From: ggiergiel@vmsa.oac.uci.edu
Subject: TR81 to TR 91 potential improvements
Newsgroups: rec.video.production
Organization: University of California, Irvine
Date: 4 Oct 92 21:04:23 GMT


Somebody asked for opinion on TR81. Here is an expanded version of my
previous list of:

TR81 design shortcomings (in an arbitrary order)

- no intelligent exposure program, meaning the camera is unable
  to adjust shutter speed automatically. Bright sun footage will
  be over-exposed unless you remember to change the shutter manually.
  This is strange; these days even the most primitive SLRs have
  at least two exposure programs. (same in TR101).

- zoom range mostly in rarely usable long focal lengths.
  (fixed in TR101)

- the zoom switch should quickly sense a high speed request
  and act appropriately. What you get now is a visible switch 
  from slow to fast. (presumably fixed in TR101)

- no time encoding.  (some poor substitute of true RC in TR101)

- unacceptably narrow remote field of view and the lack of positive 
  feedback on most operations makes remote operation a very
  frustrating experience. (partially fixed in TR101)

- "fully functional" remote is everything but fully functional.
  Approx. 70% of functions aren't accesible from remote.
  For example: fader which is imposible to use without shaking your 
  camera isn't even available on any optional remote.

- lack of character titling. This is serious; stand alone titlers
  are $200 and more plus they require an editing deck. Somehow, 
  cheap 8mm Canons have one built in without significant price 
  penalty. Sony doesn't really know how to make one; those on CCD F/V 
  series or RM E300 are real cheap (no crawl for example).
  Digitized page superimposer is pretty useles for me.

- agonizingly slow rewinding.

- unstable & unusable stills. No frame advance.

- most of my footage has time/date superimposed on it because
  of pernamently active and easy to trip date/time buttons.

- lack of simple backlighting mode. Again, this is serious. Don't
  confuse backlighting  with fixed exposure mode which is available
  on TR81.

- auto focus should never attempt to focus on lens surface. Happens
  sometimes with dirty lens, almost always with add ons.

- hard to see recording lights. Dim viewfinder.

- poor design of the viewfinder - gets dirty in no time at all.

- no built-in interval recording. To get one you must buy an
  expensive and otherwise totally useles remote.

- no manual gain adjustment on sound input. 

- that of being Hi8, which means there's no way to economicaly   
  edit your tape without losing quality you paid so dearly for.
  There are only two consumer level Hi8 VCRs available and both are
  significanty more expensive than TR81 (like $1300 minimum).
  Thus to edit your tape you must go through three generations
  (Hi8 - SVHS - Hi8) of tape, one of which being SVHS($600), a format with
  a very questionable future. The computer controllable Hi8 decks are 
  again obscenely priced. $1300 street for something that has far less
  functionality than a $300 VCR (barring RC).I'm talking here about
  CVD-1000 which has no tuner, no LANC, no shuttle, not even manual audio level
  control but plenty of excessive audio noise. The situation is unlikely
  to change because Sony's enjoying its monopoly (deservedly so I might add).

- table tripod/handle combination not included. Get: FUJIX H-80.

- there are glitches when switching from fully auto to some manual
  settings. Try this: balance manual exposure on higher shutter speed 
  and see what you get when you open/close auto door (admittedly a minor
  problem).

- auto lens protector not available. Watch your lens cap. (fixed on TR101)

- very bad manual (they don't even say the zoom is two-speed).



GOOD POINTS 

- too many to list here. I still consider it the best camera in
  Hi8 palm-sized format (after TR-101 which is too expensive for
  a casual user like me).

In summary, SONY needs to make TR91.