Camcorder Reviews

Looking back at your life, you might have wondered how many albums it would have taken if ever you had a camera and captured the best moments of your life. Better late than never, as from now onwards, you can capture such felicitous moments of life. Sony is one of the prime producers of electronic goods in the world. At the same time, it is also occupies the front row seat when it comes to annoying people by releasing so many good products. One has to break his head to select which one of the lot is suitable to him. But we are here to clear the cloud for you and guide you towards a good and appropriate selection. The MHS-PM1 is one of the stylish and attractive camcorders in the market and one of the best products from Sony. It is released at a very reasonable rate, so that everyone could have a shot at it. Lots more features and aspects regarding this new camcorder are in store for you. So stay glued to your seats and keep on reading as we unveil this promising new camcorder.

Design:

Cool and Stylish:
As said earlier, there are so many options to choose from when it comes to the products of Sony, even regarding the design of the product. The MHS PM1 Pocket Size Camcorder is one of those camcorders that look very stylish and also it has got a very cool look. It actually looks like an ordinary mobile phone, with its orientation being vertical unlike the conventional camcorders whose orientation is more horizontal. The camera is also placed at the top of the back side of the MHS PM1, so that shooting becomes easy even when the cam is held in one hand. On the front side of the cam lies all the buttons that hold the control for the most important of all the features on the MHS PM1. Coming to the dimensions of this handycam, it measure about (H x W x D) 24 x 103 x 55mm and weighs about 120 grams. This means that the camcorder is very sleek and comfortable to be held in one hand and also to slide it into your pocket. It is just about perfectly designed so that it is not too big or too small.

Big Display:
The 1.8 inch screen is really good as well as big enough for displaying the subjects that you are about to shoot on your cam. It has good displaying characteristics that make it easy for you to view it, and it also swivels up to 270 degrees so that it is easy to shoot any kind of scene is many styles and angles. It also makes things easy for you to shoot yourself and still keep looking at the screen. More often than not, this might help you a lot, because, sometimes self shooting gives out funny videos if there is no possibility to look at the screen. Since the orientation of the screen is also in portrait style, it allows you to take portrait pictures with great deal of ease.

Features:

Most of Sony’s camcorders come in with a great deal of features and the MHS PM1 is not an exception by any means. They all are intended to make life easy for the users and hence, are extremely user friendly. Every option readily gives all that is intended by you. Now, the MHS PM1 certainly has the edge over its counterparts in the market because when you compare it with other camcorders, it has got more number of useful features that catch the attention of the eye.

Camera:
The first thing you will want to be good on a camcorder is its camera and the MHS PM1 has got a brilliant one. The new 5 mega pixel camera of this cam uses a special technology in grabbing the light from the subjects properly. Auto focusing is also one of the special features of this camera as it focuses on to the subjects and moreover on the faces of the subjects and then alter the picture quality accordingly. This means that the faces of the people in the frame are given the first preference, unlike many other cameras, which distribute their potential to the whole picture in the frame so that everything in the picture has the same clarity and intensity.

CMOS Sensor:
Most of the digital cameras are now featuring this particular sensor. The main function of this special sensor is to convert the light into digital signals so that the photos and videos are obtained digitally and hence, with minimal loss in information. Sony has gone one step ahead here by using a more refurbished version of the sensor that has in it the latest technology. Hence, your pictures will be clearer than ever. Such a sensible sensor is really helpful if you want to have the best image quality.

Sharemark:
This Sharemark is a trademark feature of the Sony MHS PM1 and it allows instant tagging of people in the photo so that it will be easier for instant uploading to different websites on the internet. There is a sharemark button on the menu of the device and by selecting that, you will see a few options that help you tag the different subjects in the photo. Video clips can also be tagged and you can then upload them on to the internet easily and instantly. This is a very unique feature as you can see and no other camera or camcorder in the market, including those from Sony, come with this feature.

HD 1080:
This feature has become a part and parcel of today’s cameras and camcorders. Since most of the houses in the world now have the HD LCD TVs, this feature may help such people. You can select the HD shoot mode and shoot videos in HD format. You can get high definition pictures, up to 1080p resolution so that they look very candid and also movie like, when you play them on the screens of our HD TVs. Shoot the videos with the camcorder on a stand and you will wonder whether it is a normal video or a movie. Such is the ability of the MHS-PM1 Digital Video Camcorder to take high quality pictures at all times of the day, no matter how the conditions are.

Image Stabilisation:
Optical Image stabilisation has to be one of those features that have improved video capturing a lot. Since most of the cameras and camcorders are so very sleek and compact nowadays, it will certainly be a lot difficult in holding it properly. This ultimately results in bad pictures which contain a lot of blur and shaking effect. To eliminate this, the solution, which is known as the optical image stabilisation, had been introduced. So, no need to worry about picture clarity now.

PMB:
The PMB or the Picture Motion Browser is a kind of software that helps you edit your pictures and videos, and then it converts them into formats that are suitable for uploading on to the internet, like mp4. After you have captured the videos, you can insert the memory card into the SD card slot of your computer and the PMB software automatically loads the videos and makes them ready for editing. You can cut the videos, add special effects and also add background music according to your wish and then save them as separate files on your computer. Then, when you connect to the internet, you can simply select those files and then upload on to the internet. In a few simple steps, your videos will feature on YouTube. That is how easy it gets with the MHS PM1.

HD Recording:
The Sony MHS PM1 is one of the best cams in the market if you have a great desire for high definition video recording from your camcorder. Sony has always been introducing the latest video technologies into the market with each of its new camcorder. Most of Sony’s camcorders have the ability to record high definition videos. This High Definition Technology always gives you very crisp pictures and also with the highest quality ever. The HD videos taken by the MHS PM1 resemble those movies you see in the theatres.

The MHS PM1 takes pictures with a very high resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, which is the best one you can expect from a camcorder of this type. It is also good to watch these videos on your HD TV that supports the 1080p viewing. It also allows you to record the videos in the latest mp4 format, which is also known as the H.264 format. This new format, helps you compress the videos taken by you and hence makes the files very small and hence it will be easy for you to upload them onto your computer and then on the internet. The mp4 format has the rare capacity to be compatible with most of the websites on the internet such as YouTube, Flickr and Photo Bucket.

USB 2.0 interface:
In order to save and also to share your pictures and videos with your family and friends, you need to connect your camcorder to the PC. It will then be also easy to upload these pictures and videos on to the internet. Hence, Sony has provided the facility for you to connect your cam through USB. With the help of a USB cable, which is provided along with the kit, you can sync your cam with your computer and transfer the files from one to the other. This is a common but an important feature since the USB 2.0 port is a pretty common thing which almost all the computers in the world today feature in them. The 2.0 version is also very fast compared to its precursor, which means that syncing your pictures is faster than ever, with the MHS PM1.

Tripod Mount:
For shooting still and wonderfully stable videos, you need to hold the camera in a frozen position and also not move it or shake it. This is not possible to do with the hands. Hence, a tripod mount is provide by Sony along with the camcorder so that if you want to capture still videos and pictures, just like those you will see on TV and the cinemas, you need to mount your camcorder on to the tripod stand, which comprises three small rods that keep the camera very still. If this arrangement is kept on a rigid platform, then your pictures will be so epic and that too without any sign of blur or shakiness. Hence, Sony has provided this tripod mount. This time round, the rods of the stand are also made slightly stronger since they were a bit weak in the past and broke off easily especially of you place the stand on a very rough surface.

Multi AV Terminal:
A Multi-AV terminal, with included cable, is provided and it allows you to connect your MHS PM1 camera to many other devices like your PC or for that matter, even your television, for the sake of easy and quick playback. You need to connect the cable to the terminal that you will find at the bottom of the camcorder, and then to your TV. Then, you can control the options on your TV screen, select the videos and pictures that you want to play and then they will be played on the big screen. This is a pretty cool feature provided by Sony since after all, you want to watch the movies that are shot by yourself.

