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Sony DCRTRV22 MiniDV Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Color Viewfinder & Memory Stick Capability

Sony DCRTRV22 MiniDV Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Color Viewfinder & Memory Stick Capability

List Price: $799.99
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Product Info Reviews

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Rating: 3 stars
Summary: Poor manual and software
Review: I bought the camcorder though internet about a month ago. I would have returned it if I had bought it from a local retail store. I wanted to make some video CD. Otherwise, why do we need to go digital.

Because of the poor software (real poor, I can not understand why Sony picked such a partner), I could not make a video CD with it. Then, I managed to write a CD with Nero. However, the picture is very poor. Only after I got a hint from another reviewer about the i.link, I bought the firewire card and cable, did more research on internet and downloaded some software. Finally, I manage to make some decent Video CDs. The manual does not even mention that i.link works better. It does not come with a i.link cable either.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Research paid off.
Review: I bought the TRV22 after doing a lot of research on the web - reading specs and reviews for the different types of camcorders, and comparing features from manufacturer to manufacturer. We're really happy with this camcorder. It's amazing that something so small can do so much. The quality of the video both indoors and outdoors is excellent. I haven't noticed any motor noise on the tapes we've shot. The image stabilization feature must work, as the video doesn't appear to move at all - if you didn't know it, you'd think the camcorder had been on a tripod. This was my wife's birthday present, and she's thrilled with it. She likes things that are easy to use, and it was defintely the right choice for her. Due to the small size, she's able to take it with her and have it ready at the drop of a hat. I'm in the process of researching and pricing a new computer so we can put her masterpieces on DVD.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: camcorder with loose screws
Review: I bought this camcorder at a chain store. There is a hinge malfunction that prevents me from fully enjoying the capabilities of this nice device. Every time I hold the camcorder from the right side, with one hand, the cassette cover shifts a fraction of a millimeter. This is hardly a tragedy, but it's a darn neussance.



Rating: 5 stars
Summary: very good camera
Review: I did not buy my TRV22 from Amazon but from Circuit City due to their great return policy I had originally bought a Canon Zr70mc and within 2 hours I took it back because it needed a tremendous amount of light for indoor filming and even then it was very grainy. So I upgraded to the Sony TRV22 and what a difference, now filming indoors is not a problem the Sony does not need much light usually a table lamp is now plenty and there is very very little if any graininess to the picture. The picture quality for outdoors is fantastic.. Yes in bright light the LCD screen can be hard to see but most LCD's are hard to see in bright light. I don't feel the wind noise is an issue but that's me. As for uploading and downloading the video to computer is a snap... plug the camera into the firewire or USB port and Windows XP will see that it's a Sony camera and configure itself automatically and it's ready to go. I have not tried the still capabilities because I have digital camera. The Nightvision works, its neat to play with but I probably won't use it much. The menus are easy to navigate and the touch screen is a intresting idea but it works pretty good. The camera must have a noise cancellation feature because it does not pickup its own motor noise which is very quiet to begin with. The supplied battery is good for about 80 minutes with the LCD on. I made a short test video and used Nero 6 to burn it to DVD format and everything went smoothly and the quality was just as good as the tape. Overall I am very happy with the Sony TRV22...I hope this review will help somebody who is researching on buying a new camera....

Rating: 4 stars
Summary: ya
Review: i don't this is a rate or not
my reason that i am here is because i got a problems
i bought it 1500 Australia dollars
i am so upset
becoz i can't copy everything taht i record to vcd
the reason i bought is i wanna send what i did in sydney to my parents
however, i couldn't
could u help me, pls?

before that
thank's
:)

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Impressed
Review: I got this as a replacement for my previous VHS-C camcorder, since video quality wasn't good anymore. I researched technology websites and at retail stores I tested as many DV camcorders as I could and I really liked this one over the others. Sony is a reliable brand, in video stuff you can say they are the best in the business.
Now that I own it I really like it and I think it was a great investment. Although, I would suggest you get video editing software should you want to create VCD's or DVD's I won't recommend any in particular because how software works depends on the computer and personal preferences, but I use My Dvd 5.2. And I like the VCD's and DVD's I have created even with 5.1 surround sound. I also use movie maker included in Windows XP to send video files to my relatives overseas.
The video quality is great and you can back up on VHS tapes too, in case you're no interested in creating digital discs. I have read reviews against the sound, but for me it's OK, the only thing it lacks is a flash in order to take better still pictures, which you can take even as you are shooting video.
I'm really pleased with its performance and I don't regret getting this camera. It was a great deal and worth every cent.

