Introduction
The HDR-TG5V is not a top-of-the-line camcorder when it comes to performance. In fact, it more closely matches up with mid-range camcorders in that regard. Its benefits stem from a sleek design, durable body, and unique handling experience.
Product Tour
Due to its compact design, the HDR-TG5V features a much smaller sensor (1/5-inch) than most camcorders in its price range. The sensor is almost half the size as the chip featured on Sony's high-end HDR-XR520V camcorder. Sony was able, however, to pack in a 10x optical zoom on the TG5V, and the camcorder also features an automatic lens cover. There is no filter thread on the Vario-Tessar Carl Zeiss lens, but Sony does sell a 0.7x wide angle conversion lens that is compatible with the camcorder for $100 (model name: VCL-HGE07TB).
Color & Noise Performance
The Sony HDR-TG5V measured a color error of 4.54 in our bright light testing. This is a decent score, although it is a bit worse than some of the top-level camcorders on the market. The TG5V had a saturation level of 90.44% in this test as well, which means its colors were strong and vivid. (More on how we test color.)
The HDR-TG5V's bright light image definitely looks good. Colors are strong and crisp even though they weren't as accurate as other high-end camcorders. Still, the TG5V did actually do better in this test (slightly) than the Sony HDR-XR520V. The Color Error Map above shows that the HDR-TG5V was most accurate in producing blue tones, while the rest of the tested colors were off by roughly the same amount. The camcorder has no color modes or color adjustment options for fine-tuning your image.
Since the TG5V has no color adjustment options, the above image is a sample frame pulled from our bright light color testing in auto mode (with a manual white balance). Below are comparison images between the HDR-TG5V and similar camcorders. The TG5V definitely stands up well to the competition. It captures deeper colors than both the JVC GZ-X900 and Sony HDR-XR520V and its image has quite a bit of 'pop.'
captures colors with decent accuracy, it is up to you to decide what image is actually the best. Some may prefer the softer colors captured by the JVC GZ-X900, while others may prefer the over-saturation on the Sanyo VPC-HD2000. Much of what makes a color performance labeled as 'good' is based on personal preference. As long as a camcorder The Sony HDR-TG5V is definitely in the mix as well—it rendered colors just as well as the best of them.
Noise levels on the HDR-TG5V were very good in bright light. The camcorder averaged 0.425% noise in our testing, which is better than average, but a bit worse than the Sony HDR-XR520V managed. With the HDR-TG5V you can expect to have relatively noise-free video in bright light. (More on how we test noise.)
The crops above don't show much noise, mainly because the four camcorders we used as comparisons did very well with this test. What the crops do show is the difference in sharpness between the four camcorders. The Sony HDR-TG5V definitely captures a bit less detail than the rest of the camcorders. Its numbers are fuzzier and it is more difficult to see a distinction between the lines on the vertical trumpet. The Sanyo VPC-HD2000 is similar to the HDR-TG5V, but we measured slightly better results for the Sanyo in our video sharpness test. The JVC GZ-X900 leads the pack when it comes to sharpness, which you can read about more in the next section of this review.
Motion & Sharpness Performance
Low Light Performance
**Low Light Sensitivity***(3.77)*
The Sony HDR-TG5V did a pretty good job in our low light sensitivity test. The camcorder required 15 lux of light to reach 50 IRE on our waveform monitor—a performance that was nearly identical to that of the Sony HDR-XR520V and last year's Sony HDR-TG1. (More on how we test low light sensitivity.)
We tested the HDR-TG5V in auto mode with its auto slow shutter feature disengaged for this test (we do this for all camcorders that include this feature). Auto slow shutter allows the camcorder to drop to a 1/30 of a second shutter speed in low light situations. This enables the camcorder to produce a brighter image, but it can result in choppy footage and motion trails as a side effect. According to Sony, the HDR-TG5V has a low light sensitivity of 5 lux when using auto slow shutter.
The big thing to notice here is the horrendous sensitivity from the JVC GZ-X900, which had one of the worst overall low light performances of the camcorders we've tested in 2009. Also notable is the very good performance from the Sanyo VPC-HD2000; a performance that is better than the Sony HDR-TG5V. Still, there's really nothing to complain about the Sony HDR-TG5V here. For the camcorder to have just as good sensitivity as the larger Sony HDR_XR520V is very impressive.
