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  • Introduction

  • Front

  • Back

  • Sides

  • Top

  • Bottom

  • In the Box

  • Color

  • Low Light Color

  • Noise

  • Low Light Sensitivity

  • Low Light Noise

  • Low Light Color

  • Motion

  • Video Sharpness

  • Stabilization

  • Testing Samples

  • Ease of Use

  • Auto Mode

  • Auto Controls

  • Handling

  • Portability

  • Battery Life

  • LCD

  • Stabilization

  • Miscellaneous Controls

  • Auto Controls

  • Audio Controls

  • Compression

  • Media

  • Still Features

  • Lens & Imaging System

  • LCD

  • Connectivity

  • Battery

  • Media

  • Still Features

  • Other Features

  • Samsung HMX-W200 Comparison

  • Apple iPhone 4S Comparison

  • COMP 3

  • Conclusion

  • Photo Gallery

  • Introduction
  • Front
  • Back
  • Sides
  • Top
  • Bottom
  • In the Box
  • Color
  • Low Light Color
  • Noise
  • Low Light Sensitivity
  • Low Light Noise
  • Low Light Color
  • Motion
  • Video Sharpness
  • Stabilization
  • Testing Samples
  • Ease of Use
  • Auto Mode
  • Auto Controls
  • Handling
  • Portability
  • Battery Life
  • LCD
  • Stabilization
  • Miscellaneous Controls
  • Auto Controls
  • Audio Controls
  • Compression
  • Media
  • Still Features
  • Lens & Imaging System
  • LCD
  • Connectivity
  • Battery
  • Media
  • Still Features
  • Other Features
  • Samsung HMX-W200 Comparison
  • Apple iPhone 4S Comparison
  • COMP 3
  • Conclusion
  • Photo Gallery

Introduction

That doesn't mean the Bloggie Live MHS-TS55 isn't an exciting camcorder. It's WiFi function not only allows you to upload clips to the web wirelessly, but it also lets you stream live video content via Sony's partnership with Qik.com and you can view video clips on your smartphone with Sony's PlayMemories app. WiFi has been around too long to be a huge game-changer here, but it's still a feature we're excited to see on the Bloggie Live (and more camcorders in the future).

Front

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Back

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Sides

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Top

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Bottom

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In the Box

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Color

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Colors usually aren't the strong suit of ultracompact camcorders, so the Sony Bloggie Live's disappointing performance here isn't all that surprising. The camcorder managed a color error of 6.07 and a saturation level of around 88%, but the overall image shifted slightly to the warmer side of the spectrum. If you look at the comparison images below, you can probably see the orange/red hue on the TS55's test video. More on how we test color.

The camcorder has no color modes or manual color controls, so the colors you get in auto mode are the colors you get in every mode. Since the Bloggie Live TS55 uses an automatic white balance at all times, you will get different color performance depending on the kind of light you're shooting under. The camcorder had some trouble with our bright test lamps, but under daylight we saw more accurate color performances.

For all intents and purposes, we like the way the Bloggie Live reproduced colors almost as much as what we saw from the Bloggie Touch MHS-TS10. The TS10 did better with color accuracy, but some of its colors showed less pop and depth in our tests. You can cycle through the comparison images to see how the Bloggie Live stacked up to the rest of the competition in terms of color.

{{comparison_bars title="Color Score Comparison", attribute="Color Score", xLabel="Color Score"}}

Low Light Color

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The Bloggie MHS-TS55 put up nearly identical numbers in our low light color test as the camcorder did in our bright light test. The color error came out to 6.08 (compared to 6.07 in bright light) and the saturation level was 77.5%. Neither of these numbers are awful, and the saturation level is actually rather decent, but we expected a better job of color accuracy in low light from this camcorder. More on how we test low light color.

Usually camcorders with auto white balance systems work better under our low lights than our bright lights, but this wasn't really the case with the Bloggie Live. Not to mention, we did this test a number of times and we noticed on multiple occasions the camcorder struggled terribly with white balance. The color error we used for scoring was the best number we obtained in our various tests, and there were instances where the camcorder did a whole lot worse.