Rating: 3 stars
Summary: The one I bought definitely has a buzzing sound! Annoying!
Review: I just got my TRV22 via mail order today. I haven't had too much time to fully analyze it yet. I did notice a fairly loud buzzing noise, which I believe is due to a motor used in the tape mechanism. What is strange is that the noise is present even when the tape isn't advancing. Simply loading a tape and putting the camcorder in camera mode starts up the noise (not recording!). I know it isn't the tape, since I tried two different DV tapes (Sony premium brand) and the noise is still there. In the VCR mode, the noise is present only when you play the tape. Of course, when you fast forward or rewind, there is alot of noise (to be expected).

To clarify, I am talking about noise coming directly from the TRV22, NOT through the speaker or via playing it back through a TV. I tried playing back some video I shot, and I can definitely hear some background noise, but it isn't clear if it is due to the buzzing sound or not.

I like the other features of the TRV22, but for the amount of money this thing costs, I expect it to not make weird noises for no reason. Remember, that in the camera mode the noise is present even when you are not recording. So, basically nothing is moving in the camcorder at that time (I deduce) and yet there is this noise.... very strange.

I am going to call up Sony support and then decide if I will return it or not. I bet you some Sony engineers know all about this problem, but they are in Japan and I won't be able to talk to them.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: This is the coolest camcorder...
Review: I just picked up this thing over the weekend. My fiance and I decided to buy it to record our wedding and reception. We might buy the additional light (it's not too expensive) because we're not sure how bright things will be at the reception. And probably a larger battery too. The one [battery] that comes with the DCR-TRV22 can do about 70 min. That's not too shabby, but for what we're using it for... we need more.

Here are some pros and cons as I see it now:

PROS:

Tiny! This thing literally fits in the palm of your hand.

Touch-screen menu on the LCD screen. Very cool and easy to use.

Digital image. Transfer from the camera to your computer without any loss of quality!

The button to start/stop recording is easily and quickly accessible. So there's no fumbling around.

The Steadyshot works really well. No loss of quality as far as I could tell.

Nightshot works very well. I tested it out in almost pitch black conditions and still got a decent shot. It all has a green tint, but at least you can see!

Adjustable viewfinder, which is key when you're outside and the sun is keeping you from seeing the LCD screen.

Performs very well in low light situations. The optional back light feature can add some brightness if needed.

USB, Firewire, and RCA output... something for every occasion.

CONS:

Low picture resolution when using it as a simple digital camera. I don't plan to use it for that purpose, so I really don't care about this.

10x optical zoom. Other makes and models totally blow this camera out of the water in this department.

Conclusion:

I think it was worth the price. The higher-priced model (the DCR-TRV33, I think) was almost exactly similar except that it could take slightly higher resolution photos. So upgrading wasn't worth the price in our opinion.

I'm *very* happy with this camcorder. It's tiny and easy to use. The tapes are affordable and you can't argue with digital quality. I'd recommend this camcorder to my friends and I recommend it to you!

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: The Amazing Sony Handycam
Review: I love this product. It is Christmas and Santa gave me one. It is amazing. It shoots crystal clear videos and is really easy to use. Just make sure that you buy a charger and casette tapes. I wouldn't trade this camera for any other camera in the world.

Rating: 5 stars
Summary: Sony reigns supreme yet again
Review: I must say that I am quite impressed with this little camera, and though its stature is quite compact, it skims not on features. From what I've captured thus far, the quality seems to be far superior when compared to other camcorders in the same class. The majority of the work that I've done with this camera revolves around DV-editing using the IEEE1394 interface, and the imported AVI is as clear as current technologies would allow it. The sound, too, is audibly vibrant and crisp. Moving on to physical features, then, I must comment on the touchscreen using one word: ingenious. No longer will one have to push awkward triggers and/or buttons in order to rewind and et cetera; the function keys you require are right there below what is being viewed/recorded. Next, this little powerhouse offers a plethora of connectivity options, ranging from the standard analog composite cables to the sharper S-Video port, and then to the digital USB and Firewire ports. Finally, the TRV22 offers the user a MS slot (included is an 8MB MS), which can be used to capture MPEG-1 A/V and still images (although it is still possible to save images onto the MiniDV per se). My, my... the TRV22 is another triumph among Sony's consumer legacy.

One thing to note, though, is that when transferring DV to and from the camera, one must pay attention to the type of IEEE1394 card that is being employed. I HIGHLY recommend the usage of a card that is based on the TI OHCI chipset, as cheaper cards will most likely garble the image and sound when printing to tape.


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