Sony DCR-TRV530

Review Date
July 2, 2003

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2 votes

Reviewed by
Matt , Intermediate , from USA

Price Paid
$0.00

Summary
I found This camera to be very good. It has many cool features and is just and easy camera to operate. It is an easy camera to pick up and record.

Strengths
good night shot, good lcd sceen, and good features

Weaknesses
moisture condensation

Similar Products Used
none

Review Date
May 4, 2003

Overall Rating
 1 of 5

Value Rating
 1 of 5

Used product for
2-5 years

Reviewed by
Barinder , Intermediate

Price Paid
$1250.00 at A&B Sound

Summary
Overall this camera has been nothing but a pain. The quality indoors is horrible unless you have extensive lighting. The camera did not work for 50% of our vacation to Asia. It would get moisture condensation and stop working. Sometimes the tape would not go in or other times it would keep telling to eject the tape.

Strengths
- easy to upload pictures

Weaknesses
- moisture condensation occurs if you take it from cold temperature (A/C) to hot temperature.
- very bad quality when shooting indoors at night
-

Review Date
April 12, 2002

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 1 votes

Reviewed by
Ian Johnson , Casual , from Montreal, QC, Canada

Price Paid
$775.00 at Stereo Plus

Summary
Fair results under good conditions (taning booth light level, that is). It seemed as though the still picture feature was made by kids for kids. You'd be better off going for a Etch-A-Sketch device. The automatic focus was a real pain. It was constantly trying to adjust and that made for a constant blurry picture. On the bright side downloading pictures via USB was quite easy. I expected better for this price.

Strengths
USB connectivity.
Wide color LCD.
Fair video quality under good conditions.

Weaknesses
Still pictures.
Needs bright lighting.

Similar Products Used
Canon ZR-50MC

Customer Service
N/A

Review Date
April 7, 2002

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
11-20 years

Reviewed by
drboogie001 , Intermediate , from Toronto

Price Paid
$1169.00 at Sears

Summary
I bought this camera about 2 weeks ago and I took some pics inside and they were very grainy and not good at all in low light conditions. Still images really sucks. I also have a Panosonic PVL-859 that is vhsc format and it takes still pics and i compaired the same pics and the 859 will run circles around this 530 I am returning it next week.

Strengths
some of the features and the night shot

Weaknesses
low light pics, still pics,poor battery life,bottom load tapes etc:

Similar Products Used
none

Review Date
January 9, 2002

Overall Rating
 2 of 5

Value Rating
 2 of 5

Used product for
0-1 years

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 4 votes

Reviewed by
Truong N , Beginner , from VA

Price Paid
$859.00 at Sears + Circuit City

Summary
It was a major disappointment in its performance in indoor and low light conditions. Even with a 300W halogen lamp (max light out)in a 15x15' room with white wall, the video came out very grainy. With an optional 3W light attached to the hot shoe, the performance was still very poor unless the subject was withing a meter or so. Even so, the back ground appeared grainy.

I was slightly embarrased becaused I was trying to show off my new camcorder after taping a Chrismas family gathering. Two other much older analog Sony camcorders (one about 10 year old) performed much much better under the same condition.

I tried another one believing there might be a defect, but the results were exactly the same.

I also tried the TRV-830, and the results were MUCH better in low light condition. Even though the Sony site rated the TRV-830 at 7 lux and the TRV-530 at 4 lux, the 830 is clearly superior in low light conditions. I got the TRV-830 at Circuit City, open box, for $750 but without the printer ($200 retails).

I believe the TRV-730 is very much the same as the 830, but with only 2.5" LCD and without the printer.

Strengths
Ease of use
Large LCD

Weaknesses
Very Poor low light/ indoor performance

Similar Products Used
None