Sony Bloggie Touch Review
Flip Video may have been the first out of the gate with a touchscreen pocket video camera, but Kodak, Samsung, JVC and now Sony have followed — all with more compelling packages than Flip’s offering.
Sony’s new Bloggie Touch features a snappy 3-inch touchscreen LCD, an f/2.8 lens with auto macro, and full HD 1080p resolution recording at 30 frames per second.
There’s also electronic image stabilisation and 4x digital zoom. The lens is 37mm, which isn’t particularly wide. Inside is Sony’s Exmor CMOS sensor capable of taking still images at 12.8 megapixels. Most of the controls are on the touchscreen itself, but thankfully Sony has relegated the recording button to a physical one just below the screen. There’s also a mini-HDMI port on the side.
Though the Bloggie Touch has two holes on top, it doesn’t mean there is a stereo mic; audio is mono recorded in MP4 AAC format. There are no headphone or mic jacks, either.
The Bloggie Touch has a brushed metal casing and is available in black, pink, silver and blue versions. Unlike overseas markets, which will get two different capacity versions of the device (4GB and 8GB), Australian consumers will only get the 8GB model for AU$299. The battery is charged by the flip-out USB connector and is supposed to be capable of recording 110 hours of continuous video. All software and manuals are embedded in the Bloggie’s memory.
The whole thing is a refreshing break from the presentation we’re used to seeing from large manufacturers.
Sony Bloggie Touch Specifications :
Battery
Battery type(s) – Lithium ion
Camera
Optical sensor – CMOS
Focal Length – 37 mm
LCD screen size – 3 inch
Digital Zoom – 4 x
Video camera format – Hard Disk
Connectivity
Connection types – HDMI, USB
General
Dimensions (W x D x H) – 52 x 15 x 107 mm
Weight – 125 g
Image Capture
Digital still shots – Yes
Lens Aperture – f/2.8
Image stabilisation – Electronic
Sensor Resolution – 12.8 megapixels
Sound
Built-in microphone – Yes
Storage
Internal memory – 8000 MB
Video
Video capture format(s) – MPEG-4
Video capture resolution – 1920 x 1280
Via CNET
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4 Comments
I just bought one. The video quality is superb. Love it!
Piece of shit camera! Deletes all my videos and pictures out of nowhere, i had so much stuff on there
Auto focus takes about 5 or sometimes even 10 seconds. Otherwise, great video quality. If you upload the video on the youtube, you will have the option of 720p and 1080p. But auto focus is real trouble. On the plus side it has great macro recording ability. It can focus as near as 3.5 inch without using the zoom.
Indeed, the Flip style camcorders, including this Sony, all perform better than any camcorder function in a cell phone. It offers a higher resolution, more capability, and ease of use over an iPhone. But to address some other comments, I need to remind prospective users that specs are one thing and actual performance is another. While this and other small camcorders may record 1080p, this doesn't mean it will create an image equal to more capable recorders. In reality, a 720p consumer handheld will show better. A professional SD camera at 480i will outperform it. When buying such a recorder, you are buying convenience, small form factor, and ease-of-use. You get a competent little camera with a surprisingly good image. But don't fool yourself into believing you are getting what a more higher-grade camera such as a Sony CX-550 can deliver. And certainly, you aren't shooting with a pro grade camera despite its 1080p designation.