Entered CNET Catalog: 03/21/2003
SKU: DCR-TRV33
Manufacturer: Sony Electronics, Inc.
Manufacturer description
The DCR-TRV33 is a spectacular option for those looking for great video and stills in a compact camcorder. Offering a 1.0 Megapixel CCD imager, this high quality camcorder delivers 10X Optical/120X Digital Zoom and Carl Zeiss optics for incredible picture clarity. The 1/4.7" Advanced HAD (Hole Accumulation Diode) CCD imager with 690K (effective) pixels provides excellent detail and clarity, with exceptional digital video performance (520 lines of horizontal resolution). Realize great looking digital still images utilizing 1000K (effective) pixels. The Megapixel technology enhances your digital videos and digital still photography performance. The MiniDV digital recording format delivers 3X the color bandwidth of VHS and lower signal to noise ratio compared to analog formats, providing stunning video performance comparable to DVD. Ultra Compact Design This new, unique design complements the product's ultra compact size while providing easy, comfortable access to the video controls. The Professional Quality Carl Zeiss Vario-Sonnar Lens has an advanced optical multi-layer coating offering less glare and flare with increased contrast. This results in vivid image brilliance, true-to-life color saturation and perfect renditions of subtle tones. The optical zoom brings the action close up from far away. In addition, precision digital zoom interpolation technology means that extreme digital zooming is clearer, with less distortion than previous types of digital zoom.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 09/02/2003
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 The TRV33 is bottom-loading, so you can't change tapes while the camera is mounted on a tripod. |
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The TRV33 loses the bulk of its direct predecessor, the TRV27, to match the competition in size. Though a bit thicker than the Canon ZR65MC, for example, the TRV33 is shorter. Weighing just 1 pound, 5 ounces with a battery and a tape, this Sony easily slips into a jacket pocket or a purse. Cable connectors hide under four different covers scattered across the front, the back, and the sides.
Easy access to commonly used functions enables convenient one-handed shooting. With just your thumb and index finger, you can shoot video or stills, zoom, select modes, and turn the camera on and off. The other controls are buttons that govern the display and switches that activate the NightShot and Backlight modes. Like all of Sony's 2003 models, the TRV33 has given up the old jog dial. Now, you navigate the menu, adjust focus, and set exposure with an LCD touch screen. It slims the design slightly, but using it is more awkward. Pinpointing the right spot can be difficult for large-fingered users, who may want to consider Sony's optional PDA-style stylus. Plus, menu navigation is confusingly inconsistent: you tap items on some screens and directional arrows on others. The latter variation is virtually identical to but slower than the previous jog-wheel operation.
 The pull-out viewfinder keeps the design compact. |
 Recording controls follow the typical Sony layout. |
For a camcorder in this class, the TRV33 has a relatively average feature set. Some competitors offer zoom ranges as high as 20X, but the TRV33's 10X should be enough for most home moviemaking. Programmed autoexposure modes optimize the camera's settings for different situations, such as days at the beach and in the snow. Exposure shift and manual focus are also available via the touch screen.
Along with the typical special effects, including Black And White, Sepia, and Mosaic, you'll find an option that makes your movies look like old films by simulating a slower frame rate and adding a sepia tone. The infrared NightShot mode allows you to shoot in total darkness. The results have a strong greenish cast, similar to what you see with night-vision goggles. If that's unacceptable, go instead with the Color Slow Shutter mode, which maintains colors but produces jerky, noisy recordings. The accessory shoe accepts a combination video light and flash, which improves the quality of indoor footage and stills. Simple built-in wipes and overlays let you create transitions and titles without editing on a PC.
You can save both still images and MPEG-1 movies on the included 8MB Memory Stick. The MPEG Movie EX mode grabs 320x240-pixel clips, but like video shot with a still camera, these recordings lack the clarity and the fluidity of DV captures.
The TRV33 transfers photos and functions as a Webcam via FireWire and USB. Composite and S-Video inputs and outputs enable recording from analog sources and display on analog screens.
You may rarely need the TRV33's manual controls; the automatic settings perform well in a variety of shooting situations. The autofocus works quickly and accurately, and the automatic exposure metering managed proper and consistent exposures even on a bright day at the beach. Sony's SteadyShot electronic image stabilization does an excellent job of damping movement caused by shaking hands.
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You don't have to wait until the icon flashes. A dedicated button calls up the battery's status. |
The zoom can be rapid or precise, slow, and steady. Alas, the TRV27's focus ring has given way to LCD gimmickry. Judging perfect focus can be tougher on the display than with the viewfinder, and tapping a screen to adjust focus doesn't feel as quick or as natural as turning a ring. Focusing is even more difficult in direct sunlight, which makes the LCD hard to see.
