Sony Bloggie Camera (Black)

by Sony

• 1920x1080p MP4 HD video w/5MP still images
• Full-screen vertical/horizontal record/playback on 2.7" LCD
• Up to 2 hours HD video with 4GB of internal memory
• Slim design with sleek finish and simplified operation
• Flip-out USB arm for upload/charge

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.8 x 4.9 x 2.8 inches ; 9.6 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B004H8FNBC
• Item model number: MHSFS1/B
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (49 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #1,922 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
• Date first available at Amazon.com: January 4, 2011

Product Description

Color: Black

From the Manufacturer

Bloggie Camera Share your world Easy to use, easy to cary. The Bloggie camera is always ready for action-you'll never want to be without it.
Simplicity is bliss Talk about convenience. The Bloggie takes the guesswork out of shooting and sharing video and just lets you enjoy your creation. Its pocket-sized portability, anybody-can-do-it controls and simple, built-in software make it perfect for people of all ages.
	Stills and video at the same time Shoot 5-megapixel photos even while shooting video. So next time you're shooting a video clip, just press the shutter and you'll have a still photo to go along with it.
All-around view 360° video recording lets you capture the world around you. Just attach the 360° video accessory (available on select models) to record a high-quality, panoramic video that encompasses a 360° field of view.
Easy shooting. Easy sharing Now you can record and share those must-see moments easier than ever. Every Bloggie captures HD video and fits right in your pocket. Best of all, uploading your videos to the internet is a cinch. Shoot When fun happens, your Bloggie is there. Shoot life's must-see, must-share moments in beautiful high definition.
	Full HD 1080P Video Capture beautiful, 1080P video in the web-friendly MP4 format, perfect for uploading to sites like YouTube. The handy HDMI out even lets you watch videos on your HDTV. Auto-Macro shooting and 4x digital zoom With the Bloggie camera you'll be able to take pictures or video from as little as 4" away, perfect for capturing a business card or a new friend's phone number. Sony Exmor CMOS sensor for high-quality video/stills    The Bloggie camera's  Exmor CMOS sensor delivers  high-quality video and pictures with less grain, even in challenging lighting conditions. Face Detection technology for video and stills    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.
Built-in rechargable battery The built-in battery contributes to the Bloggie camera's sleek and stylish design while powering the large 2.7-inch screen and camera functions. Razor Sharp Stills Capture up to 12.8-megapixel stills with impeccable detail for cropping shots or large prints. You can even use the Dual Record feature and simultaneously take pictures while shooting video. Image Stabilization Got shaky hands? SteadyShot image stabilization technology is built in to help reduce blur, making your videos and photos look even better.
Connect Once you've caught the magic on your Bloggie, it's time to connect your compatible Mac, PC or HDTV where you can do so much more.
Built in USB Arm No cables needed. Just flip out the built-in USB arm and connect directly to your computer. It charges the camera, too Share it Later Tag videos and images on your Bloggie while on the go and mark them for upload to your favorite internet sharing sites the next time the camera is connected to a computer.
	HDMI Out Just connect an HDMI mini cable (sold separately) and you can enjoy video from your Bloggie on your compatible HDTV.
Share Why keep the fun to yourself? Connect to your world and share your experiences with friends and family.
	Share Privately Save the good stuff for your inner circle. Personal Space by Sony gives you free private sharing with friends and family when used with the built-in Bloggie software.
Share Publicly Using the built-in Bloggie software, you can share your videos and photo with a few clicks. The Bloggie makes posting to your favorite social network sites a snap.