In our low light testing, the Sony HDR-TG5V came close to matching the results from Sony's high-end HDR-XR520V. Admittedly, the TG5V's color accuracy was a bit worse and captured less saturated colors, but the results from the two camcorders weren't all that different. The TG5V measured a color error of 5.59 and a saturation level of 63.66 in this test. (More on how we test low light color.)
The big story here is how much better the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 performed with this test. The Sanyo captured a significantly brighter image than the TG5V, and its colors were exceptionally vibrant (possibly too vibrant for some tastes). Below you can see how the TG5V looks compared to the competition. It managed a better picture than the JVC GZ-X900, which had weak colors and a green hue that coated its entire low light image. The TG5V rendered an image that looks similar to the Sony XR520V, but its colors were a bit duller and darker than its larger, more expensive cousin.
Noise was definitely noticeable on the Sony HDR-TG5V's low light footage. In our testing, we measured noise levels at 1.56%, which is not terribly high, but is enough noise to notice with the naked eye. This noise percentage is a bit higher than what we got with the Sanyo VPC-HD200 and almost double what the Sony HDR-XR520V registered. The HDR-TG5V's noise performance isn't bad, however, and many camcorders—like the JVC GZ-X900—do much worse in this test. Overall, we'd say the TG5V had average noise levels in low light. (More on how we test low light noise.)
Above, you can see how each camcorder handled shooting in low light. The HDR-TG5V has some noticeable noise and its image is quite fuzzy. The Sanyo VPC-HD2000 recorded less noise, but its image is discolored and splotchy (it is also much brighter than other camcorders). The JVC GZ-X900 is clearly the goat in this bunch. Its image is very noisy (close to 3% noise) and is completely discolored with a cool, green tint. Being a high-end camcorder and much more expansive than any of the other models shown, it shouldn't be too surprising that the Sony HDR-XR520V was the best of the bunch. Its low light image is sharp, has minimal noise, and consistent colors. The Sanyo does have its benefits as well, however, particularly in its ability to capture such a bright low light image.
Compression & Media
The Sony HDR-TG5V records HD video using AVCHD compression. While AVCHD is the standard codec used for compressing HD video (except for tape-based camcorders), it can still be very difficult to work with on a computer. AVCHD files are large and full of information, so they take a very long time to transfer and process when you bring them from the camcorder to a computer. The files may also playback sluggishly on a weak computer, and the editing process can be frustrating and slow when AVCHD is involved. If you plan on doing lots of editing with your HD video, make sure you have a robust computer that can handle AVCHD.
Much has been said about the fact that Sony tops out with a maximum bitrate of 16Mbps for AVCHD recording. Both Canon and JVC offer 24Mbps recording in their camcorders, while Panasonic tops out at 17Mbps. To be honest, we haven't noticed too much of a difference between 24Mbps and 16Mbps, but it is possible you'll get more artifacting when using the lower bitrates to capture lots of motion and detail. Still, we'd like to see Sony bump up its maximum bitrate, just so it can stay competitive with other manufacturers if they really start to take advantage of the 24Mbps setting.
The advantage of the HDR-TG5V over many other AVCHD camcorders is the fact that it offers standard definition recording options. The TG5V has 4 HD video settings and 3 SD settings, so you have a wide range of video qualities to choose from. The standard definition settings use the MPEG-2 codec and create much smaller files than their HD counterparts. The inclusion of SD record modes are great for people who aren't quite ready to jump whole hog into HD video and still want an option for SD recording. All HD camcorders from Sony include options for standard definition recording, which is something not offered by many manufacturers (Sanyo and Samsung also offer this feature).
The HDR-TG5V includes 16GB of internal flash memory, which is its main upgrade over last year's HDR-TG1. The 16GB of internal memory is very useful, especially for a compact camcorder like the TG5V. It allows you to simply grab the camcorder and head out the door without having to worry if you've packed a memory card or not. Yes, the camcorder does have a Memory Stick PRO Duo card slot, so you can always record to a memory card if you fill up the 16GB of internal memory.
