Digital8 Reviews

I bought this Camera 2 weeks ago from Sears for $200. What a purchase, previously I had a Samsung SCD27, that camera was great but I didnt like its low light recording so I got the TRV250.

The Camera is great, however the motor is noisey but it doesnt show up on the video which is of a high quality. Particularly in the low light/dark the Sony really shines, whereas the Samsung had a slight (annoying) grain to its shots, the Sony does not.

I use Windows Movie Maker to Capture the Video (AVI format) then use the free program Tmpgenc from Tmpgenc.net to convert the AVI file to Mpeg1 VCD format. Great Results.

I was also missing a lens cap on my camcorder, so I phoned Sony and they sent me a free replacement because I was within the 90 day warranty period. Great service. However the 90 day warranty period could be longer, the Samsung gave you 180 days so long as you registered your product!

This camera is great. It does the job and fits into my budget. I was debating between this and the Canon ZR65 but found that this Sony has better quality. I checked at Best Buy to see the image quality and it helped a lot. The only benefit I saw in getting the canon was to take still pictures and it has a slot for memory card. But the still pictures are poor quality and meant for a digi-cam which I recently purchased too. =) This Sony trv250 camcorder gave me everything I wanted: best picture quality for lowest price, digital and capability to transfer to pc. When you watch the videos, the picture looks perfect. But once you record it onto vhs, you lose picture quality but that's due to the VHS technology. One of the main reasons I got this is to transfer the videos to my pc. The software it came with sucks. It saves it as .mpg which is great, but I couldn't even save a 20 mins video. It crashed several times. So I ended up using windows movie maker and it made my video fine but as an .avi format. I need to find a program that converts the .avi to .mpg so I can burn into vcd. One big flaw though is when you transfer the video using usb (it's 1.0, not 2.0), it becomes choppy, unbelievably choppy. I was scared I couldn't transfer videos anymore as it can get very annoying watching my home videos choppy. So I went out and got a firewire card and tried again and it worked smoothly. I was getting nervous about my purchase but it worked out. The night version is awesome. In a pitch dark room, I can see everything, in green. Its infrared vision makes me feel like a G.I. Joe. I took this camcorder out to the dessert and videotaped my trip and it came out well. My friends thought the quality was pretty good too. The accessories that I bought were a stand, NPFM70 battery that lasts 4+ hrs, camera protective lens for the dusty times (avoid scratches on the actual lens), digital8 tapes (it should've at least came with one, cheap-a*s Sony), and a camcorder backpack to keep everything. All in all, for the price of the camera, I think it was a great purchase.

I basically have been torturing my kitty learning this. But it's easy to use. I have sworn I cannot get good pictures of kitty because she does not slow down. Now I came have a kitty cam!! hehehe. Seriously, the pictures were sharp. I had now trouble loading there. It's small, compact and basically great fun for a cheap price. Hard to believe Sony that reasonable.

I only give it four stars because it I am still learning, so don't know enough about to give it really high rating as compared to others.

From first impressions....this is a great camera.It is rich in features and well priced for the consumer market, particularly for those folks with a lot of old 8mm tapes that you haven't yet converted to VHS or digital.

PROS:
- Digital 8 with backwards compatibility (reads all analog 8 tapes) and can still record in digital.
- Electronic Image stabilization (Called Super-Steady Shot)
- Excellent 25x optical and 700x digital zoom (very nice).
- Camera controls and data connectors are laid out quite nicely.
- Solid audio capability (records nice 16-bit stereo sound).
- Intelligent hot shoe: for adding accessories like a brighter light or bigger microphone (few other cameras in this price range have this expandability).
- Nice remote control and video playback features.
- Both an auto and manual focus capability
- Comes with an "infoLITHIUM" battery, good for about 60 minutes and which indicates the precise time left on the battery.
- Both USB and 1394 (fire wire) data transfer.
- Video/Audio in jacks: very nice for converting non-digital formats to digital (i.e. VHS).
- Streaming web-cam capability

*Note: Up to this point, this is a 5 star product...but read on, for my biggest complaints with this camera.

CONS:
- Tapes feed from the bottom, which is not a big deal UNLESS you use a tripod. When using a tripod, to change a tape you must remove it from the tripod AND unscrew the tripod mount to get the tape bay open. A call to Sony and every camera/tripod place in town resulted in the same answer...you are out of luck, there is no adaptor made that will address this problem :(MAJOR bummer to me).
- The camera records poorly in lowlight. Even though it is considered 0 flux (able to record in color one foot away), it desperately needs light or the quality takes a dramatic dive. The advertised super night shot turns everything green; which is good if you are a sniper, bad if you are a video enthusiast.