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Noise

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The MHS-TS55 didn't have a problem with noise when shooting video under bright light. We still measured the noise levels, though, and the results were great: the camcorder averaged 0.55% noise in this test. That's in the same ballpark as the other models we compared it too, as all of these camcorders averaged between 0.5 and 0.6% noise in this test. That's four feisty noise performances from these ultracompact models. More on how we test noise.

While we have your attention, let's talk about those little cropped images shown above. Since none of the camcorders here had a problem with noise in bright light, we should instead focus on sharpness for a moment, which is something the crops above to a great job showing off. Surprisingly, the MHS-TS55 struggled with sharpness compared to the best ultracopmact camcorders on the market—one of which happens to be the Samsung HMX-W200. The TS55's image shows aliasing and blur near the bottom of the vertical trumpet, which is the same thing we saw from the Bloggie Touch MHS-TS10. The Samsung W200, however, produced a very detailed, very sharp image in bright light. If you continue to cycle through the comparison images, you'll see the Apple iPhone 4S did a decent job with sharpness as well.

{{comparison_bars title="Noise Score Comparison", attribute="Noise Score", xLabel="Noise Score"}}

Low Light Sensitivity

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We were impressed with the low light sensitivity results for the Sony Bloggie Live, as the camcorder outdid the Bloggie Touch MHS-TS10 in this test. The Bloggie Live MHS-TS55 required just 8 lux of light to produce an image that passed the broadcast brightness standards, which is three lux less than the Bloggie Touch needed and the same amount of light required by the iPhone 4S. This is a good showing for the camcorder, and the fact that the Bloggie Live has a built-in video light makes this one of the better all-around low light camcorders we've seen with an ultracompact design. More on how we test low light sensitivity.

{{comparison_bars title="Low Light Sensitivity Comparison", attribute="Low Light Sensitivity Score", xLabel="Low Light Sensitivity Score"}}

Low Light Noise

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The Bloggie MHS-TS55 handled our low light noise test solidly, with the camcorder averaging around 0.7% noise in this test. That's a bit more noise than the Bloggie Touch managed, but not by much, and it is less noise than we measured on the Samsung W200 and iPhone 4S' video images. Overall, it's hard not to be pleased by this performance from Sony. More on how we test low light noise.

Looking at the actual low light video captured by the Bloggie MHS-TS55, you'll notice the camcorder did struggle in some areas. Colors looked vibrant in moderately low light, but they lost a ton of saturation when recording in very low light situations. The camcorder's video also had lots of discoloration, lost quite a bit of detail, and had more problems with artifacting in low light. Looking at the crops above, you can see the TS55 held onto more detail in low light than the previous Sony Bloggie, and its image at 60 lux looks a bit brighter.

{{comparison_bars title="Low Light Noise Score Comparison", attribute="Low Light Noise Score", xLabel="Low Light Noise Score"}}

Low Light Color

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The Bloggie MHS-TS55 put up nearly identical numbers in our low light color test as the camcorder did in our bright light test. The color error came out to 6.08 (compared to 6.07 in bright light) and the saturation level was 77.5%. Neither of these numbers are awful, and the saturation level is actually rather decent, but we expected a better job of color accuracy in low light from this camcorder. More on how we test low light color.

Usually camcorders with auto white balance systems work better under our low lights than our bright lights, but this wasn't really the case with the Bloggie Live. Not to mention, we did this test a number of times and we noticed on multiple occasions the camcorder struggled terribly with white balance. The color error we used for scoring was the best number we obtained in our various tests, and there were instances where the camcorder did a whole lot worse.

{{comparison_bars title="Low Light Color Score Comparison", attribute="Low Light Color Score", xLabel="Low Light Color Score"}}

Motion

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The results of our motion test weren't that pretty for the Sony Bloggie Live MHS-TS55. The camcorder captured quite a bit of artifacting, the focus popped frequently, and there were significant amounts of judder and blur. On a positive note, the video looked crisp and detailed, although we noticed and increase in artifacting whenever the focus started to pop. There was some lag and judder on the rotating pinwheels on our test as well. Overall, this motion performance wasn't really much different than what we saw on the Bloggie MHS-TS10, but in our mind the TS55 handled motion a tiny bit worse. More on how we test motion.

