Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 pros:

+ 14.2 megapixel CMOS sensor
+ ISO range of 200 – 12800
+ 3-inch screen showing 921,600 pixels
+ Two live modes
+ Continuous shooting at up to 7 fps
+ 9-point autofocus
+ Powerful battery

Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 cons:

- Tends to oversaturate
- Larger than competition
- No AF assist lamp
- Limited scene modes
- 4-way controller may seem small
- No video recording

Performance:
The Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 has a powerful battery, large screen and great flash. It produces sharp images and it supports 4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios. The camera features a built-in image stabilization system, although it isn’t that good. The auto white balance works surprisingly well, even in fluorescent lighting and rarely only the incandescent light may pose a slight problem.
Playback has somewhat limited functionality, but it should be quite sufficient. The camera has also no in-camera editing features. If you are a keen continuous mode shooter the Sony Alpha DSLR-A550 is a camera for you. It can shoot up to 9 photos per second.

• Megapixel

14.20

• Resolution

4592 x 3056 pixels

• Sensor

CMOS
23.4×15.6mm

• Zoom

N/A

• Video

N/A

• Display

• LCD 3″

921600 pixels

• Storage

SD
SDHC
MS Pro Duo / Pro HG Duo

• Battery

Li-Ion
1000 shots

• Price: $999 body only

Other recently reviewed digital cameras:
Panasonic DMC-GH1, Canon PowerShot S90, Olympus E-P1, Nikon Coolpix L100, Kodak EasyShare Z950, Panasonic Lumix DMC-ZS3.

Sony HDR-CX500V pros:

+ 32GB of built-in flash memory
+ Lens cover
+ 12x optical zoom
+ God performance in low light
+ Large sensor
+ 3-inch LCD screen
+ Outstanding image stabilization
+ Built-in GPS
+ Good quality still photos

Sony HDR-CX500V cons:

- Disappointing sharpness level
- No 24p or 30p frame rates
- Manual adjustment dial a bit too small
- Menu not as straightforward as in the past

Performance:
The Sony HDR-CX500V is capable of recording in standard definition and in high definition. The former videos are recorded as MPEG-2, and the latter AVCHD. When recording in high definition at 16Mbps the 32GB of built-in memory allow for storing almost 4 hours of films. The camcorder is easy to use despite the fact that Sony did not implement its Easy Mode to the Sony HDR-CX500V. There is a wide array of manual settings which should satisfy those more demanding of you who know how to use them.

• Remote Control

Remote control – infrared

• Still Image Format

JPEG

• Exposure Modes

Program, automatic

• Min Shutter Speed

1/8 sec

• Max Shutter Speed

1/725 sec

• Image Stabilizer

Optical (Steady Shot)

• Digital Scene Transition

White fader, black fader

• Shooting Programs

Spotlight, landscape, portrait mode, twilight portrait, fireworks, twilight mode, sunset, beach, snow, sunrise

• Digital Zoom

150 x

• Min Illumination

3 lux

• Optical Sensor Size

1/2.88″

• Optical Sensor Type

Exmor R CMOS

• Media Type

Flash card

• Camcorder Interpolated Still Resolution

12.0 Mpix

• Widescreen Video Capture

Yes

• Face Detection

Yes

• Battery

Supported Battery Details
1 x Sony NP-FH60 Li-ion rechargeable battery
Supported Battery
Sony NP-FH60

• Microphone

Microphone Operation Mode
Surround
Type
Microphone – built-in
Microphone Features

• Zoom

Lens System
Filter Size
37 mm
Zoom Adjustment
Motorized drive
Optical Zoom
12 x
Lens Aperture
F/1.8-3.4

• Focus Adjustment

Automatic, manual
Focal Length
5.5 mm – 66 mm
Type
Zoom lens – 5.5 mm – 66 mm – f/1.8-3.4
Features
Built-in lens shield

