Just when we were all getting used to mini-DV as the standard for consumer digital video, along comes Sony with a brand new format. MicroMV stores digital video in MPEG-2 format (as used for DVD) on a tiny cassette, 70 per cent smaller than mini-DV.

The tape stores one hour of video and has an integrated 64KB of memory which is used to store date, recording time and indexing information for fast visual searching of clips using thumbnail images.

No less remarkable is the tiny camcorder Sony has developed to introduce this new format. Measuring 47 x 103 x 80mm, the Network Handicam IP (the IP stands for Image Portal) is a Bluetooth-enabled device that can be used to browse the web and send and receive email as well as record video and still images to tape and Memory Stick.

The Handicam fits snugly in the palm of your right hand and, despite its diminutive size, is easy and comfortable to operate, possibly because many of the functions, including all the VCR controls, have been assigned to on-screen menus. The design is a masterpiece of miniaturisation.

The lens and pull-out viewfinder are housed in a silver barrel that sits atop a metallic blue box comprising the tape transport, lithium-ion battery and 2.5in LCD panel. The Memory Stick lives just under the lens barrel and is inserted in a slot below the viewfinder

Tape is also loaded from the rear so you can reload with the camera mounted on a tripod, although the only place a device such as this belongs is in your hand. A single slider on the back panel turns on the power and toggles between three modes: camera, memory/network and VCR. All the important buttons are on the lens barrel and are operated with your index finger.

These are the start/stop video record button, a miniature zoom rocker that works like the trackpoint on a notebook PC and magnifies to 10x optical and 120x digital, and a still picture button. On the opposite side there's a back light compensation button, a button to toggle the LCD display information and a four-way cursor disc for operating the on-screen menu.

That's pretty much it for buttons; apart from things like the battery, tape and memory card eject there's nothing to get in your way. The mains adaptor, AV, USB and four-pin FireWire (which Sony calls i.LINK) sockets are tucked away behind a plastic cover at the front.

Given the extent of its features, the Handicam is surprisingly easy to use. In camera mode it works just like any other camcorder and the results look as good as anything we've seen on mini-DV models. You can take still pictures on the tape or switch to memory/network mode and record in one of two quality modes to the Memory Stick. By digital camera standards the resolution is fixed at a paltry 640 x 480 pixels, which is good enough for web work, but won't replace your regular camera.

You can also record video to the Memory Stick in MPEG-1 format. There are four quality options ranging from 160 x 128 at 10fps (frames per second) to 352 x 288 at 30fps. As with all Sony digital camcorders that use Memory Sticks, there's a whole range of in-camera editing effects and options for transferring and mixing using both the tape and Memory Stick.

Aside from the new format, though, the most exciting of the Handicam's features is its wireless communication abilities. While few people will want to browse the web on a 2.5in screen, being able to send and receive emails on your camcorder is a truly useful thing. We tested the Handicam with Sony's BTA-NW1 Bluetooth modem adaptor and it worked like a dream.

Entering email addresses and short messages using the cursor pad is no more difficult than using a mobile phone to send text messages, and attaching still picture and movie files from the Memory Stick index is a piece of cake. We sent emails with multiple attachments with no connection or transmission problems within the specified 10m range. You can also receive emails with jpeg and MPEG attachments which are stored on the memory card.

Included in the box is Movieshaker editing software and drivers to enable MPEG-2 digital video 'capture' via the i.LINK connection. These weren't supplied with the review model so we were unable to test them. As it's FireWire, there will doubtless be device control and MPEG-2's lower bit rate (at 12Mbits/sec less than half that of DV) will make for quicker downloads and faster editing.

Whether you'll be able to capture from within Premiere and other video editing applications remains to be seen. The evolution of affordable DVD recorders of various formats has made MPEG-2 output commonplace, but MPEG-2 is not generally used as an editing format.

One thing is certain: unlike early mini-DV models, the Handicam's i.LINK port is two-way and you can archive finished projects back to MicroMV tape.

Likewise, we'll have to wait and see how the Handicam fares with other Bluetooth devices. Two Handicams will talk to each other, so you can swap holiday snaps with those pleasant people you met in the Tropical Paradise Bar, but will your Handicam be on speaking terms with other Bluetooth camcorders, PC cards, mobile phones, and other devices that are now beginning to appear?

CONTACT: Sony
08705 424 424
www.sony-europe.com.