The Sony Webbie HD MHS-CM1 is an ultracompact camcorder that most users will find as convenient as their digital cameras. In fact, many users may prefer the convenience of their digital cameras over the Sony Webbie HD, especially if they have a half decent video recorder on it. While the Webbie HD gains points for being well-thought out with easy to understand buttons and an ultra user-friendly menu system, it fails as badly as the 2007 Miami Dolphins in several areas.

Like passengers on a bus in China, the buttons are simply too close together, which makes them too difficult to use if you’re a guy or gal with hands larger than an average five year old’s—especially when you’re trying to initiate or stop the filming or when zooming in or out. Other notable faults include the poor filming in low-light situations, poor audio pick up unless the filmed subject is within four feet of the video camera, weak LED light, no flash for the still camera, crappy onboard speakers during video playback (but it’s fine when connected to a TV or computer), and a lens cover that just won’t to go back on the camera. The auto focus also performs poorly in low-light situations and the glossy 2.5-inch swivel LCD is as easy to see in sunny conditions as it is to see the M83 galaxy with the naked eye; that’s an exaggeration, but the LCD is still tough to see.

Undressing the Sony Webbie HD

While the Sony Webbie HD has its faults, it still has some strong points. Above all else, you have to remember the purpose of this camera if you’re going to appreciate the fairly significant specifications for its scope. For an ultracompact camcorder designed for quick spontaneous use, it’s nice to find a CMOS imaging processor and a 5-megapixel camera for still shots. The Webbie HD maxes out at 1440x1080/30p, 5x optical zoom, 20x digital zoom, and 12 megabytes of onboard memory (expandable with a 16 gigabyte Memory Stick PRO Duo). The USB 2.0 port makes it uber easy to transfer videos to your computer or upload them directly to YouTube. If you record at the lowest video setting, you’ll get 990 minutes of your favorite candid moments.

The seven-ounce Sony Webbie HD might not be suitable for Marin Scorsese, but it’s good for casual use when you want to capture life as it happens.