The life of the included InfoLithium cell is excellent, rated at 70 minutes with the LCD and 90 minutes with the viewfinder. According to Sony, longer-lasting optional batteries can extend those times to as many as 550 minutes--probably more video than anyone should shoot on a single journey away from an electrical outlet.
The microphone works well under normal conditions, but it lacks a wind-noise filter. A pronounced whooshing pervaded much of our outdoor video footage.
Under typical shooting conditions, video quality is very good. Colors are accurate and rich but not oversaturated. Outdoors and in well-lit rooms, the camera does a great job of capturing everything from talking heads to fast-moving vehicles.
Video exposure is good; colors look very saturated on a TV and acceptably saturated on a PC.
The dimness of indoor night scenes produces grainy pictures with desaturated colors. For such situations, consider attaching a video light to the TRV33's hotshoe. In near or total darkness, Sony's NightShot is impressive, but as with most infrared modes, the resulting recording looks as if you're watching it on an '80s green-screen monitor.
At its 10X zoom maximum, the TRV33 yields nicely detailed close-ups.
Like most camcorders, the TRV33 can't take photos as well as even entry-level digital still cameras. The quality of this Handycam's 1-megapixel images is best suited for Web display and e-mail. Indoor shots snapped without an add-on flash are noticeably noisy.
Like its competitors, the TRV33 produces fairly noisy and blotchy photos.
User opinions
Select a User Opinion to view: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34 35 36 37 38 39 40 41 42 43
User Rating: 
4/10
OK but hard to access preferences
Pros: Compact decent picture intuitive
Cons: All preferences are buried deep in preferences
User Rating: 
8/10
Very small and highly efficient camcorder - MiniDV
Pros: Size, picture quality, LCD touchscreen, battery life, features, lens
Cons: Size (it's outdated in terms of current options)
User Rating: 
9/10
Love this camcorder.
Pros: Digital, Firewire, Compatible w/ my PC, lightweight, Easy use
Cons: free battery "weak", free mem stick "weak",
Good price, easy use, complex functions are easy to master, compatible with XP.
User Rating: 
10/10
Fantastic for novices and those interested in making quality films
Pros: Small enough to use just about anywhere, without looking too touristy, and sturdy enought for just about any condition.
Cons: While small, it seems bulky nowadays compared to the cutting edge technology that will make everything microscopic.
User Rating: 
1/10
I use mine as a Paper weight!
Pros: There are no Pro's
Cons: Buy a JVC, Canon or Panasonic
User Rating: 8/10
1st camcorder I've bought, good choice
Pros: Excellent image quality in outdoor shots. Average still picture quality in well-lit conditions. Indoor video quality is great if it's not too dark. Slow shutter mode gives video a more 'movie-like' appearance. Compact. Built-in microphone is good.
Cons: Still pics at night are horrible. No focus ring. Adding a light sucks up insane battery power. Touch screen sometimes awkward.
User Rating: 
6/10
Expensive but Very Good
Pros: batteries last long, extended battery has power meter right on battery, easy to move video to pc and edit/burn to dvd. very quiet.
Cons: Does not come standard with light for recording video, accessories are expensive, terrible quality indoor video when external light from window shines in the direction you are recording.
User Rating: 
7/10
great little camcorder
Pros: decent sound, decent video quality, nice user interface, can take photo stills & low-res movies onto a memory card, well proportioned, decent battery life, well chosen set of i/o ports (USB, IEEE1394, s-video out, 1/8" audio in/out, composite a/v out,
Cons: no video-in port, quality of photos taken is questionable (when you look closely, there are many color artifacts, pictures quite grainy, often slightly mis-exposed)
User Rating: 10/10
la mejor camara para iniciarse como profesional del video digital
Pros: Liviana, sencilla, menus en pantalla y larga duracion de la bateria, alta calidad de la imagen y software muy completo
Cons: Todos los accesorios son caros
User Rating: 10/10
Excellent Camcorder for home use
Pros: Sharp, rich videos. Compared to the Sharp ViewCam VL-Z1U and Sony TRV-22, the videos are more defined. It is also very good in low light situations. The TRV-22 is better for that, but by only about 3-5%. In fact, sometimes, I think that it is still slight
Cons: Battery life is not enough with supplied battery. Get a higher capacity one.