Memory:
With the MHS-PM1 HD Snapshot Camcorder, you can record videos and still images directly to a memory card, in this case, the Memory Stick PRO Duo™ media which is sold separately in stores. This is meant for the easy transfer of files to your compatible PC or Mac. This is a simple process and you can insert the memory card into the card reader of your computer and then view, edit and share the pictures easily. This memory card can also be used for sending e-mail, printing, or even sharing the pictures on the MHS PM1, with any other Memory Stick PRO Duo™ compatible device with you. These memory cards are sold separately in the market and they range from 1 GB to 16 GB of memory. For normal usage, you can buy the 4 GB one and for frequent usage, you can buy the 16 GB one. Only this type of cards is compatible with the camcorder and it may or may not be compatible with the other types of cards.

Easy Switching:
With the introduction of the Easy Switching feature on the MHS PM1 Flash Memory Camcorder, you can now enjoy the luxury of having individual buttons for both Movie and still shooting. This allows you to simultaneously switch between the two modes, i.e., from video recording mode to the still photo capture mode, and that too with the simple toggling of a button, called the switch button. This feature may help in two ways; it helps you to take pictures separately even while shooting videos, and another thing is, you can take snapshots of the recording or even recorded videos. Hence, this is another useful feature from Sony that you will find on the MHS PM1.

MP4:
MP4 is one of the most popular multimedia formats that can easily compress the size of your audio and video. Hence, they help you in making your media files very small, small enough to be easily transferred to your PC or Mac. Another important ability of this format of videos is that it is also highly compatible with almost all the websites of the Web, like YouTube and Photo Bucket, so that you can simply upload your media on to the internet and also save a lot of time. No need of converters now that you will otherwise have to make use of if you want to upload videos on to the internet.
Hence, as you can see, this is a very huge package of features provided by Sony, on the MHS PM1. Although most of them are there in the previous models from Sony, some others are newly introduced and are already a hit in the market.

Performance:

The performance aspects of any camera are very important in deciding the usability of it. Over the years, Sony has produced very qualitative products and the camcorders are no exception for that.

Video:
As we have already seen under the features section, with the help of a very good lens and good features in combination with nice options that can alter the shooting modes according the conditions outside, the MHS PM1 is one of the best performing camcorders Sony has ever produced. There is also no other camcorder in the market that comes with so many video options and settings. Hence, considering all these and also the quality of pictures that the camcorder produces, you can easily tell that this one is a very good performing camcorder, when it comes to the videos.

Audio:
For any good camcorder, there must be solid audio hardware, since good videos always need good audio backup. Sony has always taken care of the audio performance of its cameras and camcorders and this time also, it has given its best in doing the same. Now, coming to the audio features of the MHS PM1, the details are as follows- Recording Format : Mono and Microphone : Built-in Mono Microphone. Although there is no stereo mode for the speakers, unlike many other precursors of the MHS PM1, you still receive very good sounds with fine voice clarity, making the audio support the videos of the MHS PM1 very well.

Connectivity:
In addition to the already discussed USB 2.0 feature, the MHS PM1 also comprises a few other connectivity features that make the camcorder a very good connecting device. The different connectivity ports that you will find on the MHS PM1 include Terminal Audio/Video, Component Video, Multi A/V Analogue Audio/Video. Hence, connecting your camcorder to any other compatible electronic device has never been this easy.

So, clearly, Sony has tried to give its best in providing you a very qualitative camcorder and also for a very good bargain.

Battery and Power Consumption:

The Sony MHS PM1 comes with a very special battery that can give you a longer battery life. A specially made battery of type Info Lithium in association with Accu Power™ Meter System of type NP-BK1, gives you a long standing battery that helps you shoot for hours together. The battery is also removable and rechargeable, which means that you can always have a spare battery with you just in case of emergency. The battery can also be charged and the details regarding it are: Power Requirement: 3.6V for the battery pack; 4.2V for the AC Adaptor. Power Consumption in full operation mode is about 2.0W, which is really good for a camcorder. It also charges very quickly. So, you can save your time as well as money.

Warranty:

Sony offers a parts and labour warranty for a period of one year from the original date of purchase of the MHS PM1.

Verdict:

Considering all the above details of the Sony MHS PM1 camcorder, it can be said that it is one of the best in the market and it is also priced so well that it is very affordable and if you are looking for a good camcorder along with a cute design and lots of features, then you can go for the Sony MHS PM1. Of course, this is not the end of it as there are scores of top class camcorders in the market especially from Sony. So, just in case this is not the right one you are looking for or even if you are willing to pay even higher, there are lots of other high definition camcorders, some of them even better than this one, waiting for you. Hence, you can afford to have a brief look at their reviews as well on this very website itself.

Check other Sony Handycam Reviews, Best Pocket Camcorders in this website.

Sony MHS-PM1 Compact Size Camcorder – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Sony
Model Name	MHS PM1
Form Factor	Candy Bar
Dimensions (W x H x D)	103 x 55 x 24mm
Weight	120 grams
Display	1.8” TFT LCD Screen
VIDEO FEATURES
Formats Supported	MP4
Image Size	1440 x 1080
Instant Shooting	Yes
Minimum Luminosity	3 Lux
AUDIO FEATURES
Audio System	Mono
Built in Microphone	Yes
Specific features	Built in Speaker
CAMERA FEATURES
Sensor pixels	5038K
Snap Shot	Yes
Switching	Yes, picture to video and vice versa
Photo Burst Mode	Yes
Webcam Function	No
Features
Specific features	Image Stabilisation, Shooting Modes, USB 2.0, Memory Card
Others
Sensor	CMOS
Photo mode	Yes
Face detection	Yes
Zoom Ratio (Digital)	4 x
PORTS AND CONNECTIVITY	Audio Output, Video Output, USB Output
Battery Life	One Hour per each battery
Warranty	One year

Camcorders are one of those gadgets that have gained a lot of attention over the last couple of decades. In fact, when it comes to the pocket camcorders, they are the most used gadgets after the mobile phones. Since there are numerous camcorders out in the market, we see to it that you will be guided towards the right choice. This particular mini camcorder from Disgo is a pretty cheap and at the same time useful camcorder which suffices your needs of capturing videos. Have a deeper look at this funny little camcorder.

Teeny Meeny Design:

The design part of the camcorder is one of the big pluses to it. A sleek body and a candy bar form factor makes it look extremely cute. Measuring (H x W x D) 103 x 50 x 21 mm and weighing about 68 grams, it rather looks like a blend of a music player and a modern mobile phone. There are operational keys at the bottom on the fascia below the display, just like on your iPod. The camera is also at the rear side of the camcorder just like on the mobile phones. Both these factors contribute towards a smooth experience while capturing the videos. With smooth edges and a shiny outward appearance, it is simply attention grabbing. The model is available in black, pink and blue shades. It also looks smaller than normal, thereby justifying its very name. Hence, with no exceptions, the Disgo Fun Mini digital camcorder looks pretty cute in your hands.

TFT Display:

As we have already seen, there is a 1.5 inch TFT screen on the front side. Although this display is neither as big as the others nor is it great, it is good enough to show you all the pictures that were taken and the videos that were captured. But it is definitely not a great player of videos. If at all the videos are to be seen, then the camcorder must be synced to the computer.

Connectivity:

The Disgo Fun Digital Video camcorder can be connected to the computer by using the USB 1.1 cable that is provided. This just like connecting a USB device and it is an easy process. The system requirements for the camcorder are: An operating system which is one of Microsoft Windows Vista, XP, 2000 and ME. Hence, the Microsoft Windows 7 and Apple Mac are not supported as of now, so such users should be careful while purchasing. But we hope that the new versions will be released soon. There is also an AV cable along with the USB cable so that the video can be watched on the television screen just by plugging in the cable. But, the HDMI cable is not provided and there is also no slot for one if at all you already have, so this means that you cannot directly view the videos on the HD TVs. But you can watch on them by burning the videos into a DVD.

