Sony DCR-TRV480 Camcorder Review

by Nick Hyacinthe
Published on Mar 29, 2005 12:00 PM



Sony introduced its high-end Digital8 camcorder this year at CES. Other than a new color scheme and memory mode, the DCR-TRV480 has not evolved much from last year’s DCR-TRV460 (Review, Specs, $299.99). The camcorder still has the same 20x optical zoom lens with 290K effective pixels in its arsenal, though its digital still capability, and backward compatibility, are welcoming and innovative features for this medium. 640 x 480 stills can be captured on a MemoryStick Duo. Backward compatibility helps the user enjoy and upgrade older tapes and media. Memories from past and present can be shared without much hassle. Other than that it's the same old story…

Video Performance (4.5)
Sony’s Digital8 imagers have stagnated over the past couple of years. This model, the DCR-TRV480, has specs identical to last year’s DCR-TRV460; it has a 1/6 inch CCD with 290K effective video and still pixels. At 3000 lux the camcorder produced an image with noise and faintly washed colors. The chart seemed a bit muddled, meaning that the colors were not considerably distinct. Last year’s model suffered from similar issues but displayed stronger yellows and greens, while the DCR-TRV480 produces more potent blues and purples. It is important to note that these are Digital8s whose results fair better than some MiniDV camcorders. This year, however, we cannot say that of the DCR-TRV480. While the camcorder produces images very similar to that of the DCR-HC21 (Review, Specs, $329), Sony’s lowest-end MiniDV camcorder, the DCR-TRV480 still doesn’t have colors as vibrant--oddly enough the blues on the 480 were better--though noise levels are the same. Furthermore, the Digital8’s lack of a manual white balance function really inhibits the camcorder’s ability to produce high-quality gray-scale representations on a dime. All in all though, if you want to save some money, the DCR-HC21 and the DCR-TRV480 images aren’t that different once you factor in the price. Be warned that the DCR-TRV480 is nearly double the size of the DCR-HC21.

Video Resolution (6.8)
With Imatest Digital Imaging Software we were able to discern the accurate horizontal and vertical resolutions of the camcorder’s video. In 4:3 mode The DCR-TRV480 produced approximately 249.3 lines of vertical resolution and 274.8 lines of horizontal resolution, at its best generating real resolution of 68,507.64. In widescreen mode the DCR-TRV480 provided approximately 293 lines of horizontal resolution with 203.1 lines of vertical resolution, delivering a real resolution of 59,508.3

The Front (8.5)
The 20x optical zoom lens rests atop the front of the Sony DCR-TRV480, with a small circular LED light to its left. Under the LED sits the video sensor which is followed by a stereo microphone at the foot of the camcorder. A dark gray port cover holding the A/V, DV, and USB ports clings to the left edge of the camcorder.

The Right Side (9.5)
The right side of the DCR-TRV480 sports a dark gray finish beneath a light gray Sony hand strap. The bottom-loading Digital8 mechanism governs the entire right side of the camcorder, leaving all other functions to cling to the edges of either side of this model. A dark gray port cover shelters the AV, DV, and USB ports at the front edge while the Power and Mode switch is wrapped around the other rim of the frame.

The Left Side (8.5)
Metallic silver bejewels the left side of this model, which is home to the 2.5” Hybrid Touch Panel LCD. This year Sony has outfitted most their LCD screens with alternate record and zoom soft buttons found at the bottom of the LCD. On the side of the lens barrel, above the LCD, rests the Easy Handycam and display buttons.



The Back (9.5)
The DCR-TRV480’s rear hosts most of its external functions, which are all decked in dark gray coating. A black and white viewfinder rests on top of the camcorder's rear, eclipsing the light and backlight buttons along with the SD card slot, which sit directly underneath it. Occupying much of the back is the battery slot with a red record button to its right. A Mode switch wraps around the edge of the rear.

