Rating: 
Summary: Zoom baby, zoom! It's tight! - Neil
Review: I have the model below this, TRV-110. Digital is where its at. No matter how many times over I record my 2-month old son on the same tape, the picture quality does not diminish. It is extremely amazing. I did a PCN performance up in SF and I had great close-ups from the back row. Built-in mic is o.k., I would recommend upgrading that. Also, upgrade the battery to at least to an 8-hour. There's cool features too. Picture mode will record 5-sec stills. Playback that on your VCR with music hooked up to the audio in and you've got a musical slide show! My wife has been experimenting that with our wedding pix. Nice stuff! A lot of video effects, I've yet to learn. This thing also has night vision! In the dark, it shoots our infared beams that act like a spotlight. Very cool. This cam as well as its upgrade very recommended! -Neil
Rating:
Summary: Best low-price, high end digital camera on the market!
Review: I just recently purchased the Sony DCR TRV 310 for personal home use and to assist me in producing a television show that I am working on. The 310 has proven to be better than any of the professional models out there costing $10,000 - $20,000. I plan on getting a few more units and software so I can produce my shows right here at home on my computer. Get the 310...you wont be sorry.
Rating:
Summary: Sony outdoes itself
Review: I owned a Sony Hi-8, top-of-the-line camcorder for 5 years. It had every bell and whistle available, but broke down frequently (at very inopportune times like family reunions, kids' firsts, etc.). I recently purchased the 310 after doing some research. It is LIGHT YEARS beyond the one I replaced! The color is truer, the controls are cleaner and less noisy, and the digital capability is tremendous! The LCD swing-out screen is bright and crisp, and the B&W viewfinder is sharp (and doesn't consume much battery life). Speaking of batteries, go for the extra 10hour battery. You will add a little size and weight to the unit, but the extra time is well worth the $130 or so. Sony has come a long way in the last 5 years, and I highly recommend this camcorder. We just recorded a live theater performance, and the video/audio are better than anything else we've seen.
Rating: 
Summary: Great Camera, Lots of Features
Review: I purchased my 310 about 3 months ago and am nothing short of thrilled with it. It is truly an amazing camera. I am a professional cameraman and that makes me ultra critical when it comes to any type of consumer video gear. The only downside to this camera is that I have no way of controlling the dB video gain level on the camera. The 310 uses it's own automated gain according to the amount of light in a given scene. For those who don't know what I am talking about I mean that the image recorded becomes automatically more less or less grainy with the fluctuation of light levels. For example, if you are outside the camera automatically records at 0 dB, but as soon as you move it to an area with less light, the gain level begins to change, thus the image is recorded grainier as you move into areas with less light. That is my only real complaint about the 310. Among the main stellar features on this camera, one feature that I love is the true 16:9 aspect ratio. Other cameras and even the DCR-TRV8, which is the next step up in the Sony line of camcorders, do not have true 16:9 ability. They instead just put out two black borders on the top and bottom of the screen to simulate 16:9. This is a great feature especially if you have a 16:9 aspect ratio television. All in all, if you are looking to spend under a grand, look no further than to the DCR-310.
Rating:
Summary: Best camcorder out there!
Review: I use it all the time, great videos and stills for recording on VHS or copying to the computer and sending through email. Nightshot is a great feature too. Mostly, the quality is the best I have ever seen.
Rating:
Summary: Used it to film a movie!
Review: I'm a filmaker and I purchased this camera with the intent on making low budget features, It has an outstanding picture and I actually have filmed 2 shorts and am working on a feature with it. It's worth every dime, I haven't had one problem with the camera...The only thing I wish they could develop is an editing program for the PC that does it justice.
Rating:
Summary: superb quality in a really light and handy package
Review: I've had one of these for a couple of months now (regrettably I didn't get it at the amazon.com knock-down price). It's really easy to use, very convenient. Battery life and charging speed is great too.
Rating:
Summary: A GREAT digital camcorder at an ASTOUNDING price
Review: I've played with this digital camcorder for about 5 days now and I am delighted with it's quality and features. If anyone's disappointed with the quality of the video (see reviews below), they are probably being unrealistic in their expectations. To get better video, you'd have to go up to a 3CCD camera (at about 3times the cost!). As for those who say that the camera is too big and heavy, I say just TRY shooting a still video without a tripod with a camera as small as a paperback book! You NEED something larger to get a good steady picture (even with "steadyshot"). I appreciate Sony's innovative digital 8 because the tapes are less expensive, but you still have the quality of digital recording (the Pauses are terrific!). I'm not worried that these tapes are not interchangeable with the mini-DV format. I mean, how often would I want to trade digital tapes with someone? I also have the option of playing back any old 8 or hi-8 videotapes that were previously recorded, and converting them to digital (try THAT with a mini-DV camcorder)! I like having A/V outputs AND inputs so that I can digitally record from a source other than the camera lens. The Sony infrared "nightshot" is astounding. It's like have nightvision goggles for your camcorder! The LCD screen on the TRV310 is WONDERFUL... 3.5 inches! The 20X optical zoom is sufficient, and going partway into the digital zoom ain't too bad either (as long as you don't try to actually use the full 360X!) I cannot say enough good things at this point. If I have to find something negative to say, I wish some of the controls were in easier locations to get to while I'm still filming. All in All, a nifty camcorder that I HIGHLY recommend!
Rating:
Summary: Simply the best in the market --- Get it while you can
Review: If you are looking for the best camcorder in the market, stop looking this little toy has it all. The quality of the picture and sound are so great the you will feel and see every thing that you filmed as if you where there LIVE again. If you have a home theatre system with Adobe Digital 5.1 you will really see what I mean. The only down side is you will need a battery that lasts longer and make sure you get more tape.
Rating:
Summary: Great Buy
Review: Love this camera- Editing software on my PC is easy. You don't need to buy lots of HI8 or Digital8 tapes because you can just copy what you recorded onto a regular VHS tape on your VCR. This camera is so easy to use I didn't really need the manual to figure anything out. I don't see the need to go to the 510 unless you want a slightly bigger LCD. Make sure you buy an extended battery
|
