| | | |  - 1/6-inch CCD imager with 290K effective pixels
- Digital8 format records digital audio and video comparable to MiniDV on affordable Hi8 tapes
- 20x optical zoom with SteadyShot picture-stabilization system
- 2.5-inch SwivelScreen LCD
- NightShot Plus Infrared System captures natural-looking video in low light
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| | | |  Product Description:
Now you won't miss a moment on those special occasions when you "do-it-in digital". Sony's new DCR-TRV280 Digital8 Handycam camcorder gives you incredibly clear videos, night or day. Thanks to the easy access record and zoom buttons on the LCD frame and the special SteadyShot feature that reduces the effect of camera shake, your videos are always smooth even if you need to move as you shoot. NighShot plus uses infrared light so your camcorder catches all the action, even in total darkness. And when you make the move from director to editor, Sony's Picture Package software and USB Streaming let you record, edit and send your movies to family & friends, whether it's via e-mail, video CD. Or you use the new "Click to DVD" feature with select Sony VAIO computers to preserve your memories forever on DVD. Make the move to movies and enjoy the results with the easy-to-use TRV280 Handycam camcorder from Sony. | | | | |
Average Rating : 
Rating :  - Great Bargain Cheap Tapes
This camera is a great bargain and so versatile.
The optical zoom is incredible. I was able to film a drowning swimmer being rescued down on the beach from my 12th floor apartment!
Not only is this an excellent camcorder, it also makes a great webcam when connected to your computer with a Firewire cable
The USB streaming is useless: for some reason it won't let you record the audio track over USB even though it installs an audio driver when you plug it in, and the camera will go into standby while it's in use if you're not recording or playing the tape, so I recommend sticking with Firewire.
Note that if you buy this camera, keep the application CD that comes with it in a safe place. Sony does not offer drivers for download for this camera and when you call tech support to request them, their customer care doesn't know where to get them either. I was only able to find them by scouring random seedy websites.
One of the best features of this camera is that it records digitally on standard Hi-8 video tapes, which saves you a lot of money over the more expensive digital tapes. This is the only video camera in the world that does that.
Another great feature of this camera is its onboard stereo microphone. You can use this camera as a digital sound recorder by recording the sound and then dumping the video to your computer and extracting the audio track over Firewire.
I've had two of these cameras and I will buy another if something happens to the one I currently have.
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