Compare all Bloggies

	Bloggie 3D Camera	Bloggie Touch Camera	Bloggie Duo Camera	Bloggie Camera
Key Feature	3D Video and still image recording capability	Capacitive touch screen	Second LCD for Self-recording	Slim design
HD Video	1920x1080p MP4	1920x1080p MP4	1920x1080p MP4	1920x1080p MP4
Still Images	5MP	12MP	5MP	5MP
HD Record Time	Up to 4 hours	Up to 4 hours	Up to 2 hours	Up to 2 hours
Recording & Playback on	2.4-inch LCD Vertical/horizontal	3.0-inch LCD Vertical/horizontal	2.7-inch LCD Vertical/horizontal	2.7-inch LCD Vertical/horizontal

Product Description

Shoot, share and enjoy watching HD movies every day with the MHS-FS1 Bloggie camera. It features 4GB of internal memory which is good for recording up to two hours of HD video. You can also snap 5-megapixel still photos. Loaded with features like Auto Macro and SteadyShot image stabilization, you'll find more ways to express yourself than ever before. A vivid 2.7" (diag.) screen will rotate its orientation automatically making it simple for shooting and reviewing your shots. In addition to a flip-out USB arm, the Bloggie has pre-installed software so can easily tag your memories for easy uploading to sites such as YouTube, Facebook and Personal Space by Sony.

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

82 of 84 people found the following review helpful

5.0 out of 5 stars Easy To Use, 1080p Camera, Built For Sharing! May 24, 2011

By Woots VINE™ VOICE

Color Name:Black|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

I got my camera today and I was excited to take it for a test drive. My initial impression while unboxing it was how sleek & well packaged it was (the heavy thick internal box was very much like iphone and ipod). You get the camera, a usb extender cable, a camera tether/strap and the documents. The software is built into the camera so don't be shocked when you don't see it. The battery was fully charged when I got mine so I was instantly able to power it on and check it out. I started to read some documents and they told me to register and install the software before getting stated. Below I will breakdown the following process step by step.

>> Registration/Software/Setup:
When you get the camera out of the box you can plug it into your USB port on your machine. (Remember to have the power turned on when you plug it into the USB or it wont get detected) Two new folders show up on your drive list.."Bloggie" & "Bloggie Software". You then run the camera software called "Setup_Bloggie" (for windows or mac) located in the "Bloggie Software" folder. You can now register your camera online via their software (in which it plugs in all the serial number data for you which makes it easy), then the software sets up somewhat quickly (few minutes).

*Firmware Update: (Not required, but I did it... skip this step if you're not interested.)
After full install...I noticed upon software start up it told me to update the firmware on the camera (being that I am a techy sort, I went right for that. Others can easily avoid this step if you don't wanna deal with it right away.) The method to update the firmware is not obvious anywhere, but I found some videos online that helped me sort that out... basically you copy the firmware.bin you get off Sony's site and copy it into the "Bloggie" folder and reboot the camera and it updates itself... easy and quick. The camera is then ready to go.

>> Video Recording & Quality:
This couldn't be easier to use. Remember to turn the camera side ways. Always hold this camera long ways to the ground...otherwise the 16:9 footage flips vertical and squeezes the wrong way.

You click the little center red dot button on the thumb pad below the screen to start recording and to stop recording. You can zoom in and out with the little thumb pad. The camera does a decent job auto focusing, just try to keep a steady hand to speed that up. The audio is surprisingly clear, which I was shocked with most due to its small size (usually small mics don't pick up audio well). Once I got back on my PC after shooting I saw that the video shoots in clear 1080p HD, very impressive quality.

*Video Resolution Settings:
If you click menu button, on the camera, you can select (1080 30p, 720 60p, 720 30p, 270 30p)... for those that don't know the 30p and 60p refers to frame rate... higher is better for fast motion recording (think cars or sports). 1080 30p of coarse is the highest full HD resolution and one I personally will be using all the time.)

*Low Light Performance:
I tested the camera out under low light settings to see how well it handles and I was surprised it didn't do too bad. Low light is a problem for ALL cameras though (as you need light to shoot :), but I was happy to see this performed relatively well. Just be sure if you want good quality recordings to not stumble into low light areas, try to make sure they are artificially lit.

*Image Stabilization:
I did notice a bit of heavy screen vibration while moving quickly, so try to keep steady with your movements and not stomp or jog around (which means the image stabilization isn't the best of the best, but at this price range it does a good job in my opinion).

