The new "Webbie" series is Sony's attempt to steal back some of the thunder that Pure Digital's Flip camcorders have brought to an otherwise dull camcorder scene. The Flip, which now controls a healthy share of the under-$200 market, revitalized enthusiasm by making an incredibly easy to use camcorder that facilitated simple upload to YouTube, MySpace, and other sites. The Sony HMS-CM1 was certainly not the only camcorder to try to capture some of that spirit, and was also not the only one to miss the mark.

There are a lot of things to like about the Sony MHS-CM1. The price makes it very accessible, the colors pop (there's a purple model in addition to the pumpkin-colored version seen here), and it's simpler to use than the average Sony camcorder. Those features alone, however, are not enough to recommend it over the Flip Mino HD, the latest generation Flip model.

Our biggest complaints were with the CM1's upload process for YouTube, which is advertised as one of its key strengths. To the contrary, we found the upload process shockingly cumbersome. Rather than streamlining, the included software (PC-only) is a confusing combination of several disks and built-in software that make for a daunting installation process. By contrast, the Flip camcorders rely entirely on built-in software that installs fairly seamlessly to any new computer (PC or Mac) upon first connection.

Due to the MHS-CM1's traditional camcorder design – a longer, horizontal shape – it has the distinct advantage of an optical zoom, extending out to 5x. Ultra-compact camcorders like the Flip generally must rely on digital zoom, which introduces distortions into the picture and should be avoided. The CM1 also records 5-megapixel still photos, another feature lacking in the Flip. In testing, we found it to produce a decent color accuracy and excellent resolution.

The range of manual controls are, by design, severely limited. A large part of the Flip's success is its utter lack of features. Sony did its best to emulate that strategy, stripping the CM1 of the usual controls. There is no exposure, no aperture, no shutter speed, and no white balance. However, Sony seemed unable to check some of its most deeply ingrained design habits. It has a menu system, something Flip avoided entirely. In that menu system, Sony includes a small roster of settings for video quality, effects, and so forth. This could have been a valuable advantage over the Flip's strident minimalism, but due to poor navigation controls, the net effect is the typical confusion and frustration associated with so many camcorders.

Performance (read in-depth lab performance at CamcorderInfo.com)
The Sony MHS-CM1 records high definition video at a maximum 1440 x 1080 (optional 1280 x 720 and other sizes) to the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format. All video and stills are recorded to MemoryStick PRO Duo cards.

The video quality, overall, was good. In bright light, the CM1 rivals any camcorder in its class. In low light, however, we saw performance take a nosedive. Consider it suitable for a day at the beach, but not the best choice for a nightclub or evening stroll.

Comparisons (read in-depth comparisons at CamcorderInfo.com)
The primary competitor, if we haven't already mentioned it enough, is Pure Digital's Flip camcorder, specifically the Flip Mino HD. In most regards, the Flip remains the better camcorder. In the simplest terms: it does what it does, and it does it well. In the attempt to create the same simple user experience, Sony fumbles it with thorny menu interface and bloated software for uploading.

Overall, the MHS-CM1 is not a bad camcorder, but the Flip Mino HD proves itself once again to be simpler, more portable, and more versatile.