Sony CCD-TRV-65E Hi8 Digital Camcorder (Sony CCD TRV 65)

Member Name: Peter2670

Product:	Sony CCD TRV 65
Date:	21/03/01 (4096 review reads)
Rating:

Advantages: See opinion

Disadvantages: None

One of the best pieces of equipment that I have ever purchased has got to be the Sony CCD-TRV65E digital Hi8 video camcorder. Well I actually tell a lie because it was presented to me to my great delight one Christmas day morning about two years ago by my good lady and daughter.

I was like a little child with a new toy because I just could not put it down and as everybody turned around the camera was annoyingly focused directly into their smiling faces but which became forced grins as the festivities progressed.

The contents of the box in which it arrived was meticulously packed with polystyrene panels attached to both ends to prevent damage during transit and an instruction manual containing no less than 115 pages.

There was also a full twelve months guarantee on defective parts and labour costs.

As I began to examine this product I noticed that there were several advanced built features which required careful scrutiny. Now, having familiarised myself with most of them the camera accompanies me every time we set foot outside the house and which allows us to capture life’s precious moments with superior picture and sound quality.

It fits snugly into your hand through the leather strap and is light weight – about the weight of a bag of sugar (1kg –2llbs) and all the features required for immediate continuous recording are within easy reach of the hand in which the camera is held.

The camera can be operated by battery pack for filming out of doors, by the household mains electricity supply for indoor use and with 12 or 24 volt supply from your motor vehicle which is used in conjunction with a car battery cord which inserts into the cigarette lighter socket.

Standard or Hi8 videocassette tapes can be used with this model in SP mode (one hour & thirty minutes) or LP mode (Three hours)

Supplied with the camcorder were a number of accessories:

WIRELESS REMOTE COMMANDER:

This is small hand held device containing two R6 (size AA) batteries (supplied) which allows you to operate the camcorder whilst it is attached to the mains electricity supply. This device will allow you to start and stop recording, to zoom in and out whilst recording and rewind and playback your recording.

AC.POWER ADAPTOR:
This is the device that fits into the socket on the camcorder itself and provides the power source from the domestic electricity supply to enable you to record either manually or by remote control. The direct current socket (in jack) on the camera has priority source which means that the battery pack cannot supply any power if the mains lead is connected to the in jack even when the mains lead is not plugged into the mains.

However, damage can be caused to the inserted tape if the power source from either the battery pack or electricity supply is disconnected during recording

BATTERY PACK:
An Info.Lithium 7.2volt rechargeable battery (NP-F330) which must be inserted into the camera and fully charged before you can use the product. A convenient battery terminal cover which is inserted during non use should be removed prior to slotting the battery pack into this space by pushing downwards until you hear a ‘click’ which will indicate that the battery is secure and intact and ready for use

Battery life is determined by the way in which the camcorder is used during recording sessions namely through the viewfinder or with use of the attached LCD screen and use of both would reduce the battery life even more.

The actual times vary between ninety (90) and one hundred and thirty (130) minutes during a continuous recording session or between forty-five (45) and sixty- five (65) minutes where repeat recording stop/start, zooming and turning the power on and off is used. The battery life may also be reduced if used in a cold environment.

Charging the battery is achieved by connect
ing the camera to the main electricity supply as previously explained but the power switch on the side of the camcorder is placed in the ‘OFF’ position and the battery time is indicated on the display window on the attached LCD screen.

LITHIUM BATTERY:
This battery is factory installed in the camcorder and provides the power source for the menu system within the camera. It will normally last about twelvemonths under normal use conditions and the indicator will flash in the viewfinder when replacement is required. However I have been using my camera for almost two years with the original lithium battery installed.

When replacing this battery the battery pack or other power source should be attached otherwise you may need to reset other functions contained in the menu system which is
retained by the lithium battery.

A/V CONNECTING CABLE AND 21 PIN ADAPTOR:
This cable and adaptor will allow you to watch the playback of any recording on your television screen by connecting the cable to the relevant sockets on the camera and to the sockets in your TV or Video via the pin adapter and are clearly identified with the colours red, white and yellow.

SHOULDER STRAP:
This is self-explanatory but instructions on how to attach it to the hooks on the camera are contained within the instruction manual.

Actual recording could not be simpler by depressing the red coloured stop/start button that incorporates a standby and lock mode. The camera will turn off automatically if left in the standby mode for over five minutes.

It has the facility to allow you to record either continuously by depressing the button to stop and start, by recording only when the button is depressed to avoid unnecessary scenes or for 5 second recording when the button is depressed once and which switches off automatically after this period.

Just above the stop/start button is the video cassette tape eject switch and the d
igital zoom control identified by the letters ‘W’ (wide angle where the subject is farther away) and ‘T’ (telephoto where the subject is nearer).

The cassette tapes are inserted into the compartment which is located on the top of the camera and automatically lifts up when the tape eject switch is depressed to a rather pleasant musical sound. Once the cassette is inserted push the cassette compartment back in towards the camera and the compartment will automatically close.