*Audio:
Quick note on audio...be sure you watch where your fingers are located on the camera, as to not block the microphone holes or it can muffle the audio level. The microphone holes are located right next to the word "bloggie" on the phones side... further down that panel near the on/off button are another set of holes, but those are for the speaker playback. Just commit to memory "the ones to avoid covering are near the bloggie logo!" :)

*Technique for clear footage:
Good hand placement and a steady set of hands are key for any videographer or photo-tog. If you want good footage, learning how to steady your hands is one of the early things you need to practice. Particularly if you are not using a tripod or resting the camera on solid objects to shoot footage. Practice makes perfect!

>> Sharing:
The software that comes with the camera allows you to upload via Facebook, Flickr, Youtube accounts really quickly and easily. The part that surprised me was Sony has something called "Personal Space by Sony" which they allow you to upload 1 GB of video footage to privately or publicly share with friends/family/colleagues. This is a 100% free service as far as I can tell. I uploaded my 1st batch of videos to my family right after getting the camera and the process was simple. You can add comments and rate each video too via their service (similar to Youtube). The only negative I didnt like is they appear to downsize the resolution of your video as to more easily fit in their servers. I suppose with only 1 GB of space full 1080p footage would get filled up quickly.

*Directly Access the Videos:
If you want to extract your footage out of the camera and bypass the Sony software it is possible too. This is ideal if you want to edit the footage in full-fledged video suite (like Adobe Premier, Sony Vegas or Final Cut Pro) or upload to your own website. There are 2 ways to do this.

The easiest way is after you plug your camera into your computer navigate to the "Bloggie" folder and look for a folder called "MP_ROOT" .. inside this folder your will find another folder, inside that will be your video footage in *.MP4 format. You will also find a *.THM file with the same name, I believe this is a sony proprietary thumbnail format, just to display the thumbnail of your video or photo. Therefore, you only need to copy over the *.MP4 video file to your computer for video editing or uploading to your own website.
WARNING: Just be sure not to delete any folders just to be safe.

The other way to get to this data is by using the sony software and click "show in explorer" this opens up the folder in explorer with the footage located in it. (Same effect, but the original way bypasses the software to locate it)

>> Final Thoughts:
Overall this is the perfect "world from my perspective" kinda camera. Great for Blogs, Vlogs, Youtubers or just people who want to share quick easy to make videos with family/friends. The size of this camera is literally so tiny it will slip in your back pocket if your a guy or your purse if your a gal, no camera bags needed if you don't want one. What is amazing to me is being able to get 1080p HD this good looking at this price.

After using this camera a while now and having fun with it I can easily say for the price and quality I would highly recommend it to others. I also love that a camera like this is so easy to just pick up and shoot footage without the hassle of battery packs, lenses DV tapes or DVD's, etc... it's just painlessly easy to use, point and shoot video.

If you are in the market for this class of camera, put this on your radar. Have fun making videos!

79 of 83 people found the following review helpful

2.0 out of 5 stars Missing Essential Features, but Easy to Use August 10, 2011

By Gregory Bravo VINE™ VOICE

Color Name:Black

I bought this specifically to record band rehearsals and performances. I think I might take it back because it is missing a couple of essential features, although it is quite easy to use and has surprisingly good audio quality.

When I started looking for a handheld camcorder to record music rehearsals and performances, I quickly narrowed down the field to the Sony Bloggie, the Zoom Q3 and the Zoom Q3 HD because of their listed attributes and the great reviews on these products. The Zoom Q3 was the front runner as far as audio quality was concerned (according to reviewers) but was not 1080p. The Bloggie was 1080p, but didn't have the audio rep of the Zoom. The Zoom Q3 HD had both. I finally settled on the Sony Bloggie because the Zoom Q3 HD was a little out of my price range, and because I could find it locally and I needed it ASAP.