Features:

The Camera:
The camera of the Disgo Fun is a reasonably good one. It has got a CMOS sensor of 300K pixels, which is good sign. The CMOS sensor is a special one that tries to glorify the subjects in the frame and thereby giving you good quality pictures. The pictures are also taken with a resolution of 1280 x 960 pixels, so you will get a widescreen type video which will be great to look at on the HD TV. There is also a photo mode that allows you to take photos while shooting videos. All the features that accompany the camera usually are also featured here, but the main drawback of this camera is that it gives very grain pictures when under poor or artificial light conditions.

Image Stabilisation:
It will not be an exaggeration if said that nowadays there is no camera or camcorder without this feature. You may be wondering what this image stabilisation is. It is a special technology that helps you get well balanced pictures, while nullifying the effect of camera shake. So there will be no blurring or tailing when you take pictures that are moving. This image stabilisation technology gives a bit of a breather to the camera because it itself is not a very reliable one. So, one thing of which you are assured is that your pictures will be stabilised even though they may not be crystal clear. That is some good value for the money.

Memory:
The Disgo Fun camcorder comes with an internal memory of 1 GB. Usually, this might be enough for about 60 minutes of video recording considering the picture resolution and the aspect ratio of the camcorder. But you always want more from your camcorder. So, buying an additional memory card is always advisable, and that too, a memory card of 4 GB or higher in order to have a lot of space for your videos.

Software:
The Disgo Fun is also provided with some software that helps you in syncing it to the computer and also to edit and save videos which are captured, on the computer. VP-EYE 6.0 Plus is one of them that converts the videos in the memory cards and make them compatible to the computer and helps you in editing the videos. It also helps you burn these videos into DVDs so that they can be viewed later on the TV screen. The software comes in a CD ROM that is inside the container box.

Hence, even though the features are not very new and also none of them is startlingly attractive like the ones you see on the highly rated camcorders, this is a very good attempt by Disgo in providing some useful features and options that enable the user to shoot comfortably.

Performance:

The very look of the Disgo Fun Mini Camcorder is like a toy, but it is not a toy by any means. But on the other hand, it would be very kind if we say that the Disgo Fun performs well in all conditions. Basically, you cannot afford to expect more from a camcorder that is as cheap as this one. It has a reasonable camera that comes along with good design. The camera of this camcorder can be compared to that of a good mobile phone. In other words, the pictures are good but are not great. The camera works excellently under very good lighting conditions and you get very nice pictures. But when you go for shooting indoors, you will clearly see the difference. Under poor or even for that matter, under moderate light conditions, the camera struggles to get good pictures. But, on the whole, the camera is not that good for those who do wish to shoot very often.

But even then, you cannot rate the camcorder low, because it performs better than the cameras of many mobile phones and that too at such a very low budget. Hence, considering the cost of the camera, the performance is very commendable. But if you still want a better performing camcorder, then this is not the place for you. You can check out other good camcorders which are a bit costlier.

Battery:

Another good thing regarding the Disgo Fun Compact, Light Weight Camcorder is that there are three Li ion batteries provided by default. This means that you do not need to buy a spare battery in order to have more battery life. You can carry these batteries along with you wherever you go to make sure that you can shoot happily without worrying about the battery life. The three AAA batteries provided have a battery life of about an hour each. So, you get three hours of shooting on the whole. This is another plus to the Disgo Fun.

Warranty:

There is a parts and labour warranty for a period of two years from the original date of purchase. Two years is pretty long time for warranty. The camcorder will be repaired or replaced by a new piece, conforming to the conditions opined by the company. The warranty service will not be provided in case of physical damage. All the remaining details regarding the conditions and regulations that apply during the warranty period are mentioned in the warranty card that is given at the time of purchase. This card must be carefully preserved and it has to be reproduced at the service centre when you wish to avail the warranty service.

Verdict:

After all that we have seen above, it can be concluded that this is a pretty cheap but also at the same time, a good camcorder. We have to appreciate the efforts of Disgo in providing such an affordable camcorder. Good, sleek and attractive design, reasonable features and very good battery life are the pluses while the performance is lacking a bit. Although this is not a recommendable camcorder, it is a useful purchase especially for the young and the novice users. Students can afford to buy this with their pocket money. If your main aim is to take pictures for fun or if you are a student and photography is your hobby, then this camcorder will do good to you. But if you really want to go big and purchase an excellent camcorder without any compromise in the picture quality and features, then you always have wonderful camcorders in the market.

Check other Mini Camcorder Reviews, Mini DV Camcorder Models in this website.

Disgo Fun Mini Video Camcorder – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Disgo
Model Name	Disgo Fun Mini
Form Factor	Candy Bar
Dimensions (W x H x D)	103 x 50 x 21 mm
Weight	68 grams
Display	1.5″ TFT LCD Screen
Colours Available	Black, Pink and Blue
VIDEO FEATURES
Formats Supported	Standard Definition
Image Size	1280 x 960
Instant Shooting	No
Minimum Luminosity	3 Lux
AUDIO FEATURES
Audio System	Stereo
Built in Microphone	Yes
Specific features	Built in Speaker
CAMERA FEATURES
Image Sensor	CMOS 300K Pixels
Video Frame Rate	VGA: 18fps (default) QVGA: 25fps
Video Resolution	HI: 640*480 (VGA) LO: 320*240 (QVGA)
Sensor pixels	300K
Lens	8x digital zoom
Snap Shot	Yes
Switching	Yes, picture to video and vice versa
Photo Burst Mode	No
Webcam Function	No
FEATURES
USB	USB 1.1/2.0
File Format	JPEG/AVI
Operating System	Windows Vista Windows XP Windows 2000 Windows ME
White Balance	Auto / Daylight / Cloudy / Fluorescent / Tungsten
Exposure	+2.0 ~ -2.0
Specific features	Image Stabilisation, Shooting Modes, USB 1.1, 2.0, Memory Card
OSD Language	English
OTHERS
Photo mode	Yes
Face detection	No
Zoom Ratio (Optical)	8 x
PORTS AND CONNECTIVITY	Audio Output, Video Output, USB Output
Power Source	3 x AAA batteries (included)
Battery Life	60 minutes recording time in QVGA or 70 minutes playback
Warranty	Two years

Canon has been delighting you always with a wide range of cameras and that too, with excellent quality. All of its products are of stunning design and quality. Its camcorders have a great demand in the market and they have always remained on the top right from their advent into the camcorder market. All the camcorders that were released until now are a big hit. Meanwhile, Canon has released its new and once again a stunning camcorder, the Canon Legria HF200. It is embedded with the latest electronic technology and is expected to cross all roadblocks when it comes to the sales. Let us go through the different facets of this fabulous looking camcorder and see if we can afford to pick it as one of the best ever from Canon.

Design:

Sleek and comfy:
The Legria HF200 Digital Camcorder is quite small and comfortable to handle. Even though there are numerous camcorders in the market that are very small and cute, this should definitely be one of the best designs ever from Canon. The reason for that is the camcorder is so cute to look at and when you take it into your hands you will know that the cam can be perfectly held in one hand. Measuring just about 62 x 70 x 124mm and weighing 340g, this has to be pretty comfortable for you to hold in one hand. Normally with such small cams, there is no need to take the help of the second hand. Also at some times this may lead to shaking of the camera and you may get a blurred image. There is a big lens on the front side and the display is on the side of it. All the control buttons of great importance are also grouped together very well and they are hence easily accessible. Considering these and a few other sundry aspects, it can well be said that Canon has given its best in producing one of its finest designs ever.

Display:
This is also an integral part of the camcorder and more often than not, this aspect may well become the decision maker. The Legria HF200 has a 2.7 inch TFT LCD screen that enables viewing the subjects before they are actually filmed or captured. The screen is quite big for a small camcorder like the Legria HF200 itself. The screen can also be rotated on its axis so that it is comfortable to view the screen when filming in different angles. Particularly, like all camcorders, it is easy to film yourself of you can swivel the screen towards yourself. The screen has all the details of the video and it shows you things like time left, date and time and other information. The screen also can show the information in various languages so that it will be comfortable for local shooters. You can set the language for yourself or the default will be English.

