Sony Bloggie 3D mini-camcorder makes 3D easy, pocketable
Sony's new Bloggie 3D mini-camcorder brings tri-dimensional shooting to your handbag with two lenses and a 3D screen. Other new Bloggies make do with dual screens and 1080p.
You know 3D has reached the point of parody when even tiny little mini-camcorders like Sony's cute Bloggies can record in all three dimensions. "What is the deal with that?! What's next, 3D microwaves?!" as Jerry Seinfeld might say, were he trapped in the Orwellian nightmare that is CES.
The Bloggie 3D MHS-FS3 (pictured above, middle) is a "world's first", Sony trumpets, adding the tiny qualification that it's referring to "MP4-based consumer digital cameras capable of recording vertical resolution of 1080 as of 5 January 2011". It is an impressive little blighter, however, with two lenses, two sensors, an LED light, 8GB of internal memory and a stereo mic.
You can watch back your 3D epics on its titchy 2.4-inch screen without the need for dorky glasses, or on any 3D-capable telly. It records Full HD 1080p footage in the MP4 format and 5-megapixel stills.
Two other Bloggies announced today don't come with all the 3D gubbins, but the Bloggie Duo MHS-FS2 (left, resplendent in black and pink) has two screens nonetheless -- a 2.7-inch display on the back and a 2-incher on the front under the lens, for when you need to confess your inner turmoil to YouTube.
The cheaper Bloggie MHS-FS1 saves money by forgoing a cool nickname and only having one 2.7-inch screen. It comes in black and white (as you can see on the right). Like the Duo, it has 4GB of storage included.
All three models take advantage of Exmor CMOS sensors, let you photos while you're shooting video and have an automatically adjusting interface for quick changes of shooting position.
When you've yelled "cut!" on your exquisite terpsichorean tragedy, a 'Share it Later' menu lets you tag pics and video for easy sharing online via a computer, with Facebook, YouTube, Flickr and Picasa all supported. Sony also has its own online service, called Personal Space, but we can hardly imagine anyone bothering with that.
The Duo and FS1 will be available in March, with the Bloggie 3D following in April. Prices haven't been announced, as is Sony's peculiar wont.