Video Sharpness

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Sharpness is almost never something ultracompact camcorders handle extremely well, so the MHS-TS55's performance here is adequate for a model of its class. The camcorder managed a horizontal and vertical sharpness of 600 lw/ph—the exact same numbers we measured on the Sony Bloggie Touch MHS-TS10 previously. These numbers are also consistent with what we saw from the Apple iPhone 4S for the most part. The Samsung HMX-W200, however, stood above the crowd with its 750 lw/ph performance in our sharpness test. So, if you want the sharpest image available on an ultracompact model, you should look to the Samsung instead of the Sony Bloggies. More on how we test video sharpness.

{{comparison_bars title="Video Sharpness Score Comparison", attribute="Video Sharpness Score", xLabel="Video Sharpness Score"}}

Stabilization

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The Bloggie Live is outfitted with Sony's SteadyShot image stabilization system that uses a digital effect to stabilize video footage during recording. Since the feature can't be turned off, we can't run the camcorder through our tests to see how much better the footage looks with stabilization turned on. If this sounds strange, you should realize that most camcorders of the TS55's size and class remove the ability to turn stabilization off, and more ultracompact camcorders are including a stabilization feature every year. More on how we test stabilization.

Testing Samples

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Ease of Use

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Using the MHS-TS55 to record video isn't that much of a challenge. The camcorder runs on entirely automated controls, it has a menu system that is easy to read, and the touchscreen interface is very intuitive. Like the iPhone, the camcorder can be held either horizontally or vertically, with the model automatically switching the recording frame depending on how you hold it. Our one issue with this is that the menu system is not consistent about automatically rotating. The main menu stays vertical at all times, while certain submenus, like upload screens where you enter login info, will occasionally rotate when you turn the camcorder. It's a confusing process, and we wish Sony had kept the screen rotation feature as consistent as possible.

The Bloggie Live is equipped with WiFi, and because of this it has various wireless capabilities. Using these features takes a bit of skill and technological know-how that goes beyond the basic use of a point-and-shoot camcorder. You have to set up WiFi connections to hotspots, which is as easy as finding your wireless hotspot by name and entering the password info. If you've ever connected your phone, iPod, video game device, or television to a WiFi hotspot then you've been through this process before and it should be easy for you to figure out. If you haven't done this, then this feature of the Bloggie Live will definitely flummox you.

The wireless features are complicated at first, but they get easier the more you use them. Most will require some initial setup like putting in your login info for authentication. The live streaming feature requires the creation of a free Qik account from Qik.com, which is easy enough, but still does take some time. In all, if you're comfortable with working with websites and connecting to WiFi hotspots, using the Bloggie Live's special features should be easy for you to figure out. If you're someone who hates doing that stuff, then you should expect some frustration with the camcorder.

Auto Mode

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The MHS-TS55 has no manual controls and no special control features other than a flicker reduction option that you can read about further down on this page. If you want the ability to adjust manual controls, and we're talking everything from focus to shutter speed to gain, you should seek an alternative camcorder. Unfortunately, most ultracompact models won't fit you're bill—almost all of them have zero manual control capabilities.

The iAuto mode button is difficult to find, but when you do find it the option for turning on the mode looks like this.

Auto Controls

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The automatic controls on the Bloggie Live aren't top-notch. The camcorder worked well under consistent, bright outdoor light, but mixed lighting posed some serious problems for the camcorder. We saw lots of light flare around bright areas like lights and windows, the autofocus system was slow, and the white balance was never perfectly accurate under artificial light. The camcorder also has an auto slow shutter that kicks in to give the Bloggie Live a boost at low light levels. This slow shutter also produces more motion trailing and choppy movement.

The MHS-TS55 does have face detection, and it appears the camcorder will refocus if you give the LCD a slight tap with your fingertips. It isn't entirely clear if the camcorder utilizes a spot focus system when you tap, or if the screen just attempts to bring the majority of the screen into focus (like switching between a macro and regular focus mode). What is clear, however, is that the tapping of the LCD does not result in an exposure adjustment. The camcorder only changes exposures when it senses a different light source has taken up a sizable portion of the frame.

