Shop RadioShack for Great GiftsSanyo Xacti VPC-HD2
Manufacturer: Sanyo Part number: VPC-HD2
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- The Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2 fits high-def video and 7-megapixel stills into a very small package, but its image quality disappoints.
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Where to buy
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| Amazon.com Marketplace |  | In stock | Enter zip code to get total price: Price +Tax +Shipping =Total price | as of 12/07/2009 |
CNET editors' review
Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2 price range: $799.95
- Reviewed by: Will Greenwald
- Reviewed on: 04/09/2007
The good: Small and light design; can shoot stills and video at the same time
The bad: Soft, bland video quality; slow to focus; irritating control stick
The bottom line: The Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2 fits high-def video and 7-megapixel stills into a very small package, but its image quality disappoints.
Sanyo claims its Xacti VPC-HD2 is the smallest high-def camcorder on the market. While I can't quite confirm the superlative, it certainly is a very small, light camcorder that can fit almost an hour of 720p footage into a single 4GB SD memory card. The VPC-HD2 shares the same slender, vaguely gun-shaped design as Sanyo's other Xacti camcorders. The 10x, 38mm- to 380mm-equivalent lens sits on the top of the camcorder, with the bulk of the device's controls right behind it. Below the lens, the camcorder's slim, rectangular body houses the battery, SD card slot, and flip-out 2.2-inch LCD screen, while offering a comfortable grip. The VPC-HD2 sat comfortably even in my large hand, though I still recommend using a wrist strap.
Despite its comfortable design, The VPC-HD2's control scheme suffers from a persistent, irritating flaw. Users can navigate the camcorder's menus and settings with a small, wiggly joystick just under the zoom switch. Besides tilting horizontally and vertically, the joystick presses straight down to act as a confirmation button. Unfortunately, the camcorder often mistakes the joystick's button functions and tilt functions, making menu navigation a frustrating exercise in precision.
The VPC-HD2's biggest draw is its ability to record high-def MPEG-4 footage at 1,280 x 720 pixel resolution and 30 frames per second, but it keeps a few other tricks up its sleeve. While shooting video, the camcorder also can take 7-megapixel still pictures. Most camcorders with still photo capabilities can't shoot at the same time. The screen blanks out and the camcorder freezes for about six seconds when you shoot photos while recording video, but it's still better than nothing and you don't lose any video as it's happening.
Because it records high-def video, users need an HDTV or some other high-definition display to get the most out of the VPC-HD2. Its included dock supports both component and HDMI cables, so piping video to your television is a snap. The camcorder also comes with a remote control, so you can shoot and play back videos and images without fiddling with the docked camera.
Though still quite usable, the VPC-HD2's actual footage and performance disappointed us. The camcorder takes a long time to get a focus lock, especially in low light. When it finally focused and shot, the camcorder's video came out soft and washed out. Even when viewed on an HDTV over an HDMI cable, fine details are obscured and colors appear bland and undersaturated. The footage is still high definition and will appear as such on any HDTV, but it doesn't look nearly as crisp as footage from higher-end high-def camcorders. Like their standard definition cousins, HD camcorders, such as the higher end Canon HV20 and the extremely higher end (and much, much more expensive) Panasonic AG-HVX200, can offer wildly varying video quality. Price certainly plays a factor, but even the less expensive camera-turned-HD-camcorder Canon PowerShot TX1 offers clearer HD video than the VPC-HD2. The VPC-HD2 produces decent footage and won't ruin your home movies with poor quality, but you can find better video elsewhere.
User reviews
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THE camera to get if you're not shooting weddings for money.
by gw400404 on April 18, 2007
Pros: Ultra small and portable, with fast startup and great dual purpose video/still camera design.
Cons: Some minor shake issues. Video is grainy in low light.
Summary: Before laying out big bucks for your new video camera, ask yourself these fundamental questions - what are you planning on using it for, and honestly, how often are you ...
Summary: Before laying out big bucks for your new video camera, ask yourself these fundamental questions - what are you planning on using it for, and honestly, how often are you going to watch those videos after they've been shot?
I bought a great Sony mini-DV about 6 years ago when they first hit the market. I paid over $1000 for it, and have probably shot a total of about 24 hours of footage on it - virtually all of it during our vacations.
Let's face it, if you're not a budding Spielberg or shooting peoples weddings for $2500 bucks a pop, how much are you REALLY worried about getting perfect resolution and lighting at your 3 year old's birthday party?
Chances are you are like me - a plain Joe or Jane Average who just wants something handy and convenient to record that special trip or other occasion with - and you'll probably only ever watch it again on that rare occasion that your feeling particularly nostalgic, or the memory of the actual event has dimmed so much you have to dust of the video to relive it.
Home movies were generally pretty boring on super 8 mm, and they're apt to still be boring on 1080p!
I got the new HD2 a week and half ago in advance of our upcoming trip to Europe where we are trekking around for a month and didn't want to be lugging around the old Sony with a half dozen tapes and power supply in tow (the power supply on the Sony is actually bigger than the HD2!!).
