The market for these compact and easy-to-use Mobile Snap camcorders was pioneered by the revolutionary Flip camera and caught other brands on the hop somewhat. However, despite their subsequently rushing out with comparable products it’s still an uncertain market – which perhaps explains why neither Panasonic nor Canon have bothered with it at all. So, will Sony’s latest multi-coloured “bloggie” range fare any better?

Sony MHS-PM5 Bloggie HD Camcorder (Pink) in use

Mobile HD in a Snap: record yourself on the move with the Sony MHS-PM5 "bloggie"

Sony reckons it’s all about capturing the moment: “It’s the spirit of fun, spontaneous still and video shooting and sharing that comes alive with the launch of bloggie – a fresh concept in style-conscious, premium quality Mobile HD Snap Cameras by Sony”. That’s their words, by the way.

In February the bloggie makes its European debut with two new models, both of which are designed to make it very easy to grab photos and video clips for quick, hassle-free sharing on the web.

Like the Flip models whose success they are undoubtedly attempting to emulate, they’ll slip effortlessly into a pocket or bag and be right there when you need to capture that all-important moment when out with the family or up to no good with one’s mates on a Friday night.

Full HD MPEG4 video with the MHS-PM5/PM5K and MHS-CM5

Colourful, light and easy to carry, bloggie (as Sony affectionately calls the devices) is clearly a spontaneous way to share memories, update a personal blog with a bit of HD video or post to social networking apps while travelling. Just point and shoot: then walk into any internet café, hook up bloggie and upload your life using the camera’s embedded PMB Portable software.

Sony MHS-PM5 Bloggie HD Camcorder (Blue) LCD Screen

Sony MHS-PM5 Bloggie HD Camcorder (Blue) Main panel

Both models are obviously designed with simplicity in mind; the MHS-PM5/PM5K and MHS-CM5 produce images of an effective resolution of 5MP (megapixels) in 1280×720/60p HD video resolution as well as offering Full HD 1920×1080/30p high definition. Note that this isn’t AVCHD; the video clips produced are primarily aimed at users who wish to upload their clips to online content sharing sites like YouTube, MySpace or Facebook so the fact that recordings are consistent with USA standards rather than European ones shouldn’t really matter too much.

However, with YouTube now facilitating 1920 x 1080p uploading, the Full HD option will attract a fair share of takers.

On-board SteadyShot image stabilisation cuts camera shake when you’re shooting handheld, and Face Detection will help to correctly resolve people’s facial characteristics – but note that these features are available only when shooting in the optional 720/30p shooting mode.

Styled in a choice of four colour finishes, the MHS-PM5/PM5K features a rotating lens that swivels 270 degrees to capture life from any angle: get down low, aim high or turn it around to record yourself.

The bright, high resolution 6.0cm LCD screen (pictured left) shows camera settings in the bottom half of the display while you’re shooting. When you want to see the results, turn bloggie horizontally and play back your clips and photos in landscape format.

The MHS-PM5K also includes a special 360-degree Video lens adaptor that lets you generate panoramic videos. To achieve this, users should slip on the adaptor and start shooting in 360 Video mode. According to Sony, bloggie captures panoramic video as specially encoded files that can be ‘unwrapped’ for PC viewing using supplied PMB software and the 360 Video Player application.

Sony MHS-CM5 Bloggie HD Camcorder (black) Front Close-up

Sony MHS-CM5 Bloggie showing built-in flip-away USB connector

Featuring a pistol grip vertical styling that many people will be familar with, the MHS-CM5 boasts a high-quality 5x optical zoom lens, plus a swivel 6.2cm LCD screen that flips out for comfortable shooting and viewing.

Connectivity

After shooting, both cameras can be linked directly to a Windows XP, Vista or Windows 7 PC or Apple Intel Mac using the built-in USB connector that tucks away into the camera’s body when not in use.

The embedded PMB Portable software launches automatically when bloggie is connected to the PC or Mac, allowing users to immediately view, select and upload clips to popular social apps and media sharing sites like Picasa and YouTube.

There’s no need to install any editing or file transfer software on the computer, making bloggie ideal for use in any internet café while travelling. Even an external charger isn’t necessary since the camera’s battery is automatically charged while it’s connected to a computer its USB plug.

The MHS-CM5 also sports an HDMI connector, enabling photos and Full HD clips to be viewed either on a Sony BRAVIA or other HD TV.

Upcoming Facebook content sharing update

The simple integration for sharing content on Facebook will also be available as a downloadable update to this software from April 2010 onwards. This complements the existing sharing capability with such sites as YouTube and Picasa Web Albums. With the new version, users will have the ability to share photos and videos on Facebook directly from PMB Portable software.

Availability

The bloggie MHS-PM5, MHS-PM5K and MHS-CM5 Mobile HD Snap Cameras are available from Feburary 2010.

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