Handling

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While many ultracompact models tend to have the look of toys with bright colors and simple designs, the Sony Bloggie Live offers a more sophisticated sense of style. The sleek chrome finish and black paint job reminds us of the iPhone, and the look of the Bloggie Live is even more stylish than that of the 3D Bloggie MHS-FS3 that Sony released last year. The MHS-TS55 feels solid and well-built, and the camcorder does have a bit of weight to it. This is a good thing, however, because the extra weight gives the model more balance and gives the perception of a sturdier, heartier design. Compared to the Bloggie Touch MHS-TS10, the Bloggie Live looks nearly identical save for a few button alterations and the addition of a built-in video light (not to mention the WiFi capabilities).

But that's enough about style and aesthetics. The Sony MHS-TS55 handles reasonably well, and its touchscreen interface is very similar to what we saw on Sony's previous Bloggie Touch camcorders. The screen isn't quite as large as the LCD you get on the iPhone, but it's a decent 3-inches diagonally, and, unlike most ultracompact models, the TS55 can be held vertically or horizontally for recording video. Prior to recording, the camcorder will automatically rotate the screen and change the recording frame depending how you hold the camcorder. So, if you want a widescreen image, like one that will fill your HDTV, you should hold the TS55 horizontally. Other than Sony, the only manufacturer of ultracompact camcorders that utilizes this rotating screen function is Apple (with the iPhone).

The touchscreen on the Bloggie Live is good, although it isn't quite at the level of Apple's iPhone. You can swipe to scroll through menus, a keypad shows up on the screen to enter login information, and the screen is rather responsive to input as well. Overall, it's one of the best touchscreen interfaces we've seen on an ultracompact camcorder. The quirkiness involving the LCD's auto rotation detection is one of its only downsides, and we wish Sony had made that feature more consistent.

Our preferred method of using the Bloggie Live is to record with the camcorder held horizontally, as that produced the best quality videos (and videos that look the best on a 16:9 screen like an HDTV). Holding the camcorder in this manner isn't the most comfortable, however, as there is little in the way to grip your fingers around. With the camcorder held horizontally, the Bloggie Live fit better in our hand, but the resulting videos weren't nearly as useful (on an HDTV they appear as a small vertical image surrounded by large black borders to the left and right).

These dedicated buttons give you quick access to aperture and shutter speed controls.

Portability

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The Sony MHS-TS55 Bloggie Live tipped in at 135g (4.7 ounces) on our scale. To put this in perspective, the camcorder has nearly identical proportions to the iPhone, although the Bloggie Live has a more rounded shape to its front. The camcorder is shaped perfectly to fit in your pocket, but, unlike the iPhone, the Bloggie Live doesn't have an endless amount of cases that are available to protect it. Keep this in mind when you toss the TS55 into your bag or pocket—this camcorder is likely to collect scratches very quickly unless you take care of it.

Battery Life

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The Sony Bloggie Live lasted for 115 minutes in our battery life test (in which we let the camcorder continuously record video until the battery is depleted). This performance puts the camcorder in the same ballpark as most ultracompact models, and it's nearly identical to the battery life we measured on the original Bloggie Touch MHS-TS10 (115 minutes). More on how we test battery life.

The thing to remember about the Bloggie Live is that its battery is not removable, which is the case with many new ultracompact camcorders. So, if you deplete the battery by recording for too long, you must stop using the Bloggie Live until you recharge its battery. To recharge the camcorder, you must connect the Bloggie Live's USB arm to a computer's USB port, or use a wall-plug adapter that must be purchased separately. Either way, recharging the Bloggie MHS-TS55 is something you'll have to do a lot of (as is the case with all camcorders), and you can't plan to use the camcorder to record while the battery is recharging.

LCD

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The 3-inch LCD on the Bloggie Live is nearly identical to the screen Sony put on its previous Bloggie Touch camcorders (like the MHS-TS10). As we said before, the screen is one of the better LCDs in terms of the responsiveness of its touchscreen interface, and we like the flat look of the screen that creates a single pane rather than one that is indented by a rectangular bezel.

