Cheap Camcorders and Camcorder Accessories Reviews, Sony: Sony DCRTRV18 MiniDV Digital Handycam Camcorder w/ 2.5" LCD. MPEG, & Memory Stick. Many Cheap Digital, DVD, VHS Camcorders, Camcorder Battery, Battery Chargers and other Camcorder Accessories

• MiniDV camcorder
• 10x optical, 120x digital zoom with digital image stabilization
• 2.5-inch color LCD; color EVF
• Records still photos onto tape or included Memory Stick media
• Uses included InfoLithium battery; also includes adapter, wireless remote control, stereo AV cable, lens cap, USB cable, MGI Photo Suite/VideoWave/USB CD-ROM driver

A few days after purchasing the camera, a friend of mine (who owns a Cannon) and I got together and did a two-camera shoot for a class production. When I brought the tapes home to edit, I was amazed at the diference in picture and sound quality. Even though we were mostly the same distance away, my camera picked up better quality, denser, and overall more dynamic sound than the Cannon, which I had been told had better sound than the Sony. Of course, the Sony also had much better and more detailed pictures as well. Overall, I was amazed at the quality.

One more thing to mention that is a definit advantage over other consumer camera's that most people overlook: the Intelligent Acessory Show. (IAS) The Sony line of camera's are the only ones that have hot shoes (the devices that you plug in get power from the camera). Most other brands feature cold shoes (the devices you plug in have to get power from another source), meaning you must carry extra cords around whenever you want to plug in an external feature, and you have to make sure that there is always an outlet nearbye.

The overall features of this camera make it the best buy for "the money" out there.

OVERVIEW

Pros:
-Size
-Format
-IAS
-Firewire
-Picture
-Sound

Cons:
-Only one con that I have found, and it is so minor, I didn't even mention it in the main portion of the review. The hand strap is slightly uncomfortable.

I hope this helps you decide which camcorder to buy.

1) Did not want to spend more than $700.
2) Did not need great still picture quality or capability as I already have a Sony F-707 (an outstanding product by the way).
3) I wanted a camcorder that used the same type of battery as my still camera.
4) I wanted a camera that was good in low light.

5) I wanted a camera that was compatible with today's computers.

I looked at hundreds of different websites for a camera that met my needs. I already liked Sony (even though their customer service isn't the greatest) so after looking at other brands for a short time I decided to stick with Sony brands. I debated waiting until next month when Sony releases their new line of camcorders, but I ultimately decided to go ahead and purchase one now (mainly because I have a new born on the way and she's not going to wait until April). If you do the research you'll find that Sony's new models, TRV-19, 22, 33, etc. have better still picture quality, they all have touchscreen LCDs, and thier low light quality is better than previous lines, but I think that's about it.

The bottom line is the TRV18 is a very competitively priced product (for Sony). It has most of the features as the TRV25 and 27 as well as the new line. It operates well in low-light. I like the fact you can slow down the recording shutter speed to capture more light in low light conditions. The video becomes slightly choppy, but it's OK if you're filming slow moving or stationary objects. Night shot is another great feature if you don't mind your video looking like a special ops movie. I tested the transition features and they are OK. I haven't tested the still quality, but I can't imagine it's very good. If you're wanting to buy a camera that takes high resolution stills, look elsewhere. There are many things I still want to try and do with the camera, but I don't regret buying this model. It meets my needs perfectly.

1) Did not want to spend more than $...
2) Did not need great still picture quality or capability as I already have a Sony F-707 (an outstanding product by the way).
3) I wanted a camcorder that used the same type of battery as my still camera.
4) I wanted a camera that was good in low light.

5) I wanted a camera that was compatible with today's computers.

I looked at hundreds of different websites for a camera that met my needs. I already liked Sony (even though their customer service isn't the greatest) so after looking at other brands for a short time I decided to stick with Sony brands. I debated waiting until next month when Sony releases their new line of camcorders, but I ultimately decided to go ahead and purchase one now (mainly because I have a new born on the way and she's not going to wait until April). If you do the research you'll find that Sony's new models, TRV-19, 22, 33, etc. have better still picture quality, they all have touchscreen LCDs, and thier low light quality is better than previous lines, but I think that's about it.

The bottom line is the TRV18 is a very competitively priced product (for Sony). It has most of the features as the TRV25 and 27 as well as the new line. It operates well in low-light. I like the fact you can slow down the recording shutter speed to capture more light in low light conditions. The video becomes slightly choppy, but it's OK if you're filming slow moving or stationary objects. Night shot is another great feature if you don't mind your video looking like a special ops movie. I tested the transition features and they are OK. I haven't tested the still quality, but I can't imagine it's very good. If you're wanting to buy a camera that takes high resolution stills, look elsewhere. There are many things I still want to try and do with the camera, but I don't regret buying this model. It meets my needs perfectly.