Sony DCR-TRV460

Pros: Steadyshot, Nightshot, Predictable Video Quality, Thoughtful UI, Great Quality/Features/Price.

Cons: Digital-8 stores 1/2 of tape, Tiny battery included, bulky. Not many cons.

The Bottom Line: For families who want a low-cost, no-brainer with great quality, for people who seek good solid mature technology, over bleeding-edge technology. Not for those where size matters.

Review: Now that I am on my 5th digital camcorder, and 4th digital camera, I have some standards to weigh against. Admittedly this is a biased review because 3 of my last 5 camcorders were Sonys, including this one. What's in the box: The usual suspects... ...

Pros: Good zoom, video quality, features, price, connectivity, plays 8mm/Hi8.

Cons: Low light causes noise, digital still pictures have low resolution, useless digital zoom

The Bottom Line: Inexpensive and capable, the Sony DCR-TRV460 is a good choice for somebody who wants a camcorder that can play 8mm/Hi8 tapes...

Review: If you want a digital camcorder that can play your old 8mm or Hi8 tapes as well as record in digital format and cost less than many M iniDV camcorders, the S ony ...

Pros: Price,Night Shot,Analog Passthrough,USB Out.

Cons: Short Battery Life,B&W Viewfinder,Low Res. Stills(640x480).

Review: I was looking at for camcorder that had analog passthrough(convert old VHS tapes to DVD),could make still shots and wouldn't break my wallet. I decided on the DCR-TRV460 and I'm very pleased with the quality of the video and the features.The Night Shot ...

Pros: cheap (<$350, Hi8 media), 20x optical zoom, SteadyShot, multiple auto-exposure modes, off-centre focus

Cons: terrible software, motor noise, poor quality bottom loading, bad user interface, poor low-light quality

The Bottom Line: Buy for price, not for versatility. If you do lots of long shootings on tripod or under tricky conditions requiring manual exposure/focus, avoid it. Beware of quality issues.

Review: [Broken in 2 years - See latest upgrade at bottom] I'm upgrading from my (really) old CCD-TR818, Sony's entry level Hi8 camcorder. So Hi8 playback is important. (Was looking at TRV260, which doesn't read Hi8 - and the price difference is <$50; $14 ...