First thing I tried was some low-light shooting in HD mode to see how it would fair (after reading that this camera was improved over the poor low-light image quality of the HD1 and HD1a). I played it back through the HDMI on my 46" Sony Bravia XBR3 and was fairly pleased with the results.
Other than a bit of graininess that one might generally expect in those conditions, I didn't see any major dropouts, flares or fades on panning to get worked up over. I initially didn't use the video light or the High-Sensitivity mode, and the image still turned out fairly good. In fact, more than good enough for the toddler's birthday party!!
Then I tried some outdoor daytime shooting, and the quality was great! The handy HDMI interface straight into the TV is a keen feature, and makes it really easy to see your results in HD right away.
Other than a bit of camera shake from using the zoom button while alternating wide and tight shots, there was no discernable difference from other high-end cameras in the same price range.
Sure, the little joystick swith and the menu aren't always the user-friendliest, but for the great size of this unit coupled with the features and price, I don't think there's any question about it - if you are a casual videographer that wants a light, portable and feature rich video camera that can also take good stills, and you don't want to mess around with tapes, dvd, or media storage transfer issues, then this is definitely THE camera for you. Don't even bother with the Canon, the Panasonic or the Samsung.25 out of 25 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Not a bad unit overall
by zueben on April 17, 2007
Pros: size:7megapixel still shots: HD video:storage SDHC cards
Cons: Joystick movement, no pause feature in video recording
Summary: My hunt for a "one" camera to take video & still shots coupled with it's "pocket" size, could come to an end with this camera. As expected nothing is ...
Summary: My hunt for a "one" camera to take video & still shots coupled with it's "pocket" size, could come to an end with this camera. As expected nothing is perfect. Why did sanyo see fit not to put a "pause" button in video recording is beyond me. There is a pause in playback. In video recording, invoke "stop" to stop recording, and a file is created, so at the end of the day you can have 2 to 10 files. To off set this flaw they created a feature, whereby you can join these files to create one file, with the option of overwriting the existing, or creating a new. With the SDHC capabilities a 4 gig card will hold about 1hr of recording at HD resolution. Looking at 8 gig SDHC cards at "newegg" web site. Battery not to good, 1 hour +. The "joystick" to access the menu is not that great. you are supposed to push down on it, to confirm your choices, the end result could be, it could either go up or down sometimes.Guess I will have to get use to it. Accessibility to switch to manual , change aperture,and different settings, is at you 'finger tips' . Video recording in low light,I had to change the ISO setting, got the brightness, but the picture became a bit fuzzy, tried changing the aperture setting, did not work to well. Still "dicking" aroung with this feature. Still shots, all good. Flash works nicely. Shooting in the dark is no problem.
6 out of 8 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Small, light, easy to handle, great video
by camerabug123 on April 12, 2007
Pros: Ease of use
Cons: Ahead of it's time
Summary: I am very disappointed in the review that CNET editors gave this camera. If they had truely given an impartial review then heavy hitters like Sony, Canon and Panasonic would ...
Summary: I am very disappointed in the review that CNET editors gave this camera. If they had truely given an impartial review then heavy hitters like Sony, Canon and Panasonic would not be able to sell their out-of-date, overpriced cameras. I have looked at the video of such cameras and do not see much difference in the quality of the video. Such is always the case when innovative technology is first introduced. Just look what happened with the Tucker and the beta tape format. The best does not always win and money talks.
6 out of 11 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Super portable, great video, great still
by landrover4444 on August 21, 2007
Pros: concealable, small, great video, great stills, ext. mic.
Cons: shutter lag with stills
Summary: I did countless hours of research before buying this camera. What I wanted was a video camera that would take very good video and very good stills. If I had ...
Summary: I did countless hours of research before buying this camera. What I wanted was a video camera that would take very good video and very good stills. If I had wanted excellent video alone I would have bought the Panasonic GS500 which I almost did, but as I live in an enormous city I really wanted something that I could keep in my bag all the time and pull out at a moment's notice. It has the capacity to turn off all sounds (nice) so it is very stealth if you want to film riots, the police, or whatever. Stealth. I had a professional canon still camera but it was too heavy and rarely used it. This camera takes amazing video. If you are going to make a movie you might want a larger more professional camera, but if you want to have something you can pull out anytime anyplace and shoot with great results, this is the camera. I can put this in my jean's front pocket (or shirt pocket!) without a problem. The still images are great -- not spectacular as there are artifacts when blown up and examined carefully, but it's fine for average sized prints, computers, etc. The Super Macro mode allows you to get within 1 cm of your object. Amazing flower shots! MPEG-4 is wonderful, easy to download and share and no compression necessary. It is an EXCELLENT camera, but it is not a professional still camera or film camera. This camera will go with you everywhere and you'll get amazing shots just because it's with you.
