19th Dec 2005
Sony DCR-PC120BT MiniDV Digital Camcorder
The latest Sony’s matchbox cam provided with Bluetooth technology to connect users to the Internet without wires. It is main, if not only, difference from DCR-PC110.
Full list of well known features: 1.5-megapixel CCD, 2.5-inch LCD monitor, Carl Zeiss 37-mm optics, 10x optical zoom, manual focus ring, 530 lines horizontal video resolution, hotshoe for attaching an optional video light or a microphone, digital image stabilization, 1-megapixel photo mode with pop-up flash, and analog-to-digital conversion so that you can archive your movies onto durable MiniDV cassettes.
Usual downside: the tape loading mechanism is located on the bottom of the camcorder, so it is impossible to change tapes when the PC120BT is mounted on a tripod.
The camera includes a Bluetooth-enabled 56-Kbps PC Card modem access point that allows the PC120BT to wirelessly connect to another Bluetooth enabled device within 30 feet. Just plug the Bluetooth transceiver into any phone jack or a Bluetooth-enabled cell phone for Internet access right on the camcorder’s LCD.
Consumers can use Bluetooth feature in three ways. First, upload megapixel-quality still images and lower quality 15 second to 3 minute video clips to your own personal album web site hosted by Sony.
Users also can send text e-mail messages more than 500 characters with attached still images and MPEG video directly from the camcorder to a friend’s inbox. Text typing panel is very uncomfortable. The PC120BT can also receive text messages up to 1,024 characters.
And third, the DCR-PC120BT camcorder allows for Web browsing and viewing on the camcorder’s LCD display. Users can view Web pages and download them to the supplied 8MB Memory Stick media.
Digital program editing allows to select a sequence of 20 scenes and then controls dubbing via i.LINK to another i.LINK camcorder, or via infrared remote to an analog VCR. Controls both Sony and other brand camcorders and VCRs (codes for 59 VCR brands with timing adjustment available). You can select and arrange up to 20 of the scenes from your DV camcorder and record them onto another digital camcorder or analog VCR.
You can capture up to 60 seconds of MPEG encoded video, and store it directly to Memory Stick Media. Or, convert up to 60 seconds of digital video to an MPEG Movie for e-mailing. MPEG movie can be captured onto Sony’s Memory Stick
Pulse Code Modulation (PCM) allows recording for 96db dynamic range. Camcorder provides two recording modes of 12-bit and 16-bit audio. 12-bit creates two sets of stereo tracks, and 16-bit mode offers one pair of stereo tracks. Audio dub capability allows you to add an additional 12-bit stereo track to your original recording.
Conclusion
If you really need to publish images to the Web straight from the camera, the DCR-PC120BT is a good choice, especially taking into account great video quality. For others Bluetooth technology would be just too expensive toy.