Sony DCR-TRV350 Digital8 camcorder review & test

[SaNjA2659]

Could You please tell me whether this one is as good as modern miniDV camcorders? I mean picture quality, resolution, colours etc. Just because I am really thinking to buy one.

[vwestlife]

@SaNjA2659 MiniDV and Digital8 both use the same DV format.

[rezidue1]

There was definitely something wrong with your DCR-TRV350. Mine does not shake using the SteadyShot feature.

[KCsFun1]

how did you record on tape and sind it to youtube

[vwestlife]

@KCsFun1 Digital8 tape transfers through FireWire to the computer.

[SebiStudios2]

I think I want that one. How much did you pay for it?

[vwestlife]

@SebiStudios2 The TRV350 usually sells for around $100 to $200, depending on how many accessories you get with it.

[Unh0lyAng3l]

how much could I get it for if it doesn't look good but performs perfect?

[vwestlife]

@Unh0lyAng3l Look on eBay.

[bakonfreek]

the steadyshot was prolly shaken loose, I shook the "O.I.S" on my panasonic loose, and now it's...well...it moves too much.

[RickyDanielMerrick]

Oh how I remember this camcorder....I wanted it so bad.... at the time I couldn't imagine Sony could ever make a better camera.

[coleskateboardking12]

also can u use the usb to add videos to computer

[vwestlife]

@coleskateboardking12 It does support USB Streaming, but the quality is not as good as through FireWire.

[coleskateboardking12]

@vwestlife thanks

[coleskateboardking12]

is the trv 140 anygood

[Mrn951951]

Ok i was gonna take mine on vacation and i bought a new battery turned it on and guess what when im recording it just shows black screen can you please help me with that and reply as quickly as possibly

Thanks

[vwestlife]

@Mrn951951 I am not a tech support expert. Try: videohelp . com

[RetroPCDOS]

@Mrn951951

Bad CCD, they used a plastic package on the IC instead of ceramic and corrosion gets into the package, Sony did a recall on these and other models, have a bandnew in the box Sony DCR-TRV318 that has a dead CCD sensor, so was a big problem, you can find CCD's on eBay but they cost $30-$70 bucks, just order one for the 318, you do need to know how to solder, as they just sell the IC not the whole ASSY.

[winfr34k]

TIIIIIIIIMMMEEEE Passages.... How fitting. I like this song by the way xd

[Overtheheight]

Hey, I have the number 140 for this version and it SAYS that there is a super nightshot, but the button is missing. Would you mind helping me? Is it somewhere else on the camera? Another setting?

Thanks.

[vwestlife]

@Overtheheight Do you mean the DCR-TRV140? Super NightShot mode is enabled by first turning the NightShot switch on, and then pushing the small button above the NightShot switch. (This button also enables Color Slow Shutter mode when the NightShot switch is off.)

[Overtheheight]

@vwestlife I just realized I had a different model, but it still mentioned the 140 any way. I thought I had the 140 but I think it sayd 305 or something. It doesn't have it. Oh well. Thanks anyways man.

[bakonfreek]

how bad is the quality on the memory stick recordint...like do you have any demo video of it?

[vwestlife]

@bakonfreek It's basically webcam or cell phone camera quality. The video resolution is only 320x240 and the audio is mono.

[bakonfreek]

@vwestlife and the framerate is low?

[vwestlife]

@bakonfreek Sony says it's "up to 30 frames per second" in webcam or Memory Stick recording mode.

[bakonfreek]

@vwestlife that there would have been kool awesomeness in the 2005 YouTube days.

[vwestlife]

@bakonfreek People have been capturing and editing video from digital camcorders long before YouTube existed. The first version of Apple's iMovie was released in 1999, and I remember downloading QuickTime videos from web sites in 2000. But I didn't get high-speed Internet until 2004, so I wasn't able to watch any "live" streaming video back then.

[bakonfreek]

@vwestlife personally, I would still have used it, cause I was poor back then and would have to save by making low quality videos and not spending on cassetes, but that was then, and I have money now.

[vwestlife]

@bakonfreek But Sony Memory Sticks cost a lot more than video tapes. You can record Digital8 video onto standard 8mm tapes, which only cost a few bucks each.

[bakonfreek]

@vwestlife huh...but when I think of how much i'd be using the camera, i'd for sure have a whole room full of tapes cause I was hardcore 10 year old gamer back in '05

[SecretActivator]

@vwestlife it's Stereo, u r wrong

[uxwbill]

You actually sounded angry about that Fuji tape and its storage casing!

I really thought about "throwing my hat into the ring", but I never got the opportunity to see exactly what complaints were being leveled against the camera in your video before the auction ended. I wouldn't have cared too much about poor quality SteadyShot.

[DrCassette]

I saw those cheap Fuji tapes in a store here in Germany before. Seems like Fuji was a lot into this kind of packaging, their cassettes came in cheap plastic sleeves and their VHS-C cassettes had the boxes made just out of very cheap plastic. The Hi8 tapes have been packed that way for at least 15 years. Their tapes usually are good though.

