The Bottom Line: A great whip-it-out camera that lets you leave the bigger and better digital cameras/camcorders at home when you are out and about or on vacation.
benchpress's Full Review: Sanyo Xacti VCP-HD2 Camcorder
I researched this little camcorder/camera quite thoroughly online before plunking down hard-earned cash to purchase this unit. While I had read a number of less than flattering technical reviews on this model, it appeared to me that a lot of the reviewers were either techno-snobs or they just plain forgot what the camera was designed for and what market segment it was aiming at.
The HD2 is NOT a high-end camera and it is NOT a high-end camcorder. Despite the high resolution and other technical goodies, the HD2 is a hybrid Point-and-Shoot camera for someone on the go or someone not photo-fanatical enough to carry both a good camera and a good camcorder at the same time in a padded camera backpack. It is a whip-it-out camera, albeit a relatively expensive one.
I am still very happy with my Canon Rebel XT (see my review http://www0.epinions.com/content_185121083012
) and have no intention of replacing it any time soon. The only problem with the Rebel is its size and that it does not lend itself to single-handed operations - a surprisingly frequent requirement during kids-related activities and outings.
I am also very satisfied with the Canon Elura 70 (see my review http://www0.epinions.com/content_178894704260
) even though I don’t use it too often. The Elura is a great camcorder that produces excellent results but the form factor (small as it may be for a miniDV camcorder) and the time-consuming movie transfer process deter my wife and I from carrying it around on vacation or special occasions.
We felt we were missing out on a lot of Kodak and camcorder moments since we normally couldn’t be bothered to lug either of these digital gadgets with us. We needed something that we could slip into our pocket/bag to rectify this problem.
Our selection criteria were relatively simple:
- Small and easy to carry
- SD card media instead of DV tape for ease of transfer
- SD instead of hard drive = no moving parts for recording
- Can shoot both videos and photos
- HD resolution preferred
Sanyo seems to have the hybrid whip-it-out camcorder/camera market segment cornered with their strong line of SD-based digital units. Their unusual form factors really set them apart from other offerings.
Physical Quality:
The unit is small, it does not look like a camera and it has a gadget feel to it. It weighs less than a pound and one holds it like a pistol to take pictures or videos. Once you get used to it, the pistol grip is actually easier and less straining to use than the traditional palm-grip.
Construction-wise, the unit seems relatively sturdy and well put together. Everything fits well together without any obvious signs of poor workmanship.
Video/Image Quality
This unit has a dual personality. In outdoor or very bright settings, the camcorder/camera performs beautifully with stunning results. The details, colour tone, and sharpness of the image are truly beyond my expectation for a unit this small from Sanyo which is not a traditional camera vendor. Automatic settings (contract, brightness, ISO, etc.) work well in these environments and it requires minimum amount of user interventions.
In in-door or low-light environments, the image quality suffers notably. The videos and pictures could get very grainy, noisy and often jagged. Flaring is another issue that seems to crop up very often in low light filming. There is a “Sensitive” mode on the unit, but the results are hit and miss. In a lot of cases, some manual fiddling with balance and ISO could overcome of the quality issues but that just defeats the purpose of a whip-it-out.
One very noticeable difference between the HD2 and my trusty Elura is how they handle transitions from bright to dark or vice versa. The Canon reacts much quicker and can adjust faster to changes in light intensity, whereas the Sanyo eventually adapts to the change but it tends to take a bit longer.
The 10x Optical Zoom is surprising clear and smooth. The zoom motor is adequately fast and very smooth. However, if the background noise is low in the movie, you can hear the zoom motor during replay - a rather annoying shortcoming.
There are two digital stabilizer modes, one for video and the other for photo. Both work well but at times there is an almost discernable delay in capture when the stabilizer is engaged during video mode.
