The New Video Camera

We picked up this nifty little Video Camera from Best Buy, just in time for baby's birth -- meaning this is the set-up that Seth plans to have in the Operating Room. 

It's the Sony "Bloggie Touch" 8GB HD Camcorder with 3" LCD Touch Screen in Black.  You really can't beat the size -- it easily fits in our regular digital point + shoot camera's bag.

So far, the picture is very sharp and the zoom is excellent -- considering how tiny this device is.  It's much smaller than any digital camera we've ever had.  The screen automatically adjusts to vertical or horizontal views too (like a Smartphone), and the touch screen menus are very intuitive.

It also couples nicely with our curent tripod that we use for our Sony NEX-5 digital camera.  The tripod was from Target for $59.99, called the Manfrotto Camera Tripod with 3-Way Head. 

Tripod Specs:

• Features: Portable
• Material: Aluminum
• Tripod Mount Type: 3 Way Panhead
• Tripod Extended Height: 60.6 " H
• Tripod Retracted Height: 18.1 " H
• Maximum Weight Capacity: 3.3 Lb.
• Dimensions: 5.0 " W x 18.1 " L
• Warranty Description: 90 Day Limited Manufacturer Warranty

The Bloggie retails for $199, but as of last weekend it was on sale on Best Buy's website for $99 -- and the store matched that price since their in-store price was $149.  As of today, though, the price online has gone up to $129.  Definitely pays to shop around online, and jump on the best deal while you can! 

Bloggie specs:

• 4x digital zoom
  Brings you up close to distant objects and scenes.
• 3" touch-screen LCD with vertical and horizontal operation
  Automatically rotates orientation for simple use.
• 1/2.5" Exmor CMOS image sensor
  With 12.8 effective megapixels for stunning detail and clear images, even in challenging lighting conditions.
• 4 lens groups in 4 elements
  Along with a f/2.8 aperture provide clear, crisp images. Autofocus and auto macro keep your pictures and video in focus.
• SteadyShot image stabilization
  Helps reduce blur caused by camera shake.
• Face detection technology
  Recognizes faces and optimizes camera settings for both video and still images, so faces are captured more clearly and skin tones look more natural.
• Photo mode
  Lets you capture images up to 12.8MP with 4128 x 3096 resolution.
• Mono audio recording
  Lets you capture sound with your videos.
• 8GB internal flash memory
  Lets you store video and photos.
• Built-in rechargeable battery
  Powers your camcorder.
• Flip-out USB arm
  Lets you connect your camcorder directly to a compatible PC to upload media and charge the battery.
• HDMI output
  For digital transfer of media.
• Video tagging
  Lets you tag videos and images and upload them to Internet sharing sites, including Facebook and YouTube, the next time the camera is connected to a computer.
• Bloggie software 1.0
  Embedded on the camera for tagging videos, pictures and more.
• Compatible with Windows XP, Vista and 7
  For wide-ranging use.