Sony DCR-TRV19

Reviewed by

Lori Grunin

on 05/21/2003

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CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
Detailed editors' rating
Average user rating: 2.5 stars out of 29 reviews
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Quick specs
Video input type: Camcorder
Optical sensor type: CCD
Optical zoom: 10 x
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Add to my list Product summary

The good: Compact and lightweight; spot metering with selectable spot area.

The bad: LCD hard to see in daylight; fairly narrow-angle lens; bottom-loading tapes; no wind filter.

The bottom line: This is an attractive budget camcorder for newbie videographers.

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Compare this digital camcorder to:

Sony DCR-TRV19

Sony DCR-TRV22

Canon Vixia HF200 Starting at $549.00

Canon FS200 Starting at $259.00

Sony Handycam HDR-CX100 Starting at $378.95

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CNET editors' review

CNET editors' rating: 3.5 stars Very good
Detailed editors' rating

Reviewed by:
Lori Grunin
Reviewed on: 05/21/2003
Released on: 04/15/2003

The baby of Sony's MiniDV camcorder line, the DCR-TRV19 is nearly identical to the more upscale DCR-TRV22. Because it has the same 10X zoom lens, 680,000-pixel CCD (for an effective video resolution of 340,000 pixels), and exposure controls, it provides the same decent video quality you get from its beefier brother. It also implements the same design, battery, controls, and menus, which enable similarly good performance and ease of use. It even weighs the same 1 pound, 5.3 ounces. Of course, all this means that it suffers from the same flaws as the DCR-TRV22, as well (click here for details). So what's missing, aside from $100 more on the price tag? A few features, only two of which should really impact your buying decision.

Most important, the DCR-TRV19 cannot perform analog-to-digital conversion. It has an S-Video port like the rest of the family, but that's only for video output. If you want to use your camcorder as a conduit for digitizing VHS or Hi8 tapes, this shortcoming is a deal breaker. The DCR-TRV19 also lacks the ability to record still images and MPEG-1 movies to a Memory Stick, which is a key feature for many buyers. If you're one of them, look beyond both the TRV19 and the TRV20; the still images and the MPEG movies you get from their sensor are pretty poor-quality.

The last difference is mainly cosmetic: the TRV19 has a black-and-white viewfinder; the TRV20's is color. This isn't a major issue because you have to shut off the viewfinder and open the touch-screen LCD to adjust exposure, focus, and white balance. You can see your scene in color in the LCD, and all the viewfinder has to do is provide a decent view so that you can compose your shots, which it does.

If none of the missing capabilities matters to you, then you'll find the DCR-TRV19 an attractive competitor to Canon's ZR series. Otherwise, you'll need to explore camcorders further up the food chain, starting with the DCR-TRV22.