• Additional Features

USB 2.0 compatibility, touch-screen control, accessories hot shoe, Dolby Digital 5.1 channel recording, Dynamic Range Optimizer, face detection, Smile Detection technology, built-in GPS

• Search Modes

Index search, map index search, face index search

• Display

Display Format
230,000 pixels
Display Form Factor
Rotating

• Memory / Storage

Flash Memory
32 GB flash – integrated
System Requirements for PC Connection
Operating System Support
MS Windows XP, MS Windows 2000, MS Windows Vista

• Connections

Expansion Slot(s)
1 x Memory Stick PRO Duo

• Connector Type

1 x composite video/audio output ¦ 1 x USB ¦ 1 x component video output ¦ 1 x HDMI output ¦ 1 x S-Video output ¦ 1 x remote control

Other recently reviewed camcorders:

Panasonic HDC-TM300, Canon Vixia HF S11, JVC Everio GZ-HM400, Sony HDR-TG5V, JVC Picsio GC-FM1, JVC Everio GZ-HM200

Sony VAIO X

Sony VAIO X pros:
+ Excellent design
+ GPS and 3G integrated
+ Good viewing angles
+ Powerful battery
+ 11.1” screen displays 1366 x 768 pixels
+ Windows 7
+ Snappy performance
+ 128 GB SSD

Sony VAIO X cons:
- A bit pricey
- Keyboard and touchpad could be more comfortable
- Speakers are too quiet

The design:

Sony VAIO X measures 10.95 x 0.55 x 7.29 inches and weighs 1.4 pounds with the battery so it is the lightest notebook in the world (at the moment). Sony decided to use the magnesium alloy in the production and finish the lid with carbon fiber which add the the netbook’s endurance. The Sony VAIO X was designed to be small so it couldn’t house a full keyboard so the one inside the netbook is about 88% of the normal size. The keyboard is generally comfortable if you have small hands, or are used to such devices, yet the right Shift key is a bit small. The trackpad measures 2.1 x 1.6 inches and supports multitouch gestures just like Apple MacBooks.
The 11.1-inch display on the Sony VAIO X shows up to 1366 x 768 resolution which is is quite unusual for such small netbooks. The colors are crisp and the image is very vivid also at wide angles. Both the horizontal and vertical viewing angles are outstanding.
The audio quality in the Sony VAIO X is, unsurprisingly, not that good. That’s only natural as the speakers cannot be very big in such a small body. The speakers are not only too quiet, but also the overall quality is rather poor and the bass is nonexistent.
The left side of the Sony VAIO X features two USB ports and a headphone jack, whereas the right side houses the Ethernet and VGA ports. There is also the SD Card reader and the Sony Memory Stick slot.
The built-in webcam records videos in VGA resolution and is sufficient for running Skype conferences and for casual conversations.

Performance:

In performance tests the Sony VAIO X does quite well scoring above the netbook average in almost all respects. Starting up Windows 7 took less than a minute and the mixed bag of data was copied at slightly over 27 MBps.
Although the Sony VAIO X does not do very well in graphics performance test the netbook is capable of playing 720p videos smoothly.
The wireless performance of the Sony netbook is also among the average for netbooks.
The netbook does not overheat so even after prolonged and demanding use it should feel comfortable on your lap.

Conclusion:

The Sony VAIO X is a really decent netbook but its price makes it a bit of a show-off. For a comparable price you may get a full size laptop, or even a MacBook.