The memory card slot on the TG5V is located in the same place as the battery compartment—behind the sliding panel that takes up most of the camcorder's back side. This panel gives both the battery compartment and the card slot adequate protection and it closes tightly so it won't accidentally swing open while you are shooting. While Sony confirms that Memory Stick PRO Duo cards up to 16GB in size will work with the HDR-TG5V, only the record times for a 4GB card are listed in the camcorder's instruction manual. Here is a table of the approximate record times for the camcorder, as provided by Sony:
The HDR-TG5V ships with Picture Motion Browser (PMB) software version 4.2.00. This is the same editing software that comes with most Sony camcorders, so you may be familiar with it if you've used Sony products before. The software is a bit complex, but it does have a lot of features. You can upload video to internet sharing sites, burn DVDs, export footage back to a Sony camcorder, perform minor edits to your videos, and organize your clips in a variety of interesting ways. Unfortunately, the software is not compatible with Macs.
The PMB software definitely isn't the simplest piece of editing software around. It has a confusing layout and some of the advanced features aren't very intuitive. Also, the software opens up a new window each time you perform a task, which makes the software look more complicated than it needs to be. To Sony's credit, there are some simple options for creating DVDs and importing footage that automatically appear when you first connect a camcorder to your computer and open the software.
Importing video, which is the most important aspect of any provided video software, is pretty seamless with the PMB software. You can select clips to be imported individually, or you can move everything from your camcorder to computer at once. Once your files are imported, you can view them in calendar mode (by date) or in a number of different ways. The coolest feature is a map view, which shows the location your videos were taken on a map (if they were shot with GPS activated).
Uploading video to YouTube and setting the software up to burn a DVD is also pretty easy with the PMB software. What we didn't like was the interface for editing your video clips. The system didn't use the intuitive editing timeline structure that is popular on most non-linear editing systems (like iMovie, Adobe Premiere, and Final Cut). We were also a bit confused by the Movie Tracer feature on the PMB software. Once we used it a couple of times, however, Movie Tracer actually revealed itself to be kind of cool, albeit difficult to use correctly. The feature automatically follows the motion of your camcorder in a selected clip and then pieces together a panoramic set of photographs from the clip. It is designed to turn a sweeping pan from a video into one, large photograph. Like we said, the feature is cool, but most of the time it didn't produce the results we were looking for.
Manual Controls
In a very surprising move, Sony didn't include its popular 'Easy' button on the HDR-TG5V. Eliminating this button doesn't diminish the quality of the camcorder's automatic controls, but it does make the TG5V more confusing to work with. On other Sony products, beginners can simply seek out the 'Easy' button and take comfort in the fact that the camcorder is running entirely on cruise-control.
Even though there is no dedicated auto mode on the TG5V, its auto controls work quite well. Autofocus was fairly quick, very accurate, and can even focus on subjects that are just 3.2mm away (this is the equivalent of holding a piece of paper flat against the lens). In addition to the regular autofocus, there is also a Spot Focus feature on the TG5V that allows you to tap the portion of the screen you want to bring into focus. There's also Spot Exposure, which does the same thing for exposure, and dual Spot Focus/Spot Exposure that sets both functions at the same time.
Auto exposure and auto white balance both got the job done, although the camcorder did have some trouble with correcting for backlight. There is an auto backlight setting on the TG5V, but even with it turned on the camcorder couldn't always compensate for backlit subjects very well.
Sony poured a lot of interest into Face and Smile Detection on its new products this year, and the features don't disappoint on the HDR-TG5V. Face Detection works in both video and still mode and can detect up to 8 faces in one frame. We found the feature to detect faces quickly and accurately, although it had some trouble detecting faces that took up a good chunk of the frame with (i.e. extreme close-ups).
Smile Detection is another nifty feature that enables the camcorder to automatically snap a photo when a subject within the frame smiles. Many traditional videographers probably won't be too keen on this feature, but it can be a useful tool—particularly if you are holding the camcorder out at arms length trying to photograph yourself. The sensitivity of Smile Detection can be set to High, Medium, or Low, and we definitely noticed the camcorder being fairly liberal with what constitutes a smile when we used the High setting. You can also set smile priority to Child, Adult, or Auto, which is good if you're shooting a large group of people who may not be able to smile in unison. While we do find these features intriguing, we understand that they are very gimmicky and aren't all that useful overall. We would have much rather Sony included options for manual shutter speed and aperture control than the TG5V's extensive set of Face Detection features.