Pressing a button on the handle (under the LCD display when it is folded) will toggle between HD and regular video recording modes. Since purchasing this unit, I have been filming exclusively in HD mode. The camera supports a number video modes:
- 1280 x 720 by 30fps at 9Mbps
- 1280 x 720 by 30fps at 6Mbps
- 720 x 480 by 30 fps at 3.5Mbps
- 640 x 480 by 30 fps at 3Mbps
- 640 x 480 by 30 fps at 2Mbps
- 320 x 240 by 30 fps
- 320 x 240 by 15 fps
The HD2 can capture still images with resolution varying from 3072x2304 to 640 x 480.
One of the much touted (by Sanyo) features of this unit is the ability to take still shots while recording video. It is a great feature to have but unfortunately on the HD2 it does not work as well as it should. With the video camera rolling, pressing the photo button will trigger a still shot (with a 1-plus second latency) and create a very noticeable stall/delay in video recording that manifests in a series “dropped frames” in the video file. The Canon Elura has the same feature minus the dropped frames and delay. In all fairness, on the HD2 both still and video outputs are written onto the same medium, whereas Elura writes the digital still image onto an SD card while recording to the miniDV tape.
Without the video camera rolling, taking a still shot is a lot quicker with a much reduced latency. The still pictures are much better than my expectation, especially in outdoor settings with ample lighting. Indoor or low-light still shots are grainier and noisier as expected. The built-in flash is a little weak and hopeless beyond 10 feet. While we are not going to throw out the Rebel XT any time soon, but the HD2 is good enough for everyday, spur-of-the-moment shots.
LCD Display
The 2.2” LCD display is a little small compared to other models and brands. The display is quite sharp and not too difficult to see in bright daylight. HD2 offers a very nice feature where the user can customize the amount of information to be included in the display.
Controls
There are 9 buttons on the camera:
- On/Off toggle
- HD/normal toggle
- High Sensitivity toggle
- Record/play toggle
- Shoot video
- Shoot stills
- Zoom slider
- menu button
- A 4-way multifunction main control for menu navigation and input.
- Flash release button (also to cycle through various flash modes)
The buttons are well labeled and intuitively laid out. My only complaint is the 4-way navigation stick is a really pain to get used to. I have a tendency to move it to the right when I try to press it down to select an item.
One excellent feature is the “sleep” mode. When the unit is running, folding up the LCD display will put the camera in the stand-by mode. The unit will wake up when the LCD is flipped open again, and it will be ready to take a shot in less than 2 seconds.
The HD2 has a very annoying feature called audio help. Similar to the “talking cars” of the eighties (you know, ones that insist, “Your door is ajar!” or words to that effect), the audio help feature prompts you to do things, e.g. “Insert memory card,” etc. I turned that off as fast as I could reach for the menu button after first power-on and it has stayed off ever since.
Sound Quality
The sound recording is a little thin and flat, compared to the Elura. It is by no means unpleasant but it is just not the best. Playback volume is a little low and the built-in speakers are very weak.
Connectivity
The best feature of this camera is its recording medium. I eject the SD card from the camera, insert it into the laptop/PC, and viola! No messing with cables and conversion software. The unit does come with a cradle for charging and connectivity but I never use it.
Accessories
The HD2 comes with a lot of useful accessories:
- USB Cable
- Cradle
- Charger
- Lens cap with lanyard
- Camera strap
- Remote control
- Component cable
- S-AV cable
- Cable adapter
- External microphone adapter
- Soft clamshell case with enough room for the camera, a spare battery and SD cards.
Peeves
- Shoot still photos while filming causes “dropped frames” in video
- Battery life - Sanyo claims way over one hour of video recording but I have never managed to get more than 50 minutes in continuous video recording.
- Low-light performance
- Sound quality
Conclusion
Put into the context of the intended market segment and target audience, the HD2 is a superb little camera that makes it an easy decision to leave the better cameras at home for the sheer convenience. When the significance of the moments and opportunities outweighs the quality of the images, this little camera really shines. With its closest offering from a competitor costing 25% more, one cannot go wrong with the HD2.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 700 Recommended for: Trendsetters - Hip and Stylish Gadgets
Digital media camera/camcorder combines the functionality of a digital camera with a digital camcorder Simultaneously records High-Definition digital ...More at Amazon Marketplace
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