Sony Handycam DCR-TRV310E Digital-8 Camcorder

WHY A CAMCORDER IN THE FIRST PLACE?
In less than two months, my wife and I are expecting our first child. We're so excited. We want to capture every moment, every step of the pregnancy. We own a 35mm camera and we used to own a Sony Mavica FD-81 (my very first Epinion) digital camera. Although the Mavica was able to capture MPEG video, it was limited to the quality and also the time of recording per floppy disk (15 to 60 seconds). My ultimate solution was to purchase a camcorder.

With so many to choose from, I narrowed my decision to two brands: JVC and Sony. I wanted to purchase a digital camcorder because the recording resolution is much better than analog recording. With most digital camcorders, you're able to connect them (via firewire port IEEE 1394) to your computer to perform video editing (Sony calls it iLink). After weeks of research, I chose the Sony DCR-TRV310 because I got a great deal at Cameraworld (www.cameraworld.com).

DIGITAL 8 FORMAT:
The TRV310 uses the Digital8 format to record. Basically, what this means is that it uses standard 8mm or Hi8 tapes to record in digital format. Sony recommends using Hi8 metal particle tapes for best recording results, but you can use just about any 8mm tape. A slight disadvantage to this is that if you purchase a 120 minute tape, the Digital8 recording format takes up twice the space. Thus, you are limited to recording only up to 60 minutes on a 120 minute tape. Other than that, you're getting the best of both worlds: being able to record digitally on a cheap and plentiful media type (8mm and Hi8 tapes).

It's said that the picture quality of Digital8 is comparable to DV format. The great thing about Digital8 is that it also plays your existing analog 8mm and Hi8 tapes. It's perfect for restoring your old analog recording and putting them in digital format. I'd say this is a huge advantage for people who already own a camcorder that uses 8mm tapes. Also, the price and availability of Hi8 tapes are very affordable compared to the DV and MiniDV media.

SIZE & WEIGHT:
It's quite small for a camcorder, but I've seen much smaller. Some of the digital camcorders out on the market can be compared to the size of a Juicy Juice container. Digital camcorders can be quite expensive... some of them cost around $3,000! But the price of the Sony Digital8 camera ranges around $500 to $1,400. These cameras are comparable in size and weight to other 8mm camcorders, but offer much more editing and capturing features along with digital recording capabilities.

BATTERY LIFE:
Most Sony's camcorders and digital cameras come with their cheapest rechargeable battery. This means that recording time is almost nonexistent even after a full charge. The TRV-310 comes with the InfoLithium NP-F330 battery that gives you about an hour of recording time, but it really amounts to only about 20 to 30 minutes if you decide to use the flip-out LCD screen. The InfoLithium battery is able to tell the user how many minutes of power is remaining. It's said to be accurate to (+/-) 3 minutes. The great thing about the TRV310 is that it's said to have a continual recording time of up to 10 hours! (of course, it says in a tiny words below that this can only be achieved by using the optional NP-F950 battery). I checked the price of the NP-F950 battery and the MSRP is $150! Yikes.

RECORDING QUALITY:
Now this is where the Sony TRV310 shines. After taking it right out of the box, I hooked it up with the AC adapter and started playing around with it. I'm the type that likes to fiddle with things first and then read the manual later. I find that Sony camcorders (and digital cameras) are very user-friendly. I popped in the 120 minute Hi8 tape that was provided and started shooting. After getting enough footage of the couch, TV, dining table, and my annoyed wife, I decided to replay the tape on our 27" Sony TV. This camcorder is capable of producing 500 lines of resolution. The sound and picture was clear as could be. I've never seen a recording so clear coming from an 8mm camcorder! The sound was very crisp and I couldn't detect a bit of distortion whatsoever. Audio can either be recorded in 12 or 16-bit stereo. I was thoroughly impressed.

SONY DCR-TRV310 PACKAGE COMES WITH:
- DCR-TRV310 Camcorder
- Wireless remote controll
- AC adapter (AC-L10B)
- AC power cord
- InfoLithium battery pack (NP-F330)
- Lithium backup battery (CR2025)
- 2 AA batteries for wireless remote controll
- A/V connecting cable
- Sony shoulder strap
- Lens cap
- Hi8 metal particle 120 minute tape
- Sony 8mm head cleaning tape
- Getting started instructional tape (8mm)
- Users' manual
- Label sheet for cassette
- Warranty card (one year factory warranty)
- Registration form

ACCESSORY SHOE
This camcorder comes with what Sony calls their Intelligent Accessory Shoe. The accessory shoe allows you to attach such accessories as microphones, flashes, NightShot lights, video lights, and more. Why do they call it intelligent, you ask? Because the camcorder recognizes what type of device you attach to the accessory shoe and controls it automatically to maximize and perfect your every shot.

NIGHTSHOT FEATURE:
Sony's trademark... the NightShot. This is very cool. It's like having your own night-vision device. To test this out, I went into our walk-in closet and shut the door. It was completely dark in there and to see if this thing really worked, I turned the camera on and started recording. The picture is reverted from color to a greenish haze. It's amazingly sharp when you focus on a particular spot. Although it can only spot things within 10 feet, there is an option to buy a NightShot light that allows you to capture up to 100 feet away.

STEADYSHOT FEATURE:
This is a nice feature that Sony packaged in with the TRV310. Most Sony camcorders come with the SteadyShot feature. This eliminates the unwanted shaking when recording. People with jittery hands or uncontrollable shaking will love this. I found that it made all of my recordings look a little more professional...yeah, right :~)

PHOTO CAPTURE:
Along with it's ability to capture crisp, clean video, it's also able to capture still photos. The results may not be as clear as the photos taken from megapixel digital cameras, but this function is very practical and can be used in many ways. The lens enables the TRV310 to zoom up to 20X optically and 360X digitally.

