Sony DCR-TRV350 Camcorder Review

by Robin Liss

Published on May 14, 2004 12:00 AM
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The Sony DCR-TRV350 (Review, Specs, $360.8) is Sony's highest end Digital8 camcorder selling for around $500. The DCR-TRV350 includes a small CCD which means that it produces pretty disappointing video images and low light performance. The DCR-TRV350 is an upgraded model over the DCR-TRV250 and it includes the addition of a Memory Stick slot and more audio options. With the 2003 Digital8 models, Sony has seriously scaled back from five models to just two and those two don't offer the budget quality features of the 2002 and previous models. Instead Sony has produced stripped down simple, cheap feeling camcorder. The DCR-TRV350 handles pretty well, however the lack of manual control and the lack of quality video makes this camcorder a poor buy in it's price category.

Video Performance (4.5)
The Sony DCR-TRV350 includes a 1/6 in. 460K pixel CCD with 290K effective pixels for both still and video. By all accounts it is the same CCD as the Sony DCR-TRV250. The tiny CCD with quite few effective pixels produces a poor quality video picture. As with most low end Sony camcorders in the past, the DCR-TRV250 handles dark colors, especially blues, very poorly. On the DCR-TRV250, I felt the video performance was fair for it's price range. The problem is that the DCR-TRV350 has the exact same video imagining electronics but costs another $100.

The Front (8)
The front of the Sony DCR-TRV250 includes just four elements. On the top left side is a small video light. To the right of the video light is the 37 mm diameter lens. Below the lens and the light is the stereo microphone. Right below that is the IR receiver with a small tally light embedded within it. I am pretty unhappy with the placement of the microphone, because if you like to hold your camcorder like I do, with one hand on the strap and with one hand cradling the front, your hand will interfere with the mic. Otherwise, the pretty uncluttered front of the camcorder is pretty nice.

The Right Side (9.5)
The right side of the DCR-TRV350 is nicely free of any interfering buttons near the handle strap. Towards the back of the camcorder is the standard Sony camcorder power switch. Besides the microphone in and Control-L / Lanc ports on the far front of the camcorder, there are no other buttons. It's really nice to have a clutter free right side.

The Back (9.5)
The back of the DCR-TRV350 has a few more features, but they are well placed ones. On the top left of the DCR-TRV350 is the black and white viewfinder. To the left of it is the battery eject button. Below the viewfinder, almost in a straight line moving downwards is the Memory Stick Slot and the exposure / menu dial. On the right side of the camcorder is the other side of the power dial, a lock button and the red record button. Most of the back of the camcorder is taken up by the battery slot. Below the battery however is the AC-in jack. It's much better placement than the DCR-TRV19 (Review, Specs, $372), DCR-TRV22 (Specs, $999) and DCR-TRV33 where the AC-in jack is at the top of the battery poking you in the eye. I like the placement of the exposure / menu dial and the memory stick at slot at the back of the camcorder where they are easily accessible.

The Left Side (8.0)
The left side of the DCR-TRV350 is taken up largely by the 2.5 in. LCD screen. Below the LCD screen are a few picture control buttons, from left to right is the edit search, fader, backlight and focus buttons. All nicely accessible without opening the LCD screen. Towards the front of the DCR-TRV350 and to the left of the viewfinder is the NightShot toggle button. A lot of the controls for the camcorder are hidden inside the LCD screen. On the top row of the DCR-TRV350 is the Play, Memory + / - and Memory Mix buttons, the next row includes the delete, MPEG Play / Pause, Index and Display buttons, the next row includes the Play Back Zoom, Exposure (which would be placed outside of the LCD screen, say switched with the fader button, it's placement is the main reason for a deduction in points for the left side of the camcorder), Title and Menu buttons, below them is the small speaker for playback, the volume controls and the edit search button. Lastly, towards the far bottom right of the hidden behind the LCD area is the execute button, to be used in conjunction with the menu dial - my main complaint about this button is that it's soft - so it's hard to press.

Towards the front of the camcorder, on the bottom left is a small patch bay for some jacks and ports. I really like how Sony has adopted a consolidated 'patch bay' approach to the placement of jacks and ports. It seems that in past models the jacks and ports were scattered all around the camcorder but with the 2003 line, they are neatly organized into little 'patch bays.' On the DCR-TRV350's bottom left patch bay on the left side of the camcorder is the S-Video in / out jack, the mini AV in / out jack, the Firewire in / out port and the USB in / out port. All the jacks are easily covered up by a hard plastic cover that is attached to the camcorder.

