Sony Handycam DCR-TRV310E Digital-8 Camcorder
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- Recording System: NTSC
- Camcorder Type: Digital
- Recording Media: Digital-8
- Optical Zoom: 20x
- Weight: 2.1 lb.
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Memories made digital
Pros
picture quality, features, sound
Cons
too darn small.
Recommended it?
Yes
Oh boy, I do so love this camera. I made the decision to buy a camcorder last summer, right before my trip to London. I wanted something to capture all the fun and something to shoot amateurish short films. )Note to self, get around to actually writing something to shoot.) Early on, I decided to go with a digital format, the advantages of digital over VHS and 8mm formats are too numerous to count here. Chief among them picture resolution. The higher the horizontal resolution, the better picture quality, VHS is standard at 240 lines of resolution, HI-8 is nearly 400, but digital is well over 500.
The real question about digital when I started shopping was price. I didn't want to invest nearly a thousand dollars on something that would be perfectly obsolete within 6 months. I've seen that enough with early converters to digital cameras. So, I was shopping for features and quality... but at the time that was translating to well over $2000 for many pure digital camcorders.
But, then I discovered Sony's Digital 8mm format, a proprietary design that would allow for digital imaging and video to be stored on 8mm tapes. This cuts the expense of tapes by over 50%, dv (digital video) tapes cost in upwards of $20, while 8mm tapes run closer to $10. The camcorder itself will also play standard 8mm and Hi-8 recordings. Which was a good thing, knowing people with other cameras, I'd be able to see their work as well.
The feature set is quite impressive. There are multiple effects that available during filming including widescreen, black & white, and some really trippy ones. My main problem with the digital effects process is actually accessing them while filming. You have to open up the viewer window (I really prefer the eye piece). And, if you're trying to hold the camera steady, it's going to mess that up.
That brings me to the main problem I have with the camera is the size. I really loved the big bulky camcorders of old. You could hoist them up on your shoulder and look like a real camera man. This camera, though incredibly ergonomic, is tiny. So, whenever your hand shakes, it will come through the film, even with the steady shot on.
As for the actual use, the camera is phenomenal. The picture quality is superb, colors are vibrant and clear. An inclusion that really made me happy is the IEEE-1394 (Firewire) port. Which allows for high speed connection to the PC, and for the yet to be released Sony Playstation 2 (am I the only one counting the days on that?). This allows for editing on my PC, which is hands down higher quality and easier than trying to hook the VCR to the camera for the whole process. Another surprisingly high quality piece is the stereo mic. I've heard that most people when recording music will use an external mic hook up. But, I've recorded several of my friend's bands, and each time, the sound is nothing less than superb.
The real question about digital when I started shopping was price. I didn't want to invest nearly a thousand dollars on something that would be perfectly obsolete within 6 months. I've seen that enough with early converters to digital cameras. So, I was shopping for features and quality... but at the time that was translating to well over $2000 for many pure digital camcorders.
But, then I discovered Sony's Digital 8mm format, a proprietary design that would allow for digital imaging and video to be stored on 8mm tapes. This cuts the expense of tapes by over 50%, dv (digital video) tapes cost in upwards of $20, while 8mm tapes run closer to $10. The camcorder itself will also play standard 8mm and Hi-8 recordings. Which was a good thing, knowing people with other cameras, I'd be able to see their work as well.
The feature set is quite impressive. There are multiple effects that available during filming including widescreen, black & white, and some really trippy ones. My main problem with the digital effects process is actually accessing them while filming. You have to open up the viewer window (I really prefer the eye piece). And, if you're trying to hold the camera steady, it's going to mess that up.
That brings me to the main problem I have with the camera is the size. I really loved the big bulky camcorders of old. You could hoist them up on your shoulder and look like a real camera man. This camera, though incredibly ergonomic, is tiny. So, whenever your hand shakes, it will come through the film, even with the steady shot on.
As for the actual use, the camera is phenomenal. The picture quality is superb, colors are vibrant and clear. An inclusion that really made me happy is the IEEE-1394 (Firewire) port. Which allows for high speed connection to the PC, and for the yet to be released Sony Playstation 2 (am I the only one counting the days on that?). This allows for editing on my PC, which is hands down higher quality and easier than trying to hook the VCR to the camera for the whole process. Another surprisingly high quality piece is the stereo mic. I've heard that most people when recording music will use an external mic hook up. But, I've recorded several of my friend's bands, and each time, the sound is nothing less than superb.
