big. However, if you find this camcorder too big, I suggest looking into buying MiniDV (step above Digital8; also $[money] more expensive for pretty much same features). Good Luck with your purchase!

i've owned the Sony TRV-340 for a few months now and so far have no complaints whatsoever. i've taken quite a few videos with it in various circumstances and light situations and have been very pleased with it's over all performance.
the menus and controls are very user friendly and easy to handle.
it shoots with amazing brilliance and picture clarity.
it's unfortunate that others find that the built in microphone picks up some motor noise because i have not experienced any of it. infact, the sound quality was one of the first things that i found remarkable about this camera. the mic is very sensitive and yet free from any unwanted hum you normally get from a camcorder recording. and believe me, having worked as a proffessional in the advertising industry, i am not easily pleased.
perhaps my only regret is that they didn't include a built in backlight or pop-up flash with it. but, you can always buy one put it on the provided intelligent shoe. oh and the software that comes with it is useless. it's horribly primitive!! if you want to maximize use of this great camera, i suggest you buy software that will give it justice!
if you are thinking on getting the TRV-340, don't hesitate. it's a wonerful camera that's priced just right!

Thist is the best camera ive ever purchased and arguably the best Digital8 Camera ever.The TRV-340 has all the features u need. And it beats a MiniDV because it has a Super Night Shot Mode and 700 Zoom wich works great, 25 Optical Zoom too! Believe me u will not be dissapointed if u buy this camcorder!

Bought this camera thinking I would be replacing my digital still with a double-duty camera. 1 megapixel photos are sufficient for my purposes (1000-1500 photos per event ftp'd to a server), as long as lens and processor are quality. Don't think you're getting that here. I take close-up shots for auctions and the lack of a macro mode for these shots makes the images very grainy and dark. I can't comment on the video capabilities, but I'm taking this camera back to Circuit City and going back to a digital still :-( In my opinion, if the still image capability is going to be a feature on a digital video camera, the quality should at least be comparable to a digital still camera of the same megapixel rating.

The DCR-TRV33 is a spectacular option for those looking for great video and stills in a compact camcorder.

• 1.0 Megapixel (Gross) Advanced HAD™ CCD Imager
• Ultra Compact Design
• MiniDV Recording
• Professional Quality Carl Zeiss® Vario-Sonnar® Lens
• 10X Optical/120X Precision Digital Zoom
• 2.5" SwivelScreen™ Touch Panel LCD Display (123K Pixels)
• Color Viewfinder (113K)
• USB Streaming
• Digital Still Memory Mode
• MPEG Movie EX Mode
• i.LINK®* DV Interface (IEEE 1394)
• Super SteadyShot® Picture Stabilization System
• Super NightShot® and Color Slow Shutter
• Progressive Shutter System
• Playback Zoom
• Analog-to-Digital Conversion with Pass-Through
• InfoLithium® Battery with AccuPower™ Meter System
• Stamina® Power Management System

What's in the box? DCR-TRV33 Camera, AC-L15 Power Adapter/In Camera Charger, NP-FM30 InfoLithium Rechargeable Battery, 8MB Memory Stick® Media, RMT-814 Wireless Remote Commander® Remote, 2 AA Batteries, A/V Cable, Lens Cap, Shoulder Strap, USB Cable, LCD Cleaning cloth, CD-ROM with USB Driver (Pixela ImageMixer Ver. 1.5)

I've owned a number of Sony digicams (most recently the PC110) and decided to upgrade for some new features like analog pass-through (hook a VCR up to the camcorder to capture directly to your computer). I first tried the TRV70, but returned it and got this one instead. The 70 is a very different camera...considerably larger and with much better stills, but more expensive. I decided to go with the 33 because I wanted something smaller. The digital stills from most camcorders aren't going to be anywhere as good as from a halfway decent digital camera, so not a reason to pay a lot more. I got the same size LCD touch screen (a nice new feature!) and one thing I like about this model over the 70 is that the zoom is not so fast! The 70 has the same kind of zoom control, but it's very touchy and it's very hard to do a gradual zoom. The 33 allows much better control. Well, unless you have a need to do really fast zooms. I prefer to have one that does not. I find this is particularly important if you want other people to use the camera...anytime I gave someone the 110 to use, they had problems with that touchy zoom! This is an issue on a lot of Sony camcorders, I really wish they would correct it across the board.

