Sony DCR-TRV260 Camcorder Review

by Mark Bassett
Published on Apr 26, 2004 12:00 AM



Sony's DCR-TRV260 Digital8 camcorder has many of the bells and whistles found on Sony's HC20 and HC30 but the cost is significantly less-$349.99 MSRP. Digital8 isn't a bad option if you're on a budget, and want a lot of camcorder for lowest price, and when I say a lot of camcorder I mean a lot of camcorder: the DCR-TRV260 is one large piece of machinery. Digital8's were hot items in the nineties, but considering Sony's move to DVD camcorders, their future is questionable. Sony must recognize, however, that there is still a market for Digital8's, and its backward compatibility, and will linger as a format for a few more years at least. While this particular model, the DCR-TRV260, doesn't have as many options as the more expensive TRV460, namely Memory Stick port, it does have almost everything commercial users could possibly want.

Video Performance (4.5)
The Sony DCR-TRV260 has the same CCD as its sibling the DCR-TRV460: a relatively small 1/6 inch CCD with 290K effective pixels. This is a reduction in size compared to last year's TRV250 which has a 1/4.7 inch CCD. When put to the test in the Camcorderinfo testing facility, the DCR-TRV260 performed fairly well. At 3000 lux colors were, for the most part, accurate but lacked the vibrancy produced by other camcorders, like the JVC GR-D33. Remember this is good light, bright and full, so that means that if you're out and about recording outdoor events with the DCR-TRV260 you're going to be capturing colorful images, but the images will not have the crispness that one would hope for. Although, interestingly, compared to a few more expensive MiniDV's tested, the DCR-TRV260 did a good job. For instance, the low-end Canon ZR80 model is a half step behind the DCR-TRV260 in their ability to render a brilliant image at full light. This is surprising mostly because the DCR-TRV260 is several hundred dollars less expensive than the ZR models. Additionally, the Canon claim to fame (the super powerful zoom), is matched pound for pound with the DCR-TRV260 which also has a 20x optical zoom.

The Front (8.0)
The DCR-TRV260 is a big camcorder, and positioned on the front is an enormous 37mm 20x optical Sony Video Lens with a focal range of 2.5mm-50mm. Underneath the lens is the standard two channel microphone with 12bit or 16bit recording capabilities, however there's no port for an external microphone. The DCR-TRV260, on the right side, has a 3 bulb LED. This is pretty cool because the Sharp and JVC are using built in LED as a selling point at hundreds of dollars more. Below the LED is the infrared sensor, and at the bottom of the oval shaped sensor is an S-Video port. While it's fantastic to have an S-Video port (some MiniDV's don't have S-Video), it is one of the strangest places to put the port.

The Right Side (9.5)
The right side of the DCR-TRV260 is as sparse as can be. That's because the Digital8 tape is dinosaur big compared to a MiniDV tape, and all that space goes to storage. The DCR-TRV260 has a terrific strap, and this was likely a challenge considering the size of the camcorder. The gray suede strap provides aesthetic appeal while firmly holding the users hand snuggly in place during use. Considering the size of the unit, this is a noteworthy achievement. Along the leading edge of the front of the DCR-TRV260 are the ports, and they're plentiful-AV in/out, Firewire (yes Firewire), and USB. The DCR-TRV260 package includes a USB cable and the AV cable, Firewire and S-Video cables are sold separately.

The Back (9.5)
Unlike many camcorders on the market today, which strive to eliminate external buttons, the DCR-TRV260 has a full palate of options on the back of the camcorder, and these options work very well. On the right hand side of the back of the DCR-TRV260 is a sliding mode selector. There's only one position, On, however, the spring loaded slider can be pushed down to change between camcorder, playback/edit, and camera. Millimeters below the spring loaded mode selector is a plastic record button that couldn't be in better proximity to the users thumb. On the left side of the DCR-TRV260, opposite the battery, running vertically from top to bottom are the LED on/off, a fader button, the backlight button, and the manual focus button. Below these buttons is the depressible jog dial. The DCR-TRV260 does a good job of making manual focus a painless process. At first sight the back of the DCR-TRV260 looks cluttered, but the reality is that the external buttons do a good job of adding to the camcorder's functionality. Good job here Sony.

