Sony Handycam HDR-TG1 Camcorder Review
Tiny, Pocketable, HD Camcorder for Travel
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By James Martin, About.com
Just what is the Sony Handycam HDR-TG1 Camcorder?
The HDR-TG1 Camcorder records 1920 x 1080, 1080i high definition digital video on Sony Memory Sticks. The body is compact and durable; it's made from titanium so it should take some pretty hard knocks. The camera features image stabilization, a Carl Zeiss 10x Vario-Tessar lens, Dual Record and Quick On functions. It takes 4 mp still photographs as well as video.I've been able to use a HDR-TG1 for a little over a week. After getting it out of the box and recharging the proprietary batter in the camcorder's cradle, I went out and made my first videos. That's right, I didn't read the manual because, well, you probably don't wade through those things either.
In short, I found the camcorder very easy to use. Flip out the viewer, and the camera turns itself on. The rest is up to your thumb, as the whole unit pretty much depends on your thumb for controlling the on/off and zoom functions.
The Sony HDR-TG1 Camcorder in Operation
In my hands the camera felt a little odd. The camcorder is pretty much a rectangular box with rounded corners; no attention has been given to molding it to a user's typical hand. It's like shooting a spy movie from a tin candy box in which the contents has been removed and replaced with camcorder electronics.
That said, it wasn't uncomfortable to operate either. Once the viewing screen is swung into position where you can see it and your thumb is resting comfortably on the zoom control as in the picture, you're ready to roll.
You press lightly on the start/stop button in the center of the zoom control to start the filming. Then you roll your thumb off the button onto the track that makes the zoom go in or out. It takes a little getting used to, but once you learn to just nudge the control ever so lightly, the zoom slowly zooms in the direction you've requested, stopping when you remove the pressure on the zoom ring. Go too fast and the zoom becomes disorienting. (The camera will zoom like greased lightening, but it's not what you want unless you provide air sickness bags to your viewers.)
The sound that's being recorded is quite good, especially when the sounds originate near the camcorder. Sony claims 5.1 Dolby Digital Surround Sound from the internal mic on the camcorder. There is no provision for an external microphone.
What's in This Camcorder for the Traveler?
Sony HDR-TG1 is the smallest camcorder on the market right now. It fits in a shirt pocket, although you'll have to make sure it's still staunchly sewn; this is a pretty heavy piece of kit for its diminutive size.Compactness (along with the sturdy build) is enough to recommend the Sony for a traveler who doesn't mind spending a bit for a compact camcorder that will fill a HD television with some very nice video.
The image stabilization made my movies seem pretty darn professional, even as I was learning how to zoom without moving the camera. The results aren't the same as using a tripod, of course, but they are impressive. (The width and resolution of HD makes image stabilization even more important on HD camcorders than standard ones.)
Another feature I liked was the "quick on" function. Travelers are often wowed by something that requires immediate action--just getting the camcorder out of the pocket and twisting the viewer into position makes the Sony ready to shoot in the shortest possible time--making those grab shots a definite possibility.
The exposure of my videos was spot on. Focus was good as well.
I liked playing with the HDR-TG1 Camcorder quite a bit. When I look at the videos on my television, I can tell I'm not Federico Fellini, but I also can't blame it on the camcorder. Maybe if they allowed me to play with this thing for a couple more weeks in Rome with the beautiful people...
Bottom Line: Sony Handycam HDR-TG1 Camcorder as a Travel Camcorder
So, is this camcorder right for me, a journalist who travels half the year and relies on visuals to tell a travel story quite often?
Here's what I'd miss: A microphone jack for an external microphone for interviews and such. I understand not putting one on a $300 dollar camcorder, but the Sony costs more than twice that...
And this: the output of the HDR-TG1 is something called AVCHD, a joint Panasonic and Sony format. The camcorder comes with a reader, Picture Motion Browser 3 so you can see your videos on a modern computer or convert them to highly compressed mpeg2 or .wmv files, but it's likely that you'll have to purchase software like Corel Ulead VideoStudio 11 to do more than minimal editing, or to overlay voice and music. Once they're converted to mpeg2, you can edit them with Adobe Premiere Elements, but the output is quite visibly compressed--or maybe I was spoiled seeing the original hd format on my monitor.
Mac folks have it easier, as iMovie'08 or the latest version of Final Cut Express will itself convert the AVCHD for editing in quicktime format.
As I was writing this, I noticed that an update for Picture Motion Browser 3 was available that included "Images can be uploaded from PMB to a photo/video sharing website." I didn't try to install this update.
Yep, put a mic jack in it and make it easy to edit video and you'd have me grabbing for my credit card while giving the Sony HDR-TG1 five of those stars.
But still, the HDR-TG1 belongs in your pocket if you're hot to do travel video and can't stand the thought of bringing along a bigger and heavier camera.