Like the Bloggie Touch MHS-TS10, the screen on the Bloggie Live has an auto rotation feature that changes the way your videos are recorded. If you hold the camcorder horizontally when recording, you're videos are captured in the standard 16:9 format. Holding the camcorder vertically still allows for Full HD video recording, but the video clip will appear tall and slim with black borders to the left and right when viewed on a widescreen television or monitor.

Stabilization

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The Bloggie Live is outfitted with Sony's SteadyShot image stabilization system that uses a digital effect to stabilize video footage during recording. Since the feature can't be turned off, we can't run the camcorder through our tests to see how much better the footage looks with stabilization turned on. If this sounds strange, you should realize that most camcorders of the TS55's size and class remove the ability to turn stabilization off, and more ultracompact camcorders are including a stabilization feature every year. More on how we test stabilization.

Miscellaneous Controls

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Flicker Reduction

This setting can help reduce flicker that occasionally results when recording video under fluorescent lights. You may or may not notice a difference with the setting (it really depends on the kind of lights), but it's there for you to play around with if you wish.

Auto Controls

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The automatic controls on the Bloggie Live aren't top-notch. The camcorder worked well under consistent, bright outdoor light, but mixed lighting posed some serious problems for the camcorder. We saw lots of light flare around bright areas like lights and windows, the autofocus system was slow, and the white balance was never perfectly accurate under artificial light. The camcorder also has an auto slow shutter that kicks in to give the Bloggie Live a boost at low light levels. This slow shutter also produces more motion trailing and choppy movement.

The MHS-TS55 does have face detection, and it appears the camcorder will refocus if you give the LCD a slight tap with your fingertips. It isn't entirely clear if the camcorder utilizes a spot focus system when you tap, or if the screen just attempts to bring the majority of the screen into focus (like switching between a macro and regular focus mode). What is clear, however, is that the tapping of the LCD does not result in an exposure adjustment. The camcorder only changes exposures when it senses a different light source has taken up a sizable portion of the frame.

Audio Controls

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You see that little rectangular box underneath the lens on the front of the Bloggie Live? It kinda looks like a microphone, right? Well, it isn't a mic. It's a built-in video light (gotcha!). But the MHS-TS55 does have a built-in stereo microphone, so those audiophiles among you should stick around and hear what we have to say. The mic is located on the right side of the camcorder, or the top of the camcorder if you're holding it horizontally. As we said, this mic records stereo audio, but the camcorder has no manual audio controls to speak of. This positioning of the mic isn't terrible, but we definitely found ourselves accidentally covering the mic with our fingers at times, so it is something you need to watch out for. Also, the lack of a wind cut feature means you're in for some really bad audio when recording in windy environments (just warning you).

Compression

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The Bloggie Live has three video recording options: one Full HD 1080/30p setting and two options that record 720p video (with a 60p or 30p frame rate respectively). All video is recorded using the MPEG-4 codec, which is what Sony has used on its Bloggie models for a couple of years now. This compression system is easier to work with and the files aren't as large as AVCHD clips, which Sony uses on its Handycam HD camcorders. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various high definition compression types.

Media

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The Bloggie MHS-TS55 comes with 8GB of internal flash memory, which is a decent amount for such a small camcorder. Unfortunately, the TS55 does not have a memory card slot, so when the 8GB of memory is filled up you must delete some videos to open up recording space. It's not too difficult to copy videos from the camcorder to a computer, and the wireless capabilities of the Bloggie Live make it very easy to upload content to the internet, so opening up recording space on the camcorder isn't a huge challenge.

Most of the competition in the ultracompact camcorder market use SD/SDHC memory card slots rather than relying on internal memory. The Apple iPhone 4S is an exception, as it only has internal memory like the Bloggie Live (but it is available with up to 64GB—eight times what the Bloggie Live contains). Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.