Image quality is good and I personally don't have problems with motor noise, it's pretty typical for camcorders this size. The 10x zoom is decent, I looked at the Canons that were 20X zooms, but their image quality was not as good. The touch screen is great for features like spot focus and metering. I find it a lot easier to use than the myriad of buttons all over the camera that most models use.

Another new feature is the ability to quickly check the battery life on the camera without powering it up. I've sometimes thought it was charged when it was not and missed being able to film as a result, so this will be a lifesaver! The Sonys are great about telling you how much time is left on the battery and the tape.

Overall, an excellent camera I would highly recommend.

stetched to buy digital- and the still photo feature pushed me over the top. The salesman included "firewire" hardware from Pyro which includes Ulead editing software and, it works. The problem is that the while the camera takes great video and great photos, the Sony software included with the camera, needed to get the photo off the media stick and into a format the computer can read is defective. Doesn't work. Sony COULD or WOULD NOT HELP although they had a live rep available on a holiday, Gave me the line that it was the computer's fault- of course, the computer company said that since the camera was not purchased from them they could not provide support. HOURS, if not days on the phone and with badly written manuals. Result? No jpegs, just pretty pictures viewable through a 2.5" viewer attached to the camera. An ($) mess.

I just bought the DCRTRV720 - the 320's bigger brother. It has a bigger LCD screen, a color viewfinder and a remote. The bigger LCD screen and the remote were the motivating factors over the 320.

This is definitely the most terrific camera I have ever worked with. The picture quality is outstanding, and there is absolutely no shortage of features. Combined with the my Apple PowerMac G4 Cube and it's editing software iMovie, this camera absolutely rocks.

I bought this specifically for digital work, but liked the versatility of being able to take existing standard 8 and Hi 8 tapes and play them back into my Mac so that they can be used for editing. There is no range of cameras on the market other than the Sony DCRTRV range that will allow you to do this. MiniDV is also way more expensive.

Also cool are the digital stills that you can take with this camera. I bought a digital camera just before I bought the camcorder and I am now really sorry that I did. The camcorder does a much better job of the digital stills than the digital camera does.

I would recommend this camcorder range, and especially the 720 over anything else in the market.

I found this camcorder perfect for a 12 yr old, but I do belive the memory stick and still photos are a bit much. It has some way cool picture effects (negative, mosiac) and some great features (nightshot, 450x zoom)

It has an increddibly compact size for a camera of its capabilities. I now use it to video parties, and school productions which i make alot of money out of.

However, I do think, that like the analog range, it needs a built in light, so you dont need to pay extra for it to attach to the IAS. (Intellegent Accsoeries Shoe).

Happy Buying!

We bought this camcorder to record our children. We went with it based on reviews we'd read here on Amazon. It has lived up to our expectations. It's easy to use and takes really nice shots. The best part is being able to hook it up to our iMacDV with firewire and edit the footage.

This camcorder is an excellent product, as are all of the Sony range. Basically, it offers easily accessible and professional features in the guise of a consumer Digital 8 camcorder. The Picture and Digital functions are amazing and offer a discernable edge to home movie making. The Digital 8 format is fantastic, as it allows you to utilise existing Hi-8 tapes, and reduces the cost of tape purchases, given that the new Mini DV tapes are significantly more expensive. My only criticism of the product is that aside from not being the current model, it seems that the primary extra feature that this model offers over the lower models is that it has a larger sized LCD screen. Aside from that, this is an excellent product and quite possibly one of the best Digital camcorders on the market.

This is the first camcorder I've ever owned, and I love it! I looked at camcorders in several price ranges, but this one had all the features I could want with a price tag less than $1,000. The LCD is crisp and bright and the picture quality is nearly flawless. I've taped two family weddings with quality that is as good as professional work. Because it is a Sony, I look forward to many years of high-quality performance.

The SONY TRV310 Digital Camcorder is certainly one of the finest camcorders I've gotten my hands on, or, indeed, considered getting my hands on. The video quality is excellent, and also is conviniently compatible Analog, NTSC, S-Video and Firwire. The little things are also nice touches; effects that add to the mood of your video. The recharger is also convenient; you don't need to move the battery around a lot. I haven't taken mine out in at least a year! True, it does not have the simple automatic lenscap that has been developed, but I can live with that. The viewfinder is black-and-white, but I don't care about that as I always use the large color LCD screen which is also handy when you want to playback without hooking it up to a VCR. The only downside, I found, was the price. I'm not sure that all these great qualities, while enjoyable, were quite worth the pricetag upon it, but certainly close to it! I'd reccomend this to anyone as long as they're willing to make the small sacrifice finacially. You won't regret it. I didn't.