User Rating: 7/10
Great Camera but not for professional use
Pros: I got this camera since something like 9 months and im really happy with it...i love to film and take pictures so as i live away from my family and friends i can take pictures and make videos to share...i connect it to the usb and in few seconds im sendin
Cons: Maybe id like a bit more resolution in the pictures but its ok its acceptable. You need to buy a flash if you need it. And the carrying case for it (original sony one) is a bit expensive...i think accesories are expensive
User Rating: 8/10
Great value - lots of features for the price
Pros: Size, image quality, features, night vision is great, end srch function. This is my first camcorder and went with it after weeks of reading reviews, going to stores to look at them, etc. So far I'm happy with it. The image quality is great! I have very s
Cons: Battery life and tape noise- that's it...this should not stop you from purchasing it.
User Rating: 9/10
Great Product For First timer
Pros: Nice features especially when you can get the best of both worlds, meaning a digital camera and a video camera all in a TINY little powerful package. Great features all the way around for beginner to advance
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User Rating: 8/10
Great unit, pretty user friendly
Pros: Compact camera. Works great even though I am nowhere near a pro. For those who just want a solid camera they can use with a computer for some digital stills, make some good looking tapes then this is your camera. Got it at Sears around Thanksgiving for
Cons: So small that people with larger hands like mine can find it a little bit clumsy. Takes some time to get used to the touch-screen, but in the end, that works quite well.
User Rating: 7/10
Overall very good, just one hangup
Pros: Size, Sony quality, price (bought from Bedford Camera), still photo mode is larger than others, a very solid camcorder for almost every need.
Cons: Indoor light is pale (looks as if it is not white balanced), software is rather weak, no Firewire included
User Rating: 6/10
Very good features and easy to operate
Pros: It is a high quality no frills camcorder. Very easy to operate especially for a first time owner like me. Very good even in indoors with adequate lighting.
Cons: Battery goes fast when using video light.
User Rating: 7/10
Overall Good camcorder
Pros: Great features, and I love the on-screen touch menus.
Cons: For some reason, my camera malfunctioned and all it would display is a white screen when battery was connected. Luckily I have a warrenty that i purchased, so i hope it's covered.
User Rating: 8/10
Good video, OK pictures
Pros: Ease of use. Good video quality, nice features, no buttons. MPEG capabilities nice to have.
Cons: Still picture quality only ok (you'll still want to buy a quality digital still camera). Memory/battery too small.
User Rating: 4/10
It broke and wouldn't playback.
Pros: I purchased it 6 months ago in 2003. It takes great picture and the size is perfect.
Cons: After working 6 months for me, it woudln't playback. I didn't drop or cause any kind of mechanical trauma, but somehow it wouldn't let me see what I recorded. Hopefully, SONY can fix it soon. I also didn't like no wind filter, it gets very annoying hea
User Rating: 7/10
It's OK, but go with TRV38
Pros: This camcorder has the same video quality as TRV38(very good). Please read my opinion in Sony DCR-TRV38 for more details. But why not spent extra $100 for the TRV38, I'm sure that you'll be very happy you did it. The 2 1/2" LCD on the TRV33 is not practi
Cons: Bottom tape loading is somewhat unconvenient. The 2 1/2" LCD is not good for touch screen control. Sony products are always too expensive compare with other brands with similar feature and quality. Accesory is too costly too. Make sure try to shoot lo
User Rating: 7/10
special effects
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User Rating: 8/10
Good camcorder, good picture.
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User Rating: 9/10
Everything You Need and More
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User Rating: 8/10
Great first camcorder to buy
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User Rating: 7/10
Great camera, one problem
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User Rating: 
5/10
Not as good as TRV38
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User Rating: 6/10
Great camcorder, but not too good indoors.
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User Rating: 8/10
Solid Features, Easy Operation, Great Quality
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User Rating: 6/10
Idiot Friendly
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User Rating: 5/10
Get something else.
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User Rating: 9/10
Awsome 100% satisfied
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User Rating: 10/10
Great Camcoder
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User Rating: 8/10
Nice one...
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User Rating: 7/10
terrific, easy to use, needs windscreen
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User Rating: 9/10
Cool little Cam!!
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User Rating: 9/10
Fantastic Camera with one exception
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User Rating: 7/10
Good Camcorder
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User Rating: 7/10
Great camera for point and shoot
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User Rating: 8/10
After 2 months of research, I found what I was looking for!
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User Rating: 6/10
Nice Video Camera
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User Rating: 5/10
Good video, poor picture quality
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User Rating: 9/10
Spend The Extra Money
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User Rating: 8/10
Great product! Great new design.
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