Techie
5:41 PM | Wednesday | 31 March 2020

Better late than never, as some may say, and that's exactly what Sony had done with its first entry in the pocket camcorder field: the Bloggie MHS-PM5K. With a lens attachment for 360-degree filming, it lets you experience a new way of making videos that's sure to spin you around, literally.

A compact HD camcorder with a pop-out USB for easy uploading of videos online isn't new to the market ('memba the Flip?). What sets the Bloggie apart is the many features Sony put in it to make up for lost time, the coolest of which is the aforementioned lens attachment.

It's loads of fun – mind-blowing even – especially if you can convert it to a panoramic strip using the embedded software in the camera. Yes, that's another good thing there. It has a built-in software, so you can just plug and share your photos and videos on Picasa with just one click. YouTube and Facebook compatibility will soon be available, so you may want to hold off until then. Click here to view the sample video.

If you're not sold on the lens, however, you can always use the ordinary 270-degree rotating lens. Its unique mount allows for idiot-proof self-filming, as it can "flip" the lens to your direction. 

Not enough to convince you? Here's a shocker: The Bloggie is a Sony-made gadget that accepts generic SD/SDHC memory cards! As if the 4GB Memory Stick Pro Duo that's included in the box isn't enough already.

It's not all good for the Bloggie, though. First off, the LCD screen is one huge letdown. The viewing angle has to be straight on if you want to see what's on the display clearly, which begs the question "why"? It's a gadget that's made for sharing. What good is a large screen if you're the only one who can see it? And for Mr. Butterfingers, a week with the Bloggie can make it look like a year-old gadget due to its softer-than-usual surface.

The zoom feature is rendered useless when you capture videos in 1080p HD. It's just not there. It's active on the next best mode (720p), but once you use it, video quality plummets down to VGA-ish level. That's digital zoom for ya! There's also the anti-shake function which is disappointing, to say the least, especially in low-light situations.

But the biggest gripe we have with the Bloggie is that there's no HDMI output. That's something Sony could have done to really give its competitors a big "up yours."

For now, though, you should be happy with the fact that the Bloggie is easy to use and that it lets you use cheap memory modules. For this little camcorder, it already fits its purpose to get you started with your dreams of becoming a famous blogger-slash-citizen journalist. For Hayden Kho wannabes, however, this may not be the gadget for you.

Click here to see the Sony Bloggie MHS-PM5K in the Buyer's Guide.