The Top (9.0)
The jumble of grays continues at the top of the DCR-TRV480. Embedded into the lens barrel is the NightShot plus switch followed by the mobile viewfinder. To right of the viewfinder, encased in dark gray, are the tiny zoom toggle and photo buttons. The light gray zoom toggle protrudes from gloomy casing while the photo button rests within. The right of the camcorder’s crown is left bare and dark.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (9.0)
This year Sony has equipped its camcorders with an Easy Handycam mode, and the DCR-TRV480 is no exception. When this feature is activated the camcorder switches to autopilot, and all image control functions will be measured and adjusted by the camcorder. This feature is ideal for point-and-shoot users and beginners. The Easy Handycam feature is helpful since the DCR-TRV480 is devoid of efficient or numerous manual control options. As in last year's model, Sony has provided the user with a spot focus and spot metering option which accompanies its touch screen menu system. Once these features are accessed through the menu the user can adjust focus or exposure for any specific area on the screen. This model’s automatic control performs wonderfully; the adjustments are relatively seamless and swift, as are they are with most Sonys.

Overall Manual Control (3.0)
There is a significant lack of manual control options available in the DCR-TRV480; other than manual focus and exposure the camcorder is devoid of other controls that are essential to producing quality images. The camcorder does not provide its users with manual Shutter Speed and most importantly manual white balance. The manual functions that are provided are limited because of their lack of precise numerical measurements. Without any specific focal measurement the user has to eyeball the LCD screen and make assumptions as to the right focal adjustments. All control functions have to be accessed in the menu through the use of the touch screen LCD, which is problematic since the LCD is littered with menu options. Perhaps the TRV280 (Review, Specs, $219.95) is actually a better camcorder, since it lacks such a touch screen and is even cheaper.

Zoom Control (7.5)
The zoom toggle on the DCR-TRV480 is tiny compared to the camcorder’s bulky frame. The small size of the toggle makes one suspicious at first, but it’s surprisingly fluid and easy to handle. The Sony DCR-TRV480 is outfitted with a 20x optical zoom lens and 990x Digital zoom lens capability. One would be ill advised to use the digital zoom to its full capacity, because digital zoom of that magnitude would only distort the captured image. The user would achieve a better quality image by simply moving closer to the desired subject.

Focus (4.0)
Manual focus on the DCR-TRV480 is accessed through the menu and achieved by pressing the icons on the LCD screen. Manual focusing through the LCD screen does pose handling problems. The user has to shuffle through the menu to achieve the desired focal adjustment, which is bothersome during continuous recording. As mentioned, no specific focal length value is given so the user must eyeball or assume the right measurements. Spot focusing, though available, suffers from the same problem.

Exposure (Aperture) (4.5)
Similar to most Sony camcorders, no true numerical measurements (such as F-stops) are available to the user. Manual exposure is calibrated with a +/- meter, which hinders the user from making precise exposure adjustments.

Shutter Speed (0.0)
Unfortunately but not unexpectedly, manual shutter speed is not available to DCR-TRV480 users. Sony does offer Auto Exposure adjustments: Spotlight, Portrait, Sports, Beach & Ski, Sunset & Moon, and Landscape. Also unfortunately shooting conditions are unpredictable, and the user needs flexibility and precision in their adjustments in order to control the quality of the image. Without true shutter speed options the user must guess.

White Balance (0.0)
Unfortunately, manual white balance is not available on the DCR-TRV480. This lack of control is disheartening, because it renders the user powerless when attempting to achieve optimum control. The camcorder does not even offer indoor/outdoor presets to provide some control over auto adjustments. It is one thing not to offer manual white balance, but not to make an attempt at providing presets is unacceptable.

Gain (0.0)
Sony’s DCR-TRV480 does not provide manual gain control.

Other Manual Control (0.0)
No additional manual controls are provided by the DCR-TRV480.

Ease of Use (9.0)
Sony’s Easy Mode has made operating the DCR-TRV480 stress-free. In Easy Mode the automatic functions adjust quickly and accurately; the user can simply focus on the shot composition and the moment at hand. Problems arise once a brave soul decides to control the quality of the image; he or she must rifle through the menu system. It will be difficult to continuously record and rummage through the menu without compromising the captured image. Unfortunately the alternative of burying buttons underneath the LCD would be equally troubling. Even with these handling problems the camcorder is fairly easy to operate, since relying on automatic controls is probably the best thing to do in this case anyway.

Still Features (5.0)
The DCR-TRV480 captures stills on a MemoryStick Duo. The user can access memory mode by sliding the mode switch on the back of the camcorder and inserting a MemoryStick Duo in its slot, found at the rear of this model. Digital stills can be taken in two qualities, Fine and Standard, as well as two aspects, Field and Frame. Field is use to correct the jitter that occurs when shooting a moving object, while Frame is utilized to record stationary subjects in high quality. Similar to last year’s DCR-TRV460 this model can capture MPEGs at dimensions of 320 x 120 and 160 x 112, while still photos are taken at only 640 x 480. Widescreen is not a viable option in Memory mode, but all manual controls are available in Memory mode.

