The latest and arguably greatest from Sony’s camcorder range, the Handycam HDR-TG3E is set to excite a new generation of filmmakers. Amateurs and professionals alike will fawn over the blend of style and substance in a camcorder that’s small enough to carry around in a pocket or a purse.

First of all, the TG3E is capable of 1,920 x 1,080i, full HD recording. This leads to absolutely stunning footage in clear, crisp reproduction, especially when teamed up with Sony’s range of BRAVIA high-definition televisions (indeed, there is on-board BRAVIA Sync technology that allows the camcorder to be controlled using the TV’s remote control when hooked up). What’s more, the TG3E has a very decent 10x optical zoom and, should you need it, an astonishing 120x digital zoom.

Moving away from video momentarily, this Sony camcorder can also be used to capture stills at a respectable 4MP, while a Dual Rec feature records 2.3MP stills during the video process. This minimises the post-shoot effort of extracting a desirable frame from the video footage, which is the bane of many camera operators’ lives. Also at this end of the process, a handy feature called Face Index brings up all the shots that have faces in them instantly, saving time previously spent trawling through lengthy footage.

Due to the small size and light weight of the TG3E, users are likely to store it in a pocket or a handbag, as mentioned earlier. This brings with it the risk of scratches in the majority of cases; however, the Sony Handycam is made of an impressively tough titanium body, topped off with a  premium hard coating, while the Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lens and the 2.7-inch Clear Photo LCD screen are protected when the camcorder is not in use.

Another area that enhance this Sony camcorder’s performance is the 5.1-channel surround sound, in addition to the three-channel zoom microphone that obtains clearer dialogue. And from clear voices to clear skin, as the TG3E encompasses Face Detection technology and the ability alongside it to fine-tune skin tones, exposure and contrast, ensuring fantastic results every time.

Already shaping up to be an ideal camcorder companion, the TG3E incorporates Sony’s SteadyShot image stabilisation technology to reduce camera shake as well as a ClearVid CMOS sensor, leading to images that are high in sensitivity and low in noise. Alongside the on-board BIONZ high-speed image processor, the clarity of recordings is something to marvel at.

Final Verdict Big technology in a small package, the TG3E from Sony brings a welcome option to the photography table OVERALL

Sam used to work as part of the DCE team, which fuelled his passion for photography. He loves to get his hands on the latest cameras and accessories and put them through their paces.