Sony CCDTRV108 Hi8 Camcorder with 2.5" LCD

Rating:
Summary: BEWARE!!
Review: Bought this camera for Christmas. Had her open it first so she could film the nights party & NO TAPES ARE INCLUDED! Of course all stores are closed Christmas day so the thing is USELESS until the day after. Shame on Sony. How much would a tape included in the packace cost them ? Not included Battery chargers are ....

Rating:
Summary: ACERCA DE LA COMPRA
Review: Buenas tardes amigos de Terra lo que quiero saber si esto es seguro, si recibire la camara de video en casa y donde tengo que
pagar por ella.
gracias de antemano por sus indicaciones
saludos

Pedro Sueros

Rating:
Summary: Poor battery life mars a decent camcorder
Review: Hi8 is fast fading into oblivion as MiniDV takes over the world and gets cheaper. If you want good video quality, you should go with a namebrand MiniDV camcorder -- I recommend Sony, Panasonic and Canon. On the other hand, if you don't shoot a lot of videos and want something cheap, the Hi8 is still a good way to go. (I bought the TRV108 as a gift but tested it before giving it to my uncle-in-law.)

To someone who's used to MiniDV camcorders, the TRV108 feels big. It's actually normal for a 8mm camcorder. The LCD screen is sharp and bright -- but as we shall see later, also a battery hog. The traditional eye-piece viewfinder is b&w, which is bad if you want to use it to conserve battery power.

The TRV108 gives out good video quality on Hi8 tapes. I would rate it "high" for a Hi8 model, but even the cheapest MiniDV camcorders (except for Samsung) can match such quality -- plus they offer more bells and whistles. One nice thing is the inclusion of Sony's NightShot infrared technology -- now you can turn your lights off and make those ghostly videos like in Blair Witch Project and Silence of the Lambs. :) The TRV108 also includes a host of effects you can add to your video footage.

One bad thing, though, is this model does not have the stabilizer. The TRV308 and other more expensive models include Sony's digital stabilizer. On the other hand, digital stabilizers degrade quality, so they work better on a digital camcorder than an analog one like the TRV108. Just make sure you have sturdy hands and arms.

Now the battery. The battery is definitely a problem and you'll want to buy an extra capacity battery. While the LCD turned on, you'll run out of the included battery in a matter of minutes. You can save power by using the b&w viewfinder, but that defeats the purpose of having the LCD, doesn't it? One plus feature is the included AC adapter works at both 110V and 220V.

If you have [the money], I highly recommend a MiniDV camcorder. Otherwise, make the TRV108 your entry-level home video making machine. You just can't beat its price and good quality for a Hi8 model.

Rating:
Summary: GREAT CAMERA - HOMERUN!!!!!
Review: I exclusively buy Sony Electronics because in my opinion they are the best. When I bought this Camera I knew that the quality would be there because it is a Sony. The camera works well except it is a little bulky. I primarily use this camera to film my son playing in the little league and it works well at capturing high speed action. It also is somewhat impact resistant because at his last little league game the umpire claimed my son was out when he was safe. Everyone knew that except for the umpire himself. I hit that fat porker right in the face with the camera (while it was on) and it captured everything - the picture quality was amazing and the sound was crystal clear. That fat slob hit the floor like a ton of bricks and was out cold. A couple of weeks later I got a letter from his lawyer and I had to appear in court because he filed a lawsuit against me. I showed the judge the tape of my son being safe and even he commented on the quality of the sound and picture and said my son was not out either. The judge dropped the charges all because of this great little camera.

Rating:
Summary: Great little camcorder, except...
Review: I have used many video cameras in my life, but I have never owned one until now. I worked at audio/video stores for several years and saw lots of different formats and brands come and go. Never a fan of the VHS format or its junky little brother, Compact VHS, I knew 8mm was the way to go, at least back then. Nowadays, though, Mini DV seems to be taking over with even smaller cassettes and better picture quality. However, I don't have that kind of money to afford a DV or Digital 8mm camcorder. Yet.

Enter the TRV-108, a nifty little video camera that uses the HiBand 8mm format, superior to 8mm, but certainly not in the ballpark of Digital8 or DV. Still, its compact size and light weight make it easy to carry around almost anywhere and given the first 8mm camcorder I ever used was big enough that part of it sat on my shoulder, this is a great improvement. It comes with a 160 minute 'InfoLithium' battery and little else except a lens cap and strap. It takes great pictures and has a nifty menu system navigated by a little wheel at the back that works like like a volume control and when you have selected what you want from the on-screen display, you just press the wheel to make it happen. This makes titling a snap. I do miss the title image-grabbing function from older 8mm cameras, though.

