Image Stabilizations
Sony's SteadyShot picture stabilization smoothes and steadies your images without degrading picture quality. Sony does it with motion sensors--a more accurate system than that used in many other camcorders on the market.

Optics

• 1/6-inch CCD with 460,000 gross pixels
• 20X optical zoom
• 700x digital zoom
• f1.6-f2.4
• Focal distance: 2.5-50mm
• Shutter speed: 1/60 to 1/4,000 (AE mode)

Digital Stills and MPEG Movie Mode
Capture digital still images directly onto Memory Stick media for easy transfer to e-mail, printing, or sharing. Digital still images can be captured while in Memory Mode, or images from the videotape can be captured onto Memory Stick media. You can capture still images up to 640 x 480 pixels.

Designed to help you make Web videos, the MPEG movie mode produces compressed video files that are small and easy to send by e-mail or post to the Internet. Capture MPEG digital video and store it directly to Memory Stick media. Movie length ranges from 5 seconds to the length allowed by the capacity of your Memory Stick with MPEG Movie EX.

More Features
Now you can capture video even in total darkness. Sony's NightShot system uses infrared light to capture images invisible to the human eye. You can shoot subjects such as a sleeping baby up to 10 feet away in total darkness. With the optional HVL-IRC NightShot light, you can even capture images from up to 100 feet away.

Sony's Stamina power management system and InfoLithium battery give the TRV350 incredible operating time. To keep tabs on battery life, Sony's AccuPower meter displays the number of minutes remaining--right in the viewfinder.

The TRV350 features a 2.5-inch color LCD (123,000 pixels) and a black-and-white viewfinder. The USB streaming feature can turn the TRV350 into a video conferencing tool or a Webcam, with the ability to stream 320 x 240 pixel video at 30 frames per second (compatible only with Windows 98SE, 2000, Me, and XP).

Digital8 Format
Digital8 camcorders deliver high-quality digital video and audio, with up to 520 lines of horizontal resolution and either 12-bit or 16-bit PCM digital stereo audio. The Digital8 format also allows for digital recording on 8mm or Hi8 tapes--the most popular camcorder format in the U.S.

Size and Contents
The TRV350 measures 3.38 by 4.00 by 7.88 inches and weighs 1 pound 12 ounces. This package includes the TRV350 camcorder, power adaptor/in-camera charger (AC-L15), InfoLithium rechargeable battery (NP-FM30), wireless remote (RMT-814), AV cable, lens cap, shoulder strap, USB cable, two AA batteries, and CD-ROM with PIXELA ImageMixer Ver. 1.5 and USB drivers.

Bottom line: if you have an extensive library of Hi-8 tapes that you want to play or burn, then this is the ideal unit. If you are starting fresh in digital videography, then the mini-DV units offer significant advantages in size and features.


Nothing is perfect so I want to give 4.5 starts   August 1, 2003
 47 out of 53 found this review helpful

Well, this is the model one level higher than 250, and more expensive. Is it worth? My answer is, definitely YES. I don't want to repeat what the manufacturer review and others said. Here is the usage summary from my experience (I used both camcoders and returned 250).
Pros compared to 250:

1) Analog to digital conversion feature. You can record directly from your VCR and convert the analog signal into digital one. Either with USB or Firewire, you can make your own VCD or DVD. With XP, windows movie maker can be the capture software and it does a better job than the ImageMixer came with the camcoder.

2) Super Night Vision. 16 times brighter than Night shot (250 has). You can record Save Private Lynch in complete darkness with this camcoder (either in color or green).

3) Downward compatability. This camera can play hi8, 8mm tapes while 250 can not play hi8 tapes.

Cons:
1) You need to buy a Firewire cable (6 pin to 4 pin if you connect to your PC), maybe a PCMCIA or PC adaptor for Firewire as well. It's OK even you don't have them but the USB is 1.0 version so it won't be as fast as firewire (depending on how big you want the video to be).
2) Memory stick. Considering the cost of purchasing a separate memory stick this camera can be more expensive than a Canon or JVC mini-DV one.
3) Extra battery. Same thing. Japs are smart. SO you need to spend more on accessories.

For all the 3 cons, you can get around without purchasing anything. E.g., use USB intead of Firewire; do not take still images (therefore not using memory stick) or use Start/Stop to record picture and use software to capture later on; use direct power instead of battery if possible. Accessories are 50%cheaper on ebay.

All in all, from big 20x optical zoom to super night shot, A/D conversion to downward compatibility with hi8, 8mm, USB steaming as a web camera, you name it. The features of this camcoder are very complete. But nothing is perfect and everything is tradeoff, don't you agree?


Great Value   August 8, 2003
 46 out of 46 found this review helpful

I was looking for a Camcorder which is compatable to a Mac OS environment. I have been very pleased with my Sony Cybershot and was happy to find that the DCRTRV350 is mac usb & firewire compatable. Out of the box this camcorder is easy to use, and the menu and selection of various features is simple to find and access. Picture quality is great. FOR THOSE UNHAPPY WITH THE AUDIO OUTPUT one simply has to select from the factory setting of 14bit to 16 bit stero, and the output is great. You can always tell the reviewers which don't open the manual past the quick start options.....I especially like the fade-in options, intervial recording (time lapse), remote playback, and the "end search" functions. Once again I have found that Sony combines good hardware AND superior software/options functions which make other brands PALE in comparison. In general I am VERY IMPRESSED with this Sony product.


Nice Camera but no better than a lower priced Sony   April 8, 2003
 41 out of 51 found this review helpful

I bought this camera instead of the DCTRV250 becasue is had memory stick options for stills and also MPG recording on memory stick and also the 700 zoom.

All 3 options that I mentionabove I felt would be worth the extra $...but I was wrong. The still are poor quality, the MPG's have very poor resolution and when you use a zoom this strong, when you actually do zoom with any distance of over 100 to 200 feet, the picture loses more than 50% of its quality. Its too bad becasue I was very excited... but save your $$ until they can improve these 3 features.


superb camera for the amateur with a Hi8 library   May 12, 2003
 37 out of 37 found this review helpful

We are using this camera to take home movies, view/transfer our library of Hi8 movies, and capture digital stills for transer to our computer. This camera has exceeded our expectations in all these areas.

While my husband was anxious to get a digital video camera, I was reluctant to spend the money, even though our analog videocam is three years old -- a dinosaur by today's standards -- heavy and clunky with few features. But now I'm the one who is always grabbing the camera to film and to take pictures. I love it. Using a memory stick that can be purchased in several capacities, you can take still pictures even as you're filming; the memory stick we got holds approximately 400 pictures. You can find your shot using the viewfinder (in b&w) or the LCD screen (in color). We had no trouble at all, using the included cable and software, transferring images and movies to our Macintosh computer; it will work for an Intel machine too. A recharge takes us about 80 minutes and is then good for 90 minutes of recording time using the LCD screen or 110 minutes using the viewfinder.

Problematic are the LCD screen which, even when adjusted, is difficult to view in high light conditions, and the steep learning curve on the many functions and buttons. On the other hand, there are so many buttons and functions because this camera DOES so many things. There are lots of special effects too. The buttons are very small but that also helps keep the size of the camera down. Some frequently used functions, like backlight and fade, need only a single button to activate.

Bottom line: It will take you a while to learn everythng that this Sony can do -- the manual is nearly 270 pages!! -- but your effort will be greatly rewarded. Also, this camera is terrific if you have tapes in the older Hi8 format. Great camera.