The HM-TA1 is Panasonic’s latest high definition mobile pocket video camera boasting Full HD recording and an 8 mega pixel camera for still images with a retail price of under £100. The actual device is pretty small and is about 2 thirds the size of an iPhone as a rough guideline. The TA1 can also be used as a USB video camera for use with Skype and is also YouTube ready. All impressive stuff, read on to find out more….

The TA1 looks fantastic when you first get it out of it’s box. I was given the blue model to review but it also comes in grey, white and violet. It boasts various features including being able to record in full HD (1,920 x 1,080/30p) and is both PC and Mac compatible. It also has a mode called iFrame mode which is for Apple users using iMovie and keeps the video data in your camera is the same format as the one you’ll be using to edit, so importing is fast and file sizes are small. It comes bundled with software which allows you to download and edit your footage once it’s been captured. The TA1 also has a light on it which is perfect for low light filming or even filming at night. I used this in the daytime once to video a friend and the light was so bright that it hurt her eyes which I think can only be a good thing (not hurting her eyes!)!

While filming or taking photos, the TA1 has a 4 digital zoom and also allows you to change the colour to sepia monochrome or soft skin which enhances people’s faces if you happen to be filming people! The TA1 doesn’t have a solid state hard drive installed but instead, uses an SD card (which is not included when you buy the device). The menu system is so easy use that pretty much anyone could figure out how to use it. There’s a nice big red button on the back of it for recording and the only thing I had had trouble with was putting my hand over the lens a couple of times but that’s just a case of getting used to how to hold it. There’s also a tripod port in the bottom for allowing docking onto a tripod / gorilla pod etc.

When transferring the footage / images over to my computer, it was very easy using the software provided or just by using the Windows functionality which is what I usually tend to do as most my video editing will be done in Premiere or Pinnacle. The quality of the footage is really rather impressive when you consider just how compact this device is. Another ‘feature’ is that no charger comes with the TA1, instead it charges through a USB port on your computer or laptop which I guess can be good or bad. Good in that it’s one less thing to break / lose / carry etc but bad if you don’t have a computer nearby. That said, my car now has a USB charger built in and this is only going to become more common meaning I can charge my TA1 on the go.

I’d love to be able to write a review and no fault this product but I’m afraid there are a few negatives and most of them relate to build quality. When all the compartments are shut, the TA1 feels solid in your hand, like there it’s well made and robust but when you start to open compartments, everything becomes a little flimsy with the USB and AV doors, feeling like they may snap off if you’re not really careful with them. The other somewhat annoying thing when it comes to build is the sliding mechanism to access the USB slot in the bottom of the device. There is a slider which feels like you’re going to break it every time it’s slid across to open the USB compartment. The same can be said when sliding it back as the slider is only made of plastic and again, feels rather flimsy.

The TA 1 is an excellent product when it comes to it’s primary function of videoing and taking still images. The quality is rather astonishing for such a small device and it’s ease of use is also very hard to fault. Having the options for Full HD all the way down to 480p is great when you need to save some space. It is let down however by those rather flimsy compartments that I mentioned above but if you’re someone who looks after their techie bits and pieces, I don’t think this will cause too much of an issue.

For the portability of the device and for the quality which is achieved with it, it’s perfect for almost all outdoor pursuits or even just for filming a family Christmas.

The Panasonic TA1 is availble to buy now in numerous places including this one!

[Rating:4/5]

Product Description:

  • Compact HD mobile camera for high-quality videos and photo
  • High Picture Quality with Full-HD (1,920 x 1,080/30p) recording and still image from movie capture
  • 8-Megapixel Still Picture Recording
  • IFrame Mode – Ideal for Mac and PC Users
  • 4x digital zoom with E.I.S. (Electrical Image Stabilizer)