Sony HDR-TG3 High Definition Memory Stick Pro Duo Camcorder

"This is a great camera. Excellent picture quality, small, fits in your pocket. Touch screen is great. Worth buying."

Great build quality and size. Easy to put in your pocket. The image still quality is good and the Hi-Def recording is stunning. Big downside though, if you have an apple mac which is pre Intel (eg PowerBook G4, G5) the AVCHD (sony Hi-Def recording format) is not compatible. The software that sony supply is also not compatible with macs, a bit disappointing. Although it will decode the recording to standard def and stero sound if you have iMovie 08. To get the best out of this camera, you would need to be a microsoft windows user.

I am the proud owner of a Sony HDR-TG3 the worlds smallest full HD camcorder. I have tried other Memory Sticks and they have failed to deliver, falling after only a few vidoe takes. Listen don't be fooled into thinking other sticks will work ok. They won't you need a Sony Mark 2 ( and it should state this on the stick) any other and you will fall fail to error messages after only a little recording. These are the real mackoy and are a dam sight cheaper than any other seller. Great, shame I couldn't get them before my holiday though ! The ones I managed to take with me were said to me mark 2's and they weren't and the errored after a short recording period. I had to buy three 4GB sticks (all I could get) instead. Lost lots of recording time aswell ,bit of a bumer but you leant with time.
The HDR TG3 is the nuts, the darker areas on the camera are actually a very nice dark shade of Brown, very classy ! Dont look like a div carrying a larger camera. I took this to Florida recently and I may as well have ben carrying a camera around with me. I really didn't notice it either in my pocket or around on my belt. I vieo'ed everything. All in the lowest possible HD quality (giving more recoding time), and because of the great sun shine you still get a fantastic picture. For a whole days shooting you will probably need another couple of batteries and a couple of extra chips, just to make sure you covered. I also bought a Sony VCD-MC5 vidoe recorder, all you do is plug your camera direcly in to it and press a button and hey presto a couple of mins later a HD DVD to keep forever. I burned a couple, one as a master and one to use everyday.
Getting back to the camera, there are a nice couple of little touches. One being the slow motion caption. It will take three seconds of video then replay it back over 12 seconds making some craking video. Second you can very easily cut clips in to two then delete the bit which went wrong.
The gear I bought has to be the best Camcorder and accesories out there... Brilliant !

I must say when i first saw this camera , loved it then start to find some review on the internet , i do have a mac and i can say it is compatible with imovie and and idvd , however the sony software is not compatible . Now THE RECORDING it is impressive in hd on my sony lcd bravia , the camcorder is easy to use , good battery ,,,and you will be not happy expensive memory card , sony gives you 4 gb , i will get the 16 gb and on play is 100 £ somewhere else 170 £ . Overall is a very good camera , very impressive in both sd and hd , very good photos too .I hope to have answered your question .