Summary: Great, But......

Comment: I found this camcorder perfect for a 12 yr old, but I do belive the memory stick and still photos are a bit much. It has some way cool picture effects (negative, mosiac) and some great features (nightshot, 450x zoom)

It has an increddibly compact size for a camera of its capabilities. I now use it to video parties, and school productions which i make alot of money out of.

However, I do think, that like the analog range, it needs a built in light, so you dont need to pay extra for it to attach to the IAS. (Intellegent Accsoeries Shoe).

Happy Buying!

Summary: An excellent buy!

Comment: For the price, this is the best buy for the money....it takes excellent video footage...the only drawback is the battery life is short..need to purchase at least the 8 hour capacity (very expensive)...

Summary: Tons of features....and really a good buy

Comment: My first handycam was an F series bought 8 years ago. After 5 years it was broken beyond repair. I was itching to get one and finally did about a week ago.

I was surprise how far the handycam has evolved. I was the production engineer back then in Sony Handycam production line. Even spent 3 month in Sony Minokamo(where current handycam is produced... check your handycam label) in Japan for training. This is a good product for beginner, intermediate and even an expert. It has all the function you need. I think you have read all the pros regarding the handycam.

The low points for me are:

1. The supplied batteries lasts less than an hour. You'd better get another one. But it is very expensive. In fact all Sony products and accessories are expensive.

2. They eat up lots of tape.

3. For F450 model (8 years ago) the battery charger is external and you can charge the battery and still using your camera. But for this handycam the charger is external and when you are recharging the battery you will not be able to use the camera.

Other than that, everything is great. I bought a DV link card using the i-link IE3944, but the card was unusable and I return it to the supplier. Still waiting for a replacement. I would like to create a movie using this card.

Summary: Perfect for High Quality Home Movies.

Comment: This little number is a great step up from DCR-TRV310. I'm Not sure why, but the number is higher, and in my experience that means that it is way better and should cost alot more. I greatly recommend it with the 2.5in screen. Anything larger sucks the life out of a battery like, the KC Chiefs suck the fun out of Monday Night Football. You'll find the zoom is very suitable for most situations. The Info-Lithium batteries are a serious point in favor of the Sony brand family over its competitors. Knowing how much time you have left to shoot is priceless in those once-in-a-lifetime situations. In California, and sweeping quickly east, is the Phenomenon I dubbed "Green Porn". With Sony's 0-lux technology, you call literally see/film in pitch black. The ablitity to create a sensuous mood with the green glow that 0-Lux provides is amazing. It's like wathing The Nature Channel. Overall, if you don't have the money for the big time digitals and don't want junk. Then this is the Cam for you. Happy Honeymoon!

Summary: Great video; not so great stills.

Comment: I'm quite pleased with the audio and video quality of this camcorder, as well as the plethora of features and effects (though most I'll probably never use). I like the steadyshot, nightshot, and being able to shoot in widescreen format -- those are my favorite features. What I'm terribly disappointed in with this camera is the quality of the still images; I get better quality from a disposable. In short, stills look absolutely terrible. I have fooled with taking stills under a variety of conditions, and they only look "decent" under the most optimal lighting circumstances. I can't complain too much since this is a secondary feature of the camcorder, and the video and audio really are remarkable, but I wish I had known that I'd also have to buy a digital still camera when shopping for this one.