Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 (white)

Manufacturer: Sanyo Fisher Company Part number: VPC-E1WH

1 | 2 | 3 | 4 Compare with most popular

$459.99 at 1 online store

CNET Editor rating:
3.0 stars Good
Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 2 reviews

More product information:: Editors' review; User reviews; Specifications; Product series; Manufacturer info

Bottom Line:: If underwater YouTubing were a market segment, the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 would be the camera to get. But the awkward design and slow performance make it hard to recommend for landlubbers.

Where to buy

store customer rating inventory tax & shipping price

store	customer rating	inventory	tax & shipping	price
	Rate this store See store profile	See Site	Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price	$459.99 Shop now as of 10/15/2008

Rate this store
See store profile

See Site

Enter zip code to get total price:

Price

+Tax

+Shipping

=Total price

$459.99

Shop now

as of 10/15/2008

*Total price for the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 (white) are estimated and may vary slightly based on exact tax, shipping, manufacturer rebate or any sale/promotion on the merchant site.

show

CNET editors' review

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 (white)

price range: $459.99

Reviewed by: Lori Grunin
Reviewed on: 08/02/2007
Released on: 05/24/2007

The good: Frequently captures surprisingly high-quality still photos; waterproof.

The bad: Awkward, frustrating design; slow focus.

The bottom line: If underwater YouTubing were a market segment, the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 would be the camera to get. But the awkward design and slow performance make it hard to recommend for landlubbers.

Read full review

Photo gallery:
Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1

Nowhere is the line between still cameras that capture movies and video cameras that take stills fuzzier than in the ambiguous market segment occupied by the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1. Despite the moniker "digital movie camera" and the nontraditional pistol-grip design, everything about the E1, which includes the ability to shoot 640x480, 30fps movies as well as 6-megapixel still photos, says plain, old camera.

And in that respect, though we're not exactly swimming in waterproof cameras, the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 has some strong competition, notably the Olympus Stylus 770SW and the Pentax Optio W30. Though the E1 incorporates a 5x zoom lens, the other models cost less, have otherwise similar or better specs and can produce better underwater credentials: you can submerge the W30 to as deep as 10 feet for 2 hours and the 770SW to around 32 feet for as long as an hour. Those make the E1's mere 5 feet of depth for an hour pale in comparison. (All are JIS Class 8 qualified, but that just means they've been certified to be submerged for a manufacturer-specified duration at a manufacturer-specified depth.)

So right out of the gate, the E1 faces both an identity crisis and the challenge of distinguishing itself from better-equipped veterans. Unfortunately, it's not really up to the task. On one hand, the vertical design makes for a solid single-handed grip; your right hand wraps around the body with your index finger perched above the lens. But the shutter and record buttons are mushy with too little tactile feedback, so it's difficult to tell if you've successfully grabbed the shot or begun recording. Unless you have very tiny thumbs, it's nearly impossible to use the zoom switch or the user-programmable left and right arrow switches without impinging upon the Set button in the middle. That makes executing a consistent-speed zoom nearly impossible. And it all becomes a bit more difficult and awkward under water, especially if your hands get cold.

Physical navigation aside, the menus are easy to read and logically arranged, exposing you to the relatively basic, camcorderlike feature set. The E1 incorporates a slowish f/3.5-to-4.7, 38mm-to-190mm-equivalent lens with a built-in neutral-density filter and a 2.5-inch LCD that gets difficult to see in harsh light and that must be viewed head-on underwater. Though it lacks aperture- and shutter-priority exposure modes, you can select from among spot-, center- and pattern metering; sensitivity settings from ISO 50 to ISO 1,600 (as high as 7,200 in the Lamp low-light scene mode); auto, manual and four preset white-balance settings; spot or nine-point autofocus; and exposure compensation. At best quality--and you don't really want to drop below that--it records MPEG-4 video at about 409K per second or 24MB per minute of video.

The super macro mode can focus as close as 0.4 inch, the Normal focus mode can only lock beyond 31.5 inches, while a Total mode focuses as close as 4 inches; theoretically, by limiting the range of focus distances in Normal mode the camera can lock focus faster. Nonetheless, the E1 generally focuses pretty slowly--even more so in low light. Plus, with underwater reflections it takes even longer. The manual focus locks at stepped intervals, which means you eventually end up focusing with your feet. These focus issues, combined with the iffy shutter button, results in perceptible lag when photographing.

