Sony Bloggie cameras mark another foray into Flip territory

Try as it might, Sony's never made much of a dent in the pocket camcorder market dominated by the Flip and its ilk. The company's primary problem has been price, but that doesn't mean we mind the modicum of functionality that the company has stuffed into its new "Bloggie" line of cameras. The MHS-CM5 and MHS-PM5 both shoot 1080p MPEG-4 video and shoot 5 megapixel stills, with the CM5 going for a Xacti-style pistol grip look and 2.5-inch flip out LCD, while the PM5 is a candybar design with a 270 degree swivel lens and a 2.4-inch LCD in back. They both feature a bit of digital zoom, Face Detection exposure correction, and SteadyShot shake reduction (which doesn't work in HD modes). The PM5K model also includes a bundled "360 degree" lens, which can capture wraparound panorama video viewable on Sony's Picture Motion Browser software. The cameras have USB arms for charging and transfers, but no built-in storage or included SD storage. The CM5 goes for $200, while the PM5K and PM5 go for $190 and $170, respectively, and all three are available today.

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