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Sony Handycam HDR-TD10E is first full HD, 3D camcorder

It's not the first 3D camcorder, but the Handycam TD10E is the first that can record all three dimensions in full HD 3D. We rocked up to the Sony stand to get hands-on with it.

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Here in sunny Las Vegas, Sony is showing off the world's first full HD, 3D camcorder with a built-in, glasses-free, 3D screen. Meet the Handycam HDR-TD10E.

The £800 camera has dual lenses and two recording sensors as well as that fold-out, 3.5-inch 3D screen. The two-lens, two-sensor approach is what enables Sony to claim the 'world's first full HD 3D camera' badge, even though there are other 3D, HD camcorders on the market.

The best-known is Panasonic's HDC-SDT750, which is capable of recording HD 3D, but it uses the side-by-side recording system, which means you get less than 1,920x1,080-pixel images. Panasonic does have a professional camcorder that can record 3D in full HD, but the AG-3DA1 costs £13,000 and isn't intended for the likes of us. It's probably what Michael Bay records his home videos on.

We got a hands-on with the camera, and the 3D image it produces looked impressive on a Sony active 3D TV, at least in the tightly locked-down Sony booth at CES. The same can't be said about the built-in, glasses-free fold-out display, which sent us cross-eyed in no time at all.

The TD10E records to 64GB of on-board flash memory and will be out in the UK in April. Its 10x optical zoom works in 3D mode and is steadied by Sony's Optical SteadyShot.

There's a switch at the back that allows you to switch to 2D mode with minimal fuss, and in 2D mode the camera still records a 1,920x1,080-pixel signal. We aren't sure how popular 3D home movies are, but we're sure there are some budding filmmakers out there who will be keen to get hold of one.

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The built-in 3D display is clever, but not especially clear or easy to use. We found ourselves going cross-eyed when we tried it out.
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Gone are the days of Sony being proprietary about its storage format. This camera is SD all the way.
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This camera is unique because it has two lenses and two imaging sensors. This is what allows it to create full HD 3D video.
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Switching from 2D to 3D is as simple as sliding the switch.
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This camera is sturdy, and nice to hold but that 3D screen might make it hard to use at times.

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