Low Light Modes
The HDR-TG5V doesn't have any special low light modes like Sony's NightShot feature. All it has are a few scene modes that are applicable in low light (Twilight and Candle) and an auto slow shutter option. The auto slow shutter, which is a feature found on most consumer camcorders, allows the shutter speed to drop down to 1/30 of a second in low light situations. This improves low light performance, but it also makes moving subjects look choppy and adds motion trails to the video. Without auto slow shutter, the camcorder won't use below a 1/60 of a second shutter speed. The Candle scene mode allows the camcorder to use even slower shutter speeds (down to 1/2 of a second).
Scene Modes
The HDR-TG5V has a variety of scene modes, including a new Candle setting that was not found on the Sony HDR-XR520V. The scene modes include: Twilight, Twilight Portrait, Candle, Sunrise & Sunset, Fireworks, Landscape, Portrait, Spotlight, Beach, and Snow.
Zooming is performed using the circular ring located on the back of the HDR-TG5V. The ring feels a bit awkward because you push it up (clockwise) to zoom out and you push it down (counter-clockwise) to zoom in. Since most zoom toggles are horizontal and pushed side-to-side, this unique circular controller takes some getting used to. One benefit of this design is the fact that you can do everything with your thumb; zooming doesn't require the use of an index finger like on other camcorders.
There are no secondary zoom buttons on the camcorder's LCD, which is something that has become a common feature on many camcorders. There are also no zoom speed settings, although the circular ring does allow you to control zoom speed variably by applying more or less pressure on the ring.
The HDR-TG5V is equipped with a 10x optical zoom, which is good for a camcorder of its size. The larger Sony HDR-XR520V only has a slightly longer optical zoom at 12x, and the JVC GZ-X900 only packs in a 5x optical zoom. If you want to increase the zoom using digital magnification, there are options for 20x and 120x on the HDR-TG5V. However, using these digital zooms will result in lower image quality. We recommend sticking with the 10x optical unless you desperately need a close-up.
The HDR-TG5V has two manual focus options: regular focus adjustment and spot focus. The regular focus adjustment doesn't work very well with the camcorder's touchscreen system. Two buttons are located on either side of the LCD screen and you tap them (or hold them down) to manually focus the image. An icon in the center of the screen does display the focal length,but it does so in meters with about 10 different numeric increments. Using this system, it is very difficult to get a precise focus due to the finicky nature of the touchscreen and the fact that the LCD is cluttered with icons, buttons, and information while you are trying to focus.
Spot Focus, on the other hand, works far better. It allows you to simply tap the portion of the screen you want to bring into focus and the camcorder does the rest. This feature makes very good use of the touchscreen system. The camcorder also has options for Spot Exposure and another setting that does Spot Exposure and Focus at the same time.
Exposure is one of the few manual controls that you can actually adjust on the Sony HDR-TG5V. The camcorder offers 28 increments of exposure control, although no numeric values are listed. All adjustments are made using the touchscreen by tapping plus and minus buttons located on the left and right of the LCD. You can also hold down the buttons for quicker adjustment.
It should be obvious that this system does not provide very accurate or precise adjustment because of the lack of any numeric exposure values. On a positive note, 28 increments of exposure adjustment is quite a bit more than we normally see on a camcorder. There's also a useful Spot Exposure feature that is very similar to the Spot Focus option we discussed in the previous section.
There is no manual aperture control on the HDR-TG5V. This is quite a big absence for a camcorder, but it isn't that surprising—Sony doesn't even offer aperture control on its high-end consumer camcorders. Full aperture control is available on the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 and the JVC GZ-X900 has an aperture-priority setting.
