Digital-Camcorder Reviews

I'm not a Sony fan but I'm impressed by this great camera. Before buying this camcorder it was so important for me to find reviews about it on the Internet. After I got it I was thinking several times to write my own review but as usual you always don't have time for that. Then I said that's not fair. I know how important was for me to find the reviews (thanks to everybody who wrote a review and helped me reach the final decision). And I know also that right now many guys are searching the Internet looking for new reviews. So it's my turn to pay back ...
I did my research on the Internet for about one year until I decided to buy this camcorder. Actually I wanted the TRV27 and I changed my mind in the last moment because the difference in price between these two models in too big ... I don't regret my decision. The 2.5" LCD is just enough for us.
TRV25 is not very good in low light but also it's not bad too. It's just good. After reading some reviews on the Internet I was expecting actually the camcorder to be even worst in low light. It's OK but I'm considering to buy a external light.
In good light the camcorder is amazing! Very good resolution (I have a digital HDTV which lets me know immediately if the signal is not good), very nice life-like colors, extremely clear and clean sound!
I had no problem at all to hook up TRV25 on the USB port (I have Windows 2000 professional). Then I got a Zoltrix FireWire card and I couldn't see the camcorder with it. I called Sony and Microsoft and I sent an email to Zoltrix in Hong Kong (no answer back yet). They couldn't help me too much. Sony said that you don't need any special Sony drivers for TRV25. It's true but the general DV driver I had in my Win2K was bad. If you have problems with your FireWire connection you may try the following links: http://www.reactorcritical.com/faq-dv/faq-jvc.shtml and http://www.siig.com/knowledge/10050286.HTM. Now I'm fine. The Zoltrix card is working fine and smooth and the cable (comes with the card) is long so you don't have to stay with your camera underneath you desk. Price paid (for card, cable and software): $51 CDN +Tax.
My problem now is that I couldn't find yet the best solution to store the footage. Hopefully I'll be able to find the right settings in KVCD (http://kvcd.org). To store the footage on VHS tapes is out of question! From my camcorder I'm getting a nice 520 lines and if I store this on VHS I'll have at the end just 240 horizontal lines! Where is the point of spending so much money for a digital camcorder then? So far using the KVCD the colors are good, sound is good, the resolution is good (704 x 480) - much better than VCD (352 x 240) or SVCD (480 x 480) (check http://www.vcdhelp.com ). The only problem is that the image is not smooth. It looks like I'm loosing frames. That happens only when the camera is moving fast to the left or to the right. ...
I love my camcorder and of course I recommend it to anybody. If you are shopping for a camcorder go digital first and second give a chance to Sony TRV25/27 and you'll fall in love.
Good luck!

After researching for 1 month on camcorders, I finally chose the Sony DCR-TRV25 for several reasons.
1) It records in 690,000 pixels (520 lines of horizontal resolution)
2) Megapixel on still photo shots (1152 X 864 instead of 640 x 480)
3) Its size (very small but not too small so you don't jitter the camera)
4) Its ability to record streaming video (to put on my website)
5) 7 lux rating / 0 lux with night shot
6) Color viewfinder
7) optional manual control on brightness, backlight and focus

Others that I looked at had 1 or more of the feautres missing (like still photo of 640x480 or CCD pixels of 480,000).. so in the end, I found this to be the best priced camcorder for the money ...(Only difference I see in TRV27 is that TRV27 comes with some editing tools... (which I won't use anyways). I also looked at the TRV17 which had everything I wanted expect it's photo resolution was at 640X480.

Video Editing with P-III, 450mhz, 256 mem, Windows XP with firewire port was a breeze. Just install the firewire card and load the drivers.

You transfer still shots via the usb port. Its very easy to do. Just plug in the USB cable (it comes with one) and you will see "Sony Digital Camera" on "My computer" Just drag and drop your photos into a folder.

Although the color and sharpness of this camera is amazing, my only gripe is that the video and stills gets grainy with low light. So I'd suggest you buy a light for the camera if you plan on doing a lot of indoor shots (or at least make sure you have a good light source.)

I also recommend you buy 1) UV filter lens (mostly to protect the camcorder's lens) 2) 32MB or 64MB memory stick (instead of the 8mb it comes with) 3) Wide angle lens 4) carrying case 5) Extra battery (the one it comes with lasts about an hour)

Even if you don't buy this camcorder, after all my research, I would stick with Sony or Panasonic camcorders (they seem to get the best reviews)

Great camcorder. Excelent outdoor pictures and sound! Easy to use. Still indoor pictures somewhat grainy though.