Features:

One of the landmarks of Canon, of late, has been the features section.  Along with good looks, the Legria HF200 High Definition Camcorder also has a variety of features that are so cool and they also greatly improve the popularity of the camcorder.

Face Detection:
Although the Face Detection feature is pretty well known, it is also one of the very common features that are found on just about every camcorder. This is the new technology that allows the lens of the camera to focus more on the faces of the subjects in the picture and then alters the shooting or capturing conditions so as to optimise the quality and clarity of the faces. Even though the overall picture is of great quality, the faces are concentrated more. Hence this feature is one of the most important ones regarding the Legria HF200.

Memory Card Recording:
This is not something new, although it is very useful. You can shoot excellent and High Definition videos and then store them into SDHC type memory cards. These cards are sold separately in the stores. Even though few other cards may be compatible with the Legria HF200 HD Video Camcorder, only the SDHC is officially authenticated as compatible. To be more precise, you better buy that one or you may or may not face problems in the future. A piece of advice that can be given here is that the memory of the card should be at least 2 GB in order to store more HD videos. 4GB or higher are always welcome though.

Instant Shooting:
The Canon Legria HF200 is capable of starting within a second, when you just open the LCD screen. This is called the quick start option and is helpful when instant shooting is needed. Whenever you see something interesting, you can immediately open the lid and then shoot it almost immediately. With a second, you can switch the camcorder on and then shoot videos by just immediately pressing the record button. This feature is quite common nowadays but the Legria HF200 does it quicker than many. While even the best of the cameras nowadays are taking more than a few seconds to start, the Legria HF200 takes merely one second to open up and be ready for full range shooting. Everything happens in seconds.

Creative Options:
There are a few creative options that can creatively alter the settings and options in order to get the pictures that match your tastes and likings. The Legria HF200 has separate options that help you cope up with different conditions and ultimately get the best output. It automatically alters the video and picture modes when in dim light conditions and thus the image or video quality is not reduced very much. The 25 p video mode allows video shooting at 25 frames per second and thereby giving you pictures that match the cinemas. The colour contrast of the Legria HF200 is also quite good, in fact better than any of the other Canon camcorders. There is a special feature, known as the x.v.colour feature, which alters few settings and make the pictures look great on the HD TVs, when the videos are played on them.

Shooting Modes:
There are a few shooting modes so that you can choose the appropriate one depending upon the situation. The Video Snapshot option allows you to snapshot photos from the videos that were taken. Another option is the short record option. With this feature, a short recording of the videos is done every time the record button is presses. All such videos are stored in the memory and they all can be mixed later manually or automatically. You can also add different soundtracks to these videos and they are like the background music. So, you get a customised video mix and this will be a pretty interesting feature that you will ever see. With the music track utility that is provided, you can store music files on to the memory card so that they can be used as background scores for the videos. There is no need of a computer in order to edit all these videos. You can do it all on the camcorder itself.

Software:
A software bundle is provided by Canon, along with the Legria HF200 3.3 Mega Pixel Camcorder. This allows you install them on your computer and use them. The first one is the PIXELA edit software. With this special software, you can edit and crop your photos as you like, edit and provide some effects to your videos and then save them. Later on, you can connect to the internet from your computer and then upload these files on to the internet in order to shame them with the world. The second one is the DW 100 DVD burner that is presented by Canon itself. This one easily burns your DVDs and you can make your own collection of your pictures and videos and later watch on the HD television sets. Thus, both these features are pretty good and helpful. They enhance the utility of the Legria HF200.

These features are really helpful to you in shooting well. Some of them may seem pretty new to some of the novice users but nothing is very difficult. Once you start using the Legria HF200, it will be fun and you will also get used to it soon.

Performance:

Any camcorder has to score good marks in this area, the aspect of performance. Every camcorder has to pass the acid tests that are conducted by experts. Regarding this aspect, the Legria HF200 does not seem to have even the smallest of problems. All its parts are functioning very well and it will be one of the best camcorders that Canon has ever unleashed. Let us come to the point and discuss the various performance aspects of the camcorder.

Camera:
Stunning is the word that you can use to describe the camera of the Legria HF200. Make no mistake; this is one of the best cameras ever in the history of the digital era. It has in it everything that one would expect from a top quality camera. Going into the details of this camera, it has a 3.3 MP lens that gives you excellent pictures all the time. The combination of this lens and the CMOS sensor is just about perfect for any camera. Along with the Full HD CMOS sensor, the 15x optical zoom feature, the Canon HD video lens, 24 Mbps fast video recording, and also the super fast DIGIC DV III processor that gives you Full HD quality video output, leaving an impression of a HD movie. If the settings are set to high, the camera unleashes its full potential.
There is also face detection feature which is already discussed earlier. The camera has such a great ability to recognise up to 35 faces of people inside the photo frame so that you can tag almost everyone that is there in the picture. The super range optical image stabilisation has taken the camera to new heights and you will barely see the effects of shaking and blurring. Hence your shots are never ruined by the shaking of your hands. With such a good camera and its features, you can easily bet on the Legria HF200 to give you stunning HD pictures.

Video Technology:
This area of the camcorder has been improved so much by Canon. The latest of video technology is being used in all the camcorders of Canon and the Legria HF200 is not at all exception by any means. There are also multiple options that make the video shooting better. You can take still pictures of 3.3 MP. Along with this, you also have what is called the Dual Shot mode that allows you to take both pictures and videos at a time. While you are shooting videos of 2 MP, you can always almost readily take pictures at your will, without ever changing the mode. Just by switching between the shooting modes, you can almost instantaneously take quick pictures while the video is recorded in parallel. The photo burst mode allows you to shoot about 25 pictures per second. That is the reason it is called a burst of photos. You can select the best of the randomly clicked photos and save them. Added to all of these wonderful features, the performance part has been top notch. The overall video execution is almost stunning.

Audio Technology:
With the microphone input inside the camcorder, you can attach an external mic in order to record good sounds so as to complement the videos. The microphone input that is there inside allows you to attach an external mic in order to record the audio signals with more clarity. With this, the monitor-audio levels are perfectly maintained. This means that the sounds are produced as they were when the videos are played on the TVs. The direction and the intensity of the sounds are recorded with good accuracy. Hence you can notice the immense development in the audio technology of the camcorders from Canon. On the whole, you get good audio that complements the videos on the Legria HF200.

Thus, you can clearly see that Canon has focussed its attention primarily on the performance aspects of its camcorders. There is not at all a single problem regarding the performance of the Legria HF200 that bothers you. You can happily shoot either indoors or outdoors and almost in all conditions and then get great video output along with great audio.

Battery:

The Legria HF200 come with one of the latest battery technologies. It has the BP 827 type of lithium ion battery that offers you longer battery life. Remember that the more are the options and features switched on in the camcorder, the lesser is the battery life. Hence it is always better to leave the option to the cam itself to choose the shooting conditions and change the settings itself. If customisation is so needed, then it is better that there is a spare battery with you. Having a spare battery with you does you a world of good and especially when you plan to shoot outdoors. This is necessary for any camcorder, not just the Legria HF200.

Warranty:

Canon offers parts and labour warranty for a period of twelve months from the original date of purchase.

Verdict:

You have already made a very good decision if you have gone in favour of the Canon Legria HF200. If you still have not, then you can happily choose this one because you do not find a camcorder that is much better than the Legria HF200, that easily. It has everything in it to make it a five star rated camcorder. Great design, exciting features and wonderful performance, all of them are instrumental in making the camcorder a great hit. Except for the fact that the cam is costlier than normal, there has been no negative aspect regarding the Legria HF200. Even though this is one of the cheapest camcorders from Canon after it has revised its dimensions for the digital cameras, it is still considerably costly. Thus, if you think you do not need to pay too much for a camcorder, then you can look at other camcorders that are almost equivalent with this one, especially from Sony and Toshiba.

