Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1 Camcorder

The Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1 seems to satisfy the fantasies of a tech-head: high definition (HD) at an affordable price. And it does not meet the technical requirements of HD recording at 1280 x 720 at 30 frames per second (fps), also known as 720p. However, the camcorder does not deliver close to the quality of most people expect from an HD camcorder. We’re here to warn you: the VPC-HD1 is a bad purchase.

While the VPC-HD1 capture video and still images to SD cards, an SD card is not distributed with the box. We recommend buying a 1 GB card, at least, who hold about 14 minutes of HD video. Video performance was the clearest indication that the VPC-HD1 is not up to snuff. Despite a large 1/2.5 “CCD 5.36 megapixel gross, the picture could not come close to the sharpness of plans Sony HDR-HC1, another, more expensive consumer HD camcorder. Worse, the Sanyo could not match the quality of relatively standard definition camcorders. Oversaturation, noise, sharpness and prey to all photo Sanyo. The VPC-HD1 also capture standard definition video at 640 x 480. The saturation levels are still very high, and that the resolution was downhill. Again, for $ 800, you could do much better. Low Light Performance was terribly noisy in both SD and HD. Saturation levels are too high and produces uneven shades of color. There are worse camcorders in the price class, as the JVC GZ-MG37, but the VPC-HD1 is far from exemplary.

The VPC-HD1 is not quite rank in our facility to use the article. Unlike almost all other consumer camcorders, Sanyo has neither a simple nor clear Auto mode. Newcomers to the world of video will be frustrated by the joystick, a terribly foreshortened essential to the rear of the body. It moves in five directions - up, down, left, right, and inwards, the last movement of functioning as the “enter” button. Nearly 50% of the time, however, our attempts to move up, down, left and right have been interpreted as moving inwards. It is a terribly frustrating process.

Another major problem is the manipulation of the menu, which is split into several pages. The VPC-HD1 records images and video, but does not distinguish clearly between each mode. Normally a camcorder would switch to toggle between modes and provide each with its own menu. Here, the menu and the manual controls are the same for both. This is true even in situations where even video and manual controls will necessarily be different. For example, the menu lets you adjust the shutter speed as 2 Full second, even if the video, by definition, can not go below 1 / 30 second. It is impossible to know what the shutter speed is really. Similar problems occur with the ISO settings, which correspond to gain settings.

A number of quasi-automatic controls, including several methods of focus, exposure methods, and a neutral density filter, appear on the VPC-HD1. Fully manual controls focus, exposure compensation, and the opening and shutter priority modes.

This brings us to the third major problem handling, which is inexcusable. As you make changes to exposure, shutter speed, and filters, the LCD does not show you how they affect the image. Unlike any other camcorder, the VPC-HD1 offers no “Live View”. What is the image as a compensation for exposure of +2? Change the setting to +2, reached a record level, and watch the picture. Then press stop. You can not see what the changes are not doing so. Sanyo should be ashamed that they have a product on the market without such basic functionality.

Encore performance, on the other hand, has been exceptionally good. This product of our theory that the VPC-HD1 actually uses a camera CCD rather than a CCD camera. The images are very large by standards camcorder, 2592 x 1944 (5MP), and users to take shots interpolation which, although they contain no more details are twice the normal size images.

If nothing else, the Sanyo VPC-HD1 shows us why HD camcorders are not available under $ 1000 yet. The technology is simply not there. As far as we can tell, the VPC-HD1 is a little over a camcorder to the ruse with a camera chip, shoddily produced in haste to meet market demand. We have no doubt that many people fall for this, drooling at the idea of having an HD camcorder. You, however, are now equipped with the knowledge to avoid these traps. Go forth and spread the word.

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