I don't know how they built this camera, it is so small! But at the same time, it is fully packed with nice features and records sharp picture and superb sound.

First Video, this camera delivers 500 lines of horizontal resolution which delivers digital quality pictures. Features many special effects and fader, titles and PIP. Magicpix doesn't really do anyting, so don't buy it for that reason. 10x optical zoom is quite sufficient, yet 700x digital zoom is useless. This camera feature AV and S-video plugs for TV connections, and i-link/firewire/IEEE1394 for easy access for computer transfering for editing.

Audio is amazing, you hear no motor noise even in the quietest places. Audio pickup is superb with zoom mic, easy to hear people talking from a distance. Also feature wind cut. Choose between 12 or 16 bit sound.

Extras are quite good. Built in still camera is a nice feature, but don't expect 4 megapixel quality pictures. the included 8mb SD card stores between 50 and 100 pictures. Choose from normal, fine or eco mode. USB and software included for viewing photos on computer. Battery has quite decent life, for its size. up to 1 hour (or more with viewfinder). The LCD screen is easy to view, but the viewfinder is hard to see in, but at least its colour unlike other models. All controls are easy to reach. Includes lens cap, charger, battery, adapter, shoulder strap, 8mb SD card, IR and wired remote, AV and USB cable and editing software. I would suggest buying a good case. The Panasonic palmcorder camcase 7 fits quite well, with loads of room for accesories.

CONCLUSION: GREAT BUY. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED. BLOWS JVC, SONY and CANON AWAY.

The old programming expression is "Fast, [Inexpensive], and Good: Choose two.". That can be extended to camcorders by changing it to "Small, [inexpensive], and Good: Choose two.".

However, the PVDC252 manages lets you choose all three. It is relatively [inexpensive], quite small, and very good. You can get smaller cameras (but not much), [inexpensive]cameras, and better cameras, but this one is a nice compromise between all three.

Size: It is smaller than my digital camera. Fits perfectly in your palm (hence 'palmcorder'), which makes it very easy to hold steady, unlike many of the smaller models. Despite its small size, the controls are fairly easy to use, with the exception of the 'menu' button, which is awkward to hit one-handed. I'm not quite sure how they manage to fit the minidv tape in there!

Quality: Image quality seems fine. Perhaps a little washed out on cloudy days, but this is not a surprise using any camera. Audio quality is EXCELLENT. Using the built in microphone on a fairly windy day, a person standing several feet away from the camera talking in a soft voice is perfectly audible. There is NO tape mechanism noise, which seems to be problem with other cameras in this price range.

Cost: If you pay more for a camera, you would get either 1) smaller size (not necessarily a good thing, this guy is small enough), or 2) Better image quality. You probably wouldn't notice much difference in image quality, unless you stepped up to one of the 'prosumer' cameras that'll set you back a couple thousand or so.

My only gripes are the somewhat clunky menu system (however, it's not really necessary for day-to-day operation), the slow tape eject mechanism (not so bad considering that they probably need to rearrange space and time to fit the tape in the camera), and the somewhat awkward position of the various plugs, a common problem on all small cameras.

Bottom line: Highly recommended.

In Europe this model is called the NV-GS5, which is what I have, but it's otherwise identical.

I've had it a few months now. I bought it after lots of research, and after rejecting the "upright" style cameras because they're so hard to hold steady. This little Panasonic is still very small (and cute) but you have a chance of holding it reasonably steady. Having said that, even with the image stabiliser on, you will need a tripod to make decent use of even the 10x optical zoom.

Panasonic's main selling points for this camera seem to be its ability to record stills, MPEGs and voice clips onto SD card, but if you've already got a digital stills camera, you'll not be too excited about stills at 640 x 480, maximum.

Forget that, and notice the other advantages. As the top model in this range (the 352 is really quite different and a lot bigger) it gets a colour viewfinder, and an analogue AV input. That could be really useful. There appears to be a connector for just about everything you can think of, including the all-important external microphone. The lens has a screw mount for proprietary conversion lenses and filters too.

Performance wise, I have been very pleased indeed with the results. It focuses with alacrity (almost never caught out), produces a really crisp clean image in all but the murkiest conditions, and generally looks surprisingly close to broadcast quality. Sound is pretty good using the built-in microphone: lots of atmosphere. Unlike some mini-DV camcorders, the microphone is mounted right at the front, so you only notice camera noise when you film in a very quiet location.

It's quite easy to use, though you'll need to spend a little time with the horrible instruction book before you can use it confidently. At first I kept forgetting which menu contained which control. But some controls are easily accessible, like the manual exposure (nice to have) and focus wheel. Most things fall to hand well, though the menu button requires a double-jointed index finger...