So here's the review:

The Bloggie came in a slick little box which can also be used as a carrying case for all the paraphernalia (USB cable, carrying cord, manuals.) The device is also very smooth and slick looking, and feels substantial in your hand. The first thing you need to do before using it is plug it in to your computer. Editing software will then be downloaded into your computer automatically. (The editor is very primitive, but does the job for basic applications.) The instruction manual doesn't really tell you much--- it is one thick card, and doesn't help much at all! You kind of have to figure out how the thing works on your own. Luckily, it is pretty straightforward. Press the red button to record!

The battery came charged out of the box, which was nice. It is recharged through the USB, so you don't ever need to buy batteries.

I tried a quick little vid in my bedroom and uploaded it to my harddrive with no problem. According to the specs, there is an internal flash drive (which can't be upgraded) which allows 2 hours of recording in 1080p. This seemed to me to be a little low for what I would need it for (band rehearsals,) but close enough. I erased the test vid from the memory, and went off to rehearsal.

Since I didn't buy the optional stand, I sort of balanced the thing between two books and pressed record. It seemed to be working fine (it has a built-in video screen), so we started rehearsal. About two hours later we quit, and I went home, all excited to download the vid and take a listen to what we had done.

After plugging the camera into my laptop and opening the editing software, I selected "import." A couple of minutes later, the file had finished, and (with great anticipation!) I pressed play to watch it. Listening to the video with headphones, I was surprised at the sound quality for such a tiny camera with no external mike! The video was pretty good, too, although that wasn't my main concern. The audio quality was my priority, and the Bloggie seemed to pass that test.

Unfortunately, at that moment, I noticed that the video was only 29 minutes long! Where the heck was the other hour and a half of rehearsal? I had no idea! Gone into the ether! I never touched the camera once I set it up, but for some reason the thing quit recording at 29 minutes! Gah! What a waste!!!! I was sick. I read the (non)manual, but could find nothing about this issue.

I also realized that we had played for about 2 and half hours, so even if the camera had worked, I would have missed the last half hour because of the lack of memory.

After I got home I went on line to do some research. At some camera website with the Bloggie specs and review, in the very last footnote at the bottom of the page, it said "movie recording is limited to 29 minute segments."

GAHHH!!!! Really, Sony? Really??? Even though there is still an hour and half of memory left? REALLY???!?!!

So, what that means essentially is that if I want to record one of our shows, I have to set up the camera, then a half hour later leave the stage to press "record" again? Then a half hour later, leave the stage AGAIN to press record AGAIN?

Epic fail.

The second problem I have with the Bloggie is that there is no way to expand the memory capabilities. With the Zoom you can upgrade your memory to be able to record up to 16 hours of video! With the Bloggie, you are stuck with two hours, but in 29 minute segments.

So here is my final summary:

PROS:
Surprisingly good audio quality for such a small camera.
Good video quality at 1080p.
Simple to use.

CONS:
Unfathomable 29 minute limit on videos.
Non-expandable memory.
Poor and useless tech manual.

For my needs, the Bloggie doesn't quite cut it. However, the audio quality is very good. Still, I think I will be forced to return this device.

I'm sad!

UPDATE AUGUST 16, 2011

I've been listening repeatedly to the audio on the recording that I made with this product, and the more I listen to it and compare it to the audio I have heard online of the ZOOM Q3, the more that I like the sound from the Bloggie. I am very torn at this point on whether I am going to return the Bloggie. The sound this little camera captures is really good! I will update again as I spend some more time with it and record some more with it. I also found that, according to Sony, the reason the camera shuts off at 29 minutes is because of heating issues. Still an epic fail, though.