The Top (9)
Located towards the viewfinder on the top of the camcorder is the photo button. Slightly in front of it is the flat zoom control. Moving towards the middle of the top and towards the left are the VCR control and other random buttons in two rows. The first row includes the light toggle button, battery info, rewind, play / pause, and fast forward buttons. The second row includes the Color Slow Shutter / Super NightShot toggle, the stop, pause, and record buttons. I wish Sony had traded these buttons with the display, exposure, and volume buttons that are hidden on the inside of the LCD screen. The reason being, that you are much more likely to use the playback buttons with the LCD screen open - and many shooters would often like to use some of those buttons that are located inside the LCD screen when they are shooting with the viewfinder, however they have to shake the camcorder and open the LCD screen to get at them.

Picture & Manual Control
Automatic Control (6)
Sony's touch screen camcorders have raised the bar for automatic control in a consumer camcorder. The addition of the Spot Focus and Spot Metering functions have really added a third level of control in-between full auto and full manual. The problem is, the Sony DCR-TRV350 doesn't include the Spot Metering and Spot Focus functions - the main reason for deduction in points. For $100 more you can get amazing automatic control in the DCR-TRV19. The manual control on the DCR-TRV350 responds normally, as most Sony camcorders do.

Overall Manual Control (2.5)
The DCR-TRV350 does pretty bad in overall manual control, the zoom is hard to control, the focus is done through a jog dial not a ring, and you must open up the LCD screen to adjust the exposure. On the other hand, the DCR-TRV350 offers real buttons instead of a touch screen to adjust the picture elements, a definite upgrade, however it also lacks important manual control options such as white balance, shutter speed and gain. Overall, the hard buttons don't make up for the missing control, giving the DCR-TRV350 an overall low score for manual control.

Zoom (5.0)
The zoom on the DCR-TRV350 is controlled by a medium sized flat slider towards the back of the camcorder. The zoom slider feels pretty cheap. Because it rubs up against the camcorder and is not raised slightly, it is hard to maneuver. The slightly raised zoom controls allow for much more fluid zoom slider movement. I found it hard to get variable speed zooms with the small zoom slider that DCR-TRV350 has.

Focus (5.5)
Previous year's Digital8 models included a focus ring, sadly the company removed them from this years Digital8 line. The focus on the DCR-TRV350 is controlled by a press of a button on the left side of the camcorder then by the dial at the back. It is easy to make small focus adjustments, however the lack of a ring makes it hard to do smooth focuses at variable speeds. It also makes for harder handling. However, at least the focus is controlled with real buttons instead of a touch screen like on the DCR-TRV19, DCR-TRV22 and DCR-TRV33 models.

Exposure (Aperture) (0)
The exposure is controlled by the dial at the back of the camcorder. The DCR-TRV350 includes Sony's standard 24 step exposure. I've always like the dial control for exposure, because I usually set my exposure for the scene and shoot, I don't do a lot of on the fly exposure adjustments, unless I'm moving from indoor to outdoor shooting environments. However, Sony made the major mistake of placing the exposure button (which turns the jog dial into an exposure dial) inside the LCD screen. This means you have to open up the LCD screen and find this tiny button (which is a vital function) in order to adjust the exposure. I think it's only slightly better than the touch screen exposure control offered on some of the other 2003 MiniDV camcorders. If the button had been placed outside of the LCD screen the exposure would have gotten a much higher score.

Shutter Speed (0)
The problem is Sony has never really valued manual shutter speed control. You can't do it. The only shutter speed control that you have is in the auto exposure modes. Even if they had hidden it away in the menu, it would be better than no control at all. I really think Sony should include manual shutter speed control because camcorder by every other major manufacturer include such controls. It would only take a small software modification to do so. The shutter speed is rated from 1/4 second (color slow shutter) to 1/400 of a second - but again those can only be controlled in the auto exposure modes where you loose control of the exposure and never really know what the shutter speed actually is - you do get a cute icon though.

White Balance (0)
The DCR-TRV350 doesn't include any manual white balance or even white balance modes such as indoor and outdoor. Again this is a simple software modification - however sadly Sony chooses to leave these features off the camcorder intentionally (even though it would cost virtually nothing to include them) to create product differentiation, i.e. to make the DCR-TRV19, for $100 more, a 'better' camcorder.

Gain (0)
Just like the white balance and the shutter speed, the DCR-TRV350 includes no manual control over Gain.

Still (4.0)
The Sony DCR-TRV350 includes a Memory Stick slot for saving the digital stills to. The still performance is just as bad as the video performance and suffers from the same problems. The combination of a small, poor quality CCD which creates a general bad picture with a low resolution makes the stills on the DCR-TRV350 pretty much useless. The camcorder includes a USB jack for connecting your DCR-TRV350 to your computer and transferring your digital stills. The DCR-TRV350 can accept the new Memory Stick Pro format, which means that currently there are Memory Sticks up to 1 GB available for the DCR-TRV350.