On the whole though, I have few criticisms. It's small, looks great, is quite easy to use and most important, produces excellent pictures and sound. I'm very impressed.

Good things about this camcorder:
1. The 25X zoom
2. HUGE LCD screen
3. Great video and sound quality
4. Solid build
5. Easy connection to computer with iLink--especially with a Sony VAIO computer
6. Enough special effects and super nightshot.

The bad things:
1. It is very heavy and big
2. The build-in printer: I stop using this feature completely since the still image quality is quite low so the pictures came out not pretty at all and it takes more than 2 minutes to print one photo. The 830 does the right thing to have the printer externally.
3. Slow rewind speed

I have no trouble finding the Digital-8 tapes and got quite a lot of photo papers for it (even though I don't use them at all).

great overall camcorder. you have to love the 25x zoom. easy to use. i've gone through just about all the features with only two trips to the manual. the grandparents loved being able to get print out pictures of their new grandson instantly during our last visit.

Accessories for the printer are VERY hard to find. No one I have checked with carries the paper or cartridge in stock - all of them say they can order the supplies, but every store, especially specialty camera shops, wants way too much money for the order. I have found that buying supplies from Sony is less expensive, but does take some time (so if you need it NOW you better start looking...yesterday!).

As for other features, there are so many it may take me a while to figure them all out. I shopped for over a year before buying this camera - coincidentally, my previous camcorder was a Sony Hi8 - great camera until my brother went out and destroyed it! ;-)

This is a terrific camcorder if you can afford...

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

I was just commenting on the previous review, questioning why a reviewer would copy/paste info and submit it for three different cameras. What I found was that the reviewer was trying to explain the differences between the three cameras, so that the consumer can make an educated decision as to which camera suits them best comparing features and price. I found the reviews very helpful, and it actually helped me to decide which model I wanted to buy. I'm sure that is what makes this individual a reviewer in the top 100 at amazon.

While the price is higher than other camcorders on the market, I think this product is worth it. It's easy to set up and use, the editing software for the computer is decent, and I'm able to get high quality footage and share it with family and friends.

One note of caution: the software really does require a higher speed computer and/or updated platforms like Windows XP. It ended up leading to the demise of our old computer (a Windows ME), but functions much better on our new one that has XP.

This camera made it to Oprah's 2003 Favorite Things List. That prompted me to take a look at it, and I was really impressed! We ended up buying it, and we're so glad that we did. Wow, what a great video-camera! It's compact, quiet, and very easy to use. We were able to set it up & record without even opening the instruction manual. The playback quality on the LCD screen is amazing, and the sound quality is near-perfect. I'm so happy with this camera. I highly recommend it for its ease of use, light & comfortable size, and the simplicity of recording directly onto a dvd. No more copying from small tapes to larger VHS tapes for me! That was such a frustrating experience and the editing quality was horrible.

I'm really pleased that I'll be able to share video of my daughter with friends and family who have dvd players, or video viewing capability on their computers.

FOLLOW-UP: We took this camcorder to Sea World and the footage was excellent. It was nice not to have to lug around a heavy piece of equipment while trying to transport a toddler, stroller, etc. Once we got home, I put together a 5 minute edited video using the ImageMixer software from Sony (included when we purchased the camera). Wow, it was so user-friendly! I added some of my own music to it, as well as some text to some scenes. Then we burned the edited project to a simple, inexpensive CD-R instead of DVD-R, for family/friends to view on their computers. I checked, and many in-home computers have some sort of video viewing software such as Windows Media Player, or another compatible program.

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!

This camera has many unique features that make it perfect for the right person. First, it doesn't store pictures on memory cards like most cameras, it stores on floppies. This means you probably already have the "memory." When I first purchased this camera, that was great because 16 MB memory cards were expensive and if you were taking a lot of pictures, it could add up real quick. Now, 128 MB memory cards are cheap and will hold 100x the pictures a floppy will hold. That said, the picture quality is great for this class, and the zoom will astound you. A friend has this same camera and uses some passive flash units with it to create off-center flash lighting. The built-in flash is only good for a narrow distance range of about 10 ft. Much closer and it floods the subject, much further and it doesn't reach, but this is easily overcome, plus, you don't need a flash with this camera in many situations where a conventional camera would need one. The flippable lcd display will flip so it shows to the front and automatically flips the image so you can see the framed image when doing self-portraits. Includes auto or manual focus and f-stop modes. It also takes very short movies with sound. Optional optical viewfinder. Rechargeable Infolithium batteries operate well but buy at least one spare.