The Left Side (8.5)
Since the DCR-TRV260 is so big, one would've hoped for a large LCD, but 2.5 inches will have to suffice. However, with 123,200 pixels, the LCD has an excellent picture. Above the LCD are two additional feature buttons. The first is the EasyMode option, which also appears on Sony's HC camcorders, and is designed to make users at home with the camcorder. The second button is the Battery Info button which, when activated, displays the actual number of minutes remaining. This number is displayed next to the battery life image on the LCD and in the black and white viewfinder. Beneath the LCD are another slew of manual functions that are, for the most part, playback related. However, similar to the manual focus button on the back of the DCR-TRV260, there is a manual exposure button that works the same way. Again, it's really easy to adjust manual exposure, but if this button was on the back, located above the manual focus, it would be even better. Also of note is the burn DVD button, which is also debuting in Sony's line of HC camcorders.

The Top (9.0)
The top of the DCR-TRV260 is as sparse as the right hand side and just as big. This is for two reasons; the left side is taken up by the casing for the 37mm 20x optical Sony Video Lens with a focal range of 2.5mm-50mm, and on the right side is the casing for the Digital8 tapes. With all of this available space you'd think Sony would've included one of their Intelligent Accessory Shoes. Instead they put a switch for the new Night Shot Plus. At the far back of the top of the DCR-TRV260 on the right side, is the electronic shutter and zoom toggle. On left side is the black and white viewfinder with approximately 80 degrees of rotation. The DCR-TRV260's LCD isn't touch screen. Functionality has been shifted to manual function buttons, and the amount of adjustments in LCD is less than in the HC30.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (6.0)
Sony's aptly named Easy Handycam Mode is designed to make their camcorders easier to use in automatic, and it does. But it's important to remember that a lot of manufacturers have automatic pre-sets, but leave it to Sony to make it a marketing point. The real news here is the manual mode, which allows for easy adjustment to focus and exposure outside of the LCD menu. When compared to other camcorders, the automatic control of the DCR-TRV260 is fine, however, when compared to other Sony's the DCR-TRV260 lacks two key features. The DCR-TRV260 does not have the spot metering and spot focus which the higher Digital8 model, the DCR-TRV460 has. I really like Spot Metering and Spot Focus because they allow you to touch an area of the screen and the camcorder will automatically adjust the focus or exposure to that area, they are a great 'auto' feature.

Overall Manual Control (4.5)
Focus and exposure are the two manual adjustments, and they're easy to use. The real surprise on the Digital8 line is that perhaps in an effort to save money on the part of the manufacturer by not including these features into the overwhelming jumble of some of their LCD menus, they've left the controls on the outside of the camcorder. This retro styling is terrific, and the only improvements would be a manual focus ring and taking the exposure button from beneath the LCD and placing it on the back of the camcorder above or below the manual focus button. Ironically the manual control options on the DCR-TRV460, with the exception of white balance, are better than most of the other Sony consumer camcorders in the 2004 line.

Zoom (6.0)
The DCR-TRV260 has a 20x optical zoom. This is something to get excited about especially considering the 2.5mm-50mm focal range of the 37mm Sony Video Lens. Think of all of the shot composition options with so many different planes of focus from telephoto to widescreen. This is a great feature for the price, and considering we're looking at a camcorder that costs an average of $300, you can't do better. The zoom control is in perfect proximity to your index finger when in the strap, and its does a fair job of controlling telephoto to widescreen. There's not too much in the way of variable speeds, in fact, barely two, but with a soft spring you have decent control. The toggle feels a little on the small side, but after a few hours of use the user should acclimate pretty easily.