VCR Mode (8)
You switch into the VCR mode on the DCR-TRV350 by using the power mode switch on the right side of the camcorder. The VCR functions are controlled by the buttons on the top of the camcorder. It's a lot better than the touch screen controls on the MiniDV camcorders. The DCR-TRV350 video playback is fine, it offers frame by frame shutteling and all the features you are going to need in VCR playback (even though there aren't a ton you need).

Low Light Performance (4)
The low light performance of the DCR-TRV350 is pretty terrible. The camcorder is unable to produce a viewable image with any discernible contrast in the image (so you can see the details of the objects) in any light less than a medium lit environment. The camcorder fails in candle lit conditions. The camcorder doesn't completely fail because it performs better than some of it's competitors in the same price range (such as the JVCs and the Panasonic's) however the low light performance is really disappointing - most likely due to the small 1/6 in. CCD.

LCD / Viewfinder (7)
The DCR-TRV350 includes a 2.5 in. LCD screen and a black and white viewfinder. I really like the combination of a black and white viewfinder with a color LCD screen. I do wish that the LCD screen was larger however, because it would add some value over the DCR-TRV250, the lower Digital8 model.

Audio (7)
The on-camera microphone on the DCR-TRV350 is poor quality and poorly placed - but on what camcorder isn't it? I don't think there is a single camcorder under $1,500 where I would actually rely on the on camera microphone. What the DCR-TRV350 has is audio options - and that's what gives it a good score for audio. The camcorder includes a microphone in port and a headphone out port. The only major features which it is missing are an audio dub option and a manual audio level option.

Handling (6)
When operating the DCR-TRV350 you are able to get a good handle on it - however it's obvious that it's built out of different components than other Sony camcorders - it has a 'cheap' feel to it. Most of the buttons are well placed on the DCR-TRV350, however as I complained above, the exposure controls make it awkward for manual adjustment when handling the camcorder. The lack of control in the front of the camcorder, makes it impossible to operate the manual control while cradling the camcorder. It's also really large, so you can't handle it with just one hand.

Ports (9.5)
The DCR-TRV350 includes a RCA composite video in / out jack, an S-Video in / out jack, a microphone in stereo port, headphone out stereo port, Control-L / Lanc port, a USB port, and a Firewire port. These are pretty much all you will need with the exception of a hot shoe.

Other Features (6)
USB Streaming Using the USB port, you can hook the DCR-TRV350 up to your camcorder and use it as web cam. You can also use the DCR-TRV350 to stream live video over the web.

Battery Info The battery info feature is new to the 2003 lineup. It allows you to check the batter time on the camcorder with out fully powering up the camcorder. It's an okay feature - but I would have preferred an external display that showed remaining battery time over this feature which doesn't seem very useful.

Bottom Loading Tape Mechanism This really isn't a feature though it has to be mentioned. Pretty much all camcorders made by Sony are bottom loading now. It really creates problems when you are shooting on a tripod. It requires a lot more time to change tapes because you have to take the camcorder off the tripod to change the tape.

Super NightShot The DCR-TRV350 includes Sony's NightShot, it's the same NightShot that was in the 2002 models - and it's still green and ugly. I wouldn't really recommending using the NightShot or the Color Night Shot capabilities - they are both unmatchable.

Playbackof Hi8 and 8mm tapes One of the major upgraded features of the DCR-TRV350 over the DCR-TRV250 is the ability to playback analog Hi8 and 8mm tapes. It's good if you are transitioning from an old Hi8 or 8mm camcorder to a digital solution. The digital play back will also alow you to convert those tapes to a digital signal for transfer to your computer.

Analog Digital Pass ThroughThe DCR-TRV350 includes analog to digital pass through capability, which allows you to convert analog video to digital video on the fly. You can hook an analog source up to your DCR-TRV350 and it will convert it to digital video on the fly.

Comparisons (no score provided)
There is no noticeable picture improvement over the cheaper DCR-TRV250, most likely because they seem to use the exact same CCDs and imaging components, this would be the main reason in any camcorder to spend more money. However the DCR-TRV250 certainly lacks some important audio options. The DCR-TRV350 adds, them, and if you are strictly comparing camcorders, those added features are worth $100. The still capability is a joke, and I would barely consider it an upgrade, I wouldn't pay more than $5 for the additional still features on the DCR-TRV350 over the DCR-TRV250 if I had the choice. The other added feature is analog to digital conversion. The problem here however, is that if you're considering the DCR-TRV250 and wondering if you should spend an extra $100 to get the DCR-TRV350, you shouldn't - but because the DCR-TRV250 lacks so many key features you should spend the extra $100, just get the Canon ZR instead.

