... Eventually with a lot of discussion I decided on the Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E from the Great Universal catalogue. Nothing but a delight from order.
As it is not a necessity I had to persuade my fiancé to allow me to buy it, but in the end she gave in and let me order it. Once ordered the ... Read review
Advantages: Very Easy To Use Camcorder Easy For The Beginner. A Must Buy Product Disadvantages: Can not charge while using camcorder or playing back footage.
...discussion I decided on the Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E from the Great Universal catalogue. Nothing but a delight from order.
As it is not a necessity I had to persuade my fiancé to allow me to buy it, but in the end she gave in and let me order it. Once ordered the product came exceedingly quickly to my surprise.
~~~ The Unit - Aesthetics ~~~
As mentioned above, the camcorder is a Sony Handycam ... ...wish.
The Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E comes with an InfoLITHIUM NP-FM30 Battery which is absolutely fantastic, they tell you exactly how much recording or playback time is left with the power that's in the battery. You may never run out of battery again. This to me is invaluable again due to its easiness of use.
With this unit it has a built in microphone and speaker so when you are recording it picks up clear, sharp sound ... more
~~~ Background ~~~
I have always wanted to own a camcorder but never really had the money so when I came into a bit of money I decided to spend it on one. Eventually with a lot of discussion I decided on the Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E from the Great Universal catalogue. Nothing but a delight from order.
As it is not a necessity I had to persuade my fiancé to allow me to buy it, but in the end she gave in and let me order it. Once ordered the product came exceedingly quickly to my surprise.
~~~ The Unit - Aesthetics ~~~
As mentioned above, the camcorder is a Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E it is a fetching silver colour along the top and down the left hand side, down the right hand side it changes to a smooth grey finish. Like most camcorders with a screen it is stationed on the left hand side, it is an LCD screen which is extremely clear and a good size at 2.5 inches, the screen can be rotated so that you may record at many different angles and also rotates so it is facing the subject you are recording. This is mostly used for video messages and self filming so that you can see that you are situated in the right part of the screen.
The Handycam is definitely designed for ease of use, it has a steadycam feature and also an easycam feature which enlarges the words on the screen and allows you to record easily setting up your camcorder to the optimum settings. The steadycam feature is for when you record moving objects (Rather handy for recording precious memories).
One of the reasons I bought this product is because of the excellent zoom function, it has a 20x optical zoom with also 900x digital zoom and all this from a lens with a 2.5 - 50mm lens focal length. The zoom function is fantastic and if it does go out of focus it almost instantly re-focuses perfect. This is perfect for example for filming at the zoo as you cannot always get that close to the animals, you can get crystal clear footage from a fair distance away.
The recording format of this camcorder is Digital-8 not as small and compact as a Mini-dv but to me seems that the quality is just as good. It takes 8mm digital-8 tapes which are fairly well priced at around £20 for three 90 minute tapes. The tape compartment is situated on the bottom of the camcorder, slide the small eject button and it opens up smoothly. This makes changing the tapes quick and easy.
All of the playback control buttons are underneath the closed LCD viewfinder and these give you many options from play and stop to mute and also volume buttons. It also has an End Find button which I personally find invaluable to getting the most out of my 90min tapes and also good consistent playback.
The unit has an S-video output/input interface with also composite input/output for people who do not have an S-video connection on their TV. Another excellent extra on this camcorder is the fact you can connect this to your computer at home and upload the video onto your hard drive. this means you can edit it very easily and cut the bits you do not want once finished you could then burn it onto a DVD therefore having your own archive of home movies and allowing you to reuse the Digital-8 tapes if you so wish.
The Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E comes with an InfoLITHIUM NP-FM30 Battery which is absolutely fantastic, they tell you exactly how much recording or playback time is left with the power that's in the battery. You may never run out of battery again. This to me is invaluable again due to its easiness of use.
With this unit it has a built in microphone and speaker so when you are recording it picks up clear, sharp sound and also plays it back clearly. The volume on this unit is quite high and can easily be heard by the hard of hearing when playing back recorded footage.
Another great extra with this is the fact you do not need any light at all to record. It has a very good light on it with 3 super bright LEDs lighting up to 15 feet away! This camcorder also has a standard Nightshot Plus System which does record in green and grey but can record in pitch black, I have tested this and it is very nifty and works perfectly.
This camcorder has a photo capture button which is very good and captures a still image during your recording, this has a good effect when used and allows you to record moving and still footage.
~~~ The Unit - Build Quality ~~~
The Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E is a very well built piece of equipment to any amateur cameraman it is very robust and has no little bits than can easily be snapped off. Though not recommended I have dropped mine from chest height and surprisingly withstood the impact unbroken and miraculously unscratched. This surprised me and at this time is still working perfectly.