The B&W viewfinder is better than color for manual focus and contrast. Having both in the package is a plus and not a negative.

The Sony DCR TRV310 works _very_ well as a Windows XP camcorder. Windows XP Professional include Windows Movie Maker. This el-cheapo free-bee isn't adequate. In 2002, Microsoft released a free upgrade: Windows Movie Maker 2. Version 2 ROCKS. With a whole host of new camera effects, a zoo of fades, excellent title and credit control, and very controllable multiple audio tracks, it's possible to do quite a bit of movie editing, without paying a dime more for software. Version 2 even allows you to re-record your finished video back onto the camera!

I bought my Sony DCR TRV310 used (partly broken). Since the input/output connections don't work properly, I just plug my TRV310 into the FireWire port, and use Windows Movie Maker 2's capture mode to control the camcorder -- right on the computer screen!

I sent somebody some video I had shot, stored as a .WMV file on a CD-R. He sent me back a note thanking me for the DVD!!!

This model is aging, and its cost is going down. Since it does everything you'll want, including playing back 8-mm and Hi8 tapes directly into Windows XP in digital format, it's still an excellent buy -- and an even better value than ever!

Windows Movie Maker 2's minimum computer requirements are, CPU 1,500 Mhz (1.5 GHz), 512 K RAM, lots of disk space (20 GB+), and a FireWire port. Since Windows Movie Maker 2 uses Microsoft-specific storage formats, you may want to spend a few $$$ to purchase third-party video editing software, which will record to more formats, or give you DVD authoring capability.

Suggested equipment upgrades for the TRV310: External clip-on microphone for better forward gain & extended bass sound; 8-hr InfoLithium battery HIGHLY recommended.

I bought it whilst pregnant (about 6 months) thinking I would really have enough time in my hands to fiddle around and learn all the tricks....Not really in reality! The baby as just turned one and I am really now starting to get the hang of it! From what I have seen so far it is great! Definetely a bonus for those that live away from their loved ones, specially when you can very quickly record 15 secs flicks and slot the memory card onto your for example sony mouse/memory stick reader and access all the technology and e-mail it. I have to be honest and give it to XP professional and ADSL to make everything happening nowadays so much faster. Next move...update PDA, have done phone though (Sony Ericsson T300 - just brilliant). Keep it coming technology, big fan of it and thank you Amazon.com for supplying me all the information I NEED!

The Sony DCR-TRV30 MiniDV digital camcorder features an impressive 1.5-megapixel CCD, which allows it, in addition to impressive video quality, take still pictures at resolution up to 1360x1020.

MiniDV vs. Digital8 vs. Analog

First, the digital video is better than analog video for several reasons:

1. Since the recording is digital, the quality will not decrease over time.
2. There is no noise introduced by the media
3. The horizontal resolution is higher than in analog standards, be it VHS, Super VHS, 8mm or Hi8.
4. The copies have the same quality as original (if the copy is made using digital connection – i.Link/FireWire/IEEE 1394)

Although Sony and Hitachi produce Digital8 camcorders in addition to MiniDV models, MiniDV is an industry standard and is the most commonly used digital video format. The Digital8 format may be viewed as means to decrease the costs (the tapes costs less) and provide backward compatibility (they usually play Hi8 and 8mm recordings, with the exception of Sony TRV130).

The MiniDV tapes can be used in the LP mode for increased capacity without compromising the picture quality – since the data is stored in the digital format. But you will not be able to use audio dubbing feature.

PICTURE

With impressive 1.5-megapixel CCD, the TRV30 offers excellent picture quality, with well-defined edges and great color reproduction. The resolution and picture quality in the digital camcorders are usually limited not by the medium, but the CCD, optics and electronics. Which is the reason that people buy more expensive models than sub-$1000 to get better picture quality.

The 1.5-megapixel CCD has resolution that several times more than the resolution of cheap digital camcorder models.

SOUND

As other digital camcorders, this one employs Digital Audio Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) - similar to CD recording technology, with (can be selected from the menu) 12-bit or 16-bit modes. Since audio is stored separately you can use Audio Dubbing that allows you to add a stereo track of music or narration, but only in 12-bit SP mode.