Focus (5.0)
The only way to improve upon the focus capabilities of the DCR-TRV260 would be to include a manual focus ring. Personally I think the current configuration of a manual button and the depressible jog dial works outstandingly well. Their proximity to each other and their location at the back of the camcorder make it simple to adjust focus. The processor responds to manual focus adjustment quickly, and there is absolutely no recalibration lag. Sony should consider this method for manual focus in their other camcorder lines.

Exposure (Aperture) (7.0)
My suggestion for improving the current placement of the manual exposure feature would be to move the activation button from beneath the LCD to the back of the camcorder near the manual focus button. The adjustment method works in exactly the same way as manual focus: depress the button and make changes to the DCR-TRV260's exposure with the depressible jog dial. A bar on the LCD or in the viewfinder indicates exposure level, however, the processor responds so quickly to the commands, and the LCD and viewfinder provide crisp and accurate images, rendering adjustments immediately recognizable. With the DCR-TRV260, visual clues on camera indicate what the best exposure in your shooting conditions can be.

Shutter Speed (0.0)
Sony likes to give users a substitute for manual shutter speed, called AE. This includes a series of presets of different conditions including: Portrait, Beach & Ski, Sports Lesson, Landscape, Spotlight, Sunset & Moon modes. While this isn't manual shutter speed, it is a nice way to pretend that you know how the system works, and drop a line on you wife like, Baby, I gotta' change the settings, hold that pose.

White Balance (0.0)
Yikes?! Where's the white balance Sony?

Gain (0.0)
There are no gain options on the Sony DCR-TRV260.

Still Performance (4.0)
The DCR-TRV260 does capture stills to tape. The specs are similar to those we've seen across the board from the still to tape machines with resolution at 640x480. While this is by no means outstanding, it is average for tape only camcorders. The TRV460 includes a Memory Stick feature but the resolution level is about the same. What's nice is all of the ways to transfer stills to your desktop or Sony Vega television set as there's USB, Firewire and S-Video options on the DCR-TRV260.

VCR Mode (6.0)
Open the 2.5 inch LCD on the DCR-TRV260 and you'll find the standard VCR playback controls with a few helpful extras. These extras include the new burn DVD, which if you have a DVD +/- R in computer or under your Sony Vega, you can hook up the DCR-TRV260 via Firewire or S-Video respectively, and burn your home videos onto silicone. There is also a tape search button, to ensure you are burning the right scene. Sure it's great to have the playback features in button form, but burying them behind the LCD is somewhat awkward, although preferable to scrolling through an LCD menu.

Low Light Performance (4.3)
Low light performance on the DCR-TRV260's 1/6inch CCD with 290K effective pixels is nothing to write home about. We tested the DCR-TRV260 at low light settings of 60 lux and 15 lux. Unfortunately the image in automatic at both 60 lux and 15 lux was subject to excessive grain, and an overall dullness. The colors were muted and there was an overall lack of vibrancy common in most low end digital camcorders. This isn't really a big surprise, nor is it a surprise that the built in LED and the Night Shot Plus are no substitute for a large CCD with video dedicated luminance points. What is a big surprise is that when going toe to toe with the Canon ZR80, the DCR-TRV260 not only holds its own, it nearly out performs the low-end MiniDV offering from the leader in lens design. The JVC GR-D33 however does much better in low light at the same price tag.

LCD/ Viewfinder (7.0)
While there is more than enough room for a 3 or 3.5 inch LCD, the DCR-TRV260 has a crisp 2.5 inch 123K pixel LCD. The LCD is fairly stock, but works well, and the image displayed is adjustable within the submenus of the LCD. The image in the 2.5 in window is clean, clear and crisp. This is the same old LCD that has been in previous Digital8s, no touchy feely, but right on target with image. The DCR-TRV260 also has a black and white viewfinder, which is a great option for users to judge image contrast. The black and white viewfinder is a nice touch, as is the fact that it extends to nearly perpendicular. This is a feature that is being phased out by many manufactures, but it's one that deserves to be preserved. Black and white is easy to compose with in the relative confined of the viewfinder, and takes some of the visual guess work out of adjusting accurate exposure and focus.

