Sony TRV-50E Video Camera

There’s more to what meets the eye with Sony’s new TRV-50E. It’s a digital camera, video camera, Internet browser and e-mail client all bundled in one device. SEAN BACHER gave it the once over.
It really depends what you want to do with the camera. If you want to start recording home videos and start taking snapshots then you are going to have to go through the initial stages of setting the date and time. You are then going to have to read the manual to find out where to put the tape and how to release the tape compartment as there are so many buttons located all round the camera you wont know what’s potting. You are also going to have to install the battery and put it on charge before you can begin using the camera.nnnnIf however you want to e-mail images and start browsing the ‘Net on your HandyCam, grab yourself something to drink, get comfortable and brace yourself. You will be reading page after page of instructions on how to set up the Bluetooth and chances are, it probably wont work first time round. You also might want to dig out your cellphone manual too as you are also have to make a couple of changes there.
As far as video cameras go, it’s not that bad. It will take you a couple of hours to get used to where the buttons are and punching the LCD with a stylus might take a bit of getting used to too. The settings menu is quite simple to follow and uses a separate scroll wheel and yes/no button to activate or deactivate certain menu items.nnnnAll we can say is read the manuals carefully and play around with the camera. Don’t worry, there are no self-destruct buttons and there is a master reset button should your camera get to the stage where not even the guys at Sony no what’s cooking.
Yip, it does all the things it says it can do and more. I suppose there wasn’t enough space on the box to mention every single feature. We recorded and took snapshots with no qualm at all. We then got a bit more daring and started fiddling with the network features. After about three or four times we finally got the thing to communicate with our cellphone and were surfing and e-mailing images left, right and centre.
Well the fact that it’s a video and digital camera in one should be innovative enough. But Sony have really excelled themselves this time by including a Bluetooth chip making it a all rounded top-notch gadget.
It is quite a pricey camera to have, but if you think about what you are getting, a video camera, digital camera and mini PDA all in one unit I think it is worth the price.
The Sony TRV-50E is available from FotoCats, contact them on (011) 615-8870.