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Panasonic resurrects Sanyo's pistol-grip camcorders, trots out three new models
Worried that Panasonic would kill off Sanyo's signature pistol-grip camcorders after it bought its rival last year? Fear not -- Panny just went and resurrected Sanyo's ergonomic design with three new models - slapping its own brand on 'em, of course. And, in a move that would do Sanyo proud, Panasonic brought back the DMX-CA100 / VPC-CA100, a 1080p camcorder Sanyo released last year under the same name. It's gotten a spec boost, though, with the ability to snap 16 megapixel still photos, up from 14.4. The other two -- the HX-DC15 and the HX-DC1 -- both shoot 1080p video as well, with the DC15 offering 16GB internal memory and a 16 megapixel sensor, and the DC1 able to take 14.4 megapixel stills. No word on availability outside Japan, but we're sure those of you with a penchant for flip-out displays and candy-colored plastic will find a way to snag one.
Engadget's Holiday Gift Guide: Video Cameras
Welcome to the Engadget Holiday Gift Guide! The team here is well aware of the heartbreaking difficulties of the seasonal shopping experience, and we want to help you sort through the trash and come up with the treasures this year. Below is today's bevy of hand curated picks, and you can head back to the Gift Guide hub to see the rest of the product guides as they're added throughout the holiday season. Photos make great mementos for important moments, but a picture of your kid taking her first step or writing his first blog post isn't quite as meaningful as a full-motion video of the event in question. That's why a video recorder of some sort is a must-have, and while your average compact camera is capturing better footage than ever, sometimes you need something a little more dedicated. That's when you need a camcorder, and this year we even have a bunch of 3D models to choose from. Which ones are right for you and for your budget? Click on through to find out.
Sanyo debuts E1500TP point-and-shoot alongside Xacti CG21, PD1 and GH3 camcorders
If there's a Photokina around, you can bet your bottom dollar that Sanyo will be there. Boasting a booth chock full of camcorders and pocketable cameras, we waded through to find three new Xacti camcorders (VPC-CG21, VPC-PD1 and VPC-GH3) on display alongside a simplistic new shooter, the VPC-E1500TP. Starting with the latter, this one brings just the basics in a fairly vanilla enclosure: a 14 megapixel CMOS sensor, 720p video, a 4x optical zoom, 3-inch rear touchpanel, 32MB of internal storage space, an SD / SDHC expansion slot, ISO range from 100 to 3200 and USB connectivity. Pricing and availability wasn't offered for this fellow, but we're betting it's below $150 and in stores tomorrowish. Moving on to the camcorders, the CG21 ($149) is a typical pistol-grip machine with a 10 megapixel sensor, the ability to capture 1080i, a 10x optical zoomer and an SDXC card slot. The $199 GH3 looks more like your mother's Handycam of old, offering a similar 10 megapixel sensor, SDHC card slot, 10x optical zoom and 1080i video capture. The starlet was the $199 PD1, a Flip Video-styled camcorder with dual microphones, 10 megapixel sensor, 3x optical zoom, SDXC card slot, 1080/30p recording, an integrated USB arm and a rather impressive rear LCD. The whole lot is making its way out to dealers now, so feel free to start poking and prodding if you must. Galleries are below, per usual. %Gallery-103042% %Gallery-103044% %Gallery-103043%
Sanyo launches Xacti VPC-GH4 full HD camcorder with YouTube, Facebook integration
Sanyo has announced another one of them there Xacti digicams, this time geared for the social media crowd. The VPC-GH4, like its sibling the VPC-GH2, features Full HD 1080 video recording; and unlike the aforementioned GH2, integrates YouTube, Facebook, and Picasa uploads -- as well as Twitter notifications. But at what cost? Well, the newer model sees still photos dumbed down to 10 megapixels (the precursor featured 14 megapixel stills), but then again it's set to retail at $200 -- so it's, like, $50 cheaper. Want a closer look? Want the full scoop straight from the PR itself? Can't wait until it hits store shelves later this month? All your wishes will be granted after the break. But you should probably get some better wishes.
