Sony CCDTRV16 Hi8 Handycam Camcorder
Although it only weighs a little over 450 g, this state-of-the-art camcorder is loaded down with features. You can make professional-looking videos with outstanding digital picture quality, no matter what your lighting is.Video 8 XR Extended Resolution extends the luminance bandwidth for greater image detail and clarity. 8 XR provides up to 280 lines of resolution in low contrast situations. With Sony's NightShot system you can capture video even when shooting in total darkness (0 lux) up to 3 meters away using the built-in infrared system. When activated, Optimum Record Control will perform a short record and playback of the inserted video tape to analyze the tape and to check the condition of the video heads. If your footing's a little shaky, SteadyShot Image Stabilization compensates for any camera shaking. Auto Exposure adjusts lighting to your environment with six programmed settings including Beach & Ski and Sunset & Moon. For the experienced videographer, a manual focus ring and exposure dial gives you more creative control. And the audio is as sharp as the picture with Stereo Audio. When your masterpiece is finished, you can use the audio dubbing feature to set your videos to your favorite songs.
The Sony TRV16 Handycam offers a great range of high-end camcorder features in an affordable package. It combines easy operation with a wide variety of advanced features, such as preset exposures, special effects, and Sony's unique NightShot feature. Sony's elongated Handycam design fits easily in one hand and is well-balanced. While not the lightest of camcorders, we found the Handycam line to be one of the most ergonomic and easy to use. The Sony TRV16 Handycam has a nifty status screen on the outside of the LCD screen module that lets you know how many minutes you've recorded or how far you've played a tape. It also tells you if there's a tape in the camcorder. The LCD screen swivels 210 degrees, which lets you record above your head, or put yourself in the picture. The optical viewfinder is black and white, which is not a real drawback since we ended up using the LCD screen for most of our shooting. The Sony TRV16 Handycam lets you manually adjust focus and exposure; it also includes six programmed exposure modes, plus backlight compensation, to help optimize your video under different shooting conditions. It features a 180x digital zoom, great for getting closeups and recording faraway events. We enjoyed Sony's full range of special effects, including the distinctive pastel, slim, and stretch picture modes. The TRV416 also provides widescreen, black-and-white, sepia, negative, and solarized modes. We liked the range of fade options, which included fade to black, mosaic, monotone, and a bounce-image effect. The camcorder includes Sony's exclusive NightShot capability, which lets you shoot video in total darkness. The TRV16 emits an invisible infrared beam to light the scene. The resulting video is basically black and white, and usually lower quality than normal video, but being able to get decent images in complete darkness is nonetheless pretty amazing. This camcorder uses the 8mm format, which means you can't play the tapes in your VCR; you have to connect the camcorder to your TV for playback. Pros:
- Ergonomic design
- NightShot capability
- Wide range of exposure settings
- Good selection of special effects
Cons:
- Optical viewfinder is black and white
Sony CCDTRV16 Hi8 Handycam Camcorder Accessories
Sony CCDTRV16 Hi8 Handycam Camcorder Reviews
I have had this camcorder for a few years now and it is great. But battery life is short and the view finder is not convinient.but i want to upgrade.
It does a commendable job in moonlight as well.The unit is well designed and rugged. My wife uses it without complaint and is always happy with her results.On the other hand, the unit does have some nice.though limited advanced features such as preset exposures, special effects, and Sony's unique NightShot feature. My daughter especially likes the special effects package. It has enough features to give a feel for an advanced unit without overwhelming the user, provides better than average output and cost wise is a relative bargain. It is not a choice for die-hard vidoephiles.the range of advanced features is too limited, but they should be adequate for normal family outing type use. Battery life using the LCD is rather short. (I took this one white water rafting.not my state-of-the-art unit).
Using it rather than the LCD expands battery life significantly but the quality of he picture in the viewfinder is not good.The audio quality is average.The unit is easy to use and the instructions are simply presented and very clear cut. The viewfinder picture is black & white. Functionality of interface with other devices (TV, PC, etc). I video a lot of youth sporting events that can involve a lot of transitional lighting issues, especially on those evenings around the time change seasons, an this unit handles all those issues very well. is good.On the whole, a great unit to start out with or for more adventurous outings where camera safety might be an issue. I particularly appreciate the Night Shot feature.
I bought this for christmas and I must say I am quite impressed. LCD panel does drain the battery quite quickly but with the eyepiece (black and white.aaarrgghh) you can get almost 8 solid hours of filming in.more than enough.recommended for first or second camcorder owners. light enough for easy handling, good image quality, a lot of features for the low, low price.
But the instructions were easy to follow and the camera works beautifully. I'm not an ellectronics person and I never used a camcorder before, so when I was given one as a gift from my wife I started to get worrried. I think as a result of having such good fortune with my camcorder, I am looking forward to my next sony purchase I used it all Christmas day and the quality of the pictures are wonderful.
The liturature I have seen on this camcorder emphasizes the ability to record in total darkness; however, I find the little camcorder's performance in very low light conditions, such as moon light, to be very exciting for animal observation. For an avid hunter and outdoorsman, like myself, the Sony "Night Shot" technology cannot be more fun.
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