The launch of Sony's HDR-TG1E is a welcome addition to a category of gadgets that has so far been largely ignored by all vendors except Sanyo - the ultra-compact camcorder.
Like the pioneering Sanyo Xacti, the Sony HDR-TG1E is oriented vertically, offering the natural point-and-shoot ergonomics of a pistol, but is more compact at 32 x 119 x 63mm, which makes it only slightly longer and thicker than the Nokia N95.
When in use, a 2.7-inch display flips over for easy viewing of the subject. You can also access the menu through this touch-sensitive screen.
Like the latest Xactis, the TG1E supports full HD video at a maximum resolution of 1,920 x 1,080 pixels.
The TG1E comes with Sony's ClearVid CMOS sensor, the same one used for the company's full-size camcorders, and incorporates a 10x optical zoom lens, face detection technology as well as a built-in zoom microphone with Dolby Digital 5.1 surround sound, which now let you capture sound specific to the subject in zoom.
The TG1E also records still images with a maximum image resolution of 4 megapixels.