Sony DCRTRV38 MiniDV 1Megapixel Camcorder with 3.5" LCD

Despite having a smaller and lighter design than previous models, the Sony DCR-TRV38 loses nothing in optical and audio performance. The camcorder's features include a 10x optical zoom, a 16:9 widescreen mode, a 3.5-inch LCD with touchscreen control, and a color viewfinder. It also functions as a digital still camera with 1-megapixel resolution and stores images on the included 8 MB Memory Stick.

Step-up Value
Here are two Sony features that adds value to this digital camcorder and differentiate it from other models in the Sony lineup.

product image 1.0 Megapixel Sensor: Of all the world's consumer camcorders, Sony was the first to break the megapixel barrier. Working with high-resolution recording and high-precision Sony custom optics, the benefits are dramatic. You'll see amazing detail on everything you shoot. Every blade of grass. Every strand of hair. The names on the back of player uniforms. And megapixel resolution is also a great benefit in Sony's Digital still camera function (Memory Mode). You'll be able to shoot images at 1152 x 864 pixels, for prints up to 4 x 6 inches.

product image Digital Still Memory Mode: Capture digital still images directly onto Memory Stick media for easy transfer to e-mail, printing, or sharing with compatible Memory Stick devices. Digital still images can be captured while in Memory Mode, or images from the videotape can be captured onto Memory Stick media. This feature provides the Dual Function of having one camera for video and still images, and provides the user with a whole new world of imaging possibilities.

Image Stabilization
Sony's SteadyShot picture stabilization keeps your images smooth and steady without degrading picture quality. The technology uses motion sensors, which tend to be more accurate than most other systems used in the camcorder market.

Optics
The professional quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar lens ensures light capture will be well-contrasted and clear. The advanced HAD CCD sensor records images accurately in vibrant color and sharp resolution. The TRV38 has a robust 10x optical zoom that fits most purposes, but for extra distance the camera can reach 120x through the digital zoom. Several autoexposure modes allow for automatic operation while achieving ideal images for the situation.

More Features
You can record video in low- to no-light situations with Sony's NightShot system, which uses infrared light to capture images invisible to the human eye. With the function on, subjects up to 10 feet away can be seen in total darkness. You can also use the color slow shutter for color night shots instead of the regular green night-shot hue.

Sony's Stamina power management system and InfoLithium battery give the TRV38 a long operating time. To keep you informed of current battery life, Sony's AccuPower meter displays the number of minutes remaining right in the viewfinder.

You can take digital stills and record small MPEG EX movies using the included 8 MB Memory Stick. This is where the 1-megapixel resolution CCD shines, by creating sharp images at 1,152 by 864 pixels that are perfect for e-mail or posting to the Web.

The TRV38 features a huge 3.5-inch color LCD and a color viewfinder. The menu is accessed via a touchscreen display on the LCD, reducing the clutter of buttons on the camera. A stylus is also included for ease of use. The USB streaming feature can turn the TRV38 into a video conferencing tool or a Webcam, and the standard IEEE 1394 connection can be used for digital video editing on a computer.

MiniDV Format
MiniDV is the preferred format for personal and broadcast-quality video, highly regarded for its high audio and image quality. With up to 540 lines of horizontal resolution and minimum color noise, MiniDV delivers a 20 percent clearer picture than analog camcorder formats. This is all delivered on a cassette that's 1/12th the size of a standard VHS tape. A MiniDV tape offers a digital recording time of 2 full hours--20 times the capacity of a CD.

Contents
This package includes the TRV38 camcorder, power adaptor and in-camera charger, InfoLithium rechargeable battery, 8 MB Memory Stick, stylus, wireless remote, AV cable, lens cap, shoulder strap, USB cable, two AA batteries, and USB drivers.

1 Beware of Sony
My little advice - Beware of Sony. The quality has decreased over past years badly and customer service and technical support is very bad too. Not to mention the warranty plans and costs to fix things. I just owned a nice handycam DCR-TRV19 that died after one year of seldom use. Something that is obvious factory defect (since many people experience exactly the same problem) costs more than half of the camcorders price to fix at sony service. I advise you to have a look at http://reviews.cnet.com/5208-6142-0.html?forumID=59&threadID=53316&messageID=1064984 and see for yourself how Sony treats their customers.
Once again, don't be blurred by pretty design. The inside is piece of crap.
Sincerely.