As with other digital audio formats, the sound quality does not deteriorate over time and there is no “background” noise introduced by the media itself.

ZOOM & OPTICS

The camcorder employs 10x optical/120x digital zoom and has Carl Zeiss lens for better picture quality. The special coating reduces glare and increases contrast. The Super SteadyShot system can be employed for image stabilization, which fights unwanted picture shake from getting recorded on tape.

ADC & ANALOG-DIGITAL PASSTHROUGH

The TRV30 features an analog-digital converter (ADC), which converts analog signal from the analog input, so you can either record it on the MiniDV tape in digital format or send it through the IEEE-1394 (FireWire, i.Link) interface to your computer, compatible VCR or another device. The analog sources you might want to convert include video you want to store for a long time or edit.

LCD

In addition to color viewfinder, the camcorder features a large 3.5” LCD. The LCD has excellent visibility in sunlight. You can use the viewfinder to conserve battery power.

INPUTS

The camcorder has analog A/V inputs and outs, including S-Video. The camcorder also has an i.Link® Digital Interface (FireWire, IEEE1394), which is a two-way input/output that carries digital audio, digital video and control signals to compatible digital VCRs, edit controllers and computers.

It features an L (LANC) Editing Interface that provides standardized connection for synchronized operation of camcorder, VCR, and edit controller...The camcorder also features the Super Laser Link® Wireless Transmitter, which uses infrared light to make a wireless connection from the camcorder to your television up to 26 feet away. The transmitter is built-in, so you can buy a receiver and connect your camcorder wirelessly.

FEATURES

The camcorder features a 1.5-megapixel HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD with low noise design. It has several modes of AE, manual focus and manual exposure in addition to automatic modes. The manual focus is controlled by the ring, which also looks cool.

You can switch between manual and automatic focus using a switch, which also has a position for “infinity” focus. The exposure can also be controlled manually when needed so you can avoid overexposure (and video noise in low-light scenes). The 2x playback zoom allows you to zoom in during the playback and enlarged pictures can be copied to MemoryStick.

The camcorder has 14 picture effects (6 digital effects), several digital A/V fader modes, 16:9 and LP mode recording. The digital and picture effects can be used independently (some of them can be combined). You can also manually adjust shutter speed when needed.

The Sony’s Super NightShot™ allows you to shoot in complete darkness up to 10 feet away. The system uses a built-in infrared light; the optional IR light can extend the range to up to 100 feet. There is also a built-in speaker (you can control the volume) and camcorder comes with a remote control and an intelligent accessory shoe (which accepts accessories ranging from lights, IR lights and photo printers to microphones that “zoom” with the camcorder).

The remote control is included and gives you access to advanced VCR functions as well as zoom, playback and shooting modes.

MEMORY STICK

The camcorder can be used as a digital still camera at up to 1360x1020 resolution, the images are stored on a supplied 4Mb Memory Stick. You can use the supplied USB cable and software to transfer images to your PC, edit and store/catalog them. The MemoryStick can also store short MPEG clips.

BATTERY

The TRV30 comes with an InfoLithium® battery, which lasts about 35 minutes if you use LCD. You can conserve the energy by using the color viewfinder, or you can get a battery of the larger capacity. You can always see the approximate remaining power: AccuPower™ meter shows you the remaining battery time in minutes on the camcorder's LCD or viewfinder.

BOTTOM LINE

The TRV30 provides excellent picture quality and high still resolution. With large LCD, USB, i.Link and other useful features, this model is a great digital camcorder.

I have owned this camera for about 6 months, and did about 2 months research. This camera is the best camera out there and is worth every penny. I can not believe all the options available. I am still learning how to use them all. If you have an wild imagination, this camcorder will make all your dreams come true. Although there are alot of options, they are very easy to understand and very simple to use.
The digital pictures come out very clear, and everyone was amazed at the video playback. It is amazing.
The only drawbacks about the camera is that you have to purchase another battery. The one that comes with it does not last very long. You also need to purchase a bigger flash card for the pics. The one supplied only holds about 4 high res pics, and finally you should invest in a uv protective lense. This will keep your original lense from getting scratched. All these additional products will add about another ($) to ($) to your bill, and you still have not bought tapes yet.
But in the end, it is worth every penny...