Audio (5.0)
The DCR-TRV260 includes no options for an external microphone. There is, however, a port for an external headphone. Perhaps someday manufactures will realize that adding a wind blocking feature or letting you record in 12bit or 16bit, the latter of which the DCR-TRV260 can do, or even a zoom microphone feature, which is nice indoors, all of these features are no substitute for external microphone capabilities. Additionally, there are no level adjustments on the DCR-TRV260. The lack of an external audio option is really a problem on this camcorder.

Handling (5.0)
No doubt about it, the DCR-TRV260 is a big camcorder. The camcorder isn't especially heavy but it is somewhat cumbersome. However, overall the unit is well balanced and the strap is well designed so that it sits securely in your hand when shooting. The slew of external buttons, especially manual focus and exposure, make the limited manual adjustments a breeze. Even the depressible jog dial does its job well. It would seem as though everything on the camcorder is in the right place, except for the manual exposure button which should accompany the manual focus on the back of the DCR-TRV260. The zoom toggle, the electronic shutter, and the record button are in perfect proximately to your index finger when your hand is snug in the suede strap. The LED power, the manual focus, and the adjusting jog dial are easily reached with your free hand. Other functions are hidden beneath the LCD but they won't be needed when shooting, with the exception of the menu button and manual exposure. Another positive point on the DCR-TRV260, which can go head to head with almost any sub-$1000 MiniDV, not to mention the DVD camcorders, and the TRV460, is the ease of manual focus and manual exposure. What is cumbersome on the DCR-TRV260 is the placement of some of the ports, namely the S-Video in/out, which is smack-dab under the lens. For whatever reason, if a user was connected via S-Video during recording, the location could be a problem. Considering its size, overall the DCR-TRV260 handles well.

Ports (9.5)
The DCR-TRV260 has all the goodies for output: S-Video, USB, DV, DC, and AV in/out ports. However, the DCR-TRV260 is missing audio in. The DCR-TRV260 comes with a USB and AV cable but S-Video and Firewire are sold separately. Most are in place although one is completely out of whack: S-Video is smack in the center of the infrared sensor.

Other Features (6.0)
EasyMode and the Night Shot Plus features are part of the DCR-TRV260 package. Other features include the burn to DVD button, which allows users to export their videos to DVD, provided they have a DVD burner.

16:9 widescreen mode Stretched out digitally, the DCR-TRV260 can achieve a widescreen look.

MPEG MPEG video is not an option on the DCR-TRV260. The TRV460, however, includes a memory stick allowing for short MPEG videos.

Analog to Digital Pass Through The DCR-TRV260 can serve as an analog to digital device and includes SVideo, and Firewire ports as in/out options. Additionally, users can burn straight to a DVD with the push of a button, and the investment in a decent cable. If you use the included AV cable to hook up to a DVD+/- then the quality will not be at the level of DVD. S-Video and Firewire carry more info through the pike, and at a faster rate of speed. If you're saving money on the DCR-TRV260, spend it on the Monster cables.

Comparisons
The DCR-TRV260 replaces last year's TRV250. The price of the camcorder has shrunk from $400 to $350, but so has the size of the CCD. In the TRV250 there's a 1/4.7 inch CCD, and the DCR-TRV260 minimized that down significantly to 1/6th of an inch. That definitely translated into a loss of low light and video performance, however, the low light and the video performance wasn't exceptional on the TRV250 to begin with. The Night Shot is an upgrade as is the digital zoom capabilities, which isn't that significant for most of us. New to the DCR-TRV260 is the addition of SVideo and Firewire, and the strap is redesigned for a more comfortable feel in hand. Notably, the back of the camcorder now has useful manual adjustment buttons. Other than the reduction in CCD size, the DCR-TRV260 is a big improvement over the TRV250.