2 As good as it gets
Can't see how a camcorder could be any better unless it were bigger. Easy to use (even my wife uses this one - she never used our Panasonic). We Bought this instead of the Sony DVD Camcorder because of the Good Reviews on this and the bad ones on the Sony DVD model. So glad we bought this one.

The nightshot is awesome. Definitely buy a larger battery and extra tapes.

3 Very good deal for the money.
This camera is great for a few reasons. First of all, it can deliver some pretty good images for the casual point-and-shoot consumer who wants to shoot some high-quality home videos.

It is also very good for someone who likes to have a little more control over the image. The manual focus ring and manual exposure features allow for a more customized picture. Being able to turn off the automatic white balance is also a huge plus here.

The higher-end features are where this camera struts its stuff. For instance, this camera offers true 16:9 widescreen mode. It doesn't merely put black bars on the top and bottom of the image, you actually get more real estate on the sides of the picture without losing resolution (a feature not available on much more expensive cameras such as the Sony VX-2100 and the PD-170).

I use this camera for producing short films and other video production. When lit properly, you'll be amazed by the quality of video you can get out of this baby.

4 Exceptional video, features, value.
As most people on the web do, I did a lot of reading, and comparison shopping, before settling on the Sony TRV38. This camera has more features than you will get to use, but I was looking for video quality, ease of use(point and shoot), and price. TRV has all this and more. True to the other reports, you need to buy a larger memory card, and a back-up battery...at least the NP50, or NP70. Once you have everything, you are ready for some neat features, and quality video.
My favorite one is the VCR feature, through which you can rewind the tape, use the LCD touch screen, and view the footage you just shot. Many people talk about low-light footage, and rightfully so, but unless you are shooting in very dim situations, this camcorder does a great job in low light. This is actually one of the reasons I chose the TRV38, over Canon, Panasonic, and JVC.
If you are buying on the web, all the vendors include extra "packages". Be carefull... a $600 camera can wind up costing you $900. I only bought the AC/DC charger, 30mmm UV filter, and a nice bag. The other items you need you can find cheaper elsewhere. Sony batteries are expensive, but there are generic, cheaper batteries that will work just as well
There is a sea of good camcorders out there, but this Sony is at the top of my list.

5 Great
This is an amazing camera for it's price. It has a carl zeiss lens which is a must-have if you want your video to end up looking profesional. Personally, i like it even better than the model above this one. This one not only has a 3.5 inch LCD compared to a 2.5 inch LCD on the more expensive model, but it also has a better feel. In the model above this one, the only thing "better" is it's smaller size. But i don't like that smaller size. It makes it feel too delicate. I may be only 17, but i've been into videography for quite awhile, and i would say, this is my favorite camera, for it's price. It's obviously not as good as say... the VX - 2000 which... i think costs something over 2000. But for my purposes, and the majority of the public's, i'm sure it's the best choice.

6 Great video quality, extras cost a lot
The DCR-TRV38 is in the mid-range Sony's 2003 line of consumer camcorders. It is similar to the DCR-TRV33 but has a larger LCD screen, which is a nice plus. The DCR-TRV70 and 80 have higher resolution, but at significantly higher cost. The reviews I've read state that the DCR-TRV38 hits the sweet spot in terms of video quality and price. My impressions are as follows:

PROS:
-Build quality and performance are excellent. The video is very clear and sound is pretty good. Low light resolution is much better than competing camcorders in the same price range.
-Compact size
-The SteadyShot function works exactly as delivered. The motion sensor method that Sony utilizes is superior to the digital method used in competing products (such as the Panasonic GS-70).
-The Carl Zeiss with 10x optical zoon is great.

CONS:
-The main negatives of the DCR-TRV38 really deal with the overall cost of ownership. In addition to purchasing the camcorder, I ended up buying the following:
-A larger battery (the included one is woefully underpowered)
-A protective lens filter to shield that great Carl Zeiss lens
-A charger to quick-charge the larger battery
-A firewire cable to connect the camcorder to my PC
-A camera case (Sony only includes a strap)
-A tripod, which some people might not need
As you can see, this made the camcorder really much more expensive than I initially expected. (Reminds me of buying a car.)
-Having the MiniDV tapes load through the bottom means that you can't keep the camcorder on a tripod and change tapes. Not a major inconvenience.
-As with most camcorders, the still picture function is a joke. You'll get better pictures from a disposable Kodak digital camera.
-You have to use the touch screen on the LCD to navigate through many of the camera's functions. This can get the screen dirty or can actually damage the screen if you are too forceful.

