Sony HDR-TG1E | South China Morning Post
The launch of Sony's HDR-TG1E is a welcome addition to a category of gadgets that has so far been largely ignored by all vendors except Sanyo - the ultra-compact camcorder.
Like the pioneering Sanyo Xacti, the Sony HDR-TG1E is oriented vertically, offering the natural point-and-shoot ergonomics of a pistol, but is more compact at 32 x 119 x 63mm, which makes it only slightly longer and thicker than the Nokia N95.
When in use, a 2.7-inch display flips over for easy viewing of the subject. You can also access the menu through this touch-sensitive screen.
Like the latest Xactis, the TG1E supports full HD video at a maximum resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels.
The TG1E comes with Sony's ClearVid CMOS sensor, the same one used for the company's full-size camcorders, and incorporates a 10x optical zoom lens, face detection technology as well as a built-in zoom microphone with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, which now let you capture sound specific to the subject in zoom.
The TG1E also records still images with a maximum image resolution of 4 megapixels.
What the TG1E doesn't have is any built-in memory. You have to rely on Sony's Memory Stick PRO Duo cards to store video and images which, with a maximum storage capacity of 16GB, can be limiting as well as expensive.
The TG1E is expected to be available here later this year, but local importers may already have the model in stock. Online shops are offering it for about US$1,500.
Pros: ultra-compact, sleek design, full HD video, built-in zoom microphone
Cons: no built-in memory, costs the same as a full-size model offering 120GB of storage
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