Overall, images are slightly soft compared with the video produced from competing models. The MHS-PM1 also doesn't adjust exposure or compensate for backlighting quickly enough, and the indoor white balance under various lights is visibly off the mark. We recommend you don't drop below the highest-quality video setting. On a more positive note, the sound is good, provided there's no wind, and the unit's small speaker plays with ample volume.
Still images are also okay. They're a small step up from what you'd get from a phone camera, but there's pronounced shutter lag. As you might expect, images are rather soft and noisy in low-light conditions.
Unlike the MinoHD, the camcorder's software -- the same one-size-fits-none product that ships with all of Sony's camcorders -- isn't bundled into the camera -- it comes on a separate CD. It's overly complex for this product and does annoying things such as persistently attempting to analyse and assimilate all the media files on your hard disk for its face- and smile-detection filtering and 'movie tracer', which lets you 'play back videos tracing the movement of your camera while you were recording the video'. Simple tasks like trimming video don't support an undo function. It does, however, support basic media organisation, with filtering and tagging, and video uploading is pretty simple once you figure out where to find it in the menus ('YouTube' isn't even a search term in the online manual).
The MHS-PM1 is compatible with Macs and PCs, although the Picture Motion Browser software only works with Windows PCs. If you have a Mac (or Windows PC for that matter), you can simply drag the video and still image files off the memory card and copy them to a folder on the desktop. Then you can upload them to sites such as YouTube, if you want.
Conclusion
Sony's Mobile HD Snap Camera MHS-PM1 has some good things going for it: an attractive design, expandable memory, a swivelling lens, and a rechargeable lithium-ion battery. But, despite offering 1080p, 30fps video capture, the quality falls short of that of competing models and you may find the annoying software and need for a Memory Stick Pro Duo to be drawbacks. It's not a bad mini camcorder -- it's just not a great one.
Additional editing by Charles Kloet
iPhone App 
Newsletters 
RSS Feeds 
Send Us Tips
User reviews1
Add your review
klw 24 July 2009
Good: small, lightweight, easy to carry, fun to use, produces quality video
Bad: Fixed focus lens - I can hardly believe this of Sony, mono sound, no optical zoom
Comment: This small, utra-lightweight camcorder/camera is one to drop into your pocket or bag, take everywhere you go and enjoy using.
Its small size means it can be comfortably stuffed into a pocket and with its rotating head the lens is protected when not in use while also forming a sleek and secure unit to carry around. An advantage of being so small and light is that you don't need to make a conscious effort to pack a bag to take it with you - therefore you're more likely to use it to catch and record moments you might otherwise miss.
Start-up is fast - just rotate the lens with your thumb; it's easy to hold and very simple to use - even for the complete novice. It has a full 'auto' mode so all you need to do is point it at the subject and press either the generously-sized 'Movie' or 'Photo' button and let the camera work out the best settings.
Strengths
HD resolution 1440 x 1080 - beats the ultra-compact camcorder competition
Dual function - HD camcorder and 5 megapixel camera
Very lightweight - lighter than my mobile phone!
Easy to carry
Unobtrusive - handy for discreet filming
Superior build quality - typical of Sony products
Rapid start-up
Very simple to use
Good battery life - about 90 minutes in my tests
Rotating lens - one of the best design features I've seen
Perfect lens for self-filming
Generous-sized video-filming and still photo buttons
Sensitive mic produces crisp sound
Good quality video footage
Low light mode is surprisingly good in buildings, but not for filming dark subjects eg caves or black pets
Accurate colour reproduction
Good white balance
Produces smooth video footage in a choice of three resolutions
MPEG-4 /AVCH.264 format produces smaller, more manageable files than other formats (eg MPEG-2)
An 8GB Memory Stick will hold nearly 3 hours of video in its highest resolution.
Good for filming your own action footage - could fasten it to bike handlebars or tuck it inside chest strap on rucksack
Easy video upload to YouTube at the press of a button
Perfect for blogging
Tripod socket
Weaknesses
Fixed focus lens
Digital zoom is very jerky and virtually unusable
1.8" monitor is small (but it's in proportion for a very small camcorder)
Tiny lens admits little light so low-light images can be soft and noisy (a problem common to all ultra compact cameras and camcorders)
Measly 12MB internal memory
Too few settings
No option to over-ride auto white balance
No video light
No flash
Mono sound
Uses Memory Stick Duo Pro - not SD/SDHC cards (my personal gripe)
Maximum length of a video clip is limited to 25 minutes. Why?
Digital zoom button feels upside-down (pressing down to zoom in telephoto feels wrong; it should be the other way around!)
No image stabiliser
Can't take still photos while using video (unlike Sanyo camcorders)
Overpriced??
I've used lots of camcorders and cameras and I've always felt that Sony produce crisper, clearer images with less noise and smoother video than probably all brands of competing models in their class - and this little gem is no exception in producing very usable video footage in up to 1440 x 1080 resolution and still images with good colour reproduction at up to 5 megapixels.
The white balance on mini camcorders often struggles producing a noticeable grey, blue or even mild sepia cast on footage and whites (eg white clothing) can 'blow' into an over-exposed mass losing all detail. Sony outperforms these with a reliable white balance although it can struggle with dim flourescent lighting and produce a greenish-yellow tinge. It's clearly invalid to directly compare this MHS-PM1 with the full-size HD camcorders at more than twice the size, weight and price - it can't match these, but the general perfomance in terms of sound quality, light sensitivity, white balance and colour accuracy on the MHS-PM1 is unmatched by the other simple point-and-shoot camcorders in its class such as the 'Flip' range of camcorders.
Unti
See all user reviews