*Note: You can add a bright light accessory using the aforementioned hot shoe, to help address the lighting issue.

- The battery ratings from Sony are very misleading. For example: you can buy the "ultra battery" (NP-FM91) which is rated at 10 hours-which seems quite impressive... The problem is most folks will never use the battery the way they achieved those 10 hours.

Here's the "real" breakdown of estimated battery time with actual use:
* 10 hours - in standby mode (no LCD and no Super-Steady Shot)
* 6 hours - recording/ playback (no LCD and no Super-Steady Shot)
*3-4 hours - recording/playback (with LCD & Super-Steady Shot on)

So what LOOKS like a clear Sony advantage re: battery life is really not, when you consider other brands can also achieve 3-4 hours of battery life with their "ultra battery" and the same manner of usage.

Summary: In my estimation, this camera could be a good or bad buy depending on what your needs are.

* This camera might be a good buy IF you use 8mm, record in adequate light, need a strong zoom function and don't use a tripod for more than 1-2 hours at a time or would like to convert older video formats to digital.

* It is not such a good buy IF you don't need 8mm backwards capability, use a tripod for an extended period of time (2+ hours), need a memory stick function, are choosing Sony based upon it's "clear advantage" in battery life or consistently do recording in lowlight

For me however, the tripod fiasco and the poor lowlight recording was enough of an issue for me to knock it down a bit and return it to the place of purchase.

*Note: in all fairness to Sony, every bottom feed camera available will have a similar tripod/tape issue, and many low-end digital camcorders perform poorly in lowlight.

This is an extremely versatile bit of technology, with a lot of very clever features. It's backward compatible with Hi-8, and has a useful digital pass-through capability that makes it invaluable in editing other video sources.

I simply don't understand the complaints regarding battery life, tape loading, or low light performance. At this price point, and considering the competition, Sony is way ahead of the game.

Two suggestion for all users:

1) Spring [$$$] for a UV or skylight filter to spare the lens.

2) Spend [$$$] for a Firewire card to take advantage of the i-Link port. You can edit video like a pro, record it back onto Digital 8, or even push it back out to any VCR.

If you want to be a professional, get a professional camera, for about [$$$]. If you want to have fun, get this camera and spend the rest on a vacation to try it out!

I bought this camcorder about a year ago & have been very pleased with it. It's a good size, easy to use, & has lots of cool components, especially for the price. I wouldn't buy anything other than a Sony!

After owning a Sony 8mm camcorder for 10 years without any problem, I thought I would get this model. BIG mistake.

These other reviewers are right. The indoor quality is terrible. Much too grainy. Do yourself a favor and look around a little more. Don't buy this.

This is not a bad camera but I am having trouble with it not wanting to record or playback tapes. I have tried different tapes thinking maybe it was the tape but no matter what I do, it won't work. Took it to the place I got it, they had to send it away, which took forever, and all they done was use a headcleaner on it. They said they could not find out any problem with it. I brought it home and it started doing the same thing again and I bought a Maxell head cleaner and used it several times on it and it worked okay for awhile. Now it is back to doing the same thing again on not recording or playing back a tape. Do not know what the problem is. It just could be that I got a "lemon." I have contacted Sony but have never heard anything back.

Several of the previous reviewers complained about the poor picture quality especially indoors. I thought the same until I
turned off the elctronic stabilization. Aside from the tape ejecting on the bottom I find this camcorder to be a good value.

We had been very happy with this camcorder - until we pulled it out to take Christmas pictures of our 15-month old son and the camcorder wouldn't record. It wouldn't eject the tape, and after repeated calls to customer service, we've been told that they'll pay for parts, but the labor to fix it is just over $200. Unfortunately even though we've only used the camcorder for under 15 hours, we're outside the 90 days for labor warranty (who'd have thought the camcorder would be unusable after under 15 hours of use?).

Still waiting on a callback from customer service, but having gone up 4 levels already, it's not looking like they'll fix the product.

Think our model will be headed for the trash - and we'll be looking at anything BUT Sony for future purchases. I would definitely steer clear of a Sony after this experience.

WELCOME TO THE WORLD OF DIGITAL8 a 520 line video & hi-fi stereo!!