Check other Canon Camcorder Reviews, Ratings in this website.

Canon Legria HF200 Camcorder – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Canon
Model Name	Legria HF200
Camcorder type	HD Camcorder
Dimensions (W x H x D)	62 x 70 x 124 mm
Weight	340 grams
Display	2.7″ LCD Screen
VIDEO FEATURES
Formats Supported	Standard Definition
Still image resolution	3.3 mega pixels
Compression of still image	JPEG
Image Size	1488 x 1128
Instant Shooting	Yes
Minimum Luminosity	3 Lux
AUDIO FEATURES
Audio System	Stereo
Built in Microphone	Stereo, zoom microphone
Specific features	Built in Speaker
CAMERA FEATURES
Image Device: Size	1 / 4″ CCD
Snap Shot	Yes
Switching	Yes, picture to video and vice versa
Photo Burst Mode	25 pictures per frame
Digital Still Resolution	8 megapixels
Features
Specific features	Image Stabilisation, Shooting Modes, 2 Channel Audio Control
Others
Sensor	CMOS
Recording	24 Mbps
Face detection	Yes, up to 35 per frame
Zoom Ratio (Optical)	15 x
Processor	DIGIC DV III
PORTS AND CONNECTIVITY	Audio Output, Digital Video Output, S-Video Output, USB Output
Battery Life	One Hour
Warranty	One year

With a view of making camcorders available and reasonable to all, Panasonic has taken a great leap towards producing a new range of camcorders that are cheap and easy to use. In this process, after a few misfires in the past, Panasonic has recently introduced its new camcorder, the Panasonic HDC SD10. It was liked by many people and expert reviewers around the world, so much that they hailed the way it is designed and also the way it performs. People who did not own a camera before thought that this one would be ideal to them. But those who already have one under their belt, thought “Why didn’t I wait for this one?”  So, this gives you the gist of what is to come. Though it led to many surprises in the beginning, it still stands as one of the better cams produced by Panasonic. Let us begin the expedition as we start from the design part of the Panasonic HDC SD10.

Design:

The HDC SD10 Camcorder is almost half the size of your palm. So, you can imagine how sleek and small this one is and hence is very easy to hold on to. When the LCD screen is closed, it almost looks like a mobile phone. Its dimensions measuring 47.5 x 63.0 x 114.5 mm (H x W x D) prove this statement. It also weighs pretty less when compared to the normal cams in the market, measuring just about 227 grams. Hence you find it easy to hold it in one hand and you might think that statement no sense, but this means a lot as many users believe that if two hands come into play, then the cam starts shaking a bit and hence the image quality is lost in the end. Everything else is almost normal. All the things are the same and none of their positions are changed. But the only thing is that they are pretty neatly arranged and their sizes are also minimised. Hence the design part of the Panasonic HDC SD10 is absolutely fine and this is one of the sleeker and the smaller camcorders you will ever see.

Sleek Design with a great Display:

One of the things that have really transformed photography has been the display screen. This enables you to look at everything before it is actually filmed. The Panasonic HDC-SD10 has a 2.7 inch wide LCD screen that gives you an excellent preview of all the pictures beforehand. This screen has good contrast levels and also its range is pretty good, with 230,400 pixels. It also has the ability to rotate on its axis and hence giving the users more flexibility in shooting their videos. It also has a wide range of viewing, with a viewing angle of about 170 degrees. This display is particularly very good for self capturing. You can easily look at yourself before you click and hence the pictures look great. Therefore, it can be said that this is one of the best displays in the market and we are pleased with its performance.

Features:

This part of the camcorder is very vital. It is this section of the camcorder that often decides its quality and popularity. This is because all the camcorders in the world have almost everything in common except the features. The features of different cams are different and those that are featured on the Panasonic HDC SD10 Video Camcorder are unique as well as useful.  Hence it is always necessary to know well about all the features of any gadget for that matter, because every feature is pretty new and unforeseen on most occasions. Here is a deeper look at the different features and utilities of the camcorder.

Intelligent Auto Mode:
With the Intelligent Auto or the iA feature, you can automatically activate some important functions that let you shoot comfortably and easily. This option, when switched on, makes all kinds of adjustments in order to make the picture clear and the environment in which the picture is captured is also smoothly altered so that you get pictures that are very apposite to the situation. Subtle adjustments like sharp focussing on to the people in the picture and small changes in the brightness levels and the colour contrast of the images; these are the things that are taken care of by this Intelligent Auto mode. Intelligent scene selector is also one of the options that come in to play here. It selects the appropriate scene or background to the pictures. One important thing that needs to be noticed here is that there is an option called the Auto focus/ Auto exposure, which focuses on the required subject in the frame. All this can be done by just touching the subject with your finger. This virtual alteration of the conditions makes the Panasonic HDC a very interesting one. Hence, this can be considered as a mix bag of several vital functions that are really necessary.

Face Detection:
This feature is seen in almost every camcorder nowadays. Even though this is one of the most common ones, it is still very vital that any cam cannot survive the competition without this feature. The Face Detection feature is automatic and as the name itself suggests, it detects the faces of people in the picture frame very accurately and hence alter the picture options accordingly. This feature is responsible for the phenomenon that is, the faces of the people are more candid than the other parts of the picture. This feature also automatically sets the other conditions and the skin tone of the persons will look more natural as well. Hence there is nothing complex when it comes to the Face Detection feature.

Optical Image Stabilisation:
Also known as the Active Mode (only in the Panasonic HDC SD10), this feature is related to the camera part of the camcorder. As we all know, our hands shake a bit while using the camcorder and especially while capturing videos. This ultimately results in either reduction in the image quality or blurring of the videos. Hence, in order to minimise this loss in the image quality, a new technology, called the optical image stabilisation has been introduced in the recent past. The name itself explains everything. The shaking effect that is caused while shooting is minimised to the maximum extent possible and smoother pictures are produced so that there is nothing that is fuzzy. This has also been one of those features that is being used by most of the manufacturers in their camcorders. This has become so vital that it is recently being used in the cameras of the mobile phones.

Connectivity and Networking:
SD Networking is available on the Panasonic HDC SD10. All you need to do is just pull the SD type memory card out of the camcorder and then insert into the Panasonic Viera TV and play the videos. For that matter, you can play the videos on any HD TV by just connecting to the TV using an HDMI cable. But if you have the Viera TV, you can also control your camcorder with your TV remote. You can also place this memory card inside the slot of a Blu Ray Disc Player for the same purpose. Hence the process of networking is easier than ever before. There is also the facility of uploading your videos onto YouTube. For this you need to simply encode the media to mpeg-2 format and then upload it on YouTube. This procedure is not mandatory but doing this eases the process.

Highlight Playback:
This is one of the amusing features you will find on the Panasonic HDC SD10 High Definition Camcorder. By using this feature, you can select the most important videos and photos from all of them and then the camcorder plays them randomly in order to give you a highlights package of the video or picture content. You will feel like watching a trailer if a movie when you actually come across this feature. If none of them is selected, then the camera itself selects the more exciting and brighter scenes from the array and then compiles them as a special package of highlights in order to give you a glimpse of all the others as well. A few more things add to the beauty of this feature. The pictures that are played at random are provided with various effects like panning, zooming and swivelling. They are also backed up by lively music that is already installed in the camcorder. Hence, all these combine to provide a great feature called the Highlight Playback.
Hence, these are precisely the main features of the Panasonic HDC SD10. They are not only good in number but also very good in usability.

Performance:

Till now, we have discussed about all the features and the design and they have been very good. So, it is natural that we expect terrific performance from the Panasonic HDC SD10. Besides this, the aspect of performance is also the most important thing and the foremost thing that one wants to be very good. But Panasonic seems to have no problems at all in providing excellent performance from its HDC SD10. Let us see what we have in store for us, regarding its performance.