Still Resolution (1.04)
The DCR-TRV480 is the only Digital8 camcorder with the ability to capture stills on a MemoryStick Duo. As mentioned, this model takes stills in Field mode which corrects the jitter when photos are taken of a moving subject, while Frame mode is meant to capture stationary objects at a high quality. Stills were taken off a standard resolution chart and put through Imatest Imaging Software in order to determine the camcorder's real resolution, but each test needed a dramatic increase in exposure to prevent clipping along the edge. Up to 8410 lux of light was directed towards the chart, and still Imatest detected clipping. At their best, stills taken in Field mode displayed a real resolution of 92,190.27 pixels (0.092 MP). The stills captured in Frame mode generated a real resolution of 104,179.9675 pixels (0.104 MP).

Still Performance (3.0)
Noise persists on the digital stills under bright light conditions as it did with the video. The stills were taken in Field and Frame modes; both modes displayed similar characteristics and flaws. The colors were washed and the image was fuzzy as it had been with this year’s and last year’s video performance test. The only noticeable difference between Field and Frame is that the Field still had slightly more noise than the Frame photo. The reason for this variance is that Field mode is meant to prevent the jitter caused by moving subjects, while Frame’s purpose is to capture a stationary subject in high quality.

Low Light Performance (3.0)
Because a user is bound to run into less than favorable low light conditions, the DCR-TRV480 was put through varying low light conditions (60 lux and 15 lux). At 60 lux, which is slightly less than most normally-lit offices, the camcorder displayed a considerable increase in grain. Similar to last year’s DCR-TRV460, the colors lacked vibrancy. This model had stronger blues and purples while the older model produces stronger greens and yellows. Overall, results were similar to last year, as expected.

At 15 lux the camcorder produced further increases in noise. Last year’s DCR-TRV460 suffered from a brownish tint in its gray scale, while this year’s showed a yellowish tint. The difference in hue could be due to the lack of manual white balance; these tests were taken a year apart and the auto white balance could be reacting to numerous variables, though our testing environment is constant. Auto white balance is unreliable, and this camcorder ought to have provided the user with a means of controlling this quality of the image.

Regardless, however, of the camcorder’s lack of manual white balance–-clearly very bad in of itself–-the DCR-TRV480 loses most of the comparability with MiniDV camcorders that it had at 3000 lux. At 60 lux, compared to Sony’s DCR-HC21, their lowest priced MiniDV camcorder, the DCR-TRV480 lacks nearly any of the vibrancy that the mediocre DCR-HC21 has. Interestingly, at 15 lux the DCR-HC21 loses nearly all of its color information, while the DCR-TRV480 retains some color. By “some color” I mean the mass of blended-out, muddy reds that inhabit the upper portions of the spectrum. Let’s say it straight out: both camcorders produce images fraught with noise and bad colors, but the DCR-TRV has slightly better colors. And both images are largely useless.

Zoom Power/Ratio (20)
The Sony DCR-TRV480 has a 20x optical zoom lens with 990x digital zoom capability.

Wide Angle (8.8)
In 4:3 mode the Sony DCR-TRV480 displayed a wide angle measurement of 44 degrees. Widescreen mode naturally displayed the greater wide angle measurement of 51 degrees.

VCR Mode (6.0)
The user can playback or edit his or her stored images by sliding the black mode switch that rests on the edge of this model’s rear. Navigation buttons appear at the bottom of the LCD screen. The user can switch back and forth between footage on the memory card and that on the tape, and superimpose pictures and effects on the footage with the Memory Mix mode. One can navigate through the footage with variant speed options.

LCD/Viewfinder (7.0)
The DCR-TRV480 is equipped with a 2.5” touch screen hybrid LCD. The hybrid technology prevents the screen from solarizing when viewed at an angle. Both the LCD and Viewfinder feature a 123K pixels. The Viewfinder displays black and white images, and cannot be operated unless the LCD is closed.