The DCR-TRV140 Digital8 Video camera recorder (Digital Only). This camcorder is awesome. This is Sony's introductory level Digital8 model. The DCR-TRV-140 is a low price, high value, versatile and sophisticated video cam. This is all you will ever need.

Bottomline - This is what you get; uses Hi8 or Digital8 video tape (the simple difference is a 120 minute Hi8 tape converts to a 60 minute Digital8), 20x Optical Zoom (Most important zoom which maintains hi-res feature), 560x digital zoom ( loses hi-res feature when magnified - I recommend staying with OPTICAL ZOOM ONLY!), 2.5 hi-res color LCD screen (opens 90 degrees & can be rotated 180 degrees with an auto mirror image), built-in light with 5 foot range, remote control & sensor, Steady shot (stabilizer), USB streaming, DVIn/Out - Sony iLink (BEST FEATURE - A 4 pin 2 way FireWire(IEEE-1394) for direct digital video & stereo transfer with no signal loss), digital effects, frame recording, hi-fi sound, interval (lapse) recording, SUPER NightShot ( shooting in a dark room without light), backlit feature ( allows to subdue rear light to increase foreground subjects lighting) and much, much more.

This camcorder comes with a 3 hour battery (its real life is about 75 minutes using the LCD screen. The actual battery time remaining is displayed on the LCD screen. The stabilizer eliminates the camera jitter and the hi-res digital pictures are awesome. The supplied video cables allow you to hook up to a tv or vcr. The video transfer via USB (with supplied PC software) or the awesome Sony iLink (FireWire)allows a 2 way direct digital link to a DVD recorder (ie Philips DVDR-985, DVD+RW (rewriteable) or DVD+R (one time) SEE MY DVDR-985 REVIEW).

In Summary - this is an OUTSTANDING DIGITAL8 Video Camcorder. Again this a DIGITAL ONLY unit. The DVR-TRV140 is a great economical way to move into the hi-res (520 line) digital world. Transferring to PC or DVD burner is so simple and digital pictures & hfi stereo sound is the only way to go. Enjoy.

The DCR-TRV140 is Sony's lowest level digital camcorder, but it is not low-level at all. It records picture at a stunning 520 lines of resolution and sound in PCM digital stereo. You can truly see the difference in picture quality between Digital and Hi8 or VHS-C. The Digital8 system records digital pictures on inexpensive Hi8 tapes. It's got an incredibly large 20x optical zoom. Optical zoom is the most importaint type of zoom because there is no loss of picture quality. It also has a 560x digital zoom which is less importaint because, the farther you zoom, the worse the picture quality gets. One of the most amazing features of this camcorder is the Infared Super NightShot. What it does is project an infared light, invisible to the human eye, allowing you to see in no light at all. It comes with various special effects and fade options. The FM30 InfoLithium battery allows use for 3 hours (1 hour w/LCD). It includes an i.Link DV Interface (IEEE1394) for editing video on your computer. It also allows you to have streaming video via USB. This camcorder is a good, moderately priced introduction to digital video with features surpassing those of other brands.

I purchased this camera over a week ago and have time to thoroughly test this camera. I have tested every feature and am ready to review. I took this camcorder on a ride to Daytona Beach for Biketoberfest and didn't miss a single item that I wanted to film thanks to this camera and the accessories I purchased. If I could give this camera 4.5 stars I would.

Video Quality: 4.5 Stars
The video quality is great -- good light or bad. There is a slight delay in the auto-focus if lighting fluctuates or if there are items close and distant from the camera. This is especially noticeable immediately after you turn the camera on. Once the camera has done its initial focus it is pretty quick. Of course, you are welcome to try to use manual focusing but it too would take you that long to switch to manual focus and then adjust the display.

Night Shot: 4.0 Stars
Night shot is better than most cameras. However, it appears as if you are shining a green flashlight into the dark. The "Super Night Shot" feature is worthless to me. The sample rate is slow and the video unfocused 75% of the time. This feature could have been exchanged for something else useful. I will say that the regular night shot is crisp and clear as opposed to snowy / grainy like other digital camcorders.

Zoom: 4.0 Stars
The zoom is steady and crisp.

Sound Pickup / Microphone: 4.0 Stars
The microphone picks up the zoom button if you "flick" it on and off rather than "ease" it. Play with it for a while and practice before you start taking video that has important audio with it. The microphone is otherwise good. It picks up all the sound you want and keeps the unwanted background sound to a minimum. If you think it needs improvement you can purchase the external microphone kit or use your own mic plugged into the external mic port.

