I still have to wait for digital 8!

Sony has been making great camcorders for over 10 years now. Therefore just prior to my son being born almost 4 years ago, I didn’t hesitate to buy a Sony to capture all the great memories to come. Well in those four years the video camera had been through a lot. The constant use and tussling had damaged it. We tried to get it repaired, but it was broken again less than 3 months later.

Now it was time for a decision. There are twice as many choices of camcorders now than there were 4 years ago. 8mm, Hi8, digital 8, miniDV, VHS-C and super VHS-C. Because I still wanted to be able to play back my old 8mm tapes, I had to stay with one of the first 3 choices. After seriously comparing the merits between the product choices and the price differences, I decided to stay with roughly what I had previously. The prices for the digital products had not come down to a price point that I was comfortable paying for. Plus, I really wasn’t going to start fooling around with all the other cool stuff you could do with digital video. (ie. Download it to PC to edit, view or email).

The Sony Camcorder that I replaced was model: TRV119. At the time it was one of the better models, with a color viewfinder a flip out 2.5-inch LCD playback viewer and it even had a remote. This was handy when you had the Sony hooked up with the RCA jacks to your TV for playback. You could use the remote just as you would a VCR remote control. The drawbacks were only a 18X zoom and no other features like steadyshot or nightvision.

The New TRV37:

When I did my research and decided to buy the TRV37, I was trying to match the features that my old Sony had. My plan was to buy something that is relatively inexpensive today and upgrade in a few years when the prices for digital come down. Also, we will have a better idea of the winner in potential competing digital standards.

All the new Sony models have a digital display on the outside of the camera. This allows you to get status on how much battery time and tape is left to record on. On my older model, you had to look thru the viewfinder to get similar information.

While the TRV37 does have the 2.5-inch color monitor, (If you don’t need a flip monitor, Sony TRV517 is similar to the TRV37 but does not have a flip monitor for about 80 dollars less.) I was a little upset that it didn’t have a color viewfinder. I couldn’t justify upgrading almost two model numbers and paying over 100.00 dollars more for a color viewfinder.

The TRV37 is about the same size as the TRV119 that I used to own but lighter mainly because it uses a smaller battery. The InfoLithium Ion battery still has about a two-hour charge, but you can also buy an 18-hour battery as a replacement for an additional 100.00 dollars.

Unlike its predecessor, the TRV37 has Nightvision. This allows you to take video in dark places or at night. (When you turn this feature on, everything seems to be a shadow and you loose all color. Alternatively, if you just have low light, this unit is equipped with a light built in to the front of the camera. This is best when just a little additional light is needed indoors.

Usage:

I have found the TRV37 very comfortable to hold. I’m able to reach all the buttons during operation with ease. I have found that the recording features are very similar to what existed in the past. You can still display a date stamp (now a time stamp too), plus you can add other types of messages like before (Happy Birthday).

I’m having difficulty using the exposure button. You suppose to push in the button and then jog the wheel. But I find that getting the exposure level right using the black and white viewfinder is difficult.

The VCR controls on the top of the unit our now more of a touch pad instead of a button, which makes them easier on the fingers. Plus there is are audio sounds to clue you in to the items that you have selected. (push play, you here a tone.)


Dislikes:

The TRV37’s battery must be charged in the camera; while my older unit had the battery attached to the charger and power cord. This allowed me to have two batteries working simultaneously. One in use and one being charged. I can’t do that now.

No remote control. I should have researched this one more. I just assumed they all came with one. No more fast-forwarding during playback. Well, that is, if I actually want to get up out of my chair.

Black and White viewfinder is still annoying. Yes, with the technological advances today, I expect to see color when I frame a shot. The B&W makes it difficult to see details when recording.


Conclusion: If I had upgraded to all the features that I was missing including steadyshot, I would have got Sony's HI8 model, the TRV87. This was out off my ballpark figure. If I were going to send over 600 dollars on those features, I would have bought the Digital 8 camera instead. It’s all a big trade off.

Remember to research what you actually need and are going to use, against the price.