Overall, I think the camcorder is a very good product. Just plan on spending $100-200 extra to make it worthwhile. At least Sony gave a 20% discount coupon for accessories when I received the camcorder. The other camcorders I considered seemed to have one or two areas superior to the DCR-TRV38, but the overall package fell short. For instance, the Panasonic GS-70 has the highly touted 3 CCDs for better color representation, but resolution suffers due to the smaller CCD sizes. (The digital motion stabilization was another negative). The Canon camcorders in general are tidy and inexpensive but seem to suffer from poor low light capabilities. I'm happy with my purchase.

7 a solid camcorder but you can do better
the sony trv38 is one of sony's mid-range miniDV camcorders. it's a solid camcorder but i believe you can do better in this price range.

pros:
- very good video quality - colors are reproduced accurately.
- 1 megapixel still capability.
- miniDV media is widely supported.
- great connectivity options: firewire, USB, S-video, headphone, mic input, etc.
- carl zeiss lens with 10X optical zoom.
- steady shot and night shot.
- ability to record mpeg videos directly to memory stick.
- progressive shutter system.
- supports exif 2.2.
- the 3.5" LCD screen is great.
- very clean design (controls are accessed via the touchscreen lcd).
- low motor noise.
- intelligent accessory shoe.
- allows some degree of manual control.

cons:
- no pop-up flash for taking stills and no built in video light but you can get a flash/video combo light for less than a hundred bucks.
- you could do better on the still photo department. for example, sony's trv80 and trv70 have 2 megapixel capability but those camcorders are more expensive.
- as with most sony products, you pay a premium, pushing up the price.
- navigating menus on touch-screen LCD isn't terribly intuitive.
- don't expect miracles from 1 megapixel stills.
- short battery life with included battery (you'll want a spare battery anyway).
- bottom loading cassette - can't remove tape while camcorder is on a tripod
- not as compact as i would like. dimensions are 3-5/8"H x 2-7/8"W x 6-3/8"D, and it weighs 1 lb 7 oz without tape and battery.
- the included 8MB memory stick is unacceptable. be prepared to shell out more money for at least a 32MB or bigger memory stick.

this is a solid camcorder but i would recommend three sonys (trv33 or pc105 or trv70) and the panasonic gs70 over this camcorder.

8 A video camera ahead of the competition
The video quality is great! Plus the steady shot, night shot and VCR features are cool indeed! Still picture quality (at 1-MEGA pixel) is also acceptable.
You need to purchase a higher capacity battery because the supplied one may not be sufficient (depends on how you use this camera). I also recommend to purchase a memory stick of at least 32MB because the supplied one (8MB) may not be enough (again, depends in your application).

The main drawbacks are: the tape opening located at the bottom and you need to purchase a separate video light.

9 Beautiful Quality in Every Sense
I have been video taping since 1982, so here are my observations after a week with the TRV38.