Sanyo Xacti VPC-PD2BK 1080p pocket camcorder with 3x optical zoom
With smartphones and point-n-shoot cameras doing most of our impromptu video recordings, it's getting harder and harder to justify the purchase of these pocket-sized camcorders. Perhaps that's why Sanyo is positioning its Flip competitor as a "dual camera" -- capable of capturing 10 megapixel stills or 1080p/30fps MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video with stereo audio. Model VPC-PD2BK features an integrated USB jack that swivels out for some hot laptop mating sessions, a 3X optical zoom, 37-mm wide-angle lens, mini-HDMI port, and support for SD/SDHC/SDXC memory cards. Look for it in September with a suggest price of $169.99 in North America.
Sanyo Xacti DMX-CA100 joins the 'waterproof pocket HD camcorder' crew
Sure, Sanyo's PR claims this camera is the "world's first waterproof full HD camera," but unfortunately for them Kodak beat them to the punch. A caveat at the bottom of the PR clarifies that this claim was merely meant for "Full HD video cameras for consumer use with optical zoom lenses," which naturally makes everything better. Plus there's no point in getting down on Sanyo, since it's essentially delivered its classic Xacti form factor and middle-of-the-road image quality in a waterproof (up to 10 feet) chassis. The DMX-CA100 will be launched at the end of June for some unnamed price, and shoots 1080p video to H.264, 14 megapixel stills, and offers a 6x optical zoom augmented by a 6x "Advanced Zoom" that crops the image sensor instead of just blowing up the pixels like a regular digital zoom. %Gallery-93916%
Sanyo's slinky Xacti VPC-CS1 camcorder reviewed: form trumps function
At CES this past January we were smitten by Sanyo's little VPC-CS1 camcorder and now, many moons later, it's coming to retail. Akihabara News has taken it for a test drive and, as you might expect from something only 29mm thin, it has some compromises. The most glaring issues appear to be related to image quality, with the review stating: "Shooting in low light will give you really crappy images." Also, it turns out the cam's touted 1920 x 1080 at 60fps mode is actually interlaced, meaning it's time for a return to scanline mountain. While 720p mode is said to be rather better looking, still shooting is said to be "simply useless." Despite all this the review has a positive conclusion, and we could see the same for users more interested in form than function. Those looking for image quality, however, will want to look at the sample videos and images on the other end of that source link below.
Sanyo's DMX-CG100 and DMX-GH1 camcorders do 1080p up in here
Another day, another little camcorder that can fill up memory cards quick with 1080p on tap. Sanyo's DMX-CG100 and DMX-GH1 can record 30fps progressively at 12Mbps, or 60 at 16Mbps if you don't mind interlacing, through 5x optical zoom lenses with two separate ranges: 40mm at the widest end and 480mm on the telephoto side. Both offer SDXC support for up to 64GB of storage and the only real difference between them is design, with the CG100 (above) offering a vertical style and the GH1 (after the break) going for the more traditional (and apparently less comfortable) horizontal design. Both start shooting in Japan next week, but Sanyo's not saying how much you'll need to pay for admission to this party. Hands-on photos of the CG100 (VPC-CG100 in Europe) from the UK's The Gadget Show Live below.%Gallery-90022%
Sanyo's latest Xacti Sound Recorder turns FM into MP3, won't critique your AT 40 addiction
Sanyo's latest Xacti, the charmingly titled Sound Recorder ICR-XRS120MF, is about the nicest looking voice recorder we've ever seen. It features stereo microphones on top to turn any sound into MP3 or Linear PCM and offers a suite of recording modes that will comprehensively capture anything from the sweet nothings of a lover to the sour blathering of a corporate meeting. When in its docking station (shown after the break) it can also capture audio over line-in and even record AM/FM programs with a built-in scheduler, meaning you'll never miss Seacrest's latest charming witticism. Sanyo hasn't listed a price yet, but is expecting to ship these to Japan before the end of the month.
