Sony DCRTRV510 Handycam Digital Camcorder

by Sony

Product Details

Product Manual [6.09mb PDF]

• Shipping Weight: 4 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B0000206CG
• Item model number: DCRTRV510
• Average Customer Review: 4.7 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (10 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #19,176 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Discontinued by manufacturer: Yes
• Date first available at Amazon.com: September 4, 1973

Product Description

Amazon.com Product Description

This camcorder features the new Digital8 video format, which records digital video and audio for outstanding digital quality with up to 500 lines of horizontal resolution. Handycam camcorders play back virtually any 8mm or Hi8 tape, and Sony's seven Program AE modes will make all of the necessary adjustments to the shutter speed, aperture, and focusing for a variety of indoor and outdoor situations. These AE modes consist of portrait, sports lesson, spotlight, beach and ski, sunset and moon, landscape, and low lux. With Sony's NightShot system you can capture video even when shooting in total darkness (0 lux) up to 10 feet away using the built-in infrared system. The camcorder also features eight picture effects: slim, stretch, mosaic, solarization, monotone, sepia, negative art, and pastel, and five fader effects: black, mosaic, bounce, monotone, and overlap. The new analog recording capability allows you to record from an analog source and converts to digital video through AV inputs.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great features at a great price, October 8, 1999

By A Customer

This review is from: Sony DCRTRV510 Handycam Digital Camcorder (Electronics)

Great concept - Digital video recording, plus the ability to store a bunch of still shots in the built-in 2MB of RAM. In addition, you can pull stills into memory off the tape, or vice versa. The resolution isn't as good as a true digital still camera, but I've made some 5x7's from this that look just fine. Includes a serial port cable to connect to your PC, as well as a "firewire" port for those who have that capability, although it does not include a firewire cable.

27 of 28 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great Camera, November 19, 1999

By 

Mert Erogul (Providence, RI USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony DCRTRV510 Handycam Digital Camcorder (Electronics)

I'm very pleased with the 510. I bought the 12 hour mother-of-all-batteries and took the camera to Papua New Guinea where I took the equivalent of about 3000 still photographs on 3 digital hi-8 cassettes. I also took a lot of straight video footage from which I was able to extract static images of rather good quality, depending on the amount of motion artifact. My one complaint is that in low light the image tends to get a bit grainy...I haven't figured out how to solve this problem. Let me know if you do.

25 of 26 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars SONY's Digital 8 is great!, December 17, 1999

By 

Paul C. (Federal Way, WA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Sony DCRTRV510 Handycam Digital Camcorder (Electronics)

I had wanted the latest in didgital camcorder technology but the high cost of the Mini DV tapes made me consider SONY's Digital 8 format. I got my DCR TRV 510 shortly after becoming a new dad, after much debate between the 510 and the lower 310 which will save you $$ but the 310 lacks the color viewfinder, slightly bigger LCD monitor, 2MB of internal memory for digital stills, Sony's photo managing software for your PC and the serial port PC hookup. The 510 is my 1st camcorder so I don't have any prior camcorder experience to do any relative comparisons. This camcorder does a very decent job of making home videos and photo stills. The best results are from outdoors in good daylight, otherwise in other conditions such as lowlight indoors the video and stillshots can be slightly grainy. For some reason, SONY didn't include any titling function which they do for their Reg. 8 and Hi 8 models. Also didn't notice the difference between the reg. video and S video hookup to my TV nor between the cheaper reg. 8 and Hi 8 tape. The included battery is not sufficient for heavy duty use, the 4 hour one should be adequate, anything longer will just add to the weight. Very satisfied with my decision to get the 510, overall a very impressive handycam which I anticipate to take home videos and to capture meorable moments in my son's growth.