I've used the DCR-TRV27 for almost a year and a half now. Excellent image quality, light weight, great battery life, data flows through FireWire to computer very well.

Down sides: Sony's web site doesn't even acknowledge they ever made this camera; searching on its model number will not produce any results. So if you lost the manual, the best source to get it in .pdf form is Amazon! Also, the zoom is a little over-sensitive.

These are minor quibbles though. For the money, this camera is a bargain.

I bought this unit for Christmas 2003. After one year, the device is still flawless.

The features are more than enough to satisfy the recreational videographer. I usually use the automatic settings (auto focus, auto brightness, etc.) whenever I can, but I'm glad the device has so many options, if I find myself in a situation where I need them.

The 9-point auto focus is spectacular. While most camcorders use a single point to focus, this unit has a group of 9 points or boxes it uses to determine the optimum focus for the shot. It's really amazing, and almost instantaneous.

I love the small size, and the 3.5" LCD screen is much better than the 2.5". When taking video of people, especially kids, they love it when I flip the screen toward them, so they can see themselves. To them, it's like they are on TV. They tend to be more expressive. When I do this, I just look throught the viwfinder to keep the subject in frame.

It's rugged. My wife dropped it at Disney World 9 months ago. It scratched the case a bit, but otherwise the unit wasn't phased.

I've made a few CD-ROM-based videos on my computer. The Sony TRV27 easily transfers video to the computer through the Firewire connection. The USB connection also works, but the compressed image quality is far worse the the pure Firewire transfer.

It's nice to have the capabilities to shoot digital stils. However, the 640x480 1 megapixel image is too low-res for printing phoro-lab quality prints on a photo inkjet printer.

I think of the digital camera feature as a quite a bit above most cell phone cameras, and quite a bit below most 3+ megapixel cameras.

Battery life is great. I have not yet bought a spare, and haven't needed it. If I shot more video, I would probably get one of the larger batteries, which would, however, make the unit a little heavier.

All in all, this is an excellent product. I'm sure the newest models are even better. Sony costs a bit more than some of the other brands, but when it comes to camcorders, you can't beat 'em.

I bought this camcorder 11 months ago. Used it 7-8 times. Now the tape is getting stuck. It is difficult to get through with Sony customer support and when I get in, they said parts are under warranty , but labour is not. It costs usd 220 to repair it. Picture under low light is not good.

Easy to use, takes great video, what else could you want?

It work perfectly. What I didn't like from my experience is that inside a light is needed. So I bought a light including flash from Sony because this camera also take pictures. The flash is too strong and the camera doesn't adjust the luminosity so the picture is too bright.

Sony web site is very bad to provide anything for free. I went in travel without the CD shipped with the camera. So I went to the web site and communicated with them. They told me I have to pay to have access to the driver for streaming with USB! Things that any other company always provide for free. Also when I asked them to know where I can download the manual they told me I have to pay for it.

I will appreciate if Sony have more respect for his customer.

I have owned this product for several years and I can say it has been a solid performer the whole way. capturing all of the best memories of my life to date superbly. not once have I had any mechanical failure or mishap. this is a great camcorder and truly a quality product surviving many family events.

The DCR-TRV27 is the best camera I've owned. I study film at Cal State Long Beach, and have worked for public television, ESPN, and several student films. I have twenty years of home movie making experience and have recorded over one hundred hours of MiniDV tape with my Sony camcorder.

Cons: Single CCD only. (3 CCD has superior color in low light)
The lens is 30mm, so there is less variety among lenses and filters than the more popular 37mm.
Digital Effects must be selected everytime the unit is powered on. I like the slow shutter effect, but it's a nuisance to select it in the menu whenever I want to shoot.
Wish the focus ring was bigger--easier to manipulate.
The built-in mic picks up the whine of the camcorder. I use an external mic in quiet rooms.
The MiniDV format: what else can you play it on? I'm going to get a MiniDV VCR to save wear on my camcorder.

Pros: The perfect size, small enough to take anywhere, not so small that my fingers can't find the buttons.
Has Sony i-Link (IEEE 1394) interface, and functions as a codec, allowing me to capture video in an editing program, and record the finished cut to tape. I can even send analogue signals from my old VHS tapes to the computer through the TRV27.
Simple design allows me to hand it off to anybody to get me in the scene.
Large viewscreen.
Data Code (can be displayed on or off during playback) dat/time stamps all my footage so I never have to guess when I made that thing back in the place that one time.
Manual focus and exposure control is an absolute must.
The battery lasts for hours, even after four years. (I bought the InfoLITHIUM M Sony 12 hour battery.)

The Bottom Line: I love my camcorder and recommend it to anyone who just wants to play with video. It's an excellent tool to learn on, with brilliant picture and good sound.

John E. Walker

This is a great camera and buy. the quality is exceptional and with a one hundred dollar external mic it has superior performance. It has dv in and out and av in out and still picture is very nice. i do not owne this product but use it almost every day in my video production class