Entered CNET Catalog: 01/20/2003
SKU: DCRTRV950
Manufacturer: Sony Electronics, Inc.
Manufacturer description
Put on your director's hat! Sony's DCR-TRV950 MiniDV Handycam Camcorder will help you shoot exceptional true-to-life video and digital still images. This camcorder features a megapixel 3-CCD imaging system, enabling phenomenal resolution and color. And Bluetooth technology adds network capability to the mix (Bluetooth adapter sold separately). With a 12X optical/150X digital zoom and 3-1/4.7", 1 megapixel CCD imager, this powerful unit gives you all you need to create professional-quality digital video at the touch of a button. Additional features include a 3-1/2" Precision SwivelScreen LCD, optical Super SteadyShot Picture Stabilization System, a Pop up flash, USB streaming and Sony's new Hologram AF.CNET editors' review
- Editors' Choice: No
- Reviewed on: 09/23/2002
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 Commonly used controls populate the back of the camera. |
Buttons and switches along the left side and back of the camera body control essential camera functions--manual settings for focus, white balance, audio level, shutter speed, and special lighting situations--so you won't need to delve into menus for these commonly used capabilities.
Keeping the menus straight can be daunting, however. The Menu button calls up advanced camera setup options, including 16:9 aspect-ratio conversion and optical image stabilization. Other buttons give you access to image parameter adjustments such as sharpness, color saturation, and exposure compensation. The image parameter adjustments and menu navigation are accomplished with the help of a typical turn-and-press wheel. But several menus are accessible only via the 3.5-inch LCD touch screen, and still others--the communication functions--require that you use the stylus that's tucked into the camera's hand strap.
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 The TRV950's cassette hatch opens without interference from the hand strap. |
On the upside, the side-mounted cassette hatch is a breeze to use. It folds out the entire right side of the camera to avoid any entanglements with the attached hand strap and leaves the bottom free for tripod mounting. And the status indicators displayed on the viewfinder and LCD are clear and helpful. We had only one rude awakening: upon trying to snap that final perfect pic, we were told we'd already filled up the Memory Stick.
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 Included accessories. |
All we missed was a gain-control dial. You can override the automatic gain control by setting limits at either 6dB or 12dB, but the gain is so noise-free, there seems little reason to limit it. The camera enhances the utility of combining stills and video with the ability to convert any video image into an interlaced 640x480 still image; that made it possible, for example, to grab shots from a sports-event video, convert them to JPEG stills, and e-mail them to the contestants.
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 Here's a video grab converted into a VGA-resolution still. |
This camera joins Sony's line of "network" cameras that use Bluetooth to connect wirelessly to the Internet when within about 32 feet of an Internet-capable Bluetooth receiver. To do so, you'll need a Bluetooth-equipped modem, and likely Sony's preconfigured ISP service to use with it, or a Bluetooth-capable cell phone. Once connected, you can e-mail still images or MPEG movies--but not DV video--or upload your shots to Sony's ImageStation Web site for others to view.
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 Input/output ports. |
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The same applies to the supplied 8MB Memory Stick: if you plan to shoot still photos, which take up about 1MB per shot, plan to purchase more room.
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| You can slip the stylus into its pocket on the handstrap when you're not using it to surf the touch-screen menus. | The Memory Stick slot cleverly integrates into the cassette hatch. |
The stereo microphones positioned on the camera's front face are very sensitive, and reliably reject sounds originating from behind the camera. That means you'll get your subject's voice on the tape, not the voices of everyone else on the beach.
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| The zoom rocker switch operated smoothly and predictably, except on one cool day when it accelerated unevenly. | The microphones sit just below the manual focus ring, so you must be careful not to brush them to avoid recording noise on the soundtrack. |
Camera mechanisms such as the tape transport are very quiet. We heard mild motor noise while zooming during quiet takes, but that's a common problem with compact cameras like this one and its predecessor, the TRV900. To eliminate the noise, we attached an external shotgun microphone to the accessory shoe.
