When we first had a play with the Sony MHS-PM1 back at German gadget funfest IFA, we were bowled over by its look and feel. But now we’ve had a proper play, is it the Flip MinoHD beater we were led to believe? Or just a big name alternative without camcorder cajones? Read our complete Sony MHS-PM1 review now and find out.
One of the first things you’ll notice about the Sony MHS-PM1 is its rotating lens. It might seem a tad gimmicky but it really comes into its own when trying to get more from your shots than a basic straight-on image. Essentially it means you don’t need to point it at a rakish angle, just swivel it into position. It’s a small feature but one which really brings something to the budget camcorder party. Chuck in the fact you can hide the lens when not using it and you should avoid any nasty cracks or breaks if you leave it in your bag or, God forbid, drop it.
The interface on the Sony MHS-PM1 is well designed too, with an easy menu system letting you switch between video and stills, the latter of which shoot at an ample 5 megapixels. You’ll get better on a decent camera phone, but as it’s an added bonus, it’s hardly a deal breaker that they’re not first rate.
Read our Samsung HMX-U10 review now
However, video clips on the Sony MHS-PM1 could be better. Although they record in 1440×1080, they still appear a tad washy and could have better definition considering they’re supposed to be HD.
Also, the lack of an HDMI port means hooking it up to your TV is a pain. Usually Sony is great at tying up its gadgets with its Bravia line up, so we think this is actually a bit of a miss.
The biggest failing with the Sony MHS-PM1 however, is down to storage. The 12MB on board isn’t nearly enough and the price doesn’t include the Sony Memory Stick required. Being proprietary, these cost more and we’d rather SD was an option.
These issues aside, it is a breeze to use and feels great in the hand. In a fight to the death, we’d probably plump for the Toshiba Camileo S10 over the Sony MHS-PM1, although it does run it a close second.