In-Camera Video Editing: 3.5 Stars
The in-camera video editing options are nice to have if you blew all your money on the camera and don't have the $$ to spend on the firewire card to do your editing on the computer.

Included Software: 3.0 Stars
The software does the work easily but lacks some features. I recommend trying a few other shareware versions of other products before you settle into the provided software.

Recommended Updates:
Sony Handycam Camcorder Value Kit ($80) -
Includes Sony Carrying Case and an Extra Battery
The case will keep your investment protected. The extra battery allows you to keep filming while your other battery charges.

Ambico Lithium-Ion Battery Charger ($49) -
This kit allows you to plug the battery in the car charger or at home in a standard outlet. If you are going to be filming for an extended period of time, consider purchasing at least one extra battery and the charger. The Sony Kit provides the extra battery.

Sony DV Editing Kit ($89) -
This kit is called EZ Editor. The kit gives you an internal PCI two-port firewire card, a firewire cable, and Pinnacle Studio 7 SE. The software is very easy to use, and very effective. You can upgrade the software to a more professional feel for about $49 online. The installation of the card is easy, the software is simple and has a multitude of features and is 100% compatible with the camera.

Summary:
This camera is great all around. It has every port for input and output that you would want (under current standards). The instructions are GREAT. Thank goodness they finally developed a manual written in English -- and English only! Now you don't have to flip around trying to find the portions that you understand.

I know I have pushed a few accessories here. I'm not a salesman or a Sony representative. My feeling, however, is that accessorizing makes the camera. This camera is nice by itself but is much more convenient once you add the things that make your life easier.

Each person may need different accessories (which is why they aren't included in the camera package) so use the information provided here to help you decide if you need these accessories or not.

I would recommend that you take the time to step through the owners manual and test each feature that they walk you through. It will prevent you from introducing yourself to the feature at a time when you'd rather be filming. If you purchase the carrying case, the manual fits snug into the front pocket. Keep it there and reference it.

Lastly, I recommend buying a warranty with your camera. Cleanings are recommended every 6 months, this is still a new technology and the warranty doesn't cost that much. I purchased my camera at Best Buy with the warranty. I can bring my camera into Best Buy for a free cleaning as often as I like. I have unlimited repair or replacement of my product should it need replaced. I don't usually buy these warranties, but when you spend this much on a camera, consider this insurance!

What makes this camcorder nice is the fact that it is very easy to use. You can keep this as simple as you like, or you can spend some time and learn the more advanced features -- but they are optional and learning them will not get in your way of making great home movies.

With no knowledge of camcorders and a basic understanding of how to connect the power to the cam so that you can charge the battery, you can start making movies.

Video quality is superb and the sound recording works very good. When compared to my old analog tapes the quality of a digital recording is amazing.

Once you master the basics (which is all you ever actually need to know) you can advance at your own pace and learn how to fade in and out and add great titles. Sony provides a number of easy to use titles that overlay on your recordings, or you can make your own.

The instruction booklet is thick with detailed explanations of what, why and when - but the first few pages use pictures and simplicity to explain how to use this unit right out of the box.

One great new feature: Sony has made it easy with scroll wheel that also depresses and allows you to navigate many menus with only your thumb.

I connected my TRV730 directly to my new desktop using the Firewire cable (included with your camcorder!) and loaded the software (Studio DV) that came with my computer (HP Digital Video Desktop System) and within minutes I was controlling my camera from the computer. There is also a USB port if you do not have Firewire capabilites.

I was able to upload several hours of old movies up and into the computer with no problems at all. This unit is backwards compatible (the TRV130 and TRV830 are NOT!) so you can view all of your old analog based recordings.

These new Lithium ION based batteries are great because you can charge them anytime you like without affecting the "memory" and you can charge the unit without ever removing the battery.

I have other cameras that use the first generation lithium-ions and found them to be great batteries that lasted and lasted. These next generation ones are simply smaller with the same amount of power.

Nightshot works great in low light conditions and SUPERnightshot makes it possible to record in virtual darkness. I walked outside on a pitch black night and zoomed in on the license plate of a car across the street and it read perfectly. No way could I read that plate with my own eyes and I have great vision.

The Steadyshot is seamless and works well. My last camcorder (the analog one) did not have this feature and you can tell the difference in my recordings. When you are zooming in, the effect of Steadyshot is increased.