Still Features

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The Bloggie Live has the ability to take still images at three resolutions: 12 megapixels, 8 megapixels, or 2 megapixels. The 12-megapixel option utilizes a 4:3 aspect ratio, while the other two settings produce images with a 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio. The only other still feature on the camcorder is a 10-second self timer, which can be turned on in the shooting settings menu. You can capture 2-megapixel still images during recording on the Bloggie Live as well. You simply start recording, then press the shutter button during recording to snap a photo at the same time.

Lens & Imaging System

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The lens on the MHS-TS55 has no optical zoom, but it isn't entirely fixed. It undergoes some slight automatic focal adjustments when the camcorder is pointed at different subjects, and the aperture has a range of f/2.8 to f.3. There is a digital zoom feature on the Bloggie Live, but it does not use any kind of optical lens element to produce the zoom.

LCD

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The 3-inch LCD on the Bloggie Live is nearly identical to the screen Sony put on its previous Bloggie Touch camcorders (like the MHS-TS10). As we said before, the screen is one of the better LCDs in terms of the responsiveness of its touchscreen interface, and we like the flat look of the screen that creates a single pane rather than one that is indented by a rectangular bezel.

Like the Bloggie Touch MHS-TS10, the screen on the Bloggie Live has an auto rotation feature that changes the way your videos are recorded. If you hold the camcorder horizontally when recording, you're videos are captured in the standard 16:9 format. Holding the camcorder vertically still allows for Full HD video recording, but the video clip will appear tall and slim with black borders to the left and right when viewed on a widescreen television or monitor.

Connectivity

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On the surface, the Bloggie Live has few connectivity options. The camcorder is outfitted with a built-in USB arm and a mini HDMI port, but that's it. No other ports, jacks, or terminals are found on the body of the TS55 (the camcorder does come with a USB extender cable, though, which makes it easier to connect the USB arm to a computer).

But those two connectivity options only tell half of the Bloggie Live's story. The other part is referenced by the tiny print of the word "WiFi" on the camcorder's right side, just around the corner from the LCD. Yes, with the MHS-TS55 the Bloggie has finally gone wireless. By having built-in WiFi, the Bloggie Live can upload content directly to the internet (without connecting the camcorder to a computer), video clips can be viewed on a synced-up smartphone, and you can even stream live video wirelessly (hence the moniker "Live" in the camcorder's model name).

These new features are the exciting elements of the Bloggie Live, and they clearly overshadow the presence of an HDMI port and USB arm. By incorporating WiFi capability into the camcorder, Sony drastically increases the Bloggie Live's versatility, and makes the camcorder a perfect device for those who want to upload content on the fly. It's not as free as an iPhone, however, as the camcorder does need to connect to a wireless network in order to upload content. Whereas the iPhone can upload video over the cellular 3G network instead. Still, it's an important move for Sony and it's the most inviting feature on the Bloggie Live MHS-TS55.

Battery

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The thing to remember about the Bloggie Live is that its battery is not removable, which is the case with many new ultracompact camcorders. So, if you deplete the battery by recording for too long, you must stop using the Bloggie Live until you recharge its battery. To recharge the camcorder, you must connect the Bloggie Live's USB arm to a computer's USB port, or use a wall-plug adapter that must be purchased separately. Either way, recharging the Bloggie MHS-TS55 is something you'll have to do a lot of (as is the case with all camcorders), and you can't plan to use the camcorder to record while the battery is recharging. Find out how the Bloggie MHS-TS55 performed in our battery life test.

Media

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The Bloggie MHS-TS55 comes with 8GB of internal flash memory, which is a decent amount for such a small camcorder. Unfortunately, the TS55 does not have a memory card slot, so when the 8GB of memory is filled up you must delete some videos to open up recording space. It's not too difficult to copy videos from the camcorder to a computer, and the wireless capabilities of the Bloggie Live make it very easy to upload content to the internet, so opening up recording space on the camcorder isn't a huge challenge.

Most of the competition in the ultracompact camcorder market use SD/SDHC memory card slots rather than relying on internal memory. The Apple iPhone 4S is an exception, as it only has internal memory like the Bloggie Live (but it is available with up to 64GB—eight times what the Bloggie Live contains). Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of various media types.