Low light is this camera's Achilles' heel. Under optimal shooting conditions, the TRV950's three chips generate images that rival those shot with a professional camera. But relative to a VX2000, with its larger sensors--1/3-inch compared to the TRV950's 1/4.7-inch--the TRV950 falls several stops short in exposure latitude. The TRV950's three increments of gain, automatically applied to boost light sensitivity, don't improve low-light performance enough. Unlike most Sony camcorders, the TRV950 lacks a NightShot mode, so you'll have to settle for a slower shutter speed (down to 1/4 second) and live with the mild to severe ghosting that accompanies onscreen movements.
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 Don't point the camera directly at the light. |
Footage of well-lit, high-contrast subjects emerges surprisingly free of typical artifacts. However, aiming toward incandescent lights generates a combination of lens flare and banding that the VX2000 does not produce under the same circumstances.
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 Auto white balance produces good results, with the exception of a slight green cast produced under indoor lighting. |
Though quite good, Sony's exposure adjustment to lighting changes still lags behind its superb, swift autofocus, forcing you to pan rather slowly across dissimilarly lit subjects.
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 Still captures saved to Memory Stick produce pleasing one-megapixel images with bright colors; you can also save them to tape, albeit at lower resolution. |
MPEG movies saved to the Memory Stick are not only a lower resolution--320x480--but are also considerably darker than the same scene recorded to DV tape. That generally lower light sensitivity applies to the stills as well, which frequently require augmentation by the camera's onboard flash. There's also some shutter lag for captures, causing some missed or off-center action shots.
User opinions
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User Rating: 
8/10
great all around pro-sumer camera
Pros: The TRV 950 handles color beautifully. I made a short movie using mine and it looked fantastic, even when projected on a large theater screen. It has lots of manual options and little gadgets that might not be useful for everybody. I loved shooting tim
Cons: It is a pricey camera and sometimes I leave it at home because I fear it could be damaged or lost. The still photos need to be taken at a higher shutter speed (requiring more light than the video function), and it can be cumbersome.
User Rating: 
9/10
A great camera for the price
Pros: Manual control of this camera makes all the difference ... It is key to getting great video with the TRV950.
Cons: Buttons are not tactile, impossible to accurately find in dark shooting conditions. Frustrating.
User Rating: 
10/10
Wonderful camcorder
Pros: exellent in good light. Quality of video very good... near broadcasting standard! Features plentyful and sensible. Good zoom. I am very pleased with it! Fantastic!! Used with good video editing software, i.e Roxio 7, I find myself with a directors hat on.
Cons: not good inlow light conditions.
User Rating: 
3/10
Great amateur camera
Pros: Manual functions provide enough creative control to provide user with the ability to make a fairly high quality video. I appeciate the quality of the image and with a Beachtek DXA-4S mic adaptor I am able to record fairly good audio using good microphones
Cons: There are some extranious features on this camera in my opinion ( eg. Bluetooth and the still camera feature) that could have been left off and instead Sony could have concentrated on a more rugged camera. I feel this camera is a bit on the flimsy side. (
User Rating: 9/10
Amazing 3CCD
Pros: I was debating whether I over spent on this camera vs getting the TRV50, TRV80 or other 1CCD camera...and I am completely amazed at how well it filmed fireworks on new years. The 3CCD is truely awe inspiring...and now I am truely happy camper again. As
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User Rating: 8/10
Stunning Quality
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User Rating: 8/10
Excellent Camera!!
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User Rating: 9/10
Dependable preformer
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User Rating: 9/10
The ultimate
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User Rating: 10/10
Great camera, software stinks
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User Rating: 
7/10
Better then the GL-2
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User Rating: 
6/10
Good Camera in the right light
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User Rating: 8/10
Find A Lower Price
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User Rating: 8/10
Great Video Quality...that's what matters most, not stills...
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User Rating: 10/10
No regrets returning TRV50 for TRV950
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User Rating: 9/10
Video Quality - Excellent!
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User Rating: 9/10
out standing for the cash but you must useit
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User Rating: 8/10
Great video cam!
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User Rating: 10/10
What a camera! :)
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