The design is one that is sleek and cool in both colour and design and looks very cool. It is not as small as some but is the perfect size to me and I have gone over it with a fine tooth comb and have still to find just one problem with the build quality. Absolutely Fantastic!
~~~ The Unit - Usage ~~~
I have used the camcorder for many occasions from Christmas to a special visit to the zoo for me and my Fiancé. It has never let me down and always records very sharp and clear. I have many archives of DVDs that I have created from my home movies uploading is very easy to do. I find it very easy to use both recording and playback and use it very frequently. I find it very easy to use in all weathers (except rain of course) even when my fingers were freezing cold the buttons are just the right size to still be able to push, The heat doesn't seem to have much effect on the recording but living in England I do not get much of the really hot weather. I have used the standard Nightshot Plus System quite a few times and I am very impressed by it, you can record nature in your back garden in pitch black I have recorded foxes hedgehogs and cats in my back garden and though it seems spooky the colours it is recorded in it is still very good quality. I have also use the photo capture button which records a still frame for 5 seconds or so it has a really good effect when playing back if done right.
~~~ What Is Supplied With The Unit ~~~
With the Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E you get supplied with...
An InfoLITHIUM NP-FM30 Battery - A very good battery that lasts a very good 80 - 120 minutes depending on if you are using the LCD screen.
A USB cable - This is about half a meter long and attaches into the front of your camcorder to the computers USB port.
A 240v Mains Charger - Good quick charger but does not charge if the camcorder is left on or in use.
Driver and Software Package - Drivers for you camcorder connection to the PC. I haven't had chance to use the other software yet.
Shoulder Strap - Good idea but quite uncomfortable to wear.
AV Cables - To connect your camcorder to your TV/VCR
Instruction Manual - Very handy if you are a novice but me being a man I haven't read them yet.
You can buy many optional extras with this item such as bigger batteries, a tripod or storage bags but there are numerous extras you can buy
~~~ The Unit - Customer Care ~~~
So far I have not had any problems or incidents with this product. But I have unfortunately managed to lose both the driver CD and the manual, I rang the customer care line and it seemed nothing was too much trouble; they offered to send me a replacement and also gave me the website address to download a Driver file and manual.
I downloaded both very quickly and easily. They sent me through the post both a new Driver CD and a new Manual.
To me this is fantastic service. Not what I was expecting.
~~~ Conclusion ~~~
The design of the Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E is a dream come true in its easiness of use price and compatibility. I am so glad I bought it now as it has provided me with hours of fun and captured some great memories for me. Its ease of use makes it a perfect purchase for first time amateur cameramen and also people who want to upgrade to a better camcorder from the one they have.
I have used this camcorder with most of its extras but as there are so many I haven't got round to using them all yet, but the option is there.
Personally I am really happy and would recommend anybody to buy this product; I haven't had any problems with this product and is a pleasure to use.
You can buy this product for about £200 - £400 depending from whom you buy it from. You can also get it cheaper from E-Bay both new and second-hand.
~~~ Resources ~~~
The Sony Website is an excellent source of troubleshooting information for all makes of Sony products available in the UK and is located at http://www.sony.co.uk/
Should you be a Sony appliance owner, you can contact them via: Phone: Customer Information Centre - 08705-111999 Email: suk.generalcic@eu.sony.com Post: Sony Customer Information Centre Pipers Way Thatcham Berkshire RG19 4LZ
If this review has enlightened you to buying a Sony product you can download any of the 9 catalogues they have from http://www.products.sony.co.uk/brochures/
Advantages: Fairly cheap, easy to use, good range of features, looks cool! Disadvantages: Digital8 cassettes, no memory stick slot.
The Sony DCR-TRV255 was and still is the first digital camcorder I have ever owned. It took me a good few months to decide to buy it, with the next model up in mind, but then in the end I decided to buy only what I needed (For example, I didn’t need a memory stick slot for digital still photos). Really the only thing that made me buy it was the price and the quality for that price, (And of course, I wanted a digital camcorder!)
Not being an expert ... ...are like me.
The Sony DCR-TRV255 took £224.95 out of my pocket, and came from multizonedvd.co.uk. I had originally been planning on buying the 355, which was about £100 dearer. The only significant difference between these two was the option to have a memory stick on which to store digital stills and movies in MPEG-2 format, which I wasn’t particularly bothered about… then… sigh… Anyway, this price is fairly cheap as ‘digi-cams’ go nowadays, but ...
storpey 08.08.2004 (26.09.2004)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E
Advantages: small, easy to use, good picture quality Disadvantages: heavy, limited battery use
This is the first camcorder I've ever bought, and it has provided much entertainment and come in very useful since. If you're thinking of buying one, particularly a first one, I think this is one of the best.