The DCR-TRV260 can be compared to the Sony MiniDV DCR-HC20 due to the fact that they share the approximate CCD size and include many of the same features, and are close in price. In the video and low light areas, the DCR-TRV260 trumps the DCR-HC20, while in the still performance department, the reverse is true. Size wise, were not even in the same ballpark. The DCR-TRV260 is big and bulky, while the HC camcorders are approaching pocket size.

The Canon ZR80 is another point of comparison. For the price the DCR-TRV260 has more optical zoom than any camcorder on the market. That includes the base ZR80, which has an 18x optical zoom, and didn't perform as well as the DCR-TRV260 in the Caminfo low light and video performance tests. The DCR-TRV260 also clearly beats the ZR80 with regards to low light performance.

The JVC GR-D33 is also in the same price range and has a 1/6 inch CCD but with more effective pixels--680K. This translates to better color accuracy and crispness in low-light, and better overall video performance. JVC has included a good low light enhancing chip which trumps the low light performance of the DCR-TRV260, the low end Sony MiniDV models and the Canon ZR's making it a great buy.

Another big question many people are going to be asking is whether or not they should get Sony's other Digital8 camcorder, the DCR-TRV460 over the 260. The DCR-TRV460 does a bit better in low light and video performance. I would recommend saving money and getting the DCR-TRV260 unless extreme ease of use or the ability to play back old Hi8 and 8mm tapes is important to you. If you want to save a little money plus get much better manual control, the DCR-TRV260 is a better buy in our opinion.

Who's it For
Point and Shooter's (5.0) DCR-TRV260 is a budget wise daylight camcorder, so point and shooters will enjoy this camcorder if they like recording outdoor events, or indoors where there's a lot of light. The EasyMode functions may also be attractive to the point and shoot consumer.

Budget Consumers (4.0) Pound for pound the DCR-TRV260 has more camcorder for the buck than anything on the market, MiniDV, DVD, or Digital8. This comes with the caveat that the low-light isn't great.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (3.0) With the money you'll save on the DCR-TRV260, you could buy a real nice digital camera. This isn't a good camcorder for anyone interested in taking decent stills.

Gadget Freaks (5.0) The DCR-TRV260 includes retro styling with a few of the gadgets found in the newer consumer MiniDV and DVD camcorders. But for gadget freaks who want the latest and greatest, consider looking elsewhere.

Manual Control Freaks (3.0) With the exception of the absence of white balance settings, the DCR-TRV260 does a good job of manual adjustment of focus and exposure. It's too bad that the user has to rely on the camcorder to make color temperature decisions.

Pro's/ Serious Hobbyists(2.0) For the money, the power of the zoom, and the large focal range, this camcorder could come in handy. Although with the strange location of the S-Video port, and the absence of a microphone input, it may be best for sketch animators or those interested in claymation.

Conclusion
For $349.99, and you'll certainly be able to find it for less on line, the DCR-TRV260 is a lot of camcorder--and I mean this literally as well. If you're not afraid of Digital8 becoming a relic, and aren't concerned with lugging around large unit, then you should consider the DCR-TRV260. Keep in mind, the DCR-TRV260 isn't going to give you the low light performance of many of the current more expensive offerings. Also worth considering is the great zoom on the DCR-TRV260 and the ease of manual adjustment of focus and exposure. Another money saving aspect of the Digital8 is the cost of tapes, shoot to your hearts delight at a fraction of the cost of the MiniDV's. The DCR-TRV260 ended up getting a better score in our rubric than the higher up DCR-TRV460 because we put a lot of weight in manual control. If you are looking for a cheap camcorder with good manual control, than the DCR-TRV260 is a great buy. If you want ease of use, go with the DCR-TRV460. However, you should be wary of the low light performance on both models.