Sony DCRTRV120 Digital Camcorder

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Manufacturer: Sony
Price at amazon.com: Used from $650.00

List price $899.99



Product Features:

• Digital 8 format
• 25x optical zoom and 450x total zoom
• IEEE 1394 (FireWire) interface
• SteadyShot electronic image stabilization
• NightShot infrared system

Product Description:

The Sony DCR-TRV120 uses the Digital 8 format, which digitally records images onto standard Hi8 tapes. If you're upgrading from an 8mm or Hi8 camera, this format gives you the combined benefits of digital image quality and backwards compatibility with your old tapes.A 25x optical zoom and 450x digital zoom will bring your shots closer, and Sony SteadyShot image stabilization technology will help to keep shakes and wobbles out of your video. For audio, the DCR-TRV120 offers 16-bit PCM digital stereo with 12-bit dubbing. If you prefer to shoot in the 16:9 widescreen ratio, this is also an option. To compose your films, you can use either the standard eyepiece viewfinder or a 2.5-inch swivel color LCD display.With Sony's LaserLink feature, playback can be a snap--you just aim the DCR-TRV120 at the LaserLink receiver on select Sony TVs from up to 16 feet away, press play, and enjoy your videos directly on your TV--without wires or cassette adapters.If you're planning to digitally edit your videos on your computer, the Sony includes an industry standard IEEE 1394 port (also known as iLink and FireWire) for image transfer, and a Control-L (LANC) interface for connection to editing equipment.Sony's Super NightShot infrared system lets you capture footage in two modes. In standard NightShot mode the camera uses available visible and infrared light to illuminate the subject. With Super NightShot, an infrared LED on the front of the camera acts like an infrared spotlight: to the naked eye, it just looks like a standard red LED, but it produces enough infrared light to effectively illuminate the area in front of the camera.The camera includes numerous extra features, including 14 picture effects and a five-mode audio-video fader, end search (which automatically forwards your tape to the end of the last footage shot), edit search, seven-mode program auto exposure, pass-through analog AV inputs, and an intelligent shoe for accessories.

Description from Manufacturer:The Sony DCR-TRV120 uses the Digital 8 format, which digitally records images onto standard Hi8 tapes. If you're upgrading from an 8mm or Hi8 camera, this format gives you the combined benefits of digital image quality and backwards compatibility with your old tapes.

A 25x optical zoom and 450x digital zoom will bring your shots closer, and Sony SteadyShot image stabilization technology will help to keep shakes and wobbles out of your video. For audio, the DCR-TRV120 offers 16-bit PCM digital stereo with 12-bit dubbing. If you prefer to shoot in the 16:9 widescreen ratio, this is also an option. To compose your films, you can use either the standard eyepiece viewfinder or a 2.5-inch swivel color LCD display.

With Sony's LaserLink feature, playback can be a snap--you just aim the DCR-TRV120 at the LaserLink receiver on select Sony TVs from up to 16 feet away, press play, and enjoy your videos directly on your TV--without wires or cassette adapters.

If you're planning to digitally edit your videos on your computer, the Sony includes an industry standard IEEE 1394 port (also known as iLink and FireWire) for image transfer, and a Control-L (LANC) interface for connection to editing equipment.

Sony's Super NightShot infrared system lets you capture footage in two modes. In standard NightShot mode the camera uses available visible and infrared light to illuminate the subject. With Super NightShot, an infrared LED on the front of the camera acts like an infrared spotlight: to the naked eye, it just looks like a standard red LED, but it produces enough infrared light to effectively illuminate the area in front of the camera.

The camera includes numerous extra features, including 14 picture effects and a five-mode audio-video fader, end search (which automatically forwards your tape to the end of the last footage shot), edit search, seven-mode program auto exposure, pass-through analog AV inputs, and an intelligent shoe for accessories.Average Customer Rating:

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Comment: Excellent camera. No complaints. Rating:
I got one of these used a few years ago after doing some research into the features and reputations of similar cameras. I've had no problems with it.

Video quality is excellent, and it works seamlessly with iMovie, which I use for editing.

I disabled the digital zoom (which degrades the picture quality); 25X optical zoom is already impressive, especially with the SteadyShot camera-shake compensation.

The camera operates surprisingly well with low light, even without engaging NightShot.

The "digital still photo" feature on any video camera is essentially a gimmick, so I'm not counting this camera's poor still-photo quality in my rating. Even the cheapest pocket digital camera will take a better still photo than a high-priced video camera -- so hey, buy a DV camera used and get yourself a cheap still camera to go with it.

I've found Digital-8 highly convenient, because I can get Hi-8 tapes in many stores that still don't carry MiniDV tapes.

I only wish the camera were super-tiny, but hey, it's not a cutting-edge supercamera -- it's a good, solid camcorder. Works for me!

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Comment: Tape Mechanism Jams Rating:
I bought one of these new. I have had nothing but problems with the tape mechanism. Put a new tape in and it stops half way during the cycle. The door is half open. So much for electronic transports. Don't buy one of these. Sony wants $269 to fix this, not worth it...

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Comment: GREAT Rating:
Hi! I prefer in spanish. Compre la camcorder hace 2 años y ha sido la mejor inversion. Su calidad es tan comparable con la Xl1 s de canon que es profesional, que la gente no sabe cual de las dos fue la que use. Mi hijo que estudia cine en Venezuela la usa para sus ejercicios y claro el le saca provecho a todas las funcionas. Solo tengo una critica, costo mas barato cuando la compre en Marzo de 2000.

Posted at November 11, 2003 07:57 AM | Comments (0) | TrackBack (0)