Here are the main Features:
Digital 8 recording- this is half way between just recording on tapes and recording on a disk- so you can go either way (best of both worlds I say) You can record onto a video that can be played in any video machine, ... ...edit it. The cassettes are £15 for 3x60min tapes (from amazon) which isn't too bad. While it is a little tricky to get them in the machine in the first place, once they're in you forget they are there!
USB connectivity- this makes it even easier to connect to the TV or pc- just plug in and go (almost all TVs and all pcs have a USB port)
SteadyShot - very handy for those shaky-handed budding photographers out there- while it wont steady the picture ...
sleepy123 16.10.2004
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E
Advantages: Great for Newbies & Old Hands with Steadycam & Easycam Disadvantages: nothing too major
...You have the standard Sony SteadyShot Function which is very handy for those situations where you're moving around while filming or filming things moving at High speeds (ie F-15 Eagles doing a Flypast at an Airshow).
You have the Sony EasyCam function this will do everything for you from setting the colour & sound input to its optimum for the best you can get. You also have a rather funny function that enables you to take a "Snapshot" Image. This ... ...of Camera Equipment" (As one Sony Engineer I knew told me) this is an extremely
Robust and strong unit. My Daughters have played with it and I've had it bouncing all over the place in the boot of my car when I was Off-Roading. I'd forgotten it was there.
There is also Software included for your PC. This is called "Picture Package" it has all the Drivers and Programs. This allows you to edit the footage, add music for a background track or to Compile ...
SteveMason77 15.02.2006
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: very helpful Review of Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E
Advantages: Simple to use, Plenty of features, Both Hi8 and Digital8 tapes Disadvantages: No firewire card/wire supplied, Awful software, battery life.
...The software supplied by Sony is, quite frankly, diabolical. The battery life is quite poor too, but Sony do a wide range of different batteries for the Handycam series.
It works beautifully if connected up to the television AV, so if you want videos on VCR then its perfect.
The LCD screen is quite nifty and goes over 180 degrees in rotation. The good thing about it, is that the image flips so that its the right way up for viewing.
For those with ... ...use it quite well so it works for any really.
I got mine last year for £240 but I have seen cheaper recently. Its about £180 now.
As for retailers I purchased mine at the Sony Retail store, but Comet, Argos, Amazon, Curries also supply it.
Please rate!!! ...
jeliman 13.07.2005 (03.01.2006)
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Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E
Ease of use
Recording quality
Picture quality
Sound quality
Value for money
Quick review of Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E
When I tried to install the Picture Package which came with the video camera , it would not install on my laptop running Vista. Unfortunately my husban died shortly after we bought the video camera and it's only now I am able to look at it. Very disappointing that I cannot run my videos on my laptop. Any ideas ...
acol777 17.11.2008 (16.11.2008)
Ciao members have rated this review on average: helpful Review of Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E
Product Information for "Sony Handycam DCR TRV255E" »
Connections
Connector Type
1 x composite video/audio (input/output)
1 x S-Video input / output
1 x IEEE 1394 (FireWire/i.LINK)
1 x USB
1 x DC power input
Manufacturer's product description
The DCR-TRV255 will provide users with their first experience of a digital camcorder and video editing on a PC. The model comes bundled with Picture Package - a new and extremely intuitive way of creating movies on Video CD. Targeted at the beginner, this solution-oriented package does away with the need for complex video editing software on the computer. The simple process starts with the user choosing a music track, then the video (one sequence or the full tape) from the camera. Confirming the selection makes the software start burning a movie to VideoCD using the computer's CD recorder. The result is a professional looking video that has been automatically edited to match the music and which benefits from the automatic addition of special effects between the scenes. Output directly to VideoCD for widespread distribution, the new movie can be played in most PCs or domestic DVD players. The camera also takes advantage of USB connectivity to provide high-speed transfer of e-movies and digital pictures to a PC, either to burn to a CD or for use in Web streaming applications. For beginners, an Easy Handycam button on the camera now provides a one-step solution for ease of use. This new and unique Sony function simplifies the choice of menu features, displaying a limited set of commands on the LCD screen in large, easy to read characters. With almost all settings on automatic, the user is presented with only the commands necessary for basic camera operation, making learning to shoot video even easier. Users can return to the normal function Regular Mode by simply pressing a single button, making this camera perfect for both beginners and more advanced users.
