Review on 📹 Sony DCRTRV30 Mini DV Handycam Camcorder: High-Quality Recording in a Compact Design (Discontinued by Manufacturer) by Travis Caminiti

This is an amazing camcorder/camera. It's small and light, but just right for your hand. The images are clear thanks to the large CCD. It only has a 1/4" CCD, but it's 1550k! The resolution is 530 lines - the maximum for a camera in this class. The navigation menu is intuitive and easy to use. Excellent 3.5" LCD screen. The camera also captures 1.55 megapixel footage which can be stored on MiniDV tape (stores LOTS of footage) or on a Sony memory card.The memory card that comes with the camera is a bit small (only 4 megabytes) so only holds 4 photos in the highest resolution I recommend buying a 64 or 128 megabyte memory card now, as prices have fallen. The camera resolution is more than enough to email and post online (you can. I'll probably crop photos in Photoshop anyway). The camera records videos in MPEG format in 2 different resolutions that can be easily transferred to a computer and emailed or published on the web. Battery life is decent with the battery on (varies around 1-2 hours). operating hours), but MUCH more with the optional NP-FM91 battery. Extends battery life to around 6 hours (Sony claims 7.5-8). The larger battery is a bit thicker and makes the camcorder a little heavy (and doesn't look as slim and cool), but it's definitely worth it. Sony also uses infolithium batteries, that convert the remaining battery power into minutes of recording time. until it runs out! Very practical, you always know exactly how much battery power is left! It's a bit like looking through Google Night Vision, but very cool. However, the super night shot produces very "jerky" images. I suspect that the processor is too slow. The cover for the A/V sockets and video outputs is really cheap. It looks like it could break very easily. Digital effects are great, you will probably use "Fade to Black" the most. Firewire from the camera to the computer is a big plus. Allows you to edit images, scenes, sound, etc. It also has a USB interface. Very thoughtful. The camera has a search function so you can search for videos by date or by entered title. Now the question is, do you really need to spend $$$? Not sure if all you want to do is snap some footage of Grandma's 80th birthday and your daughter riding a pony. There are other cheaper miniDV cameras out there but this is quality and you get what you pay for.