The 2.5" color back lit LCD screen is clear and easy to read in all but the brightest sunlight and failing that, it also has a small .5" black and white display through the view finder. The 40x zoom is fantastic, but you better have steady hands in order to use it. And using the 460x digital zoom is impossible with anything but a tripod. The camera is equipped with a nightshot mode that actually does work, amplifying light in dark areas, making the image more visible, if green. The TRV-108 also comes with some neat digital effects like sepia tone, which gives video a nice old movie look, a pastel effect which gives everything a cartoony look, black and white, 16:9 aspect shots, plus other effects. It can also do snazzy digital fade-ins and fade-outs.

This camera only really has two failings. For the most part, built in camera lights are useless, but the TRV-108 doesn't even have an accessory shoe for mounting an external light source. Something I found kind of maddening to the point where I even toyed with the idea of finding a camera at a garage sale, ripping it apart, and super glue the shoe to the top. Second, while the built-in microphone is very sensitive at picking up voices and ambient sounds, it does not have a foam wind sock. In moderate winds the roar of the air as it passed over the mike caused a lot of noise. And if it's too loud, like when I shot at the base of a waterfall, the noise caused image distortion lines! These two missing features cost the camera a full five-star review.

All in all though, this is a pretty decent little toy. It's not a serious camcorder and a far from a Canon GL-1s or Xl-1s, but for what I use it for, it's still pretty darn good. It's also low cost enough that purchasing it and using it as a good way to find out if you want to go for a bigger and better camera with more features, whether it be a Digital8 or Mini DV camera. It has taught me a lot about framing shots and what a pain the noon day sun can be. The long life of the battery means that, with a little mental effort, you can shoot a full 2 hour tape on one battery. Not bad for a trip to the zoo to send a tape to your folks.

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Summary: the perfect gift!!
Review: i just recieved this camera as a gift for my 16th birthday. I love it! It was so easy to work, and has proven already that making videos are fun. It allows me to make movies for friends and family without having to deal with a whole lot of buttons and distractions. I think this is great for someone unfamiliar with cameras or someone who just wants something simple but of good quality.
sincerely,
elena

Rating:
Summary: Best Deal in Sony Hi8 Camcorder Ever!
Review: I've been waiting and waiting for the best value in a Sony Hi8 Camcorder and by far this is it! This is my very first camcorder. I've been doing a lot of research and comparison on which sony model will suit me best, then this came out. I quickly grabbed it after finding out how reasonably priced it was. I bought it at [a local store] during [a] Sale... I've never laid hand on a camcorder before and I am very pleased to find out how easy it was to operate. I was able to do the playback on my TV and dubbing on my VCR with ease. It has great features, great sound and best of all best picture quality. I know there are a lot of people out there like myself who are not ready to spend a lot of money on a camcorder especially for the very first time. Well, you will not be disappointed with this one! It comes with all the accessories to get you started. Battery charging is very fast, instructions are easy to follow when it comes to recording, playback and editing, the night shot feature is great, best of all the LCD screen is so fun to use especially when you have a "little one" to capture on video. This is definitely as great buy!

Rating:
Summary: Replaced Old Sony TR 100 Hi 8 With this
Review: My old hi 8 went caput after 10 years use that was very trouble free.The new one has way more features that the 100 and costs much less. ...
I use the viewfinder instead of the display as I am used to it and so far have recorded 3 hours on it and it tells me I have 2 hours left. I used the telephoto constantly which takes power put am very happy with the results
I recharge the battery after use with the no memory effect so no problems. I use the supplied battery for dubbing and it will run 2 hrs in the dubbing mode which is great.
I dub hi 8 super vhs output to a super vhs vcr and do not notice andy difference in the quality of the dub.
Yes there is a more blurry picture if you dub to standard vhs but that is normal.
Unless you want to do some super pro stuff this camera is the one to get. Dave PS get metal evaporated tape for top notch 400 lines picture quality.

Rating:
Summary: Replaced Old Sony TR 100 Hi 8 With this
Review: My old hi 8 went caput after 10 years use that was very trouble free.The new one has way more features that the 100 and costs much less. ...
I use the viewfinder instead of the display as I am used to it and so far have recorded 3 hours on it and it tells me I have 2 hours left. I used the telephoto constantly which takes power put am very happy with the results
I recharge the battery after use with the no memory effect so no problems. I use the supplied battery for dubbing and it will run 2 hrs in the dubbing mode which is great.
I dub hi 8 super vhs output to a super vhs vcr and do not notice andy difference in the quality of the dub.
Yes there is a more blurry picture if you dub to standard vhs but that is normal.
Unless you want to do some super pro stuff this camera is the one to get. Dave PS get metal evaporated tape for top notch 400 lines picture quality.

Rating:
Summary: Sony basic Hi8 Handycam Rocks!
Review: Performance is outstanding. I had a previous Sony 8 mm Handycam which died and I replaced it with this camera so I could continue to playback my old 8 mm tapes. This camera performs faster and is simpler to use than my old Sony. It does everything I need and does it well... I got a great deal.