CNET editors' review
-
CNET editors' rating:
stars
Very good
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 03/11/2004
- Released on: 03/01/2003
Overall, the TRV39 is well crafted. Its uncluttered layout features well-labeled, largely self-explanatory, and intuitive controls. Like the DCR-TRV80, which is physically very similar, the TRV39 makes reaching the start/stop key rather awkward; it sits well above your thumb's natural position. The zoom switch and the photo-capture button, however, are well placed, falling in line with your middle and index fingers, respectively. The camera is bottom-loading, so you have to remove it from a tripod to change cassettes--an annoyance during lengthy presentations, meetings, and other events. As with all Sony camcorders, you'll either love or hate the touch-screen menu navigation.
We really appreciate the convenience of spot metering and spot focusing, features unique to Sony's touch-screen models. With the Spot Meter function, you tap the part of the frame on which you're basing the exposure. For example, let's say the camcorder is overexposing your subject's face because of a dark area. When you touch that portion, the TRV39 adjusts for it. The LCD is also your route to traditional exposure shift, but we'd prefer a physical control for quick access during shooting. Spot Focus works similarly to Spot Meter; the camera focuses on whatever you touch in the onscreen scene--useful when your primary subject is off-center. Sony might want to consider a single control for the two options. The TRV39's manual focus is also nicely executed. You activate it via a button but adjust it with a ring on the lens barrel.
Another of the TRV39's unique tools is its NightShot infrared mode, which came in handy during a lunar eclipse. There's also an infrared illuminator for total darkness. You don't get a built-in flash, but you can mount one on the accessory shoe. Like many of its competitors, this camera offers a Color Slow Shutter mode, which boosts color levels in low light. The result is blurred, streaky motion and hypersaturated colors--artistically pleasing at times but definitely a special effect.
The TRV39's autofocus is quick, decisive, and able to lock in difficult situations where other camcorders fail. The digital image stabilization performs as advertised, introducing no artifacts or noise. The slightly oversize, pressure-sensitive zoom control is nicely tactile, but progress tended to stall or speed up when we attempted slow, consistent zooms. The 184,000-pixel, 3.5-inch LCD renders sharp and clean images with true colors, works for even the trickiest manual focusing, and provides fairly accurate exposure feedback.
Though a bit high-contrast, the TRV39's video is extremely sharp and crisp, with exceptionally clean, noiseless edges. Skin-tone reproduction is good, and the camera ably maintains mild color variations and gradations, though it leans toward saturated and cool (blue) hues. Low light desaturates them, as expected, but the shift is slight. The camcorder's 1-megapixel CCD lets you capture stills that will look decent in snapshot prints and on the Web, but you won't be able to enlarge the images much without degrading them.
A good home-movie camera with an impeccable pedigree, the Sony Handycam DCR-TRV39 will meet most consumer-video needs. If you can live without Bluetooth, you can step down to the DCR-TRV38 and save about $100.
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