On top of performance issues, the E1 gets mixed marks for video and still quality as well. On one hand, it can take some very nice photos. But more often, the photos suffer from the camera shake caused by frantic presses, followed by jabs, at the unresponsive shutter button. The photos tend to have a little more image noise than I like at sensitivity values above ISO 50, but that's typical for its class. And as usual, I don't recommend setting it above ISO 200 and can't imagine shooting at ISO 1,600, much less ISO 7,200. Video shot in outdoor light looks pretty typical--OK for YouTube or mobile device playback, but not recommended for editing and reencoding. Video shot in low light looks especially muddy and noisy. And the E1 could use a wind filter.

If you want a waterproof camera with the longer zoom, then the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1, for better or worse, floats to the top of the pile. But you can get the same underwater performance and a better shooting experience--for less--from the Olympus Stylus 770SW.

See pricing

show

User reviews

Write Review

Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 2 reviews
My rating: 0 stars

Showing opinion 1 to 2 out of 2

Sort by:
8 stars

All in all, a pretty decent camera

by Mannix80 on August 8, 2007

Pros: The Quality over MiniDV

Cons: The akward design, and not so simple controls

Summary: My old MiniDV camcorder, a canon, was just gathering dust, and had no use since april, my wife wanted a new camcorder and wanted a digital camera that was waterproof, ...

Read more

Summary: My old MiniDV camcorder, a canon, was just gathering dust, and had no use since april, my wife wanted a new camcorder and wanted a digital camera that was waterproof, to my surprise i find an ad for this beautiful but strangely designed camera, it has excelent quality, starts up fast, you just have to remember de controls, if you want to do everything quickly, or else you won't even know what you're doing.
The other thing you've got to remember it's an SD Camera, so don't forget it, and i'll get back to you on the underwater shots, haven't tried that out.
All in all pretty decent for Sanyo, i wasn't expecting it.
Updated
Well i bought this camera for my wife, she wanted a video camera that was waterproof, and i found this one, i hadn't tried it out until the las couple of weeks.
That's when i went to Hawaii and i really recomend this video camera it took great great video and pictures underwater, and since it was raining most of the time also, i found it to be very useful.
The only down side is that if you use it for video at the highest quality a 2gb SD card will hold only 2 hours 30 minutes of video or if you use only as a camera at highest quality about 1000 plus pictures.And also holding it is kinda weird but you get use to it as long as you know the controls.

Show less

1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
8 stars

Excellent video and a great camera

by map500 on May 2, 2008

Pros: Great price, waterproof, ease of use

Cons: Lower quality video and pictures in low light settings

Summary: Overall, I've been very impressed with this little camera. It takes great video, great pictures (flash is a little weak), easy to use, and downloads to computer are quick ...

Read more

Summary: Overall, I've been very impressed with this little camera. It takes great video, great pictures (flash is a little weak), easy to use, and downloads to computer are quick and easy. Also, this camera is great to look at. Can't wait to use it in the pool this summer with the kids.

Show less

Showing opinion 1 to 2 out of 2

See pricing

show

Specifications

Manufacturer: Sanyo Fisher Company
Part number: VPC-E1WH
Description: Ideal for active families, vacationers and water sports enthusiasts, the ultra-compact E1 can record high-quality video and 6-megapixel stills under water to a depth of five feet for up to one hour at a time. Designed for year-round use, the stylish SANYO Xacti E1 is the pocket-sized, "grab and go" solution for capturing special moments everywhere, every time - whenever inspiration strikes. Completely self-contained, the E1 requires no bulky, separate underwater housing. Easy to operate with only one hand, it's an ideal camcorder to take to the beach or lake for activities such as swimming, snorkeling, surfing and water-skiing, or for use in and around the backyard pool or water park. Compact and easy to grip, the E1 is also great for skiers and snowboarders. Away from water, the versatile E1 is a perfect choice for shooting video and still images of the new baby or recording all the fun at parties, children's school or sports events and family outings.

