Pocket Beamer

Review Of The Panasonic TA1 Pocket Camcorder

For a while now, Flip camcorders have dominated the pocket camcorder market. Many enjoy the versatility and ease of use associated with a Flip camcorder, as it's both powerful and small. Panasonic apparently wanted to join this party as well, making a splash with the launch of its Panasonic TA1 pocket camcorder. The name isn't flashy, but is the camcorder itself a smart buy at around the expected price tag of $170?

Pros The TA1 lives up to its name as a pocket camcorder. With its size, it should easily fit into most pockets and purses, making it a very good camcorder on the go. Personally, I like the simple back design, but the front design is a bit convoluted. Nevertheless, its functional, and in the end, that's what matters the most.

Despite its size, it still performs. With 1080p capabilities, 4x digital zoom, and 8MP still capturing abilities, the TA1 has some power.

The camcorder also features a built in LED light for low light situations. It may give off unnatural lighting, but it is useful when the light is really too dim. Electrical Image Stabilization, or E.I.S., is also built-in, making it easier for people with shakier hands (or no tripod) to capture great videos and images.

The TA1 was built also for online messaging, and it performs on this aspect. It easily connects to Skype, and it works also as a webcam.

Cons One disappointing aspect is that the TA1 lacks HDMI output and a microphone jack. That means you must rely solely on the microphone built into the camcorder, something that may or may not suit your needs.

While the zoom is there, it degrades the video or image quality quite a bit. This is due to the fact that the lens isn't the best on the market, but it is a downside of this camcorder.

Conclusion The TA1 provides some serious competition to the Flip in the pocket camcorder market. In most situations, the TA1 should be more than enough. However, don't mistake the TA1 for a high end camcorder, as it still lacks the capabilities of those costing over $300. At its price, though, it is a good buy for the average person looking for a pocket camcorder.

Sources: Personal Experience

By John Stephens - I'm a person who enjoys writing on a variety of topics: technology, sports, news, you name it!

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