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Sony HDR-TG1 Flash Memory Camcorder
 
Sensor: 1/5 in
Optical Zoom: 10 x
HD: Yes
 
#22
in Camcorders

Sony Handycam HDR-TG1
Camcorder Review

By Jeremy Stamas
Reviewed.com Editorial Staff
Published on October 07, 2008

The Sony HDR-TG1 ($899 MSRP) is a portable, full 1920 x 1080 high definition camcorder that records video and still images solely to MemoryStick cards. Its stylish design, with a refined two-tone color scheme and streamlined body, brings a unique look to the HD market. While by no means the world's smallest camcorder, the HDR-TG1 is one-third the weight and half the width of its big brother model, the Sony HDR-CX12. In an attempt to make an ultra-compact camcorder, Sony did have to make some sacrifices to the HDR-TG1—mainly in the areas of low-light performance, manual controls, and handling. It is, however, capable of producing some of the best images for a camcorder of its size.

The HDR-TG1 records in AVCHD format, which is the new standard for high definition camcorders. Although capable of producing glorious picture quality, AVCHD does have a downside if you are interested in editing your footage. Because AVCHD footage is so large, even performing minor tweaks and adjustments can be very taxing or even downright impossible—all depending on the potency of your computer. A weak desktop PC or a less than stellar laptop will result in numerous setbacks if you plan on venturing into the post-production phase.

Having a unique, upright design gives the HDR-TG1 its special look as well as creating a few handling issues that could bother some users. Most obvious is its lack of a hand strap—a feature that has been commonplace for years in the consumer camcorder market. No hand strap makes the camcorder more prone to drops and slips, as well as more difficult to grip. The other glaring weakness of the HDR-TG1 is its inability to stand upright on its own (unless the LCD screen is closed). This makes setting up shots of yourself with the whole family far more difficult than it should be.

Performance (read in-depth lab performance at CamcorderInfo.com)
With a relatively small 1/5-inch CMOS sensor (compared to the 1/3-inch sensor on Sony's HDR-CX12 and HDR-SR12) and an effective pixel count of 1,430,000 it was expected the HDR-TG1 would not be able to perform at the same level as its larger, traditionally shaped competitors. In our lab tests, however, the HDR-TG1 produced an impressive image—often coming close to matching the quality of the HDR-CX12 and HDR-SR12.

The HDR-TG1 was clearly a notch below the rest of the field when it came to sharpness. Even in bright light, none of its images had the crispness of the other Sonys or the comparable models from Canon or Panasonic. In low light, the HDR-TG1 also lagged behind. It produced a fuzzy image, a significant amount of noise, and didn't reproduce colors very accurately.

Comparisons (read in depth comparisons at CamcorderInfo.com)
The Sony HDR-TG1 is the current front runner of ultra-compact HD camcorders as it combines a powerful video performance with an extremely stylish design. Based on our tests, it was only slightly outperformed by the Sony HDR-CX12 and HDR-SR12, both of which have larger sensors and traditional body shapes.

If video performance is the most important to you, there are far better camcorders than the HDR-TG1. The Canon HF100, the Samsung SC-HMX20, as well as the aforementioned Sony HDR-CX12, all record to solid state memory cards and all produce sharper, better images than the HDR-TG1.

As far as camcorders go, the HDR-TG1 may be the closest product to a "lifestyle device." Its design is not completely practical, looking more at home in the professional's attache case or the Beamer's glove compartment than in an enthusiast's hand, yet it's very easy to use—as long as you never venture beyond automatic controls and features. Overall, it's a small, unique camcorder packed with better video quality than you'd expect.

For a more in-depth review, visit the Sony HDR-TG1 Review at our partner CamcorderInfo.com
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