Camera and Sensor:
This one has got a very good camera and the lens can be ranked among the best. The camera is powered by the latest CMOS technology to give you great pictures. The very advanced 16x zoom is also one of the main features of the HDC SD10. Although normally you get distorted pictures when zoomed to this extent, this camera, as we already discussed above, has the OIS or the Optical Image Stabilisation feature that stabilises the pictures in order to reduce blurring and distortion to the maximum extent. The unique feature of this lens is that it can identify hand shaking about 4000 times a second and immediately minimises the effect. Hence, you almost get a continuous smooth picture with very slight blurring. It is also comfortable to record videos when you are in motion so that your movement is also minimised. Coming to the details of the camera, the luminosity levels are good, at 1400 lx. The focus is automatic although you can adjust it manually. There is an array of shutter speeds that alter the image quality and they can be set manually according to the shooting conditions. The HDC-SD10 Flash Memory Camcorder also features Backlight compensation so that your picture quality does not degrade much even in poor lighting conditions. This feature is also both automatic and manual.

Lens:
The lens is the next most important aspect of a camcorder, after the camera itself. Regarding the lens of the HDC SD10, it is one of the better ones you will find in the market. You see pretty good numbers and statistics when you look at this lens. The F value of the lens ranges from 1.8 (wide) to 2.8 (tele). The filter diameter is about 30.5 mm. The lens also allows digital zooming of the images up to 1000 x. The focal length of the lens ranges from 2.95 mm to 47.2 mm. You can film videos of 35mm camera equivalent with 16:9 ratios with the Panasonic HDC SD10. Coming to the image sensor that is featured here, there is a 1/6” MOS of 1.47 megapixels. Effective pixels are also featured in addition to this in order to enhance the quality of the camera. For still images and also for motion images, it is about 1.17 megapixels.

Video Performance:
With such a good camera, you would expect fine video performance from the Panasonic HDC SD10. Apart from the usual video recording technology that you will see everywhere, Panasonic tried some new features in order to make the videos look better on the HDC SD10. The most important of them is the HD Advanced Pure Colour Engine. This very new feature enables a wider tonal expression and also high speed video processing. This is possible due to the impression of advanced imaging and printing circuitry which you will normally find inside the professional cameras. This very advanced new imaging engine handles large volumes of data at a time and also prevents blown images and blocked shadows, which cause minor problems otherwise. Hence the images look so real and as they are in real life and therefore you have great video performance with the HDC SD 10.

Audio Performance:
In general, the audio recording performance of this cam is good. But an important feature here is the Stereo Zoom Microphone. This means that the microphone of the cam is linked to the lens action. This means that the sound effects are changes subject to the changes in the zoom level. If the picture zoom level is normal, then the sound is also normal and all the sounds that are emitted during capturing are recorded as they are. But if the camera is zoomed to a particular subject, then the sounds that are emitted from that particular subject are recorded in detail when compared to the other sounds. This is just like the 3D effect and it definitely looks great. The overall audio performance is good and one of the better ones we have tested.

System Requirements:
The system requirements for the compatibility of the HDC SD10 are: An operating system that is either of Microsoft Windows XP (service packs 2 and 3) and Microsoft Windows Vista (service pack 1). The Mac version is also available in selective regions. The CPU must be Intel Pentium III or higher, with 1.0 GHz.

Miscellaneous:

The miscellaneous performance aspects include the Digital Camera Mode that allows you to shoot pictures at 1080p and at 25 frames per second. Then there is the progressive scanning procedure that makes sure that you get movie like videos. The soft skin mode detects the skin tones of people to the most intricate detail and gives you pictures that are very natural. The Magic Pix and the Tele Macro options allow sharp focussing even in poor lighting conditions. Then there is the High Speed Burst shooting feature that allows you to split videos into fifty parts or frames per second. This is good splitting by any standards and is one of the add-ons to the HDC SD10 compact Video Camcorder. There are also different scene modes that make the scenes more natural. These are namely: Sports, Low, Portrait, Surf and Snow, Spot Light, Sunset, scenery, fireworks and beach. These will be selected by the camcorder automatically.

Package contents:

Along with the Panasonic camcorder, you are provided with other hardware that consists of an AC adaptor, an AC cable, a DC cable, a rechargeable battery pack, a video component cable, an AV cable, a USB cable, a stylus pen, and the included software (HD writer AE 1.5). These are only minimal accessories and if any others are needed, you need to buy them separately from the stores. But in most of the cases, these are more than enough.

Battery:

The 725 mAh Lithium ion battery gives you a very good battery life of about an hour and twenty minutes. This is also above the normal ratings for the battery life of such camcorders. This battery is rechargeable. There is also a rechargeable battery pack available in the kit along with the camcorder. Normally this suffices your needs but it is better if you have a reserve battery with you all the time.

Warranty:

There is a twelve month international warranty when it comes to the parts as well as the labour. You can get the repairs done in any of the Panasonic Help centres around the world. This helps you a lot if your cam does not work properly in your holiday as you can get it fixed anywhere in the world.

Verdict:

The Panasonic HDC SD10 Digital Camcorder has popped up suddenly into the camcorder market leading to the surprise of many. It has one of the better designs in the world and is certainly good for students as well as the novice users equally. The display screen is very big for such a camcorder and it is nice to see it work very well. The HDC SD10 also included some very unique and interesting features and will certainly be of very good use to all. The camcorder performed really well and it passed various tests quite comfortably. The flexibility and customisability are two of the very best features of the HDC SD10. The flexibility shown in the warranty service is commendable. The cost of this cam is also pretty reasonable to all. It is good to see such a fine camcorder for such a reasonable rate. All in all, this is a good choice for almost anyone, from students to the professionals.

Check other Latest Panasonic Camcorder Reviews, best High Definition Camcorders in this website.


Panasonic HDC-SD10 Camcorder – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Panasonic
Model Name	Panasonic HDC SD10
Model Number	HDC SD10
Camcorder type	Mini, HD Camcorder
Dimensions (W x D x H)	47.5 x 63.0 x 114.5 mm
Weight	227 grams
Colour	Black and Maroon
Display	2.7-inch TFT LCD
Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Still Picture Mode	Yes
Still Recording format	JPEG
Video Recording Mode	HA (17Mbps / VBR), (1920 x 1080) / HG (13Mbps / VBR), (1920 x 1080) / HX (9Mbps / VBR), (1920 x 1080) / HE (6Mbps / VBR) and (1440 x 1080)
Image Sensor	CMOS
Lens (focusing)	Optical auto focus
Optical Zoom	Up to 16x
Digital Zoom	40x – 1000x
F Value	F1.8 (Wide) / 2.8(Tele)
Standard Illumination	1400 lx
Minimum Illumination	9lx (1/25 low light mode) 1lx (colour night view mode)
Exposure control	Auto
Focus	Auto and Manual
White Balance	Auto, Indoor 1, Indoor 2, Sunny, Cloudy and White set
Video compression format	MP4,avi
Face Detection	Yes
Shutter type	Electronic
Frame rate	25 fps
Media Card Slot available	Yes (SD Memory card)
Image stabilization	Optical Image Stabilization
Audio input	Microphone
AV out	HDMI component-out and normal
Speaker	Yes (Dolby Digital)
Digital voice recorder	Yes
MP3 player	No
TV playback	Yes
Self timer	Yes
Quick Start	Yes
PC interface	USB 2.0
Power adaptor	Yes
Accessories	USB Cable, software, Rechargeable battery pack, A/V connecting cable, component A/V cable.
Battery	Li-ion rechargeable battery
Warranty	One Year

Imagine you are on a picnic to the countryside along with your family or you are celebrating your birthday party with your family and friends. You have everything prepared for the well awaited occasion and you have not missed even a single friend or relative of yours and everything is going on very well. But for sure, you notice that you do not have the opportunity of capturing all your happy moments and the gorgeous times you have spent. You do feel like having a stunning camcorder with you in the same situation. Don’t you? If you feel the same, then this is the right place for you to check out all the latest camcorders in the market and select the one that suits you the best.