There's also no way to manually set shutter speed on the HDR-TG5V (again, this feature is absent on all consumer camcorders from Sony). By not including aperture or shutter control, Sony does make its camcorders simpler, but it also severely limits their versatility and diminishes interest amongst experienced videographers. You can still alter the shutter speed on the TG5V by turning on the auto slow shutter feature. This doesn't allow you to control the shutter, however, but instead enables the camcorder to drop to a 1/30 of a second shutter speed in low light situations. Some of the camcorder's scene modes also change the shutter speed, but none of them allow you to manually control it.
Thank goodness the HDR-TG5V has an option for manual white balance because the camcorder's white balance presets are severely limited. In addition to the manual option, the TG5V has white balance settings for Outdoor, Indoor, and Auto. Sony's 'One-push' manual white balance feature actually works very well with the camcorder's touchscreen system. You simply point the camcorder to a white or neutral target and press a button on the LCD. This task is easy to perform and it calibrates the camcorder's color temperature very well.
Since the HDR-TG5V doesn't offer aperture or shutter speed control, we're not surprised to see it doesn't include gain adjustment either. Having some sort of gain control has become a more common inclusion on consumer camcorders this year. Panasonic is the only manufacturer to offer complete control, although the aperture has to be open all the way in order to use it. Canon has an AGC limiter feature on the HF S11, HF S10, and HF S100, while JVC offers an AGC on/off setting. Sanyo also includes gain control in the form of ISO settings that work in video mode.
**Color & Image Controls***(2.0)*
The HDR-TG5V doesn't have any dedicated image or color controls. All it has is an x.v. Color option, which is explained below:
**Other Manual Controls***(3.5)*
Still Features
The Sony HDR-TG5V doesn't have too many still features, especially when you compare it to some of the impressive photo/video hybrid camcorders that are on the market. The camcorder can take still photos at a maximum resolution of 2304 x 1728, which is just under 4 megapixels. The TG5V's effective pixel count in still mode is just under 2-megapixels, however, which means its highest native resolution for photos is 1600 x 1200. This is a far cry from the native 9-megapixel capability on the JVC GZ-X900. Even so, our performance testing showed the Sony HDR-TG5V to take decent still photos, despite its minimal specs and features.
The camcorder can capture still photos while recording video, but sizes are limited to 2016 x 1134 (2.3 megapixels) when shooting in HD, and 1512 × 1134 (1.7 megapixels) when shooting standard definition video. These size choics are a bit odd, considering they don't match the resolution of the recorded video (1920 x 1080 for HD and 640 x 480 for SD). Again, you can only capture photos in these sizes if you do so while you are recording video, and these sizes cannot be changed in the camcorder's menu.
The TG5V prominently features a flash located around the lens on the front of the camcorder. The flash offers a Redeye Reduction feature, has three brightness levels (Low, Normal, and High), and can be set to auto, on, or off. There's also a self-timer on the camcorder, but it can only be set to 10 seconds.
All the manual controls available in video mode are also usable in still mode. In fact, the menu really isn't any different in still mode—all the video-specific controls are still there. When you select a video-specific option, the camcorder switches into video mode when you make a selection (and vice versa with photo-specific controls). This can be a bit confusing, as the camcorder doesn't do a good job specifically outlining what features work only in video mode or only in still mode.
Face detection is one feature that is probably more useful in still mode than video mode. The TG5V has an interesting feature called smile detection that automatically snaps a photo when your subject smiles. You can also set it to work while recording video by turning on Dual Capture smile detection. The setting works suprisingly well, although the camcorder definitely reads mouth movement as smiles on occasion. To avoid this, you can set the smile detection sensitivity to Low, which only takes photos when your subject gives a big smile (detection sensitivity can also be set to High or Normal).
The color accuracy on the HDR-TG5V's photos was very good. The camcorder measured a color error of just 2.98—significantly better than in our bright light video testing. That is also a better error number than any of the models we used as comparisons throughout this review. To make things even more impressive, the TG5V managed an excellent saturation level of 97.61%. (More on how we test still color.)
The HDR-TG5V produced bright colors in its still photos, and its image had a slight warm, orange look. This is contrasted by the cool, grey tone on the Sanyo VPC-HD2000's still photos (see below). The JVC GZ-X900 also rendered strong, vivid colors (106% saturation), but its image was also darker and more contrasty thant he TG5V.
