Sony HDR-TG3

The basics

Sony HDR -TG3 is a High Definition camcorder with a hefty 4 GB memory. With a space that big, its enough to store 30 minutes of recorded footage at full HD quality. This is reputably the smallest camcorder that has been launched by Sony. It measures 63x32x132mm and weighs at 240g.

The good

Carved from a block of ultra-light, ultra-tough titanium, the TG3 nestles confidently in your hand like a piece of dangerous military hardware. Build quality is exceptional, from the machined metal zoom rocker and crystal-clear 2.7-inch touchscreen to the pristine 10x Carl Zeiss optics (complete with bright f/1.8 maximum aperture). The interface is simple but hides powerful features like manual focus, face detection, telemacro and exposure tweaks. Above all, the 1080i footage is gloriously rich, sharp and jerk-free, especially at its top 16Mbps bit-rate. It’s perfectly complemented by an in-camera Dolby 5.1 surround sound mix.

The bad

Left-handers might not enjoy the flip-out screen, there’s no HDMI cable in the box and battery life is as skinny as the TG3’s waistline. Video purists might also sniff at the lack of progressive and cinema (24fps) recording.

The bottom line

Many HD camcorders are well made, easy to use and produce good footage, but none rival the TG3 as a pure object of desire. It ain’t perfect, but then neither is the iPod. A miniature marvel.