Sony DCRTRV350 Digital8 Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Memory Stick capabilities & Remote

by Sony

Product Details

Product Manual [8.04mb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000086G0F
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (29 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #4,343 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 6, 2003

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

With all the features packed into the DCR-TRV350, you won’t believe how affordable Sony makes it to share your photos and videos with friends and family. In addition to its crisp, clear digital video and stereo audio, this Digital8 Handycam camcorder features digital still photo capability, MPEG movie mode, compatibility with Memory Sticks, and USB streaming. Transfer video to your PC via iLink interface (also known as FireWire) to edit your masterpiece with the included software.

Image Stabilizations
Sony's SteadyShot picture stabilization smoothes and steadies your images without degrading picture quality. Sony does it with motion sensors--a more accurate system than that used in many other camcorders on the market.

Optics

• 1/6-inch CCD with 460,000 gross pixels
• 20X optical zoom
• 700x digital zoom
• f1.6-f2.4
• Focal distance: 2.5-50mm
• Shutter speed: 1/60 to 1/4,000 (AE mode)

Digital Stills and MPEG Movie Mode
Capture digital still images directly onto Memory Stick media for easy transfer to e-mail, printing, or sharing. Digital still images can be captured while in Memory Mode, or images from the videotape can be captured onto Memory Stick media. You can capture still images up to 640 x 480 pixels.

Designed to help you make Web videos, the MPEG movie mode produces compressed video files that are small and easy to send by e-mail or post to the Internet. Capture MPEG digital video and store it directly to Memory Stick media. Movie length ranges from 5 seconds to the length allowed by the capacity of your Memory Stick with MPEG Movie EX.

More Features
Now you can capture video even in total darkness. Sony's NightShot system uses infrared light to capture images invisible to the human eye. You can shoot subjects such as a sleeping baby up to 10 feet away in total darkness. With the optional HVL-IRC NightShot light, you can even capture images from up to 100 feet away.

Sony's Stamina power management system and InfoLithium battery give the TRV350 incredible operating time. To keep tabs on battery life, Sony's AccuPower meter displays the number of minutes remaining--right in the viewfinder.

The TRV350 features a 2.5-inch color LCD (123,000 pixels) and a black-and-white viewfinder. The USB streaming feature can turn the TRV350 into a video conferencing tool or a Webcam, with the ability to stream 320 x 240 pixel video at 30 frames per second (compatible only with Windows 98SE, 2000, Me, and XP).

Digital8 Format
Digital8 camcorders deliver high-quality digital video and audio, with up to 520 lines of horizontal resolution and either 12-bit or 16-bit PCM digital stereo audio. The Digital8 format also allows for digital recording on 8mm or Hi8 tapes--the most popular camcorder format in the U.S.

Size and Contents
The TRV350 measures 3.38 by 4.00 by 7.88 inches and weighs 1 pound 12 ounces. This package includes the TRV350 camcorder, power adaptor/in-camera charger (AC-L15), InfoLithium rechargeable battery (NP-FM30), wireless remote (RMT-814), AV cable, lens cap, shoulder strap, USB cable, two AA batteries, and CD-ROM with PIXELA ImageMixer Ver. 1.5 and USB drivers.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

138 of 141 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great for those with an 8mm library, April 21, 2003

By 

GJS (Boston MA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony DCRTRV350 Digital8 Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Memory Stick capabilities & Remote (Electronics)

The best features of this camcorder, and that things that make it worth [the extra money] over the TRV250, are its backwards compatibility and its analog to digital converter. Now that my trusty Sony Hi8 camcorder has died after 12 years of service, I not only will still have access to all the tapes, but the bulit in A/D converter will let me burn them to disc with no other hardware except a firewire port and a big hard disk. In addition, it has analog A/V inputs which will allow VHS, TV or other signals to pass through and be digitized. Bulk and the 1:20 recording time of the supplied battery are issues, as is the fact that batteries must be charged on the unit, unless you plan on buying ... stand alone chargers. The info-lithium battery system is quite nice, however, telling exactly how much time is remaining. The memory stick is OK for email or web sites, not for serious photography.

Bottom line: if you have an extensive library of Hi-8 tapes that you want to play or burn, then this is the ideal unit. If you are starting fresh in digital videography, then the mini-DV units offer significant advantages in size and features.

48 of 48 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Value, August 7, 2003

By A Customer

This review is from: Sony DCRTRV350 Digital8 Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Memory Stick capabilities & Remote (Electronics)

I was looking for a Camcorder which is compatable to a Mac OS environment. I have been very pleased with my Sony Cybershot and was happy to find that the DCRTRV350 is mac usb & firewire compatable. Out of the box this camcorder is easy to use, and the menu and selection of various features is simple to find and access. Picture quality is great. FOR THOSE UNHAPPY WITH THE AUDIO OUTPUT one simply has to select from the factory setting of 14bit to 16 bit stero, and the output is great. You can always tell the reviewers which don't open the manual past the quick start options.....I especially like the fade-in options, intervial recording (time lapse), remote playback, and the "end search" functions. Once again I have found that Sony combines good hardware AND superior software/options functions which make other brands PALE in comparison. In general I am VERY IMPRESSED with this Sony product.

39 of 39 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars superb camera for the amateur with a Hi8 library, May 12, 2003

By 

audrey (white mtns) - See all my reviews
(TOP 500 REVIEWER)   

This review is from: Sony DCRTRV350 Digital8 Camcorder with 2.5" LCD, Memory Stick capabilities & Remote (Electronics)

We are using this camera to take home movies, view/transfer our library of Hi8 movies, and capture digital stills for transer to our computer. This camera has exceeded our expectations in all these areas.

While my husband was anxious to get a digital video camera, I was reluctant to spend the money, even though our analog videocam is three years old -- a dinosaur by today's standards -- heavy and clunky with few features. But now I'm the one who is always grabbing the camera to film and to take pictures. I love it. Using a memory stick that can be purchased in several capacities, you can take still pictures even as you're filming; the memory stick we got holds approximately 400 pictures. You can find your shot using the viewfinder (in b&w) or the LCD screen (in color). We had no trouble at all, using the included cable and software, transferring images and movies to our Macintosh computer; it will work for an Intel machine too. A recharge takes us about 80 minutes and is then good for 90 minutes of recording time using the LCD screen or 110 minutes using the viewfinder.

Problematic are the LCD screen which, even when adjusted, is difficult to view in high light conditions, and the steep learning curve on the many functions and buttons. On the other hand, there are so many buttons and functions because this camera DOES so many things. There are lots of special effects too. The buttons are very small but that also helps keep the size of the camera down. Some frequently used functions, like backlight and fade, need only a single button to activate.

Bottom line: It will take you a while to learn everythng that this Sony can do -- the manual is nearly 270 pages!! -- but your effort will be greatly rewarded. Also, this camera is terrific if you have tapes in the older Hi8 format. Great camera.