Noise levels weren't terrible in the HDR-TG5V's still photos, but it measured more than double the amount of noise than it did in our bright light video testing. The camcorder averaged 0.92% noise in our still image testing, which is slightly less than both the JVC GZ-X900 and Son y HDR-XR520V measured. The Sanyo VPC-HD2000 had the lowest still noise levels of this set, with 0.77%. (More on how we test still noise.)
Since the Sony HDR-TG5V only has an effective pixel count of 2-megapixels for photos, we didn't expect much from it in our still sharpness test. The camcorder didn't do half-bad, however, and it actually came close to matching the results from camcorders with much higher still image resolutions. At best, the TG5V measured a horizontal sharpness of 1953 lw/ph with 15.2% oversharpening. Its vertical resolution came in at 1140 lw/ph with 6% undersharpening. These numbers aren't that much worse than what the Sony HDR-XR520V and JVC GZ-X900 were capable of, which is quite a shock considering those camcorders have much larger sensors and much higher pixel counts.
The HDR-TG5V's performance isn't top-ntch, however, and there are many better camcorders out there for capturing still photos. The Sanyo VPC-HD2000 and VPC-CG10 both put forth impressive still sharpness results, as did the high-end Canon models (HF S11, HF S10, and HF S100), and the JVC GZ-HM400. (More on how we test still sharpness.)
Handling & Use
Playback & Connectivity
The playback features on the HDR-TG5V are fairly basic, but many of the little features are difficult to use because of the frustrating nature of the touchscreen system. Photos and videos are arranged as thumbnail images when you enter playback mode (which is done by pressing the small playback button on the LCD). To watch a video you simply tap the corresponding thumbnail and it begins playing full screen. The VCR controls all exist as touchscreen buttons while you play your clips. This design is not good, as the buttons take up nearly 1/4 of the screen and you can't really watch your clip while you use them. The buttons do go away after a few seconds, however, but every time you tap the LCD they pop up again.
To access the camcorder's more in-depth playback features you can press the menu button in playback mode. One of the more unusual things about HDR-TG5V is that it doesn't have separate menus depending on what mode you are in. So, when you press the menu button in playback mode you actually get access to the entire menu. If you select an option that is meant for recording purposes (like exposure adjustment) the camcorder will leave playback mode entirely. This menu setup makes it very difficult to figure out what options work in what mode, but it does have the advantage of including all the camcorder's settings as one big collection of options.
In playback mode, videos can be arranged by date, location (using GPS), and face (by picking a face and organizing clips that have that person in them). You can also capture still photos from playback, but the system is very roundabout and unusual—much more difficult than simply pressing down the shutter button while a video is playing. As for internal editing: video clips can be divided (but not joined together), and footage can be dubbed from the internal memory onto a memory card. Other than being able to organize your clips by location using the camcorder's GPS, this is mostly standard fare for a consumer camcorder.
The most entertaining of the TG5V's playback features is called Highlight Playback, and it is something that is included on many Sony camcorders this year. Highlight Playback automatically generates a playlist of your clips—complete with music and transition effects—for you to view as a one-time video event. You can set the range of dates for Highlight Playback to pull video from, as well as choose from four pre-installed music options. There are even four theme settings for Highlight Playback designed to emulate a specific effect or look: Simple, Nostalgic, Stylish, and Active. There's no denying it, Highlight Playback is definitely an entertaining, if somewhat corny, feature. Unfortunately, there's no way to save or export a completed movie. So, if you love what Highlight Playback creates for you, maybe you should take notes and try to recreate it later using editing software.
The HDR-TG5V doesn't have too many ports on the camcorder itself—only a DC-input and Sony's proprietary AV/Component-output located on the right side. These two ports are protected by a flip-out door that pops open when you slide it. Ah, but wait... there's more. The camcorder has a strange slot on its bottom that connects to a provided docking station. On this dock you'll find the rest of the necessary ports: USB, HDMI, an extra DC-input, and an extra AV/Component-output.