[Lachlant1984]

It's a bit of a shame about the SteadyShot feature, I take it you don't have problems with shaky hands or things like that? I love the fact it can record to either Memory Stick or tape, how many other camcorders can do that? What's that thing to the immediate left of the 2 telephones?

[vwestlife]

@Lachlant1984 An oscilliscope.

[CenTexVideo]

My D8 camera was this exact form factor, but with fewer features. Brand new at a local retailer: $350.

[EastAngliaUK]

I would not mind one or even keep it.

As for the shake I find the stabilizer on PowerDirector9 does a great job which is used in many of my videos.

[DrCassette]

I really don't like the way these newer Digital8 Handycams look. The "Steady"Shot on this camcorder is a big disappointment. But also I think that the built in mics on your TRV140 sound quite a bit better. So selling the TRV350 really is the best solution, I guess.

I'm probably going to sell my TRV110 Digital8, too. For some reason it puts a crackling noise into the audio when it's recording loud noise. I have to do some further investigation, but I don't think I can solve that problem.

[vwestlife]

@DrCassette My TRV19 MiniDV camcorder also has some crackle, but not as bad as that. I've heard it on other people's camcorders too. The problem disappears when using an external microphone.

[DrCassette]

@vwestlife

As I found out the crackle noise appears just occasionally. I have made other recordings that came out just fine. Weird.

[lenoat702]

Why do they still cost so much?

[wastedpills]

so far the camcorder i've had perform well in shitty lighting conditions is my rca vhs camcorder

[vwestlife]

@wastedpills Older camcorders do better in low light because they use large image sensors. The smaller and more high resolution an image sensor is, the less sensitive it is to light, so that's why many of today's tiny little camcorders do so poorly indoors and at night.

[wastedpills]

@vwestlife that's EXACTLY what i figured, it just makes perfect sense

by the way, what's the best usb capture device you know of?

[vwestlife]

@wastedpills I don't use any USB video capture devices, so I can't recommend one.

[GanEdenAustralia]

You have a few of these D8 Handycam now Kevin, they seem quite similar but have you done a comparision of them all and perhaps do a video of them together? Would be interesting.

[vwestlife]

@GanEdenAustralia The DCR-TRV140 which I used to record this review (and also the review of the Hitachi Digital8 camcorder) is the best overall one I've tried so far. Eventually I'll do a proper review of it too.

[oldmac6]

@vwestlife Yes a realy want a review of the DCR TRV 140, because a can buy one for about 150€, i think it's rather cheap, but a realy want a DCR TRV 103 whi look much better to me, especialy the design and low light (except image apeared grainy) that was not the case on the 140 or 350, wrong ?

[vwestlife]

@oldmac6 The TRV140 is just as sensitive as the TRV103, but doesn't boost the brightness as much. So you can still see everything the TRV103 could, it just won't be as unnaturally bright, and it's much less grainy. Also the TRV140 can do 16:9 widescreen mode without making the image look all pixellated, and it has much less tape motor noise. But the TRV140 is a low end model, so it doesn't have microphone or headphone jacks and can't play analog Hi8 tapes.

[SecretActivator]

@vwestlife The microphone on the TRV-140 is exceptional. I think it has a built in compressor because the sound never it too loud, it never maxes out

[NJRoadfan]

Have you had any issues with those Maxell Hi-8 tapes binding in your Handycams? I had some problems with them in my TRV-CCD65, likely the tape lubricant not being friendly. Never had any issues with the TDKs though, sadly I don't think those are being made anymore. TDK made some great tape stock back in the day.

[vwestlife]

@NJRoadfan I have only used a handful of Maxell Hi8 tapes, but so far no problems with them.

[FCule]

I like your pasion for this things

[ThePhoneUpdate]

I regret replacing my Sony Hi8 cam with this new pocket digital one I have, the autofocus, stedyshot and pretty much everything was better, it was just such a huge pain in the ass to transfer file to the computer, I needed something newer :(

[EastAngliaUK]

@ThePhoneUpdate

Yes if its like the Flip then I would prefer to use the Sony Hi8 cam.

[clubcar98]

That is one rant I have about newer camcorders. The manufacturers focus on how compact and lightweight things are, but they don't realize that when something is lighter and smaller, its harder to keep steady! So they need to put some effort into good stabilization too!

This thing looked mint, not a mark on it. I am not surprised you got a good amount for it. A see a lot of Digital8 Sony camcorders on my local Craiglist cheap a lot. Maybe I should start buying and re selling them!

[m75videos]

when did you make this video?

[vwestlife]

@m75videos About a week ago.

[m75videos]

hmmmm

[talldude123]

I saw somebody selling a Hitachi DVD Camcorder, I was tempted to buy it for $100 but my digital camera takes pretty clear video anyhow. Also came close to buying a Sony Mavica digital camera for $10.

[Dell0304]

If it's one of their best cams, when why are you selling it? doesn't make sense to me.

[vwestlife]

@Dell0304 Keep watching the rest of the video!

[Dell0304]

@vwestlife oops...