I've been wanting to get a new camcorder for about two years now. I've put it off until recently when I saw the TRV27. It had pretty much what I wanted in a camcorder. Digital, large LCD, usb and firewire connections and i'm partial to Sony anyway.
After about two weeks of messing around with it I can certainly recommend this camera to anyone willing to spend the money for it. There are comparable cameras out there so it comes down to personal taste and affordability.

I can only give this 4 stars though because of a few things.
1. The included PixelView DV editing software sucks. I downloaded a trial version of Ulead Videowave and it had more features and was easier to use. Sony should've included better software to compliment their equipment.

2. Filming in low light is almost useless. The film comes out near total black. I would recommend a video light.

and lastly,
3. The still shots at standard settings aren't the greatest. The still shots are at 1.0 megapixels so to get the best output you need to have those settings at the highest resolution and hightest quality. That takes up space on the included 8 meg memory stick. If you are planning to use it as a digital camera for still shots, I would recommend the 128meg mem. stick.

Other than those concerns I'm completely happy with my purchase and having a good time learning video editing.

I've used the DCR-TRV27 for almost a year and a half now. Excellent image quality, light weight, great battery life, data flows through FireWire to computer very well.

Down sides: Sony's web site doesn't even acknowledge they ever made this camera; searching on its model number will not produce any results. So if you lost the manual, the best source to get it in .pdf form is Amazon! Also, the zoom is a little over-sensitive.

These are minor quibbles though. For the money, this camera is a bargain.

Excellent camcorder!

Was looking for TRV30 which went out of production and came across this one.

Pros: 1) clear and vibrant video picture (video 690K pixels and still 1 mega pixels CCD)
2) Fast focusing when using zoom in auto mode
3) simple to use knobs and buttons
4) Value for price
5) still photo fairly good with 1 megapixel rating
6) video looks great on TV (at least in Sony Wega TV) than the LCD screen (May be I have reduce the brightness of screen)

Cons:
1) 10x optical and 120x digital zoom slightly less than the competion JVC, Panasonic, Canon
2) Battery life is short with LCD usage
3) No memory stick holder/case supplied
4) No flashlight/ video light (have to buy separately)

Will recommend for anyone who wants good decent video with high resolution and money to spend.

Beware! It doenst have a remote control. Otherwise it is same as the TRV250 model. Still, it costs much more than TRV250. Better go and buy TRV250, it is amazing.
I also planned on buying TRV260, but just realized in time that 235 was certainly the better of the two, lesser price and you get remote control too! Now, thats a deal!

Someone stole my DCR-TRV240 camcorder, so I thought I'd purchase a DCR-TRV260 so that I could play my old Digital 8 tapes and continue converting my VHS tapes to digital. Big mistake! On the plus side, the TRV260 is somewhat smaller front-to-back than the TRV240. On the minus side: (1) The TRV 260 lacks the ability to make digital copies of VHS videotapes that the TRV 240 had. That is, the A/V jack is only "out," not "in/out." (2) There is no audio input jack or headphone jack, so you can't connect an external microphone or listen to the audio that you're recording. (3) There's no "Intelligent Accessory Shoe" so you can't connect an extra video light or a shotgun mike.

Since the DCRTRV250 mentioned in the February-March 2004 Amazon reviews is apparently no longer manufactured, if you're in the market for a new Digital8 camcorder, get the TRV 460 instead for $50 more. It has "Analog-to-Digital Conversion with Pass Through" (i.e., "Convert and/or record any analog NTSC video source to digital video via the analog inputs," even in real-time - which was not found on the TRV-250). In addition (and less important to me), the TRV-460 has the ability to record still pictures on a Memory Stick (instead of on the D8 tape), a remote control, and a "Touch Panel" LCD screen. The TRV460 still doesn't have #2 or #3 in the paragraph above, but at least it's closer to what I came to expect from the 240. When I receive my 460, I'm going to take all my analog and D8 videos and digitize them to a format readable by computers into the foreseeable future since VHS and D8 are both moribund. Buy the DCRTRV460 Digital8 Handycam Camcorder from Amazon.com!

i love my new sony handycam it has nite vision and it has the usb cabel hookups and the a/v hookups even though they dont make a remote for it i dont care bout that i love this camera and i use it for skateboarding ....they also showed on the news that this and another model was the top two to own.. i love to make dvds outta of it