Sanyo Xacti GH2, CG102, CG20 preview: full-HD cams for less than $230
We caught up with Sanyo and its recently announced, sub-$230 GH2, CG102 and CG20 high-def camcorders this morning, and have to say the company has done it again. While we didn't have enough time to test the video quality, for less than 300 bucks you sure can get a compact and solid feeling cam, regardless of which model your big heart desires. We're especially taken with the CG102 and GH2, which are virtually the same, only housed in two different form factors. Both record full HD 1080i60 videos, have 14 megapixel still cams and Sanyo's 12x "double-range zoom," which lets you switch between a wide-angle and telephoto zoom when shooting vids. Cleverly, the horizontally-built GH2 -- which can be ordered with an expansion lens -- now has two sets of record / stop controls for those that tend to hold the cam in different ways; one set is on the top and the other on the inside of the LCD pane. Those that don't want to shell out the extra $30 for the vertical CG102 can grab the $199 CG20, but keep in mind that it drops you down to 10 megapixels and nixes the dual zoom function. We're looking forward to thoroughly testing one of the $229 units in due time, but for now you can check out their sleek bods and buttons in the hands-on gallery below. %Gallery-88953%
Sanyo's ICR-PS605RM Xacti stereo recorder features six mics... for recording lots of stuff
Sure, you can have your little voice recorders if you like, but when you're ready to seriously up your game you have to talk to Sanyo. Indeed, the kids from Osaka have really gone and done it this time with their ICR-PS605RM Xacti stereo recorder. This bad boy features six microphones in a W-XY configuration, including an omni-directional stereo pair, an XY directional pair, and two directional mics for recording frequencies higher than 20,000Hz. Between this and its support for up to 96kHz / 24bit / 40,000Hz PCM sound files, we think that we can safely say that your extensive field recordings of Appalachian folksingers will sound better than ever (or, if you'd rather record MP3s, they have that covered as well). Also on tap is 4GB internal memory and a microSDHC slot. No word on a price, but you can look forward to seeing this one make its debut in Japan come April. Get a closer look at the break.
Sanyo rolls out GH2, CG102, CG20 1080i camcorders in the US
Sanyo just announced a trio of 1080i camcorders for Japan last week, and its now gotten official with some ever so slightly different model for the US, which look to just be the beginning of a new wave of Sanyo camcorders rolling out in the coming weeks and months. As you can see, these ones a bit more subdued than their brightly colored Japanese counterparts, and Sanyo has naturally changed the model names to keep everyone on their toes (they're now the VPC-GH2, VPC-CG102, and VPC-CG20). You'll still get the same 1080i video and either 14- or 10-megapixel still images as before, along with a somewhat unique 12x "double-range zoom" on the GH2 and CG102, which apparently lets you switch between a wide-angle and telephoto zoom for videos. Sure, full 1080p would have been nice, but it's hard to complain too much with prices of $229 and $199.
Sanyo bungs 23x optical zoom into Xacti DMX-SH11, Full HD into DMX-CG110
Ever tried operating a handheld cam at 20x optical zoom? Without a tripod, your recordings tend to look like they were taken in the middle of an earthquake, so quite frankly, we ain't so wildly impressed with Sanyo's 23x-rated SH11 camcorder -- okay, we are, but we thought we'd inform you that that silly large number comes with limited use scenarios. Freshly announced, carrying 16GB of internal storage, and coming to Japan in late April, this is part of Sanyo's Dual Camera series, as its CMOS sensor is capable of 4 megapixel stills as well as 1080i / 30fps video in MPEG-4 format. It'll be joined there by the pistol grip-shaped CG110, which improves on the previous CGs by moving up to Full HD recording, adding 16GB of built-in storage, and even supporting SDXC cards. Check the source links for more.%Gallery-83987%
Sanyo Xacti VPC-CS1 hands-on: a full 1080p camcorder in your pocket
At first glance, the Sanyo Xacti VPC-CS1 is thin. Really thin. We got to play around with the tiny camcorder, and fell in love with the form factor. It's much thinner than our older Xacti, and we had no problem slipping it into our pocket -- though getting out the door of Sanyo's meeting room with it was another matter altogether. Wait, did we mention it's thin? %Gallery-82323%
Sanyo's Xacti VPC-CS1 HD camcorder vies for 'world's smallest' title
Working to be an even more pocketable pocket camcorder, Sanyo's shrunk the front of its latest Xacti model to measure just 1.06 inches at its widest point while still recording 1080p video. The VPC-CS1 captures in MPEG-4 AVC / H.264 and is currently undergoing official certification to support iFrame. Images tout 8 megapixels, zoom up to 10x, and storage via SDXC cards. Release date and price? Let's just say February and a penny under $300.
