Sony's most affordable digital video camcorder is a winner.

If you're itching to make a movie on the cheap, Sony's new TRV250 Digital8 Handycam is a splendid place to start, considering the camera's low $400 list price. As you'll see on tonight's "Tech Live," it's digital, too, meaning you'll capture sharp video that can be transferred quickly via FireWire (IEEE 1394) to your computer for editing.

At 3.5 inches by 4 inches by 8 inches and 1.75 pounds, the TRV250 isn't nearly as small as many MiniDV cameras out there, but it is small for a Digital8 camera. It's comfortable to hold and operate, and the weight serves as a stabilizer.

While you're gaining size with a Digital8 (because of the larger tape size), there are benefits, such as lower tape costs and the lower cost of the camera itself.

No complaints about quality

Even with mediocre specifications (actual resolution of 290K pixels), the camera, aided by a nice 20x optical zoom (700x digital), shoots great video. It's definitely crisper than those old, heavy analog cameras, though it's not the best performer in low-light situations.

The 2.5-inch flip-out color LCD is small but usable. The camera's function buttons are not overwhelming in size (although I'd prefer bigger VCR control buttons as seen on the Canon ZR series), and the zoom and record buttons are well-placed. The camera even has a low-power light mounted on the front for those late-night party shots. However, there is no hot shoe for extra lights or accessories.

Sony's funky infrared NightShot feature is included for those who find themselves in the dark and prefer to avoid using lights. For creative types, the camera includes all of Sony's excellent digital and picture effects (such as strobe, trail, and sepia tone), although we prefer messing with the video in edit. There is also a USB port and cable so you can use the TRV250 like a high-quality webcam.

A great value

As a cost-saving measure, Sony left out a flash memory slot for shooting still pictures or MPEG video (this is found on the $500 TRV350). This isn't a critical feature for most users, and especially those who are on a budget. Also, the optical viewfinder is black and white and there is no microphone input. Again, neither of these factors are critical.

The TRV250 is a great starter camera. Smaller cameras utilizing the more popular MiniDV tapes are beginning to creep under $500, but the TRV250's nice set of features (including manual focus and 24-step exposure), great video quality for the price, and overall value makes it a top recommendation.

Pros: Great value; good video quality; features galore

Cons: Black and white optical viewfinder; on the big side, but comfortable; mediocre low-light performance

Company: Sony
Price: $399.99 ($360, street)
Available: Now
Category: Digital video
Platform: Mac/Windows
Also included: AC-L15 power adapter/in-camera charger; lithium-ion rechargeable battery; RMT-814 wireless remote commander; remote; two AA batteries; A/V cable; lens cap; shoulder strap; USB cable; CD-ROM with USB driver (Pixela ImageMixer version 1.5)