Sony MHS-PM1

Still Features (7.61)

Based on its size and shape, the MHS-PM1 feels more like a digital camera than a camcorder. With its compact size, the PM1 really looks like one of Sony's digital cameras, although that fact that you hold it upright gives it an entirely different feel. The camcorder has the capability of taking 5 megapixel still images at a maximum size of 2592 x 1944 (see table below for full specs). Photos are taken by pressing the large photo button the back of the camcorder.

You can capture a still image by pressing the Photo button.

As far as special still features go, the MHS-PM1 doesn't offer much. There's an 8-second self-timer that is helpful when you want to get a group photo. The scene modes also work with still photos and they give you some control over the settings the camcorder uses. Sports mode limits the shutter speed to 1/250 of a second and higher for sill photos, which is good if you want to capture fast moving subjects. The low light mode enables the camcorder to use shutter speeds as slow as 2 seconds for photos.

Even though the PM1 has limited photo capability, many ultra-compact camcorders offer no still features whatsoever. The Flip UltraHD, like the entire line of Flip camcorders, has no still image capability. So, in this regard, the MHS-PM1 has more still features than most camcorders in its class.

Still Color (3.4)

Strangely, the MHS-PM1 didn't produce very accurate colours in its still photos. The camcorder had a colour error of 10.3 with a saturation level of 102.1%. This is a much higher colour error than the camcorder measured in our video testing and the reason behind it likely has to do with white balance. The PM1's still photos had an orange colouration to them, which definitely affected the colour accuracy results. (More on how we test still colour.)

The still photography colour error map: the length and direction of each line indicates how the camcorder processed each particular colour.

The chart above shows how most of the colours in our still photo test skewed warmer or towards the upper portion of the chart. This has to do with the orange tint the camcorder produced during our still image testing. Check out the sample images below to get a better idea of what we're talking about.

Sony MHS-PM1 Still Colour Comparisons
Sony MHS-PM1	Sanyo VPC-CG10
	no still image capability
Kodak Zx1	Flip UltraHD

The MHS-PM1 didn't have an orange-tint problem to the extent of the Kodak Zx1, but it is still slightly noticeable in our sample images. Notice how much brighter the image from the MHS-PM1 is than the VPC-CG10. The grey background also appears much warmer on the PM1. The Kodak Zx1 is far worse, however, with its still image appearing almost as if it was shot in sepia tone.

Still Noise (2.97)

The camcorder averaged 0.98% noise in its still images. This isn't terrible, but it is worse than the camcorder did in our regular video testing. The Kodak Zx1 had slightly less in this test, while the Sanyo VPC-CG10 once again blows away this competition. The Flip UltraHD cannot capture still images, which is the case with all Flip camcorders. (More on how we test still noise.)

Still Sharpness (0.0)

While the MHS-PM1 is capable of taking 5-megapixel still photos, the actual sharpness of its images wasn't nearly that high. The camcorder measured a horizontal sharpness of 586 line widths per picture height (lw/ph) with 20.8% undersharpening and a vertical sharpness of 517 lw/ph with 23.4% undersharpening. These undersharpening numbers are too high and the sharpness measurements aren't that impressive—especially for a camcorder that shoots 5-megapixel photos. (More on how we test still sharpness.)