Still Features

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The Bloggie Live has the ability to take still images at three resolutions: 12 megapixels, 8 megapixels, or 2 megapixels. The 12-megapixel option utilizes a 4:3 aspect ratio, while the other two settings produce images with a 16:9 (widescreen) aspect ratio. The only other still feature on the camcorder is a 10-second self timer, which can be turned on in the shooting settings menu. You can capture 2-megapixel still images during recording on the Bloggie Live as well. You simply start recording, then press the shutter button during recording to snap a photo at the same time.

Other Features

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WiFi

WiFi is the game-changing feature that the Bloggie Live MHS-TS55 brings to the table. It's not that we haven't seen this option before—the Apple iPhone has essentially been a WiFi enabled "camcorder" since the 3GS model was launched a couple years ago—but WiFi has, for some reason, been a feature that camcorder manufacturers have been slow to adopt.

The Bloggie Live's WiFi capabilities brings a number of interesting features to the table. You can record video and then instantly upload those clips to the web (provided you connect the camcorder to a WiFi hotspot), you can live stream content via Sony's partnership with Qik.com, and you can save video to Sony's PlayMemories Online web service. The camcorder also has the ability to view recorded video clips on a smartphone. While these features are all very cool and mostly useful, the Bloggie Live is still limited when compared to the Apple iPhone 4S or any cell phone that can record video. The reason is the Bloggie Live must connect to a WiFi network in order to transmit clips wirelessly. Cell phones, on the other hand, can transfer footage over cellular networks when not connected to WiFi.

We also found the MHS-TS55's system for connecting to WiFi networks to be a bit confusing. Uploading content to the web wasn't a huge difficulty, but the process takes time to figure out. This isn't something you'll be able to do without a bit of trial and error, and maybe some consultation of the Bloggie Live's instruction manual first.

HDMI output

The Bloggie MHS-TS55 has the ability to switch between 60Hz and 50Hz output via its HDMI terminal. This effectively allows the camcorder to connect to NTSC or PAL televisions without a problem—you just have to match the output signal with the type of television you're trying to connect to (NTSC is 60Hz, while PAL is 50Hz).

Video Light

The Bloggie Live's built-in video light isn't fantastic, but it does provide some extra illumination if you're shooting in very dark environments. Having a video light does give the camcorder an advantage over other ultracompact models, but there are a few other camcorders that carry built-in lights as well (the Apple iPhone 4S, for example).

Samsung HMX-W200 Comparison

Other than the addition of WiFi, the Bloggie Live MHS-TS55 isn't all that much different than the Bloggie Touch MHS-TS10 from a couple years ago. The two camcorders have nearly identical shapes and designs, they have the same 3-inch LCDs, and they performed very similarly in our video tests. If you have no use for the WiFi features on the Bloggie LIve, you should save some cash and get the Bloggie Touch MHS-TS10 (or MHS-TS20) instead.

But as far as new features go, the inclusion of WiFi on the Bloggie Live is huge. It changes the entire way the camcorder can be used, as you no longer must rely on a computer to get your video content on the web. So, in terms of being able to share video content with others, the Bloggie Live is far more versatile (and modern!) than the Bloggie Touch. Oh, and the Bloggie Live also includes a built-in video light—one of the few new features on the camcorder that doesn't have to do with WiFi.

Both camcorders did rather well in our performance testing, although the Samsung HMX-W200 did better than the Sonys in sharpness and low light. We also like the Apple iPhone 4S the most for its seamless ability to upload video with or without a WiFi connection (you can use a cellular network). The iPhone's menu system and video upload process is also easier to figure out than what Sony offers on the Bloggie Live.

Apple iPhone 4S Comparison

The Samsung HMX-W200 lacks the stylish, sophisticated design that accompanies the Sony Bloggie Live, but in its place is the camcorder's ability to work effectively underwater. That is to say, the Samsung W200 is waterproof up to 10 feet. It's boxy, hard-plastic design was put in place to accommodate this waterproof capability, which is why the W200 looks kinda funny compared to the Bloggie Live.

