Customer Reviews

Sony CCDTRV16 Hi8 Handycam Camcorder

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

I am an aspiring filmmaker, so I wanted a good-quality camcorder at a low price. I got it with this. It's only $499 (which is great, considering all the stuff it has) and can do some cool effects. It has 8 filming effects, 4 fading effects, a 2.5" color LCD screen, a black and white viewfinder and much more. You can even create your own titles! This is a great camcorder for beginners to use to get a feel for it. I think it's great!

I bought this for christmas and I must say I am quite impressed! light enough for easy handling, good image quality, a lot of features for the low, low price. LCD panel does drain the battery quite quickly but with the eyepiece (black and white...aaarrgghh) you can get almost 8 solid hours of filming in...more than enough...recommended for first or second camcorder owners...

For an avid hunter and outdoorsman, like myself, the Sony "Night Shot" technology cannot be more fun! The liturature I have seen on this camcorder emphasizes the ability to record in total darkness; however, I find the little camcorder's performance in very low light conditions, such as moon light, to be very exciting for animal observation.

I'm not an ellectronics person and I never used a camcorder before, so when I was given one as a gift from my wife I started to get worrried. But the instructions were easy to follow and the camera works beautifully. I used it all Christmas day and the quality of the pictures are wonderful. I think as a result of having such good fortune with my camcorder, I am looking forward to my next sony purchase

The TRV-16 provides good quality image with no frills to hike up the cost. I am not a video enthusiast, but will be travelling to Poland soon. Not wanting to invest a significant amount of money, the price is great. I find the LCD panel to be a battery drain, given the benefit it provides is not a necessity. Overall, the unit performs well for what it is, an entry-level camcorder. I bought one to take to Europe and feel that it will perform satisfactorily. Check again in Mid-August for an updated review.

...The unit is easy to use and the instructions are simply presented and very clear cut. My wife uses it without complaint and is always happy with her results.

On the other hand, the unit does have some nicethough limited-- advanced features such as preset exposures, special effects, and Sony's unique NightShot feature. My daughter especially likes the special effects package. I particularly appreciate the Night Shot feature. I video a lot of youth sporting events that can involve a lot of transitional lighting issues, especially on those evenings around the time change seasons, an this unit handles all those issues very well. It does a commendable job in moonlight as well.

The unit is well designed and rugged. It is not a choice for die-hard vidoephilesthe range of advanced features is too limited, but they should be adequate for normal family outing type use.

Battery life using the LCD is rather short. The viewfinder picture is black & white. Using it rather than the LCD expands battery life significantly but the quality of he picture in the viewfinder is not good.

The audio quality is average. Functionality of interface with other devices (TV, PC, etc.) is good.

On the whole, a great unit to start out with or for more adventurous outings where camera safety might be an issue. (I took this one white water raftingnot my state-of-the-art unit.). It has enough features to give a feel for an advanced unit without overwhelming the user, provides better than average output and cost wise is a relative bargain.

I have had this camcorder for a few years now and it is great. But battery life is short and the view finder is not convinient.but i want to upgrade.