The camcorders are the most popular and the most ornamented electronic gadgets among the commons. Technology has been subservient in completely changing the prospect of everything that suffices your daily round. The camcorders are not an exception to this. With the daily advancements in electronic technology, everything is becoming slimmer and slimmer day by day. This particular aspect of miniaturization has made all the gadgets, including the camcorders, very portable and stylish. New models and features are being introduced every now and then and all the prime producers of electronic goods in the world have embarked on providing a variety of camcorders and each one of them is unique in its own terms. But out of all of them, Sony has the proud privilege of being right at the top. Its camcorders, just like its other products, have been of the finest quality. It has recently released a new series of its camcorders, which includes the Sony Bloggie MHS-CM5 Camcorder. It has in it all the style in the world and also the features that will suit just about everyone. Here is a detailed analysis of this new cam from Sony.

Design:

Not Pocket Friendly:

When you look at the Bloggie MHS for the first time, you will be under the impression that it is quite large for a modern camcorder. It measures about (W x D x H)39 x 101 x 67 mm. This is enough to show that it is a tad bigger than normal. It weighs about 6.9 ounces. So, considering these measurements, it can easily be said that you cannot fit this camcorder into your pocket. Except this, the remaining part of the design is absolutely perfect for a camcorder. The candy bar style of the camcorder is very cute looking and it is also quite comfortable to hold in one hand. Its stylish looks add to its beauty. The very look of it is quite cool and at the same time it has a professional look too.

Buttons and Controls:

All the main controls are placed at a very intuitively, at the top of the cam so that you can approach them with your thumb. This arrangement reduces the need to use two hands while filming as that leads to the shaking of the camera. There is a slot for the tripod stand at the bottom. This stand comes in handy when you need to mount the camera somewhere. The USB arm is also well placed so that the connection of the camera to a computer becomes a lot easier and also by doing this, you can forget about using wires for connections. The screen is also perfectly placed and on the whole, the design of the Bloggie MHS-CM5 HD Camcorder is nearly perfect and stylish.

Display:

The Sony Bloggie MHS-CM5 uses a 2.5 inch LCD screen. The screen is comparatively quite big and thus you can have a comfortable look at everything before you actually start filming. This 2.5 inch LCD screen can rotate up to angle of 270 degrees on its axis. This is of great help to you especially while you are filming yourself and also if you try new angles of filming in order to make your videos or pictures look somewhat special. The swiveling screens are quite common nowadays but there are few screens in the market that can rotate up to 270 degrees. You do not normally see that, do you?

Features:

Of late, there has been a great deal of features introduced by Sony. None of them were any inferior to the best features available out there. This time around, Sony has tried its luck by introducing some innovative features and tested if they could be of any help to the users. Although most of them were only add-ons to those of the previous camcorders, they came out to be good in the end.

Camera:

The Sony Bloggie MHS-CM5 has got one of the best cameras in the market. Its 5 MP camera helps you in giving literally crystal clear pictures. The pictures and the videos look great on the camera of the Bloggie MHS. The camera has CMOS sensor that sharpens the pictures. It has also got a 5x zoom facility and the image quality does not degrade much even in the zoom position. You almost get wonderful pictures and videos on this camera except when the outside light conditions are too poor and also when the photographer’s hands are a bit shaky. These are the main drawbacks of this otherwise magnificent camera. There has been a hue and cry among the users of the Bloggie regarding the above two factors that hinder the performance of the camera a bit.

Flash:

On one hand, the Bloggie MHS-CM5 HD camcorder does not have a built-in flash light to support the light intensity during poor light conditions. Although the camcorder adjusts itself the brightness levels according to the conditions, you would always want a flash light option which brightens the images a lot. On the other hand, as most of the users of the camcorders are not professionals in photography, it is quite natural that their hands tend to shake a bit while shooting. This is the reason why the new cameras have come with a feature that nullifies the shaking effect to give a more qualitative output. But this does not seem to be the case with the Bloggie MHS. Hence Sony has provided a tripod stand at the bottom of the camera in order to make it stand upright and hence to get better pictures, sans any blur. Another thing to notice is that there is no picture stabilization at 1080p.

HD Recording:

If you have always wanted high definition video recording from your camcorder, then the Sony Bloggie MHS is one of the best findings for you. Sony has always been following the latest video technologies. The video technology has taken new turns as the High Definition Video output has come into picture. This High Definition Technology gives you ultra crisp pictures with the highest quality. The HD videos look like the movies you see in the theatres. Exactly in the same manner, Sony has implemented the HD recording feature in the Bloggie MHS. You get ultra high quality pictures with the Bloggie. The Bloggie takes pictures with a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels, which is the best one you can expect from a camcorder of this type. It allows you to record the best moments of your life in the latest mp4 format, also known as the H.264. This new format, the mp4, helps you compress the videos and pictures taken by you and hence makes it easy for you to upload the files into your computer. Mp4 also proudly claims its capacity to meet the compatibility needs of most of the websites on the internet such as YouTube and PhotoBucket.

Face Detection:

This has been one of the most common but very important features of all. With the help of this very special technology, the camera of the Bloggie MHS identifies the faces of the people in the picture and then alters and optimizes the settings and picture options accordingly. It helps in making the faces of the people in the picture clearer than the other parts of it. The faces are also made quite sharp with the face detection technology. Another thing with this feature is that it makes the skin tones of people in the picture more natural. So, this new technology only adds up the pluses list of the Bloggie MHS.

Media Card Slot:

You always need some memory in the cam in order to save all the pictures clicked by you. So, you need a memory card. The Sony Bloggie MHS has proved its flexibility when it comes to the compatibility with the memory cards. It accepts as many as five types of memory cards that are available in the market. Memory Cards like the SD, SDHC, Memory Stick Duo, Memory Stick PRO Duo and Memory Stick PRO HD Duo are accepted by the Bloggie MHS. You can choose any one of these cards, with good memory. Sony sells these cards along with the cams for a separate price but you can also buy them separately from the stores.

Connectivity:
With the Bloggie MHS, you can easily connect it to your PC and the net. It comes with an in-built USB arm and it makes your connection easier. You do not need to search for cables for the purpose of charging or syncing, but instead all you need to do is just plug in the camcorder to the USB port of your computer using the USB arm. So now you can easily share the media files to your computer and then you can also easily upload them to the internet. This special connectivity feature is often not associated with the camcorders. You normally see this feature in small music players and other USB enabled devices. But all in all, this is a bit of a unique feature introduced by Sony and it is fine.

Easier Share:

With the Picture Motion Browser or the PMB feature that is pre installed in the Bloggie MHS, you can easily share your videos with friends and family. For this, the only thing you need to do is just pre-select the pictures and videos that you want to show to the world and then you can simply upload them to a compatible PC and then to a website like YouTube, without the requirement of any new software. Even though there are many camcorders that allow sharing of the pictures and the videos taken by you, nothing is as easier as on the Sony Bloggie MHS.

Multi AV Terminal:

Any camcorder must come with a terminal that connects to the television because after all, you would want to view the pictures that are filmed by you in a bigger frame and Sony has always allowed you to do so by providing an external terminal. There is the Multi AV terminal that is featured in the Bloggie MHS that allows you to easily connect your camcorder to your TV. A separate cable is provided for this and it has to be purchased from the stores separately.

Tripod Mount:

This is one of the unique features of the Bloggie MHS. As we have seen already, the camera needs perfect stability for you to get optimum picture quality. But then you cannot stand the cam on any kind of surface. Hence a separate Tripod mount is provided. This is situated at the bottom of the camcorder. It consists of nothing but three interlinked plastic sticks that are designed to just about bear the weight of the camcorder. So, the camera can now be made to stand on its own feet and it does not need anyone to hold while shooting. Due to this reason, this feature is so well appreciated and also well received by the users of the Bloggie MHS.

