Sony MHS-CM5

Lens & Imaging System

The Sony Bloggie MHS-CM5 features essentially the same lens and sensor as last year’s MHS-CM1. The focal range and aperture of the lens, as well as the size and resolution of the sensor are all virtually identical. One thing that Sony has managed to improve slightly is the wide angle of the lens. This probably has more to do with the housing of the lens than the lens itself.

Lens
Filter Diameter	0.0mm
Focal Range	6.3–31.5mm
Focal Range (35mm equivalent)	41.0–205.0mm
Maximum Aperture	f/3.3–3.3
Optical Zoom	5x
Advanced Zoom	0x
Lab-Tested Wide Angle	38.0°	How we test wide angle

Sensor
Type	CMOS x 1
Size	1/2.5 inches
Pixel Count (Gross)	5.04 megapixels
Pixel Count (Effective)	2.07 megapixels (video) 5.04 megapixels (photo)

Zoom Ratio Examples
Wide Angle	Mid Zoom	5x optical Zoom

LCD (7.53)

The Sony Bloggie MHS-CM5 has a rather lackluster 2.5-inch LCD, with 230,000-pixel resolution. This isn’t particularly impressive, especially for an LCD panel that flips out from the body of the camcorder. For ultracompact camcorders that have no flip-out LCD, this size is to be expected. But the Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10 has nearly the same body design and sports a 3-inch LCD. On the other hand, Sony has improved its LCD specs since last year’s Webbie (MHS-CM1). The worst part of the LCD panel may be the huge, blank bezel surrounding the tiny display. This makes the Bloggie feel look like a cheap, antiquated piece of technology.

There is a backlight option on the Bloggie’s LCD, but no other features or adjustments to be made. Having a flip-out LCD panel does help with glare, but we think a larger display would have been a nice touch. The Bloggie, like all ultracompact camcorders, does not have a viewfinder. This means you’ll be lining up all your shots via this small LCD.

The LCD on the Bloggie is not a touchscreen; all controls are made via the small joystick.

Feature	Sony MHS-CM5	Sony MHS-CM1	Sanyo VPC-CG10	Pure Digital Flip UltraHD
Display Size	2.5 in.	2.5 in.	3.0 in.	2.0 in.
Display Resolution	230000 pixels	pixels	230000 pixels	230400 pixels
Touch Screen	✗	✗	✗	✗
Viewfinder	✗	✗	✗	✗

Connectivity (1.88)

Connection	Sony MHS-CM5	Sony MHS-CM1	Sanyo VPC-CG10	Pure Digital Flip UltraHD
A/V output	✓	✓	✓	✗
Component output	✓	✓	✗	✗
HDMI	✓	✗	✗	✓
USB	✓	✓	✓	✓
FireWire	✗	✗	✗	✗
Headphone jack	✗	✗	✗	✗
External microphone	✗	✗	✗	✗
Wireless Remote	✗	✗	✗	✗
DC Power	✗	✓	✗	✗
WiFi	✗	✗	✗	✗
GPS	✗	✗	✗	✗

All of the a/v ports for the Bloggie are located in a single cavity, which is hidden by a sturdy hinged cover. The most prominent connection inside this cavity is a stubby little USB arm that flips out from the camcorder. The design isn’t nearly as slick as that of the Flip series, but you do have the convenience of a USB connection built right into the body. Unfortunately, this arm is so short and rigid that most people will have a lot of trouble actually plugging it into their computer. You’re much better off using the USB extension cable that ships with the Bloggie.

Also nestled inside the cavity are a mini-HDMI output and AV output. The HDMI connection is a universal jack that will work with any mini-HDMI to HDMI cable. The AV output, however, works only with Sony proprietary cables. The Bloggie ships with standard composite cables, but you’ll need to purchase proprietary Sony component cables separately if you want to use that connection.

There is one additional port of interest: the memory card slot. This is nestled in the same cavity as the battery and is the primary recording media for the Bloggie. An exciting new feature this year: all Sony consumer camcorders carry a memory card slot that is compatible with both standard SD/SDHC memory cards or the proprietary Sony MemoryStick PRO Duo cards. We couldn’t be happier with this addition from Sony.

Battery (5.35)

The Bloggie does have a removable battery, so it’s possible to purchase a spare battery if you’re anticipating longer shoots. The cavity is, however, enclosed; you won’t be able to upgrade to a larger battery pack. The NP-BK1 battery can only be recharged via USB. (There is no DC power input on the Bloggie.) Find out how the MHS-CM5 performed in our battery life test.

Media (5.35)

The CM5, like all Sony camcorders this year, has a single memory card slot that is compatible with either MemoryStick PRO Duo cards or traditional SD/SDHC memory cards. The Bloggie is not compatible with SDXC cards, but we are pleasantly surprised that Sony has adapted to allow consumers to use non-proprietary media.

There is also a small amount of internal memory on the CM5, but not enough to record video. (It’s primarily reserved for the built-in editing software.) Below is a table of maximum record times, based on selected media. Regardless of the capacity of your media, you will only be able to shoot continuously for approximately 29 minutes. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.