The problem with relegating ports to the dock should seem obvious. If you want to output video via HDMI, you need to remember to bring along the docking station. Also, if you lose the dock, then you have to purchase a new one from Sony if you want to use these valuable ports. Sony does have one more trick up its sleeve, however, when it comes to the USB connection. The TG5V comes with a small adapter that connects to the dock slot on the bottom of the camcorder and allows you to plug in a USB cable directly. The adapter even comes with a plastic carrying case that can be tethered to the provided USB cable (the camcorder comes with two USB cables; one is short, one is long).
We love the idea of bypassing the dock for USB connection, but the small adapter is easy to lose and is just as easy to forget to pack as the dock itself. We wish Sony had just put a dedicated USB port on the camcorder itself. Same goes with HDMI, which was conveniently featured on last year's HDR-TG1.
Due to its compact size, the HDR-TG5V doesn't have a lot of the connectivity options that are commonly found on larger camcorders. Check out this table to see where the HDR-TG5V stands when it comes to ports, outputs and connectivity features:
Audio & Other Features
The Sony HDR-TG5V doesn't have many audio features, which is one of the big differences between it and the Sanyo VPC-HD2000. The TG5V has a top-mounted microphone that records Dolby Digital 2-channel audio. The mic is positioned so it is out of the way from wandering fingers, but its top-mounting does mean it isn't directed towards the subjects being recorded. The camcorder has no headphone or external mic jacks—something that the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 includes.
The built-in microphone on the TG5V can be set to Normal or Low recording volume, which is meant to be adjusted if you are shooting in a very loud environment (like a concert hall). The mic can also has a Zoom Mic setting that enables the camcorder to center-in on picking up sound coming from the subject you are zoomed into. The feature uses digital processing to focus the audio recording on the zoomed-in subject, so the resultant audio may not have the best quality. Fortunately, the Zoom Mic feature can be turned on or off.
That's it for the TG5V's audio features. The camcorder has no wind cut (or high-pass) filter, nor does it have an accessory shoe or audio level controls. Below is a list of the audio features found on the HDR-TG5V and its comparison models:
Smooth Slow Record
This feature allows you to capture slow-motion video by increasing the frame rate to 240fps (4x faster than regular 60i). Unfortunately, Smooth Slow Record clips are limited to only 3-seconds in length, which are then played back as 12-second clips. Smooth Slow Record can definitely be a useful feature, and Sony markets it as an excellent way to capture a golf swing, but we found it a bit confusing to use. Sony doesn't explain the setting very well, so you need to play around with it a few times before it can be used correctly. The JVC GZ-X900 and HM400, as well as the Samsung HMX-R10 and Sanyo VPC-HD2000, also have slow-motion recording options.
GPS
Allows you to tag and organize your media based on where the footage was captured. The map system on the HDR-TG5V is surprisingly detailed, although it is a bit unwieldy to navigate. You can zoom in and out of the map using the camcorder's zoom toggle, and you can also move the map by dragging your finger along the LCD touchscreen. We can see taking advantage of the GPS feature during a family road trip or long vacation, but for most every-day shooting it isn't very useful. The GPS did occasionally take a while to determine out our current location, and leaving the GPS turned on for a long period of time will likely diminish the camcorder's battery life.
Fader
A fade-to-black or fade-to-white can be added to the beginning or end of your clips by using the Fader setting. Each time you want to add a fade, you must go into the camcorder's menu and turn on the fader feature (the setting turns off automatically after each time you use it).
Sanyo VPC-HD2000 Comparison
The Sanyo VPC-HD2000 matches up with the Sony HDR-TG5V quite well. They both have an unusual, upright design and they put forth similar results in our video testing. The Sanyo has a better grip, superior low light performance, and more manual controls. The Sony, however, looks far more elegant, has a more durable body, and is more portable due to its rectangular design. Simply based on performance, we'd have to side with the Sanyo—it slightly edged out the HDR-TG5V in nearly every test. The Sony did kill the Sanyo when it came to image stabilization, however, while the Sanyo HD200 0 captured better still images.
Both camcorders have their issues when it comes to handling. The VPC-HD2000 features a terrible button design and a menu that is both confusing, outdated, and unattractive. If you like using touchscreens, the Sony's menu and navigation system aren't that bad. Yes, it has a long menu, but at least it isn't confusing—every option is located under one big menu, so things aren't hidden or tucked away. The Sony also has a much better customizable menu setup than the VPC-HD2000.