But with the new ones coming out, I felt a little outdated.
I definiteltly love the floppy disk feature of holding images. It makes life soooo much easier!
Whenever I ran outta discs, someone always had extra or I could easily buy them very cheap.

The only bad thing was the battery life was soooo short and towards the last few months Ive had nothing but disc errors and lost pics.

I finally upgraded to a new camera but I don't regret this one at all.

I've used this digital camera many times...it's very versatile in that not only does it take good pictures but, you also can use many accessories that a photographer would normally want to use on his or her slr, i.e. close-up lens attachments, filters etc., etc. The amazing thing is that after taking those wonderful pictures you eject the floppy disk and insert it directly into your computer and go to work. Most of my work is law enforcement and this camera has been a God sent tool. Other features such as image stablizing lens and flash, what else is need, just point and shot...go to work with your images. The best of luck with yours.

These MiniDV 3-pack tapes are good quality and at a price i couldn't beat anywhere. If you're looking for a MiniDV tape without memory at a reasonable price, get these.

I really like these tapes. The quality and care that they used in manufacturing these mini DV tapes definitely show. Each tape in this three pack is individually wrapped and labeled. On the front of the tape there is a yellow write protect switch. Each tape comes with a translucent tape case and labels for marking tapes with color codes and labels like "master", "copy" or "birthday". The front face of the tape is blank except for a few markings and the write protect switch. The top has: TDK logo, duration (SP 60/LP 90), format (mini DV digital video cassette) and the letters DVM60 in the top sticker area. The cassette is navy blue with a gray protective tape cover that covers the actual magnetic tape when not in use. The markings are silver and gold in color.

Whattya wanna know? They're tapes, they're priced well and they work in your mini-dv camcorder. Stop reading all these posts and buy em already!

YOU DON'T HAVE TO BE A PRO to use this camera. But shop around for the best price and don't buy from grey markets. Be sure the dealer is authorized by Canon.

This camera is super. There are some features that were added to the XL-1S which make this camera stand out over Sony. There are web sites that teach how to use the camera and how to get around some of the XL-1 problems.

This has been the camera of choice for most news organizations that travel the world. Add the EOS adapter and you have a camera that does more than any other camera made in its price range. Before you buy listen to the pros that use this camera, do a search at google.com for tips and tricks and the XL-1 web sites. Then decide between the Sony and Canon.

I have owned one of these for over a year and a half and love this thing. I work at a full digital TV station with a the latest equipment and the first thing I did was do a side by side comparo against a ...Panasonic DVCPRO broadcast camera. The technicians and cameramen were shocked at the image being equal to their cameras. When we explored the camera further and found the ability to also use the ANTON BAUER battery packs it only got better. They looked at the lens quality and lens swapping ability, plenty of manual setting available for video and audio, hundreds of accesories for the proshooter, and the frame mode made it shine brighter in their eyes. The general manager and chief engineer evaluated the camera and said at the same time "imagine what this could do for our budget!". I use this camera for personal use and have also used it for news gathering, Many requests from the news department have come my way to go on a shoot due to lack of cameras. If you are looking for a camcorder to have many bells and whistles, this is not for you. This is a serious tool. I have read reviews where it dosent take very good still pictures, it lacks the LCD viewer!, It wont shoot in total darkness or see through womens clothes. They forget serious shooters have a main priority in their camera and that is the choice of different lenses. No current consumer camcorder has a interchangable lens system. Something to remember many tools have the ability to do many tasks but they never exceed at one. The Canon XL1 EXCEEDS at shooting video to a professional level....

The Canon XL1 is an amazing camera to shoot with. The picture quality is awesome and the audio is sweet. The camera is sleek and professional looking, people take you serious when you go out on a shoot with the "Big Boys." You get the same respect! If I had to buy another camera it would be the Canon XL!!

Considering the low price, this camera has tons of features and the output is awesome. All you need is a Firewire cable and you can start editing movies right on your computer. This camera is actually less expensive than many VHS-C analog/Hi-8 analog cams. Good deal if you can find it.

WOW! What a great camcorder, and what a great price. A lot of value in this product. Does everything I wanted in a camcorder. Pictures are crystal clear and it is so easy to use. You do not need a PHD in cameras to use this one. The Camera takes stills as well as movies. This camera has most of the features that are seen in very expensive cameras. Thanks for the value.

I must say when I bought the $400 camera that it wouldn't compare to, say, Canon or other big name digital cameras. I've already edited several videos on my computer that I imported from this JVC. Color me impressed! It is very full featured for such a low cost camera. I've used it several times already and am VERY happy with the results. It's a good camera with suprisingly good quality. Go for it!