Audio (5.0)
At the foot of the DCR-TRV480 sits a stereo microphone with the capability of recording audio at 12 bit and 16 bit, which can be monitored during playback by the small speaker hidden underneath the LCD. Sadly, Sony has once again omitted manual audio levels, an accessory shoe, and an external microphone port from the DCR-TRV series. These missing functions significantly hinder the user’s ability to capture and monitor quality audio, though this isn't unexpected on these models. This model also exhibited a high level of motor noise when recording.

Handling (5.0)
Digital8 camcorders are bulky and heavy by nature, and like its predecessors the DCR-TRV480 can be a little taxing on the shoulders after extended use. Time heals all wounds and sore muscles; after a few runs the user should handle this model with relative comfort. Of course this camcorder is only heavy considering the matchbook MiniDV and Microdrive world we live in. Size discrepancy is an issue with the tiny zoom protruding from the top of the camcorder. The zoom is very small compared to vast naked landscape that occupies the rest of this model’s crown. I was skeptical at first, but once I got acclimated I was able to control it with relative ease.

The touch screen LCD is problematic because it litters the screen with menu options. The user has to burrow through the screen in order to access and make necessary manual control adjustments. The DCR-TRV280 (Review, Specs, $219.95) doesn’t have a touch screen.

Portability (2.0)
The DCR-TRV480's bulky design makes it harder to travel with than a matchbook camcorder and most other consumer camcorders on the market. Its heavy structure and boxy frame aren't ideal, but bear in mind that this is a Digital8 camcorder, and they aren’t known for chic or slim designs. This is as small as Digital8s have been in years. If you are member of MI6 and need to be discreet while recording footage on a recon mission, this isn’t the camcorder for you.

Battery Life (7.8)
The NP-FP30 is the supplied lithium ion battery for the Sony DCR-TRV480. The user can power the camcorder with either the available battery or by plugging in the DC adapter. With the LCD open the camcorder can record up to 1 hour, 18 minutes, and 20 seconds, which is a bit less than advertised in the manual. The manual approximated 1 hour and 20 minutes, while the info displayed on the battery info screen proclaimed 1 hour and 24 minutes. It's important to note that our result was derived from continuous recording with an open LCD and without accessing the menu or utilizing the zoom toggle.

Media (8.0)
The Sony DCR-TRV480 captures video in both SP (60 minutes) and LP (90 minutes) modes on a 8mm Digital8 cassette. The camcorder also has the ability to capture still images on a MemoryStick Duo. With its backward compatibility one is able to play older media. The upside to Digital8 media over MiniDV is that it is compatible with Hi8 and 8mm tapes, and the downside is that the tapes are larger, so we give it the same score as MiniDV.

Editing (8.0)
Captured images can be edited with the included Sony Picture Package software. The DCR-TRV480 conveniently allows for various low-end editing functions such as fades and splicing to be done in-camera. Memory Mix allows the user to superimpose digital stills onto recorded video during Play/edit mode.

Compression (8.0)
The DCR-TRV480 uses standard Digital8 compression which compresses video into a DV signal, the same signal that is used with MiniDV camcorders.

Widescreen/16:9 Mode (7.5)
The Widescreen mode on the Sony DCR-TRV480 can be engaged by digging through the menu and selecting the wide mode on the touch screen. The widescreen mode works much like the widescreen modes on Panasonic camcorders; the 16:9 image is squeezed into a 4:3 frame for editing, while on-camera visualization automatically stretches the image out and places black bars on the top and bottom of the LCD screen. Widescreen is not available in Memory card mode.

16:9 Image Squeezed for Editing

Standard 4:3 Image

Scan Rates/24P (0.0)
Scan Rates are not available to the Sony DCR-TRV480.

Ports (6.0)
The Sony DCR-TRV480 shelters DV, AV, and USB ports under a dark gray cover found at the edge of the model’s right side. A MemoryStick Duo slot rests next to the battery slot at the rear of the camcorder, followed by a DC in port.

Other Features (4.5)
Fader
Fader allows the user to add a fade transition in between shot or scenes. White, Black, and Mosaic Faders are accessible through the menu LCD.

NightShot Plus
The DCR-TRV480 has a NightShot Plus switch at the top of its frame. Once activated the camcorder will produce an infrared light that will brighten the image.

Super NightShot
Super NightShot Plus operates the same way as Night Shot except it is stronger and is administered through the menu.

SteadyShot
An Electronic Image Stabilization function is offered on the Sony DCR-TRV480.

BackLight
The Back Light functions will brighten the LCD screen. This function can be utilized by pressing the gray button on the left side of the camcorder’s rear.