• Performance

2GHz Intel® Processor
533Mhz Front Side Bus Speed

• Memory & Storage

Up to 128GB Solid State Drive
2GB DDR2 SDRAM

• Expansion Slots

Memory Stick PRO™(Standard/Duo) media slot with MagicGate® functionality
SD™ memory card slot

• Hardware

QWERTY keyboard, 82 keys with 1.2mm stroke and 17mm pitch
Built-in MOTION EYE® camera and microphone
Electro-Static touch pad

• Display

11.1″ Screen
1366 x 768 Resolution
LED Backlight

• Graphics

Intel® Graphics Media Accelerator 500
Intel® System Controller Hub US15W Chipset

Sony HDR-TG5V pros:
+ 16 GB of built-in flash memory
+ Sleek and durable design allowing for unusual handling
+ Low noise levels in bright light
+ Good color performance
+ Touchscreen works well
+ GPS
+ Slow motion recording

Sony HDR-TG5V cons:
- No 24p or 30p record mode
- No shutter speed, or aperture control
- 2 megapixel still photos
- Slightly bland colors
- No color adjustment tools

The design:

Sony HDR-TG5V measures 30x117x62mm and weighs 290 grams with the battery. On the front of this small camcorder you can see the built-in flash for still photographs along with the 10x optical zoom lens. At the bottom of the right side of the camcorder you can see the DC-in and AV/Component output ports hidden under a door. The back of the Sony HDR-TG5V features access lamps, circular ring controlling zoom, start/stop record button, photo shutter button. Also at the back is the panel housing the memory card slot, battery, and GPS on/off switch. The left side of the Sony HDR-TG5V houses the 2.7-inch LCD chamber. On the top of the camcorder is only the Dolby Digital 2-channel microphone. The bottom houses the tripod mount along with the dock connector.

Performance:

The Sony HDR-TG5V has no manual image adjustment tools or manual control over color.  Yet, the camcorder can record videos both in standard and high definition up to 1920 x 1080 at 16Mbps using the AVCHD coded. The built-in memory suffices for recording about 1 hour and 50 minutes of videos in the best quality. Features such as face detection or smile shutter work very well not only for videos, but also for still images. Unfortunately, using the 2.7 touchscreen flash is rather uncomfortable and there are no manual settings of aperture, shutter speed, gain or color adjustments.

Image quality:

The Sony HDR-TG5V produces quite accurate colors with good saturation. The noise levels is low and comparing to the competitions it is above average (in this class of camcorders). Although the camcorder can record only in one frame rate: 60l the motion captured by the Sony HDR-TG5V is actually quite good. Both the motion and sharpness are good for this class of camcorders. The low light performance is also quite good with decent noise and color performance which is not bad for such a small camcorder.

Still features:

The Sony HDR-TG5V can shoot still photos in about 2 megapixels and although the photos might seem a bit small their quality is in fact quite good. And it’s a good thing that the Sony camcorder can take still photos while recording videos.

Selected Sony HDR-TG5V features and specifications:

• Recording Format:

Flash card

• LCD Screen Size:

2.7 in.

• Digital Still Camera:

Yes
Focus and Zoom

• Optical Zoom:

10 X

• Digital Zoom :

120 X

• Focus:

Automatic, Manual

• Image Stabalization:

Digital
Connectors

• RCA Connectors:

1 x composite video/audio output

• USB Connectors:

1 x USB

• Other Connectors:

1 x HDMI output, 1 x component video output, 1 x DC power input

• Connector Types:

HDMI output, USB, Composite video/audio output, DC power input, Component video output
Image Quality

• CCD Size:

0.2 in
Accessories & Components

• Included Software:

Drivers & Utilities, Sony Picture Motion Browser

• Included Components:

Docking station, Wrist strap

Other recently reviewed camcorders:

JVC Everio GZ-HM400, Canon Vixia HF S11, Panasonic HDC-TM300

The design of the transducer R Exmore interception allows more light than standard CMOS solutions, which translates into greater sensitivity and less noise in the image. As a result, images are characterized by a natural appearance and detail – even when they are taken in low light. High speed cameras are presented merit performance BIONZ image processor.

