24 out of 24 people found this review helpful.
Afordable 3CCD, Great Quality, Solid price
Date of Review: Aug 20, 2000
The Sony TRV900 is the most affordable 3CCD DV camcorder in Sony's line. It does not have the supreme quality of it's older siblings such as the VX2000, however it is a solid 3CCD camcorder.
I'm currently shooting a feature length video for a Production company on the TRV900. I've worked with just about every camera under the sun, and for a lower budget film, the TRV900 is a solid choice. I really like the size and feel of this camcorder, it fits solid in my hand and it has enough features to get through the shoots without any headaches. On this camera there are 3 1/4" CCDs, (for a complete description of what CCD's are and what they do read my review on the Sony VX2000). Basically 3 CCD camcorders are much better than 1 CCD camcorders for they separate the 3 Color spectrums for better image quality.
The design of this camcorder is quite good, the buttons are all easy to reach for me and my Co-DP who's hands are a quite smaller than mine. The reach of the zoom and focus controls are right there, so it's easy to get through shots with minimal fussing. I enjoy the look of the camera, and it's relative size. The camera has a 52mm lens, however it is using a lower-quality glass than compared to the pc-100 or the VX2000. This is one contributing factor to the price difference. The difference is only really noticable to the professional eye. But it does get the job done well for small productions.
The downside is the on camera mic, I wouldn't use it if you were planning on doing anything besides private use videos. If you are planning on making something which you are going to show to other people, I highly recommend using a separate mic, or even a couple using a MD or DAT recorder.
Although this camcorder isn't as top quality as a Canon GL1 or XL1, nor it's Sony family's VX2000, it is a solid 3CCD camcorder and definitely has the right price to make it worth the job. I highly recommend this for people who like good quality for themselves, but don't need a larger (and heavier) VX2000. Or for starting Video makers who are looking for an affordable way to a good camcorder.
