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	Sony DCR-IP55 MICROMV Network Handycam Sony ( ) Electronics Our Price : £ 1,120.27 Prices subject to change. This item is not in stock or has been discontinued.

Truly stunning box of tricks from Sony

Its not often that I get so enthusiastic about technology but this new camcorder from Sony is awesome. So small that you can carry it in your pocket but with a cunning fold-down handle that makes the camera slightly reminiscent of the clunky devices we used to use for home movies and a great little screen that is a delight to use even with my ageing eyes. Most features are accessible via this touch-sensitive screen. The results are impressive, too, with DVD-standard output. And to think it is also a digital stills camera as well. Only problem so far is that the video tapes are very very small and prone to getting mislaid.

This is a Pocket Camcorder

This is a very small camcorder, packing a load of features - its only slightly larger than a disposable camera. It has the usual features, and some gimmicks too. This baby can let you read your email and surf the web (provided you have a bluetooth-enabled phone). Seriously, its supposed to allow you to email (and save to a dedicated web-site) your videos. Annoyingly, you cannot use the Bluetooth facility for anything else. It records to MicroMV casettes, using MPEG2 compression. This is both a good thing and a bad thing. On the plus side, its a breeze to transfer the MPEG2 video to your PC (via USB or Firewire - or i.LINK as Sony like to call it), and the tapes are microscopic (you cant stick 2 postage stamps on top of one tape - youd smother it). The downside is that (at present) you can only use the bundled MovieShaker software to edit (easily, that is - its possible to flaff around and convert the video a few different ways, but it takes time). Assuming that Sony sticks with MicroMV, itll start appearing as a format on Video editors soon. Also, the MemoryStick can also be used to record video and stills. The camcorder even has a popup flash (which caught me out the first time - Im not one for reading a manual).