Dual Capture:

This is again a pretty good feature implemented by Sony in the Bloggie MHS. With this you can capture videos as well as photos simultaneously. This can be done by switching between the video and still pictures modes of the camera. So, with the press of a single button, you are in a position of capturing both the videos and photos. It is like the screenshot mode you will see in movie editors. You can screenshot the photos you want from the videos taken. There is a button at the top that toggles the functioning from still image capturing to video capturing. Dual Capture is the order of the day when you have the Bloggie MHS in your hand.

Miscellaneous:

The MHS-CM5 Digital Video camcorder can be switched on instantly by just opening the LCD screen. There is no need of searching for a button to switch the cam on and also to wait for a while for the cam to start working. Immediately after you open the LCD screen, the cam starts working. There is also an option for the display of multiple languages on the screen. Regarding the photos, there is an auto white balance mode to automatically retouch the photos and the slide show mode allows you to watch all the pictures in the slide show mode. There is also the Steadyshot Image Stabilization feature that stabilizes the photos and videos and hence gets you very candid pictures. Great options for you to explore on!

These are precisely all the important features that you will see on the Bloggie MHS-CM5. They are not only unique in their own terms but they are also quite useful for daily usage. They are also so user friendly that even the novice users can get used to them very quickly. Altogether, they are very good, both in number and in terms of utility.

Performance:

This is considered as the most important facet of any electronic gadget. Particularly, when it comes to the camcorders, the first thing you will look for is the way the camcorder performs. You always tend to expect the best performance from Sony, owing to the reputation it has earned over the years. This time too, it has not disappointed in any aspect and it seems that Sony has not compromised at all in any aspect of the Bloggie MHS. Sony has also proved once again that you do not need to compromise on the aspect of the performance of the camcorder if there are many features and options. We have discussed all the features and options that you will see in the Sony Bloggie MHS camcorder and it certainly promises to give a good performance. Here is a glimpse of the performance details of the Bloggie MHS.

Video Performance:

As discussed earlier, the camera of the Bloggie MHS is pretty good and hence you get good videos off it. It has got some of the characteristics that are required to give meticulous pictures. A 35 mm equivalent lens that has a wide range of 41 – 205 mm at 16:9 and 38 – 190 mm at 4:3, an aperture of 3.3 f and a focal distance ranging from 6.3 mm to 31.5 mm, all of them are instrumental in producing quality videos. Although the optical focus is only 5x, the digital zoom allows zooming up to 20x times larger. Even these highly zoomed images do not considerably lose their quality. The Auto Focus option automatically focuses on to the objects and the focal length of the lens is automatically changed accordingly. The shutter speed ranges from 1/ 15 to 1/4000. Added to all of these, a resolution of 5038 K only makes the video output better.

Audio Performance:

The audio performance of camcorders from Sony is generally good. Same is the case with the Bloggie MHS. There is a built-in microphone inside the cam and this one is of good quality. The sounds are recorded very well with good precision. The recording format is mono. This is a bit of a concern as there is no stereo type of audio recording. Generally, the stereo type gives you better quality sound when compared to the mono type. But nevertheless the audio on the Bloggie MHS is good enough to complement its video.

Considering these two and also the other sundry aspects of performance, it is more than reasonable. Although there have been a few problems in the past regarding the performance of the camcorders from Sony, this time around the problems are few and far between.

Software:

The Bloggie MHS comes with some software that helps it function better. The PMB or the Picture Motion Browser is a tool to help you share your pictures with the world. There is an embedded version of this browser in the camcorder, but Sony also provides a CD ROM that contains this software of a different version that is compatible with the PC. You need to install this software in your computer if you want to transfer the media to the websites on the internet.

Even though Sony has been trying to provide software that do not pose any problems, there has always been some complaint or the other regarding the aspect of software. Even the Bloggie MHS is accused if these software problems and many users have expressed this already. Sony has noticed them and we hope that these minor problems will be corrected soon.

System Requirements:

To sync your camcorder with your PC, the system requirements are as follows: An operating system that is either of Microsoft Windows 7, Windows XP (service pack 3), Windows Vista (service pack 2) and Mac OS X (version 10.4 to version 10.6). Other operating systems are not supported. You must also be connected to the internet if you would like to upload your photos and videos to the websites on the internet like YouTube and PhotoBucket.

Battery:

The battery is lithium ion type as usual, but the thing is these batteries are of a new type and they stay for longer time. Sony has stated that it has integrated even its batteries in a view to enhance the battery life of its camcorders. These new batteries support uninterrupted video recording for a period of 105 minutes. This is comparatively very high for a battery life. When you see the other cams in the market that come with the conventional battery system, you will notice that they only stay for a period of sixty to seventy minutes. So, this is definitely going to be a plus to the Bloggie MHS-CM5.

But the major drawback of the Bloggie MHS regarding its battery and charging is that it can only be charged by connecting to the computer through the USB arm. There is no other alternative as Sony has not provided an external charger along with the device. This may cost a lot to the users and they will certainly be in straits if they are away from home and their battery is over. So, in that case, the users are advised to have at least one more fully charged reserve battery in order to comfortably record videos without ever being bothered of the battery life.

Warranty Details:

Sony offers warranty to the Bloggie MHS against any defects in the workmanship or the material. Consistent to the warranty details given below, Sony will either repair the product or replace it with a new piece. There are two warranties for the Bloggie MHS-CM5.

The first one is the parts warranty. This constitutes the hardware package included in the device. This is provided for a period of one year from the original date of purchase. This warranty does not cover the technical assistance for the repairing of the parts and there is also no warranty for the software contents whether or not included in the device. If at all the hardware components are damaged genuinely, then Sony will provide renovate the defected parts with new ones. The other one is the labor warranty. This is active for a period of ninety days. The same conditions explained above will be applicable here too.

To obtain warranty, you must either take it to the service center or send the whole device to the service centers with the same packaging conditions. A receipt is to be produced to avail the offer of warranty.

Verdict:

The Sony Bloggie MHS-CM5 is a cool camcorder to have, particularly if you are a novice user and you do not use it too often. It is quite good and suitable for home video shooting. Its design is pretty good though it is a tad bigger in size for a pocket camcorder. The LCD screen is big enough for comfortable viewing. Its features are very interesting and are also quite good in number. The camera, in particular, is very impressive. The performance of the Bloggie MHS is good enough for novice users, although not that great for the professional photographers.

Coming to the negative aspects, the battery charging facility is a bit disappointing. The picture stabilization option is not that effective and even if this option is switched on, the pictures are blurred if there is movement while recording. There are also few complaints regarding the software compatibilities of the device and we expect Sony to correct them in the near future. But anyways, no camcorder is perfect and everything has some negative aspects. This camcorder looks good in the hands of novice users and particularly the young.

Check other Sony Camcorder Reviews, Ratings in this website.

Sony Bloggie MHS-CM5 – Technical Specification Table

Manufacturer	Sony
Model Name	Bloggie MHS
Model Number	MHS-CM5/V
Camcorder type	Mini, HD Camcorder
Dimensions (W x D x H)	39 x 101 x 67 mm
Weight	6.9 ounces (196 grams)
Colour	Black
Monitor	2.5-inch TFT LCD
Video Resolution	1920 x 1080
Still Picture Resolution	5038 K
Image Sensor	CMOS 5 MP
Lens (focusing)	Optical auto focus
Zoom	Yes, Up to 20x
Exposure control	Auto
Video compression format	MP4
Face Detection	Yes
Shutter type	Electronic
Frame rate	30 fps
Media Card Slot available	Yes (SD/SDHC/Memory Stick Duo/Memory Stick Pro Duo)
Image stabilization	Steadyshot Image Stabilization
Audio input	Microphone
AV out	HDMI component-out and normal
Speaker	Yes (mono)
Digital voice recorder	Yes
MP3 player	No
TV playback	Yes
Self timer	Yes
Quick Start	Yes
PC interface	USB arm
Power adaptor	USB arm
Accessories	USB Cable, PMB software, Rechargeable battery pack, wrist strap, A/V connecting cable, component A/V cable
Battery	Li-ion rechargeable battery
Warranty	One Year