General
Product Type Camcorder
Enclosure Color White
Effective Sensor Resolution 6.0 megapixels
Total Pixels 6.37 megapixels
Optical Sensor Size 1/2.5 in
Optical Sensor Type CCD
Min Illumination 2 lux
Digital Video Format MPEG-4
Image Stabilizer Electronic
PCM Digital Sound 16bit (48KHz / 2 channels)
Min Shutter Speed 4 sec
Max Shutter Speed 1/2000 sec
Camcorder Slow Shutter Modes 1/2 sec (Still picture), 1/30 sec (Motion picture), 1/30 sec (Flash)
Shooting Modes Digital photo mode
Shooting Programs Portrait mode, Lamp, Night scene
Exposure Modes Automatic, Program
Camera Flash Built-in flash
Flash Modes Flash OFF mode, Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Auto mode
Webcam Capability Yes
Main Features
Camcorder Sensor Resolution 6 megapixels
Camcorder Effective Still Resolution 6 megapixels
Color Support Color
Light Sensitivity ISO 200, ISO 50, ISO 800, ISO auto (50-400), ISO 400, ISO 1600, ISO 100
Still Image Format JPEG
TV Tuner None
Video Capture MPEG-4 - 320 x 240, MPEG-4 - 640 x 480
Memory / Storage
Supported Flash Memory MultiMediaCard, SD Memory Card
Integrated Memory 18 MB
Image Storage JPEG 2816 x 1584, JPEG 640 x 480, JPEG 2048 x 1536, JPEG 2816 x 2112, JPEG 1600 x 1200
Media Type Flash card
Lens System
Type Zoom lens - 6.3 mm - 31.7 mm - F/3.5-4.7
Focal Length 6.3 mm - 31.7 mm
Lens Aperture F/3.5-4.7
Optical Zoom 5 x
Lens system type Zoom lens
Lens Construction 9 group(s) / 12 element(s)
Min focal length 6.3 mm
Max focal length 31.7 mm
Features Aspherical lens, Built-in neutral density filter
Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 38 - 190 mm
Focus Adjustment Automatic, Manual
Macro Focus Range 1cm
Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
Digital Still Camera Function Yes
Additional Features Takes photos while movie recording, Built-in speaker, USB 2.0 compatibility, Water resistant, DPOF support, Digital image stabilization, In-camera red-eye removal, 16:9 widescreen mode
Software Adobe Premiere Elements 3.0, Adobe Photoshop Album Starter Edition, Apple QuickTime, Apple iTunes, Drivers & Utilities
Included Accessories Soft case, Hand strap
Display
Type LCD display - TFT active matrix - 2.5 in - Color
Microphone
Type Microphone - Built-in
Microphone Features Wind noise reduction
Connections
Connector Type 1 x Composite video/audio output, 1 x USB
Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card

Audio Input
Audio input type Microphone
Microphone type Built-in
Microphone Operation Mode Stereo
System Requirements for PC Connection
Operating System Support MS Windows Vista, MS Windows XP, Apple Mac OS X
Miscellaneous
Underwater Depth up to 5 ft
Cables Included A/V cable, 1, 1 x USB cable
Power
Power Device Power adapter - External
Battery type - Lithium ion
Battery
Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery - 720 mAh ( Included )
Viewfinder / Display
Display Form Factor Rotating
Display Format 110,000 pixels
Physical Characteristics
Width 2.8 in
Depth 1.6 in
Height 4.4 in
Weight 8.3 oz

See pricing

show

Product series

show

Manufacturer info

Share
- Digg
- Del.icio.us
- Reddit
- Facebook
Print

Similar products

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 (blue) $399.99 - $533.56
- CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good
- Average user rating: 2.0 stars out of 4 reviews
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1000 $479.99 - $626.99
- CNET Editor rating:
  Not yet rated
- Average user rating: 5.0 stars out of 3 reviews
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2 $699.99 - $839.99
- CNET Editor rating:
  3.0 stars Good
- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 7 reviews
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD1 $1,309.00
- CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good
- Average user rating: 3.0 stars out of 18 reviews
Canon FS100 (silver) $304.00 - $456.43
- CNET Editor rating:
  3.5 stars Very good
- Average user rating: 3.5 stars out of 6 reviews

Shopper.com strives to provide the best price, review, user opinion, and product information on the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 (white). Shopper.com updates pricing for all products multiple times each day. If you find a price, link, product specification, review, user opinion, or any other error for the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 (white), please notify us through our support form.