After getting a chance to play around with my parent's camera, I fell in love with the TRV340. This is my first digital video camera and I'm very happy with it. It produces great video and sound, though you can't compare it with a mega-pixel or 3CCD camera. The camera uses Sony's digital 8 format which lets the camera read older 8mm tapes. Digital quality on Digital 8 tapes is equal to that of MiniDV. So, if you've got a collection of those tapes, this is a great way to convert them into digital video. The camera is a little larger than the MiniDV cameras, but the added weight makes it less shaky in your hand. Because of the included Firewire (IEEE 1394) port, it's a breeze to transfer video to your computer, provided it also has a Firewire port. I use a Mac so I can't comment on the quality of the included windows editing software.

The battery that comes with the camera won't last very long and I highly recommend an additional battery, though they are a bit pricey. I also recommend a good, sturdy tripod, and a screw-on UV filter. This filter costs very little and will protect the lens from scratches and smudges. Another good accessory would be a boom microphone that attaches to the intelligent shoe. Sound is often overlooked on camcorders and most of them have terrible onboard mics.

While this camera has the ability to take digital stills and save them to a memory stick, the resolution is very low and the pictures don't look very good. They're somewhat disappointing.

I highly recommend this camera to anyone looking to get into digital video or anyone with a collection of 8mm tapes that they want to preserve.

GREAT!!!!! (Rating: 5.00)
Review : Thist is the best camera ive ever purchased and arguably the best Digital8 Camera ever.The TRV-340 has all the features u need. And it beats a MiniDV because it has a Super Night Shot Mode and 700 Zoom wich works great, 25 Optical Zoom too! Believe me u will not be dissapointed if u buy this camcorder!

Excellent Camcorder (Rating: 5.00)
Review : I purchased the trv340 about two weeks ago and couldn't be happier with the camcorder. Although I was initially concerned about shooting in low-light settings with a 1/6" CCD, my fears were quickly put to rest. The camcorder shoots beautifully in low light settings, and compared to other camcorders in a similar price range, the picture quality on the trv340 is outstanding. Additionally, the menus on the 340 are incredibly easy to maneuver through. Sony included several ports on the camcorder (most notably a usb port, so those without a firewire card can still view and edit video and pictures on their computer). Although the mic does, as the other reviewer noted, occasionally pick up tape drive noise, I haven't found it to be a problem in filming. If you're in the market for a camcorder, be sure to take a look at the 340. You won't regret it.