The bottom line is that this camera has a lot of nice features that make it worth the price. The most important feature is that it is easy to use and the controls are intuitive so you can start using your camera as soon as it is charged.

I am a pro-Sony consumer and have spent thousands of dollars on various Sony items. I do this because they WORK and when they don't, Sony stands behind their products with a warranty.

You REALLY don't need those expensive in-house warranties sold at Circuit City and Best Buy, despite what you may read in other reviews. The only decision you should be making is where to save the most money.

I love this camcorder! I can get the close ups skinnaMAX can't touch. The zoom is top notch and the wide angle action catches the nips. I would recommend checking the manuel as it gives the down low you can't get just by trickin the gadget. The nightvision brings the dish to light and makes the digital quiver. I would encourage those who haven't to experience the Sony DCR-TRV730 for themselves.

We purchased this camcorder specifically because of its dual function as a camcorder and digital camera. I'm not really going to comment on the camcorder aspects because I agree with most of the other positive comments that people have made.

As for the digital stills, pictures taken outdoors look fine, but indoor pictures are VERY grainy and pixelated, even in a very bright room. In my opinion, the quality is just unacceptable. The Memory Stick with USB output is an incredible technology that makes downloading pictures to your computer so EASY, but this benefit can not make up for the bad pictures that it takes. (I did not try to capture stills from the tape because I do not have the ieee adaptor needed to do this, so I do not know if stills taken in this way may look better than those taken on the memory stick)

If you are just looking to take video, then this camcorder is probably fine, but I see no need to pay for the extra memory stick capabilities because they are not worth it.

My fiance and I just purchased this camera and boy was I impressed! This is our first camcorder but not the first one I have used. It's light weight make it easy to handle. And the steadyshot works quite well. My hands are quite shaky but you could never tell by watching something I taped! The picture quality is good, but I am only using the standard A/V cables. Once I get the S-video cables I should see a dramatic upgrade in picture quality. The battery it comes with isn't the best, only about 90 minutes fully charged. I particularly liked the nightshot feature. Although the images come out in a green tone the picture quality is outstanding. I was fooling around with it in a pitch black room and you could see everything clear as day(green of coarse). The LCD is exceptionally smaller than the 530 but it is still big enough to fit most people's needs. Of coarse if you want to save battery power just don't use the LCD. The only thing I can't comment about is the still picture option. I just spent a large sum of money on a straight up digital camera so I don't need to use that option. So I am sorry I can't help you out there! Overall the camera is excellent and I would suggest it to anybody looking for a new camcorder.

I've been looking around at prices and i'de say this is the best price I've found. I was checking out other cameras and found one for $500. It was not as good as this one and cost more. Its worth your cash and the specs are nice! Like the 25x optical zoom is crazy. The digital zoom doesn't really make a difference after u get over 200x zoom on that. So dont think that 700x zoom makes much of a difference. I'de say buy it asap.

This camera was given to me for Christmas a couple of years ago. It has good video quality, and the ability to play back the tape using an S-video jack. The fade options are limited when compared to other Sony products, but for an entry level camera it is a good value. I recommend this camera to anyone who just wants to record special occasions and for playing around. If you are a serious shutterbug, I would recommend something with more bells and whistles.

Overall this camera is a very good quality at a reasonable price.

i dont know what the guy befor me wanted but this is a camera NOT a VCR, but if u REALLY want to put ur analog tapes on ur computer or camera, then buy a SONY VCR with an I-link or IEEE 1394 compatibitily. I am more than an ameture videographer, i do alot of DV editing, and this camera has ALL the features that i need, its I-link IN/OUT compatibility makes for an easy hook up to your PC (if u have a fire wire card), a remote controle, and several Picture effects as well as some digital effects, including oldmovie, and u can superimose a nother picture onto a live feed.

I've had this camera for almost a year now, and it's the first movie camera of any kind I've ever used. I have a digital still camera (an olympus 2100cz) so I'm not a neophyte.
I'm finding it easy to use. I use to film my wifes speaking engagements. So i've used this camera in a small room with only 5 or 6 people in it, or in very large auditorium with 200 or so people in it. It worked beautifully. The remote helps a lot when using a tripod. It does an especially nice job picking up audio even at distance.
I had to get a special cable to do transfers to my Macintosh, but once on the mac everything gets really easy.
I guess it doesnt have all the bells and whistles of the more expensive cameras, but if you look over the stats in the discription above, you should be able to figure out this one is for you.