| Last updated: Monday, 28 March 2005 14:08 -0500 | Legal notices |
Getting a camcorder has been on CONSUMERMAN's to-do list for a looong time -- at least three years. And finally he has done so. Here is the poop.
Due to budget constraints, I did not get a digital camcorder -- at least not this time. What I did get was a Sony TRV68 Hi-8 analogue unit. Part of the decision for this is due to what was available, and part to the advice given me by a friend who has done a lot with video, the Wizard of Speed and Time himself.
Although the TRV68 is not particularly small, neither is it a shoulder-mounted mega-camera like some I have seen tourists lugging. If you are not used to it (CONSUMERMAN is not), holding it up to film long sequences can fatigue muscles unaccustomed to such labour. Camcorders as supplemental devices in fitness centres, hmm...
One nice feature that I really like is the 'NightShot' capability. A switch on the side enables an infrared source, and instructs the camera to use IR wavelengths. The result is black-and-white, and rather grainy, but considering that the alternative result of filming a totally darkened room is to get doodly-squat, it is great. I was able to use this feature to pan around and get a good shot of the audience in a darkened auditorium.
Another useful feature is a built-in visible light-source (i.e., a light). The one in the TRV68 is small but more than adequate; I was able to film a dinner party without difficulty. The light really cannot be turned on accidentally, either; the switch requires a constant pressure for a few seconds before it will turn the light on (or off).
I am not a maven in these matters by any means, but I am informed that Hi-8 is the (analogue) format to use. And this puppy uses it rather than the mini-VHS or other formats that I have heard are crappy.
As is fairly common, you can use the vertically-swivelable eyepiece (black & white), or a swing-out colour LCD screen. One particularly nice feature of the LCD screen is that it can be rotated 360°ree; around the X-axis, so the subject in front of the camera can see it. When facing the subject, the screen goes into 'mirror-image' mode, swapping left for right. This means that the subject can watch itself and moe normally, without the usual mirror confusion. I tried this out whilst untangling a moneygami figure, watching the screen the whole time to make sure I stayed within the camera's view, and it worked a real treat. It was an amazing relief not to have to try an reverse which hand was doing what according to what I saw on the screen. This is a major feature.
The battery that comes with the TRV68 uses a Sony feature they call 'InfoLithium'. Big deal; it is just the usual LiIon battery talking to a microprocessor about its charge level that laptops have had for years. The battery itself, however, is quite nice -- with approximately two hours of running time in a full charge, and more if you use power-saving techniques like keeping the LCD screen folded in. Much larger and longer-lived batteries are available; it is clear from the size of the slot that the standard-issue one is far from the largest the camera can handle.
The power supply for the LiIon batter does a good job of charging it up quickly, and is 120/24VAC 50/60Hz ready -- so it does not require a power converter when used in foreign lands, only a socket adapter.
The TRV68 has both S-Video and RCA outputs, which makes it compatible with just about everything there is, VCR- and television-wise.
Another nice feature the TRV68 has is called 'search-to-end', which means you can space around on an tape and view different parts and then skip to the end and begin seamlessly taping (without artifacts) from where you last stopped. When the Search-to-End button is pressed, the camera fast-forwards to the end, backspaces, and plays the last ten seconds of tape before stopping in a position ready to resume taping.
The camcorder has a bunch of features for doing special effects and timestamping and all, but I have not used any of them. (Except the timestamping, which is straightforward.)
The TRV68 has a 20X optical zoom feature, which is very smooth and easily controlled. It takes a while to get used to the correct direction to slide the control, however.
I could not find a camera case that was really designed for the TRV68. I ended up purchasing one that was a little large, but with an adjustable-size interior. There is a small nylon panel that can be moved back and forth, and is held in place with Velcro. When adjusted properly, there is room for the camera, two spare tapes, and a cable. On the downside, the wiry side of the Velcro has a tendency to fray the camera's carry strap if you put the panel in facing the wrong way.
The 460X digital zoom is nice in the rare occasions when you need it. However, since you get the magnification at the cost of resolution, I do not consider 460X to be a selling point for the camera. What do you get if you zoom 460X into a JPEG? Washes of undecipherable colour. This is the same thing. If you are considering buying the camera, do not assume the 460X digital zoom will be useful. Actually try it out yourself.
It also has an electronic (not optical) jitter reduction system tha Sony calls SteadyShot. I am told electronic mechanisms are not as good as optical ones; from my own experience the electonic steadier removes the jitter but not the wobble. Unless you have an unusually steady hand, any waving about of the camera is going to show up on film as obviously hand-held.
Although spare and longer-lived batteries are available, they are enormously expensive.
On the whole, I find the TRV68 very usable. However, there are some design facets that I find annoying. For example:
For what the camera is and does, and the minimal demands CONSUMERMAN is likely to place on it, the Sony TRV68 appears to be a good buy. At least, CONSUMERMAN likes it and in no way feels cheated.
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