Sony Handycam CCD-TRV68 Hi-8 Analog Camcorder

Pros: Price, features, picture quality, LCD, battery life, ease of use, looks, manual focus
Cons: It's analog

The Sony DCR-TRV68 is a Hi8 camcorder, which produces pictures that approach the quality of some digital models, at a lower price. This model might be one of the best consumer-grade non-digital camcorder on the market today.

Picture...

Pros: Great clear shots and it's rugged.
Cons: Trouble trying to figure out how to do effects

First thing, I am not easy on my possessions. I swing them, drop them, leave them in hot cars, pack them in carry on luggage, and have them on tables with the strap hanging over where young ones can reach them. I own the video camera over a year now and ...

Pros: Lightweight, Cinema mode, Hi8, Easily operated, S-video output
Cons: No obvious ones

Scenes from Purchasing our Camcorder, Wherein My Better Half Convinces Me that I Don't Need all the Technology I May Think I Need

She: Just pick any camcorder. Any of them will do the job, right? And Sony is a great brand, so...

Pros: Good value, lightweight, middle range video reproduction
Cons: No remote control. No tape included

My wife's tap dancing class is slated to perform a small review in the spring and she asked me to borrow a video camera. "Heck" I thought, "they're so cheap, why not just buy one?" And so the search was on. I don't know why, but I immediately narrowed...

Pros: Compact, easy to use, quality pic for the price
Cons: Haven't found any yet

My old Sony Camcorder was starting to show it's age (9 years) and had become very unreliable--so it was time to start looking in to a new one. I didn't want to spend a ton of money because we don't use ours frequently, but I did want something that...

Pros: S-Video, Nice LCD, Compact, Good Picture
Cons: Clumsy Menu, No Remote

I got this for Christmas, and I've been playing with it ever since. It's got decent features...here's a rundown of the most commonly used:


Nightshot: Amazing...simply amazing

Steadyshot: So-So performace. Don't expect to...

Pros: Pictures and sound are just as good as most consumer/prosumer digital camcorders.
Cons: This model does not have a MIC input or a Firewire port.

I've used Sony Handicams since they first appeared in the mid 80's. I've gone through several Sony camcorders and they have ALWAYS been high quality, low maintenance cameras with great resolution, that perform above and beyond my expectations. In fact, ...

Pros: Easy to use, price was right
Cons: Expensive to fix, breaks alot, won't work at all now

I have had a few problems with it that required spending money to fix it. Which meant I was without my camera for long periods of time.I am very careful with my camera. It stays in the bag, the kids don't play with it, I never leave it in temperatures ...

Pros: Priced nicely, easy to use, great features
Cons: short battery life

This camcorder is great for people that are just getting into the field of recording. It has many features that you will find on more expensive cameras, including; Picture effect, image stabilizer, 450x zoom, and more.
You can edit with this machine...

Pros: light weight and good quality picture
Cons: lots of optional accessories

I purchased this model of sony camocorder from best buy at $399.99 + tax. I did not do a price comparison .After purchasing i checked at the sony website and saw the price listed is same , but when i ran a price check from cnet.com and pricegrabber.com ,...

Pros: small size. flip out LCD. lithium batteries.
Cons: mono audio and questionable lens quality.

This will be a short review that mainly just makes one point:
This 2001 HandyCam from Sony (and the entire line from the 58 to the 98) seems to have lost a couple of notable features of the old 10-year old models (e.g., the Sony CCD-V101 which I...

Pros: cheap easy to use effective at first features
Cons: HIGH lack of available accessories

when i first got my handycam i was thrilled about the possibilities of what i could do with it. the camera it self is great for making common home movies and nothing more. what i found out is how sony completly slacked off on making this product...

Pros: Easy to use - "When I first used it"
Cons: Lasted for about 4 tapes Blank LCD and viewfinder

After about 4 recorded tapes, the unit died.
In the record mode, the unit's LCD and viewfinder became blank, but it can record audio. Apparently - this CCD issue occurs pretty frequently.

http://www.imaging-resource.com/badccds.html

In the play back mode, the LCD and viewfinder works fine.

I contacted Sony Support, and customer relations for a service recall, but they insisted that it was a 'normal wear and tear' issue. Sony is not standing behind their product. This is a pretty expensive audio tape recorder and player, if you ask me.

For a complaint - file a report with Sony:
Sony Electronics Executive Review Commitee
12451 Gateway Bldv
Fort Myers, FL 33913

I bought this camera for my older kids to take on a trip. They read the easy instructions and brought it back so we could relive the trip with them. I have recommended this to all my friends. The best part is that it is so affordable! This past Christmas my kids bought me a tri pod which I love. It's everything Sony says and more! It has been the best item we have ever bought.