Another thing to note about the Sanyo is the fact that it uses the MPEG-4 codec to compress video. This compression system is less taxing on a computer than AVCHD, so it may be easier to work with for some people. Most editing software doe support AVCHD nowadays, however, so this is becoming less of an issue.
When looking at these two camcorders we definitely have to take cost into consideration. The Sanyo VPC-HD2000 isn't technically available in the US yet, but you can find it at some retailers for around $699. This is a good chunk less than the $999 price tag of the Sony HDR-TG5V. Of course, the Sony does come with 16GB of internal flash memory, which does even out the cost a little. Still, we think the Sanyo is the better buy. It has more features, better performance, and, if you can find it anywhere, it is much cheaper than the HDR-TG5V. If you don't mind its cheap construction and unusual form factor, the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 is actually a very good camcorder.
Update: **The Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2000 was ultimately selected as our 2009 Best Value of the Year. To see why we selected it and read about our other awards, check out the 2009 CamcorderInfo.com Select Awards.**
JVC GZ-X900 Comparison
Even though it has a horizontal design, the JVC GZ-X900 has a very similar size and weight to the HDR-TG5V. The two camcorders are almost perfectly rectangular, which makes them easier to slip into a pocket than most traditional camcorders. The GZ-X900 is also the same price as the HDR-TG5V ($999), so these two models make for an excellent comparison.
The biggest fault of the JVC GZ-X900 is its dismal low light performance. The camcorder simply cannot capture a usable image in low light unless you use a slow shutter, which creates motion trails and choppy footage, or you somehow boost your light source. The Sony HDR-TG5V wasn't a spectacular low light performer in its own right, but it did way better than the JVC GZ-X900. In bright light, the JVC GZ-X900 captured stellar video, although the Sony HDR-TG5V wasn't too far behind.
Both of these camcorders have some handling flaws. The Sony has its annoying touchscreen and its inability to precisely adjust manual controls. The JVC uses a Laser Touch strip system that can be just as finicky and annoying as a touchscreen. The GZ-X900 does have a few more manual controls than the Sony—including an aperture-priority and shutter-priority mode.
In our opinion, the Sony TG5V is the better overall camcorder here, mainly because of its stronger low light performance. We also think the Sony gives you more bang for your buck because it costs the same as the JVC, but it includes 16GB of internal flash memory (the JVC only records to memory cards). If you like the GZ-X900, but are looking for a more versatile product, check out the JVC GZ-HM400. It has similar specs to the X900, but its performance was much improved. It also has 32GB of internal memory, costs the same as the X900, and handles way better.
Sony HDR-XR520V Comparison
The Sony HDR-TG5V and the Sony HDR-XR520V are two very different camcorders. The X520V is Sony's top-line model and it costs roughly $500 more than the TG5V, so it may not be a fair comparison to look at these two side-by-side. The HDR-TG5V put up a surprising performance, however, and some of its numbers weren't that much worse than its more expensive cousin. Sure, the HDR-XR520V had a better low light performance and a sharper image, but the fact that the HDR-TG5V can even stand in the same company as the XR520V is quite impressive.
A considerable portion of the HDR-XR520V's exorbitant price tag stems from the fact that it has a 240GB internal hard drive strapped to its right side. This is a huge amount of storage space for a camcorder, and the HDR-XR520V is ideal for people who simply never want to deal with transferring footage from a camcorder to a computer or storage device. The HDR-XR520V also has more features than the HDR-TG5V, a cool control dial that allows you to precisely set manual controls, a much larger LCD screen, optical image stabilization, and an electronic viewfinder. Yes, it is way more loaded than the HDR-TG5V, but it also comes in a pretty bulky package.
Let's be clear, the HDR-XR520V is better than the HDR-TG5V in essentially every category—except portability. However, the HDR-XR520V's $1500 price tag definitely isn't in most people's budget. If you have your heart set on Sony, the HDR-TG5V isn't a bad option. Our tests showed that it can hang with the big guys even though its specs aren't as impressive.
Conclusion
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Specs and Ratings
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Meet the tester
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.
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