Sony CCD-TRV85

The Sony CCD-TRV85 is a Hi8 XR camcorder made by Sony starting in 1998. It was made with the same chassis as the CCD-TRV75, 715, 815, and 93, all Hi8 XR. It was one of Sony's more advanced analog units at the time, offering the largest LCD in its family.

Overview
The CCD-TRV85 has the "camera in-palm" design, which was common in its era. It has a 3.5" diagonal (8.9cm) LCD with the volume and brightness buttons on its edge. It also has a black-and-white CRT viewfinder that tilts but does not telescope. It is slightly larger and heavier than the MiniDV Handycams of its time, but not as big as some of the later Digital8 units.

Common Features

 * 18× Optical Zoom and 72× Digital Zoom
 * Backlit timecode/battery display on back of LCD (with an amber backlight)
 * Automatic and manual focus
 * S-Video and A/V jacks that can be used as inputs or outputs
 * Review Button
 * NightShot with Super Laser Link
 * Fader, Picture Effects (Pastel, Negative Art, Sepia, B&W, Solarize, Mosaic)
 * Can record in 4:3, 16:9, or 4:3 with bars
 * SteadyShot video stabilizer that only works when recording in 4:3 or 4:3 with bars
 * Sony Intelligent Accessory Shoe
 * The record button can operate in three ways: The traditional start/stop press-and-release, constant pressure, and recording for five seconds when pressed
 * The shutter and power switch are connected mechanically
 * Tape is inserted from top
 * LANC Jack (requires updated RM-95 unit)
 * 3.5" LCD
 * Black and white viewfinder, tilts

Distinctive Features

 * Despite having a 3.5" LCD, the volume/brightness buttons are on its edge (like they would be on a unit with a smaller screen).
 * The auxiliary LCD is surrounded by a black frame with the Hi8 XR logo and the model number.
 * The exposure can still be adjusted manually with the NightShot on, which led to some problems when the camcorder was new.

Series/Family
The closest relatives of the CCD-TRV85 include: Some more distant relatives (with their own manual) include: Of the twelve camcorders in this series, the CCD-TRV85 is considered the highest-end. From the CCD-TRV75, TRV715, and TRV93, this unit adds a 3.5" LCD, but does not have the built-in light that the TRV93 has.
 * CCD-TRV75
 * CCD-TRV715
 * CCD-TRV815
 * CCD-TRV93
 * CCD-TRV15
 * CCD-TRV25
 * CCD-TRV215
 * CCD-TRV35
 * CCD-TRV315
 * CCD-TRV65
 * CCD-TRV615

For more information, see the page on the CCD-TRVx5 series.

Battery/Power
The CCD-TRV85 uses Infolithium L series batteries. The standard battery is the NP-F330, which is a 7.2V battery with 5Wh of energy. The standard charger is the AC-L10A, which will work in almost any Handycam from 1999 to approximately 2006 (some newer cameras also use it). Unlike some earlier Handycams, the charge port is right on the camera body, so the battery is charged on the camera. The camera can be operated as normal with both a battery and a charger.