Sanyo Xacti VPC-SH1 full HD camcorder with wide-angle lens announced
Sanyo's just let out details on the Xacti VPC-SH1 ahead of its February launch. This full HD camcorder boasts an "industry's smallest, lightest, and thinnest class body" at just 7.2 ounces in weight and 1.69 inches in thickness. At the same time, you get a 35mm wide-angle effect through the magic of enlarged sensor area -- full HD is only two megapixels while this Xacti uses a 3.5-megapixel area in video mode. You get the usual H.264 goodness here, but Sanyo's taken one step further by applying for iFrame certification to keep the few adventurous users happy. $399.99 isn't bad for this spec and form factor -- the bulkier FH1A from last October cost an extra Benjamin, for instance, but there's no harm in waiting for some sample videos and 10-megapixel photos before smashing our piggy bank.
Sanyo unleashes two iFrame compatible Dual HD camcorders
Sanyo's just unleashed two new full HD camcorders -- the VPC-HD2000A and the VPC-FH1A. Both of these babies boast 1080p and 1080i recording at 60 fps, plus iFrame recording at a 960 x 540 resolution and 30 frames per second and 8 megapixel still shooting with 10x optical zoom. The cams are the first to offer iFrame compatibility, a 'next gen' format designed for easy importing, editing and sharing of video -- and hey, Apple just released an iMovie update adding iFrame compatibility, so the timing is spot-on for those of us aching to ditch the super-lameness of AVCHD. The VPC-FH1A has a 3-inch LCD and HDMI output, while the VPC-HD2000A has a 2.7-inch LCD. They're both available now, with the FH1A running $499.99 and the HD2000A $599.99. Full press release is after the break.
Sanyo Xacti CG11 is the perfect cam for 'beginners and women'
Sanyo's range of Xacti camcorders may be as wide as the Sargasso Sea, but nowadays even its entry-level shooters pimp some pretty advanced features. The CG11 is a case in point, coming with a 10 megapixel CMOS sensor capable of 720p recording, integrated EyeFi and mini-HDMI connectivity options, and the usual gunslinger aesthetic. Storage of the H.264-encoded MPEG-4 output is handled by SDHC media, and there's also 5x optical zoom, anti-shake and a stereo mic for getting things just right. Folks in Japan, whether they be beginners, pros, women or men (no matter what the mangled machine translation tells us), will be able to buy one from September 11 for ¥30,000 ($318). [Via Impress]
Sanyo ships Xacti VPC-FH1, VPC-WH1, VPC-TH1 and VPC-CG10 camcorders
Sanyo's line of Dual Cameras -- which are described as camcorders at heart with formidable still capture capabilities -- is now shipping to select retailers in the United States and Mexico. The crew is comprised of the VPC-FH1, which handles 1080p at 60fps along with 8 megapixel stills, and the VPC-TH1, which shoots at 720p and sports a 30x optical zoom. Also included is the waterproof (up to ten feet, anyway) 720p VPC-WH1 and the otherwise vanilla VPC-CG10. As for pricing? Try $499.99, $299.99, $399.99 and $199.99 in order of mention.
Sanyo's Xacti VPC-HD2000 pocket camcorder gets reviewed
Sanyo's Xacti line of pocket-friendly HD camcorders have been almost universally praised... when shooting outdoors. When trying to log clips in dim light, however, the story has been quite different. The outfit's VPC-HD2000, which was unveiled at CES this year, came out looking decently strong from PhotographyBLOG's review. The handheld packed in "more features than you'd expect," but the lofty price tag kept it from being a real contender. Sadly, the poor low light performance was grandfathered in, though the broad range of selectable ISO options were appreciated nonetheless. All in all, reviewers seemed to hold back on giving their wholehearted recommendation due to its price and the so-so image quality; in other words, you should probably avoid this one until its successor comes out, after which the MSRP may better reflect the benefits.