Color Slow Shutter
Color Slow Shutter brightens the image by slowing down the shutter speed and allowing more light into the picture without sacrificing color. It is an alternative to infrared night shot, which loses a lot of color.

Backward Compatibility
This features allows the user to play older tapes and media on the Sony DCR-TRV480.

Memory Mix
Memory Mix allows the user to do in-camera editing by superimposing pictures from the memory stick with captured video.

Comparisons
At $350 no great competition exists for the Sony DCR-TRV480; the digital still capabilities set it apart from any other Digital8 model. It performs functions similar to that of a MiniDV, but at its heart it's still a dated medium and therein lies the conundrum. Does one compare it pound for pound with its sibling, the DCR-TRV280? Should one be tested against MiniDV camcorders? Should we create a new division? I say we go by price.

JVC GR-D250 (Review, Specs, ) (Review, Specs, $299)
For eighty dollars more than the DCR-TRV480, one can acquire a better imager with the recommended JVC GR-D250. This MiniDV camcorder comes with 1/6 inch LCD and 340K effective pixels positioned behind a 25x optical zoom lens. The camcorder offers greater manual control, most notably manual shutter speed and manual white balance. The JVC GR-D250 disappoints with its lack of a USB port; it also captures stills right onto tape, requiring the use of a FireWire cable to export and share photographs as part of the captured video (the Digital8 DCR-TRV480 captures on a MemoryStick Duo). The camcorder produced a crisper image with more vibrant colors than the DCR-TRV480 did under bright conditions. Both camcorders had undesirable images at 15 lux, with muddy and grainy images.

Panasonic PV-GS19 (Review, Specs, $244.74)
The PV-GS19 shares a similar price tag with the DCR-TRV480 but offers a wealth of manual controls and features. The camcorder provides a 24x optical zoom lens with 340K effective video pixels. Digital stills can be captured on an SD card. The camcorder uses a joystick to navigate through its manual control functions; this creates greater ease of use as opposed to riffling through a touch screen LCD. Significantly, the imaging was better; the PV-GS19 is probably a better bet if you’re looking for video quality.

Sony DCR-TRV280
If saving money is the ultimate priority when purchasing a camcorder, then the DCR-TRV280 is a viable option. As the little sister of the Sony DCR-TRV480, it possess many of the same features and qualities for a fraction of the price. For $284 one would attain the same Digital8 format and a 20x optical zoom with 290K effective video pixels as the big sister model. Fortunately this model is not equipped with a touch screen menu system; the user can make adjustments without having to wander through an LCD fraught with menu options. This model also lacks the digital still capabilities of its bigger sister, but considering the low effective still pixels this makes sense.

 

Who It's For
Point-and-Shooters (5.0)
The lack of manual controls and the Easy mode makes this a good camcorder for point-and-shooters.

Budget Consumers (7.0)
This is a relatively affordable camcorder, but for a few dollars more one can upgrade to a medium that is not on its way to extinction, as well as get greater control and performance.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (3.0)
The DCR-TRV480 is not a viable Still Photo / Video Camera hybrid, considering it can only capture pictures in the standard 640 x 480.

Gadget Freak (2.0)
The DCR-TRV480 offers no notable gadgetry features.

Manual Control Freaks (1.0)
Manual control freaks would be distraught over the lack of manual controls on the DCR-TRV480.

Pros / Serious Hobbyists (2.0)
The Sony DCR-TRV480 cannot in good conscience be recommended to Pros/Serious Hobbyists.

Conclusion
The color scheme of this model is a visual metaphor for this seemingly endangered medium; the shiny metallic silver houses the hybrid touch screen which is troublesome but “impressive” for a Digital8, while the dull dark no-flair gray holds the Digital8 mechanism. The most impressive innovation for this medium is this camcorder’s ability to capture stills onto a MemoryStick Duo. At the end of the day the metallic silver doesn’t help the fact that the camcorder still has the same 20x optical zoom lens with 290K effective pixels in its arsenal as its previous two predecessors.

The lack of manual control, specifically manual white balance, is alarming. Sony persists on providing an outlet for Digital8 enthusiasts, but makes no attempt to provide their users with adequate means of controlling the quality of the image. It is an uphill battle because no matter the jewels and flair, Digital8 still remains a medium whose time is slipping away. Regardless, Sony strangely perseveres.