EDITING CAPABILITIES:
The TRV310 allows you to edit your videos like a pro. Such features as fade, flash-motion, old-movie, overlap, and trail all allow you to create your own masterpiece. I was having so much fun with the editing functions of this camera that I neglected my wife for a few days.

WIRELESS TRANSMISSION:
After flipping through the users' manual, I found that the TRV310 was capable of so much more than what I'd imagined. For starters, it also comes with a wireless remote control that allows you to zoom & record and also acts as the remote to control the camcorder like as if it was a VCR. With my dad's old camcorder, we had to connect the AV plugs into the TV as well as the camcorder in order to view the recordings. The TRV310 allows you to eliminate all the wires and go wireless from your TV to your camcorder. How? You need to purchase the LaserLink unit that you hook up to your TV (MSRP $60). After that, it's as simple as pointing your camcorder in the direction of the LaserLink device and pressing play. The signals will transmit to the LaserLink device (up to 16 feet away) and you'll be presented with your work of art on your television. Amazing.

FLIP-OUT LCD SCREEN
Many camcorders out on the market offer a flip-out screen for recording and viewing. With many camcorders offering 2.5" LCD screens, the TRV310 offers a 3.5" LCD screen that clearly stands out. Its ability to rotate and flip allows you to effortlessly view while recording yourself or to let others view what you're recording. Your friends will be amazed with the screen when you flip it out to show them what you recorded.

LIKES ABOUT TRV310:
Overall, it's a great camcorder. The Digital8 format is really a plus because it allows you to record digitally on a very abundant & affordable media (8mm or Hi8 tapes). It's also backwards compatible, meaning that it will allow you to play any 8mm tape. The NightShot feature is an added bonus. Although, I won't be using it much, just knowing that I have the capability of recording in pitch darkness is totally awesome. The wireless remote control comes in handy, too. Unlike many camcorders on the market, the TRV310 comes with a fairly long AC adapter cord which allows you to record within a certain range even when plugged into a wall socket. A great benefit of owning any Sony product is the fact that there are tons of accessories available for it. Another great benefit of owning a Sony product is that Sony designs all of their products to be compatible with one another. The TRV310 has just about everything you can imagine including the NightShot light which extends the NightShot range up to 100 feet, a whole range of batteries, an enormous selection of lenses, and the list goes on. For the price you pay, you really can't beat the recording quality of the Digital8 camcorders.

DISLIKES ABOUT TRV310:
Although, I don't have many at this point, I can name a quick few. First of all, the rechargeable InfoLithium battery that it came with (NP-F330) is pathetic. Sony could have at least packaged it with the NP-F550 (4 hr battery MSRP: $59.99). Secondly, the TRV310 does not have a color viewfinder. This is both negative and positive, as I've heard that a B/W viewfinder allows you to spot the level of contrast much better, thus, allowing you to take better pictures. Not a lot of us are professional photographers, so we expect the camcorder to figure all that out for us. So, I guess if you want to pay about $80 more, you could purchase the TRV315 which comes with a color viewfinder. Thirdly, the Digital8 format only allows you to get a maximum of 60 minutes recorded on one tape. There is no LP mode that will allow you to condense the recording, so if you're planning on filming a lot, I'd suggest you make a Costco or a Sam's Club run and purchase Hi8 tapes by the crate.

SUMMARY:
My review on the Sony DCR-TRV310 didn't even go over half the features that this fine camcorder offers. If you're interested in checking out the specifications of the TRV310, surf on down to:

http://www.sel.sony.com/SEL/consumer/handycam/models/trv310.html

In order to find out more about the TRV310 and to get the latest prices, go to:

http://electronics.cnet.com/cgi/crunch/pdetail2.asp?ptable=Camcorders&PID=1000230


!!BUYER BEWARE!! !!BUYER BEWARE!! !!BUYER BEWARE!!
The first place I went to order the TRV310 was Best Stop Digital which advertises on CNet.com as offering the lowest price on the Sony DCR-TRV310. They're web site may be clean, but I doubt their operation is. They seem to operate out of New York and don't quite follow their hours of operation as listed on their site. When I called them to order the camcorder (their listed price on CNet.com), they tried persuading me to purchase the extended warranty for $159. Additionally, they said if I bought any accessories along with my camera, I would get 35% off the price of the accessories. So, I asked them how much they charged for InfoLithium batteries. They quoted me $89.99 for the NP-F550 battery (MSRP: $60), $149.99 for the NP-F750 (MSRP: $100), and $229.99 for the NP-F950 (MSRP: $150)!!! This outraged me and I wanted to cancel my order. They also charged $35 for shipping it UPS Ground.

After ordering just the TRV310, it was impossible to get a hold of them either by phone or email. Calling them was a joke. I ended up waiting over 30 minutes listening to elevator music. Two weeks of calling them every morning and still nothing. I checked to see if they charged my credit card, and fortunately they didn't. After twenty or more tries one day, I finally got through to them. It took more than 40 minutes to find out that my order was never processed, they didn't have the camcorder in stock, and they would have overcharged me for something I could have probably gotten for much cheaper around town. So, my advice to you is:

!!!!!AVOID SHOPPING AT BEST STOP DIGITAL!!!!!


Thanks again for taking the time to read my review. I hope this helps you get a better understanding of the Sony DCR-TRV310. If you have any questions, please feel free to email me at any time.

-Ingi