UPDATE AUGUST 17 2011

OK, this camera has got to go! I tried using it a second time at one of our rehearsals. This time it only got through 20 minutes before shutting itself off (must have overheated.) I tried to start it again, but it just wouldn't record again. I had to wait over 20 minutes for it to cool down before it would begin recording again. Even then, it only lasted another 13 minutes before shutting itself off again, this time supposedly for no battery charge--- even though it was fully charged when I started. All of these things are entirely unacceptable. It is really sad, because the 33 minutes of video I did manage to get have really great, lifelike sound. The sound is good! If only the rest of the camera worked as well.... *sigh*

17 of 18 people found the following review helpful

4.0 out of 5 stars Good camera but the manual especially needs work June 18, 2011

By I. Tysoe VINE™ VOICE

Color Name:Black|Amazon Vine™ Review (What's this?)

Let's start with the bottom line. Sony's first 3D camera is good, especially considering the price but the manual especially needs a bit of work.

Packaging

Face it, the packaging is the first thing you notice about a product. And it's always nice when the packaging is good. And this is. The camera comes in a velvet lined box like you might find for a designer watch. The box contains simple getting started instructions and warranty information plus a simple wrist tether.

The Camera

The camera is smaller than I expected; it's smaller than an average smartphone, though a little thicker which you will discover later is by design. This is because at the base of the bloggie is a standard threaded hole for attaching it to any regular camera mounting or tripod accessory.

In Use

I've always wanted to be able to attach a video camera to my car and record scenic drives so on my first day I attached my new bloggie to my Joby flexible tripod and fastened the camera to my rear view mirror in a matter of seconds. My first trip was exciting and provided me with roughly 20 minutes of video recording before the batteries ran out. This is because I ran it in sport mode and the instructions were not clear about what sport mode was. Sport mode records 1080p Hi Def at 60FPS (Frames Per Second) for fast action recording and the phenomenal amount of data means the battery gets drained very quickly but eliminates blurring when something moves quickly past the camera. (So you get better quality but less of it.)

I have since recorded drives at 1080p 30 FPS and the battery has yet to run out on a single trip, well over an hour closer to two. Quality of video is very good in a variety of conditions so long as there is adequate light.

The camera also takes still shots and can even do this while recording video. The quality is decent, similar to the video output but at a different aspect ratio that matches traditional photographs. This is great though a little disorientating at first. What the manual doesn't tell you is that you have to hold the photo button half pressed a moment till the camera changes to photo mode, a white box appears and clicking the photo button produces a traditional photo clicking and film winding noise.

Interface

The camera interface is very simple. You don't need to be very technical to use it. When holding the camera portrait style you have the screen and two menu buttons plus 4 buttons forming a cross shape with a red record button in the center.

The top menu button pops up photo and video settings, left and right buttons to set photo resolution, up down buttons to set video Clicking again returns you to the camera view. The Bottom menu button shows thumbnails of your photos and videos in a grid that you can navigate with the left, right, up and down buttons.

In the default camera view, the up and down arrows zoom the camera in and out, whilst the right arrow cycles through self timer settings. The photo button is separate to the video record button so you can video and take photos simultaneously without ruining the video.

The whole is relatively intuitive and you should soon get the hang of it.

Charging and connectivity.

The Bloggie has a flip out USB plug in one side of it that is used for charging. It has no separate charger. You flick a switch and out pops a USB plug at a 90 degree tangent to the camera body. This can plug directly into your computer or via a simple 6" cable that comes with the camera. Plug it in with the camera switched off and away it goes.

The camera can also be plugged directly into a modern HDTV via the built in mini HDMI connector though you will have to purchase the correct cable as none is supplied.

Software.

The camera comes with software for your computer preinstalled. When you plug it into a Mac or PC the device is recognized and it asks you if you want to install the software. A few moments later you're presented with a sleek interface that shows all the media you have taken. It's very simple to navigate and has quick one click upload to Youtube, facebook etc. Or one click to transfer selected media to your computer. It's very simple and straightforward and doesn't really need instructions if you have a basic understanding of windows or the apple desktop.

I am very pleased with the camera, it's small, very lightweight and easy to mount to various camera tripods and other mounting attachments. Quality is good, batteries last a good 2 hours of video recording in normal conditions.

The main thing Sony should work on is the manual.