Sony DCR-IP5

Sony has absitively that acknowledging two agenda customer formats (MiniDV and Digital8), one added than any added camcorder manufacturer, isn't enough. Sony's best recent entries into the camcorder bazaar are the IP alternation is the MicroMV format. Sony's $1,299 DCR-IP5 Network Handycam is a matchbox, accumbent camcorder, recording MPEG-2 assimilate the fresh MicroMV cassettes.

The IP5 has a 680K pixel CCD, recording 500 curve of resolution. About the CCD absolutely annal alone 380K pixels. The camcorder includes a 10x optical, 120x agenda zoom. The camcorder does not accommodate a headphone jack, or a mic ascribe jack. The minimum lux is rated at 7. The camcorder weighs 12 oz, and is 1 7/8 in. wide, 4 in. tall, and 3 1/8 in. long.

The IP5 is a tiny camcorder, advised for users who are attractive for an ultra-compact. The camcorder is thin, with the LCD awning on the larboard and the array backpack on the right. The 2.5 in. LCD swivels so you can blur yourself, about clashing best camcorders, the LCD awning folds up and out (from the top of the camcorder), instead of out and up (from the ancillary of the camcorder). Next to the battery, abutting to the advanced of the camcorder, are in / out ports, including: USB, MicroMV's appropriate FireWire (more on this later), Composite (using Sony's mini-connector), and the DC Ability connector.

The LCD screen can swivel out, turn around and fold back against the side of the camcorder to face out. The LCD screen is also touch sensitive, and it is used to navigate menus and options in the camcorder.

Above the LCD is a very small zoom controller and a record button. In the back of the camcorder is a color viewfinder, which has to be pulled back in order to be used. The power switch, which switches the camcorder from video recording, to VCR mode, to Network / Memory Stick mode, to off. Located in the back is also a tape eject button. The Microphone is located on the top of the camcorder towards the back. This is really problematic because chances are you will touch the microphone with your hands while you are recording, creating unnecessary background noise.

The camcorder comes with Movieshaker, Sony's consumer video editing software. Although the camcorder uses Firewire, it's not compatible with existing Firewire. The camcorder can connect to computers using existing Firewire ports, but only Sony's Movieshaker software can recognize the software. Existing video capture programs are not able to record the special MicroMV Firewire. The MicroMV Firewire also can not transfer video to and from existing Firewire camcorders and decks.

The MicroMV format records MPEG-2 video, and can hold one hour of video. Digital8 and MiniDV camcorders afford 25 MegaBits per second for video, whereas MicroMV only uses 12 MegaBits per second. The MicroMV tapes include 64KB of Memory for storing index information about the contents of the tape.

The DCR-IP5 is small, small enough to fit in your pocket. The camcorder is designed more for the casual user who is not interested in shooting quality video. The camcorder is so small its hard to shoot stable video with it, and it feels awkward on a tripod. No microphone in or headphone jacks coupled with the top mounted mic means audio is pretty much out of your control. The video quality is certainly lower quality than existing digital camcorders. The camcorder seems more than a gadget than a true "memory recording device". I wouldn't recommend this camcorder with such a high price tag of $1,299 unless you need an ultra small camcorder for some specific reason, like spying. Chances are if you need a camcorder this small, you're going to be using it for some super shady activity that you shouldn't be doing in the first. There are other small camcorders available that shoot on MiniDV at higher quality with more features and at a less price. In the end, the DCR-IP5 is a gadget that I wouldn't recommend.