Snapshot of TX1 WX1 models lets you perform a series of photos at a rate of up to 10 frames per second – more than some professional digital SLRs. The camera also has the “panorama mode” in which you press the shutter release, and then move the camera horizontally or vertically. The digital camera automatically performs a series of photos and can record the image of the field of view, even reaching 256 ° in the model WX1 and 185 ° in TX1. Whetn taking photos at dusk (special mode) the camera performs a series of six photos, and requires them to form an image of the optimized low noise radically. You can also select the express traffic, to facilitate the registration of the moving objects in low light conditions and reduces the noise level. The Sony camera also is equipped with optical image stabilizer and features STEADYSHOT face recognition and smile recognition.

And TX1 models WX1 is the world’s first camera which when connected to the station offered separately Party-shot become “personal photographers.

Party-shot to a new solution that allows you to automatically capture smiling faces of family pictures, friends and the owner of the camera. For great results, you do not even need to touch the device.

Cyber-shot TX1
The device is 14.1 mm thick and the first in a series of Cyber-shot T contains sensitive transducer R Exmore CMOS image. It has 3-inch widescreen touch screen Clear Photo LCD Plus with the new, easy-to-use system maintenance. Frequently used functions, such as setting the flash and ISO sensitivity, you can drag to a special, easily accessible menus.

Cyber-shot WX1
Flagship model in the series Cyber-shot. Complemented by the transducer and image Exmore R BIONZ processor is designed for Sony G. Wide range of lens focal lengths, the resulting 5-fold optical zoom, goes hand in hand with exceptional resolution and contrast throughout the length. Furthermore, the lens is distinguished by great clarity – f / 2.4 at the shortest focal length which is 24mm.

Sony KDL-26U2000, 26-inch LCD BRAVIA with built-in tuner digital television (also receiving analog signals). Display picture resolution 1366 x 768 pixels is compatible with HD ready. Television has input HDMI (High Definition Multimedia Interface), which can be connected to a camcorder or digital camera equipped with such a connector.

Sony KDL-26U2000 has a very nice range of colors. The manufacturer also took care of the quality of sound (Virtual Dolby Surround).

Specification:

• Image Format -16:9
• Diagonal screen – 26 inches
• Resolution – 1366 x 768
• HD Ready -Yes
• Full HD Sun
• Brightness – 450
• Dynamic Contrast -1200: 1
• Response time matrix – 8 ms
• The angle of vision (vertical) -178 Degrees
• The angle of vision – 178 Degrees
• Tuner 1 (type) analog and DVB-T (digital terrestrial)
• Tuner 2 (type) – None
• Supported standards analog TV PAL, SECAM, DVB-T and NTSC inputs AV
• Processor Virtual Dolby Surround sound. Technology BBE ViVa improving the sound
• Supported standards for audio analogue – TV B / G / H, D / M, L, I
• Supported stereo systems – A2, NICAM
• Amplifier – 2 x 10 W
• Built-in speakers
• External speakers – NO
• Headphone jack (number) – 1 pcs
• The nest HDMI (number)  – 1 pcs
• Mozliwość connect the PC – Yes
• Nest D-Sub 15pin (number) -1 pcs
• SCART socket (Scart) (amount) – 2 pieces
• Entry HDTV (component) 3 * RCA Cinch (number) -1 pcs
• Entry composite video RCA Cinch (number) -1 pcs
• Entry S-Video mini-DIN (number) -1 pcs
• Entry audio RCA Cinch (number) -1 pcs
• Output SPDIF digital audio – None
• Entry digital audio SPDIF – None
• Entry For RGB SCART
• Output Audio / Video with a built-in tuner By SCART
• Teletext – Yes
• The card reader – NO
• Built-in microphone – NO
• Built-in hard drive – NO
• Power consumption (work / standby) – 110 W / 1 W
• Height (without base) – 472 mm
• Height – 503 mm
• Width – 663 mm
• Depth -128 mm
• Weight (without packaging)  -12 kg
• Menus in English, Bulgarian, Czech, Dutch, Finnish, French, German, Hungarian , Italian, Norwegian,  Portuguese, Romanian, Russian, Slovak , Spanish , Swedish, and Turkish.