In a surprising turn of events, the Samsung W200 did an excellent job in many of our video performance tests—outperforming the other models in its class in nearly every category (particularly sharpness), and winning our award for best ultracompact camcorder of 2011. The W200 is a very good budget camcorder, and the fact that the W200 is also waterproof is icing on the cake.

Of course, the Samsung W200 doesn't have WiFi capability, which is the one key feature held by the Bloggie Live that is found on few other ultracompact models. We love the idea of having WiFi-enabled camcorders, especially pocket-cams like the Bloggie Live, but we understand that this feature (much like a waterproof design) isn't for everyone. If you like the idea of WiFi on your camcorder, then the Bloggie Live is the better model here. If you'd rather be able to shoot videos while you're swimming in a pool or lake, then the Samsung HMX-W200 is more apt for your needs.

COMP 3

Even though the Apple iPhone 4S is a "phone" more than a "camcorder", it's still one of the best comparison models for the Bloggie Live. And that's because, like the Bloggie Live, the iPhone 4S has WiFi capability that can be used in conjunction with its camcorder. Looking at the wireless functions of both models, the iPhone 4S takes the lead thanks to its ability to upload content to the web with or without a WiFi connection (you can use a cellular signal to upload video too). We also like the interface of Apple's video sharing and uploading system better than what Sony included on the MHS-TS55.

Still, the Bloggie Live represents a far cheaper alternative than the Apple iPhone 4S if you're just looking for a wireless camcorder. The iPhone 4S requires a hefty cell phone contract that includes monthly payments, while the Bloggie Live is a one-time purchase only. Of course, Apple does offer an alternative in the form of the iPod Touch, which functions very much in the same way as the Bloggie Live (it can connect to WiFi and upload video via WiFi, but has no cell phone signal).

Here's how we feel: we love that Sony finally included WiFi on this ultracompact camcorder, as it makes the Bloggie Live more competitive against cell phones that record video. But the Bloggie Live is not as good as the iPhone 4S in terms of wireless capability, and the Apple iPhone did just as well in our video tests as the Sony. You also have to think about all the extra features, like the access to an app store with thousands of cool games and applications, that Apple's iPhone 4S offers over the Bloggie Live. One thing's for sure—if you own an iPhone 4S or an iPod touch that records video, then there's no reason you should buy a Bloggie Live.

Conclusion

We're excited to finally see an ultracompact camcorder that comes equipped with WiFi capability, and the fact that the Bloggie Live MHS-TS55 did a relatively good job in our video tests is further proof that this is a solid camcorder from Sony. The camcorder is not the best ultracompact model we've reviewed overall, but its sleek design and intuitive touchscreen interface make it a top choice for novice videographers who don't want a camcorder that looks and feels like a toy.

While the Bloggie Live's WiFi features are exciting, we must admit that Sony (and all camcorder manufacturers, really) are a bit late to the party when it comes to wireless features. For a couple of years now, the Apple iPhone and iPod Touch have been able to do some of the exact things the Bloggie Live is capable of—specifically uploading video content to the web without ever connecting to a computer (via WiFi). Not to mention the iPhone has a better interface for uploading and sharing video wirelessly, and it has the capability of sending video over 3G rather than requiring a WiFi connection. All of these things make the Apple products (and numerous other cell phones) better "camcorders" than the Bloggie Live in terms of wireless capabilities.

The Bloggie Live's benefits include a lower price tag and a simpler feature set. It's a dedicated camcorder, so you don't have to worry about all the other features, apps, and costs associated with owning a smartphone. Then again, if you already have a smartphone that can record and transfer video wirelessly, then there's really no good reason to buy a Bloggie Live. So, the market for the MHS-TS55 is limited to people who want a pocket camcorder with WiFi who don't already own an iPhone, iPod Touch, or any other smartphone that comes with a decent video function.

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Meet the tester

Jeremy Stamas

Jeremy Stamas

Managing Editor, Video

@nematode9

Jeremy is the video expert of our imaging team and Reviewed.com's head of video production. Originally from Pennsylvania and upstate NY, he graduated from Bard college with a degree in film and electronic media. He has been living and working in New England since 2005.

See all of Jeremy Stamas's reviews

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