Record in the manner previously outlined with the stop/start button and view the footage either through the viewfinder or on the attached LCD screen by using the fast forward, rewind and playback facility on the top of the camera.

Sony models above 18x-zoom facility are performed digitally by setting the D.Zoom feature within the menu system to ‘ON’. The right side of the zoom indicator in the viewfinder shows the digital zooming zone and the left side shows the optical zooming zone. This particular model has a digital zoom facility of 72x.

Adjacent to the battery pack to the left are the back light, programme exposure and control dials for use during light source difficulties, spotlight mode, soft portrait mode, sports lesson mode, beach and ski mode, sunset and moon mode and landscape mode. Exposure is automatically adjusted when each mode is selected.

The menu system is located within the LCD panel on the side of the camera and incorporates a host of features:

Date and time display, counter reset, stop/start mode (as previously explained) titling facilty and the end search facilty which will allow you to find the end of a previously recorded sequence to allow smooth transition into the next scene.

The menu button identified as such is located here along with the picture effect switch which will allow you to make pictures like those of television including:

Pastel - where the contrast of
the picture is emphasised and looks like an animated cartoon.

Negative Art – where the colour and brightness of the picture is reversed.

Sepia – where the picture is a dark reddish brown colour.

Black & white – where the picture is monochrome.

Solarize – where the light intensity is clearer and the picture looks like an illustration

Mosaic – where the picture effect is that of being made from small pieces of stone or glass.

Slim – where the picture expands vertically

Stretch – where the picture expands horizontally.

The volume and brightness controls are located on the left side of the LCD screen when open.

Moving around towards the front of the camera reveals the camera and player power switch and by depressing a small green coloured button in the centre will allow you to select the appropriate function.

Adjacent to this switch is the ‘Nightshot’ function switch that enables you to record in dark places and achieve satisfactory recordings of the ecology of nocturnal animals although the picture is recorded almost monochrome.

Beneath these switches are the automatic and manual focus and ‘Fader’ switches which allow you to revert from automatic to manual focus or fade in and out of recording sequences.

The ‘Fade’ facility useful for giving the appearance of the passage of time during recording is available in different modes namely ‘Fader’ (normal) ‘M-Fader’ (mosaic) ‘Stripe’ (sequence of stripes joining together) ‘Bounce’ (film travels downwards on the screen bouncing gently as it reaches the bottom) and ‘Monotone’ (changes from colour to black and white)

At the front of the camera is the video lens that is covered automatically when the power switch is in the ‘OFF’ position.

For the technical
minded - Technical specification (Lens)

Combined power zoom lens.
Focal distance – 4.1 – 73.8.mm ((3/16 – 8 in.)
Minimum illumination
0.7 lux (F 1.4)
0 lux in nightshot mode
Illumination range.
0.7 lux to 100,000 lux
Minimum illumination expresses light level to produce picture.
Visible minimum low light expresses light level to produce a visible signal.

Below the camera lens is the in built hi-fi stereo precision microphone.

Recording or viewing footage through the viewfinder is in monochrome and in natural colour when using the LCD screen and has a steady shot facility that compensates camera shake.

Other notable items are the demonstration mode where you can view through the viewfinder or LCD screen various facilities that are available with this model.

The screen can also be adjusted through the systems menu to give the cineamalike picture effect or on the wide screen common with most television sets today.

The cost of this product was in the region of £600.00. when purchased over two years ago and could be bought from any of the major recognised electrical retail outlets.

I have not, however seen this particular model advertised in recent months and it may in fact be no longer available due to the ever changing modification or updating of these popular items of equipment.

Www.sony.co.uk – Official website

To be absolutely honest I still have to refer to the instruction manual occasionally prior to any recording session and am still finding out new things about it so it is possible that I may have missed an item or two.

This Sony camera has given all the family many hours of pleasure and my only regret is that I did not acquire one during the time when my own family was growing up.

We do have the normal traditional photographs taken by a 35-mm camera and it is always nice to have that special photograph frame
d and placed in the appropriate place in your home.

However it does not capture true life as it happens and now a large percentage of footage is centred on our granddaughter during holidays, day trips and school plays.

I am sure that long after we have gone her parents will cherish the times that they will be able to watch their own child as she grows and will be more than grateful that her grandparents took the time to make it possible.



Best Wishes,
Peter2670


Update:

Beneath the camera there is a facilty which will enable you to insert a tripod in order that you can create even less camera shake.

Also on the top of the camera there is an accessory shoe which supplies the power to optional accessories such as a video light.

You can also record your video footage onto the normal household video cassettes through your televison and video channels should you wish to use the camera tape cassette on some future date.

In this way you either have a collection of video camera cassette tapes which are priced around £15 for a pack of three or a selection of the larger household video cassettes which are of course that little bit cheaper

Summary: