Sony Handycam HDR-TG3E

...you an idea - our Sony Vaio Pentium D 2.8GHz with 2Gb RAM and 1Gb Nvidia graphics card 'just about' manages to play back the hi-def files acceptably. There are no obvious glitches. But I cannot help feeling that a faster PC would be better. Whereas anything slower would just not cut the mustard. Although TG3E comes with software for browsing, importing and playing back files from the camcorder, for editing you will need something else, described ...
...Nero 9, PowerDVD 8, or Sony DVD Architect 5;
i) a Blu-Ray player for your TV. Panasonic's DMP-BD35 is a good bet;
j) editing software that can handle AVCHD files. The cut-down forty quid version of Sony Vegas does this well - as do a few other apps, including the reasonably-priced Movie Plus X3 from Serif. We just use Vegas Lite because we know it;
k) an external hard drive for storing all your clips. Firewire or SATA drives ... more

This is a really great little camcorder that produces stunning images and brilliant sound. It's also very compact and easy to carry around.

However, to avoid disappointment and/or to get the best out of HDR-TG3E there are a few things you should know.

1. A powerful computer is needed to process material from this camcorder. To give you an idea - our Sony Vaio Pentium D 2.8GHz with 2Gb RAM and 1Gb Nvidia graphics card 'just about' manages to play back the hi-def files acceptably. There are no obvious glitches. But I cannot help feeling that a faster PC would be better. Whereas anything slower would just not cut the mustard. Although TG3E comes with software for browsing, importing and playing back files from the camcorder, for editing you will need something else, described below.

2. HDR-TG3E craves accessories, namely:

a) a mini-HDMI to HDMI cable for connecting the camcorder directly to your TV;
b) a spare NP-FH50 battery;
c) the fast charger AC-VQH10 or the small travel charger BC-TRP, which comes as part of a kit that includes a spare battery. But BC-TRP only takes one battery at a time and is not as quick as AC-VQH10;
d) at least one spare Memory Stick Pro Duo Mark 2 - the 4Gb sticks are adequate;
e) a leather case;
f) several Blu-Ray rewritable disks (BD-RE spec) for storing your work. I say 'BD-RE' because Blu-Ray authoring is relatively new and you don't want to be trashing 'write-once' disks at four quid a whack. Whereas, if you get things wrong with a rewritable (BD-RE) disk you can just erase it and start again;
g) a Blu-Ray writer for your PC. We use the LG GGW-H20L;
h) Blu-Ray authoring software like Nero 9, PowerDVD 8, or Sony DVD Architect 5;
i) a Blu-Ray player for your TV. Panasonic's DMP-BD35 is a good bet;
j) editing software that can handle AVCHD files. The cut-down forty quid version of Sony Vegas does this well - as do a few other apps, including the reasonably-priced Movie Plus X3 from Serif. We just use Vegas Lite because we know it;
k) an external hard drive for storing all your clips. Firewire or SATA drives are best.

So, what was initially planned as a £450 purchase finished up costing lots more.

However, while HDR-TG3E can be used fine without all the extras, I would at least recommend getting the mini-HDMI to HDMI cable so that you can hook the camcorder up to your flat-screen TV. In fact, Mr Sony is a very bad boy for not including one of these in the camcorder box. Yes indeed.

Otherwise I think you will be delighted with HDR-TG3E. Considering its size, price and ease-of-use the quality is amazing. So now you have no excuses for failing to capture those unique family moments in spectacular high definition, vivid colour and crystal clear sound because…

…you must never forget - as we often did - that kids are only kids ONCE! There's no going back to revisit their childhoods. Hence, every wise parent should find this superior handy camcorder a veritable Godsend. 

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