Spending an extra $100 over the DCR-TRV350 to purchase the Sony DCR-TRV19 is a big upgrade in my opinion, certainly worth the investment. You get a huge step up in video quality from the DCR-TRV350 to the DCR-TRV19, as well as a slimiar increase in low light capability. As for control, you get the added benefits of the Spot Metering and Spot Focus functions controlled through the touch screen LCD on the DCR-TRV19, however you do loose out in the sense that everything is controlled by a touch screen LCD - unlike the buttons on the DCR-TRV350. There is no official step up in still resolution, however the DCR-TRV19 stills look much better than those of the DCR-TRV19 because of the better picture elements. The DCR-TRV19 also added a much better zoom control, though it is a much smaller zoom. I would strongly recommend spending an extra $100 to purchase the DCR-TRV19 over the DCR-TRV350.

The Canon ZR60 is priced about the same as the DCR-TRV350. The ZR60 produces a better picture in my opinion and also gives you better manual control over the DCR-TRV350. However, if you're possibly going to spend an extra $100, don't but the higher up ZR, go for the higher up Sony, the DCR-TRV19. The competing model by JVC is the GR-D70, and the Sony produces a better picture in my opinion. The GR-D70 does give more manual control, but the video quality is terribly. The Panasonic PV-DV103 (Specs, $233.32) is also similarly priced to the DCR-TRV350, like the ZR60, I feel it offers better video quality and better video control than the DCR-TRV350, though it's a tough decision between the ZR60 and the PV-DV103.

Who's it For
Try to figure out which section you fit into, and the corresponding comments should help you decide whether or not the DCR-TRV350 is for you.

Point and Shooter's (5)
The DCR-TRV350 offers good manual control features, however the problem is that it takes a lot of work (manually) to get a good picture out of the DCR-TRV350.

Budget Consumers (4)
The DCR-TRV350 is inexpensive, but for the budget consumer, there are much better deals out there such as the Panasonic PV-DV103 or the Canon ZR60.

Still Photo / Video Camera Hybrid (3)
This camcorder offers terrible still quality. It's somewhat of a joke, and I wouldn't recommend the DCR-TRV350 for a digital camera still hybrid.

Gadget Freaks (5)
The DCR-TRV350 does include neat 'gadgety' features, such as the USB streaming, Color Slow Shutter, and the digital effects, making it a good choice for the gadget freak in this price range.

Manual Control Freaks (3)
The DCR-TRV350 fails in the manual control area. Every other camcorder in this price range offers better manual control, and it is disappointing that Sony did include more manual control in the DCR-TRV350.

Pro's / Serious Hobbyists (2)
This camcorder is not for you. The DCR-TRV350 offers pretty lackluster manual control and a poor picture for anyone who is a serious shooter. I'd stay away from the DCR-TRV350.

Conclusion
The final score chart for the DCR-TRV350 is as follows:

Area Weight Raw Adj. Poss.
Video Performance
2.0
4.5
9.0
20.0
The Front
0.20
8.0
1.60
2.0
The Right Side
0.30
9.5
2.85
3.0
The Back
0.25
9.5
2.36
2.5
The Left Side
0.20
8.0
1.60
2.0
The Top
0.15
9.0
1.35
1.5
Automatic Control
0.50
6.0
3.0
5.0
Overall Manual Control
0.60
2.5
1.5
6.0
Zoom
0.75
5.0
3.75
7.5
Focus
0.70
5.5
3.85
7.0
Exposure
0.65
5.0
3.25
6.5
Shutter Speed
0.60
0.0
0.00
6.0
White Balance
0.55
0.0
0.00
5.5
Gain
0.50
0.0
0.00
5.0
Still Performance
1.20
4.0
4.80
12.0
VCR Mode
0.30
8.0
2.4
3.0
Low Light Performance
2.00
6.0
8.00
20.0
LCD / Viewfinder
.60
7.0
4.20
6.0
Audio
1.00
7.0
7.00
10.0
Handling
1.25
6.0
7.50
12.5
Jacks / Ports / Plugs
.80
9.5
7.60
8.0
Other Features
0.70
6.0
4.20
7.0
Value
1.25
2.5
3.13
12.5
Total (weighted)
82.94
170.5

As with other camcorders in this price range, the DCR-TRV350's biggest pitfall is the poor video and low light quality. The upgraded still options on the DCR-TRV350 over the DCR-TRV250 are useless, however the audio options are nice. The problem is there are much better options out there which offer noticeable better video quality, more manual control and an overall better camcorder. I would look at the Panasonic PV-DV103 or the Canon ZR60 in this price range, however if you spend an extra $100 to get the DCR-TRV19 you'll get a lot better camcorder that is certainly worth multiples of the price increase.