LOW LIGHT: much better than expected after reading negative reviews on it everywhere.
STILL PICTURE QUALITY: better than expected for a quick and easy shot.
MPEG VIDEO QUALITY: mediocre as expected
DIGITAL ZOOM: worse than expected after reading very positive comments on it.
SOUND QUALITY: better than expected; virtually zero motor noise
DESIGN & CONSTRUCTION: excellent as expected; a bit heavier than expected
LCD: excellent as expected; 3.5" is wonderful, and this one is beautiful
LCD TOUCH SCREEN: excellent and a great idea; works beautifully even with a protective plastic sheet on it.
BATTERY LIFE: too brief, as expected
EASE OF USE: complex but well designed as expected; easy if you just want to shoot video without fussing with settings; much for advanced photographer.
ZOOM CONTROL: very sensitive as expected, takes getting used to
PICTURE QUALITY: excellent, but not amazingly better than 3 year-old cheap Sharp hi-8. I was expecting it to be worlds better.
SIZE: smaller than expected which is good; excellent even for big hands like mine.
INPUTS/OUTPUTS: All work great and allow for virtually every
comgination of input and output.
CONTROLS: control for off, VCR, camera is much too small and awkward to use. Others are great, except for zoom sensitivity as noted above.
REMOTE CONTROL: better control than expected.
OWNERS BOOK: well done for the most part, but with omissions and errors; obviously written by non-native speaker.
Reviews do not mention that this is an excellent TV, digital VCR, video editing studio, still camera (no competition to good 2 mp still digital camera), and advanced camcorder. The bottom tape loading is horrible but it is really the only big negative.
Comparing the footage to a friend's 3 chip Sony shows little difference on a TV or LCD monitor. Colors are very true and the tiny speaker sound quality is surprisingly good. This is a well-designed camcorder that does a great job at everything it is supposed to do. The LP setting is a great feature for recording TV shows from the satellite, and movies directly from DVD or VCR. The software is worthless; Sony should have included Pinnacle software, considering the price of the camcorder. I would not hesitate to recommend this camcorder, TV, VCR, digital camera.

10 Sony TRV-38 has great value!
This is my first digital video camera. I've used many Sony camcorders ranging from the VX1000 to my old Hi-8 CCD TR930. Although Sony seems to be compromising some features, they are also adding great new ones.

This camera, when used in fully automatic mode, does an "AWFUL" job indoors with low light--your videos will turn grey and color-less! However, with some practice using the camera's other exposure modes this problem can be avoided. Otherwise, just give it decent light. Seems that Sony's CCD and/or lens quality is getting worse. I still love the camera though.

The 3.5" LCD screen also serves as the primary menu system. Yes, you are actually fingering the screen. At first this is weird. Then I began to realize, like always, how smart Sony's menu system is--very logically laid out. Get this: the screen can flip completely and rest fully back into the camera LCD-side-out making the LCD literally into a button-like control panel. With practice you can keep your eye in the viewfinder while accessing LCD buttons almost blindly. It's cool, and the 3.5" LCD is bright and rich: simply awesome.

This unit has a hot-shoe and does wonders with audio when used with an Audio Technica AT-822 field mic (the built in stereo mic isn't bad either). Thank you Sony, we like hot shoes. The manual focus ring is obviously a welcome feature. The tape mechanism is on the bottom which is a major inconvenience when using this camera on a tripod. Truly insane. The tape system is however quite speedy and responsive. One of my favorite features is "END-SEARCH" which seeks out the end of your tape automatically. Firewire works like a charm (using WinXP Professional), and it has loads of USB features, none of which I will probably ever try. The zoom slider is touch sensitive and works very well. The jacks are mostly all together on the front right of the camera which I find very convenient.

Outdoors, or anywhere with enough light, the brilliance and depth of the colors will amaze you. The camera is so feature rich that its price is quite nice.

If you are afraid of using manual features and/or are someone who likes to take home videos inside under low-light, don't buy this camera; its color performance in fully-automatic mode is dissapointing.

One last thing, this camera is near-useless for still photos unless lo-res is all you need. YUCK! Get a nice digital still camera for that (such as the Sony DSC-F707). At one megapixel, why do they waste our time? I can just hear the salesman now, "This camera serves as both a video and still camera, so you only need one unit!" Yeah right!

Soooo.... Get a big battery, perhaps a light or three, a Sony TRV38, and have fun!

11 Nice Sub-$1000 camera, but not perfect for perfection....
As a newbie video enthusiast, I'm really pleased with the TRV38. For under $1000, you get a great camera with a bunch of features. I just bought mine, so I'm still playing around with it to see what it can do. From what I can tell, the image quality is pretty good indoors, but when you get into lower light levels (like a dim room) the image seems to turn a little on the gray side. Out of the box, the camera feels good in the hand with most of the essentials at your fingertips. There are two features I'm not too fond of with the TRV38. One is the bottom-loading tape. If you're using a tripod, changing tapes can be annoying. The other item is the touch screen. It seems durable enough right now, but how will it stand up over time? it would be nice if there was a stylist (like a PDA) to help reduce the wear grubby fingers can have on the screen. Other than those two things, I'm really happy with the camera