2 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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One of best camera/ HD Camcorder on the market
by bhootve on September 3, 2007
Pros: Compact, user friendly, use with one hand, good video capability, on SD card
Cons: No built in light for camcorder function
Summary: I have this camera/camcorder for >1 yr and I have received unbelievable number of comments from people. Camera is great with many Megapix options. Great zoom. Can select ...
Summary: I have this camera/camcorder for >1 yr and I have received unbelievable number of comments from people. Camera is great with many Megapix options. Great zoom. Can select regular or HD video. Multiple connectivity options, direct to TV, USB, SD card, etc... By far one of the best on market, and would highly recommend it people using for taking pictures/video of new baby, family, and events.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Small in size, big in features
by k2ne2 on June 12, 2007
Pros: Handy and excellent videos
Cons: battery life is good for an hour
Summary: I do believe this combi is excellent to carry and use all around to capture those precious moments. I love the bright screen and its design, I say better than ...
Summary: I do believe this combi is excellent to carry and use all around to capture those precious moments. I love the bright screen and its design, I say better than tape and DVD when it comes in tranferring videos to DVD.
1 out of 1 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Are you kidding me?!
by af847 on May 18, 2007
Pros: Great small size, controls and menu laid out well
Cons: Video quality? Forget it.
Summary: Oh, I was really anticipating getting my paws on this camera. I had been saving for months to upgrade from my Sharp Viewcam.
Well, it looks like the Viewcam and ...Summary: Oh, I was really anticipating getting my paws on this camera. I had been saving for months to upgrade from my Sharp Viewcam.
Well, it looks like the Viewcam and I will spend some more time together.
The video on this thing is like what you get off a cell phone. I'm not kidding. Though the color is good and the controls allow for a lot of options, once you get the video onto your computer and onto a DVD you'll be so angry you spent all the money for this little gadget. The video has a jerky quality and the audio sounds tinny.
Mine is going back. I'm mad that I believed all the hype.2 out of 5 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Sanyo
- Part number: VPC-HD2
- Description: At about 3.1 x 4.7 x 1.4 inches and about 8 ounces, this tiny camcorder is a perfect size and weight for the active tourist. The Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2 has a very significant edge over the others. It records video at 1280x720 resolution, perfect for 720p presentation on HDTV displays. It is also a digital-camera with 7 megapixel still image resolution. All images are stored on a SD or a SDHC Memory Card that helps account for the camera's compact size and minimal weight.
General
- Product Type Camcorder - 720p
- Digital Zoom 100 x
- Effective Sensor Resolution 7.38 megapixels
- Optical Sensor Size 1/2.5"
- Optical Sensor Type CCD
- Digital Video Format MPEG-4
- Special Effects Sepia, Cosmetic, Black & White
- Image Stabilizer Electronic
- Min Shutter Speed 4 sec
- Max Shutter Speed 1/2000 sec
- Shooting Modes Frame movie mode, Digital photo mode
- Shooting Programs Lamp, Fireworks, Landscape, Night mode, Sports mode, Portrait mode
- White Balance Custom, Presets, Automatic
- White Balance Presets Cloudy, Sunlight, Fluorescent, Incandescent
- Exposure Modes Manual, Program, Automatic, Shutter-priority, Aperture-priority
- Exposure Metering Spot, Multi-segment, Center-weighted
- Camera Flash Pop-up flash
- Flash Modes Auto mode, Fill-in mode, Slow synchro, Flash OFF mode, Red-eye reduction
- Webcam Capability Yes
- Widescreen Video Capture Yes
Main Features
- Camcorder Sensor Resolution 7.2 megapixels
- Camcorder Effective Still Resolution 7 megapixels
- Camcorder Interpolated Still Resolution 10 megapixels
- Color Support Color
- Light Sensitivity ISO 50, ISO 100, ISO 200, ISO 400, ISO 800, ISO 1600, ISO auto
- Exposure Compensation ±1.8 EV range, in 1/3 EV steps
- Still Image Format JPEG
- Remote Control Remote control - Infrared
- TV Tuner None
- Video Capture MPEG-4 - 1280 x 720, MPEG-4 - 720 x 480, MPEG-4 - 640 x 480, MPEG-4 - 320 x 240, MPEG-4 - 320 x 240
Memory / Storage
- Supported Flash Memory SD Memory Card
- Image Storage JPEG 3680 x 2760, Fine JPEG 3072 x 2304, Normal JPEG 3072 x 2304, JPEG 3072 x 1728, JPEG 1600 x 1200, JPEG 1280 x 720, JPEG 640 x 480
- Media Type Flash card
Camera Flash
- Red Eye Reduction Yes
- Effective Flash Range 1 ft - 9 ft
Lens System
- Type Zoom lens - 6.3 mm - 63 mm - F/3.5
- Focal Length 6.3 mm - 63 mm
- Lens Aperture F/3.5
- Auto Focus Points (Zones) 5
- Optical Zoom 10 x
- Lens Construction 9 group(s) / 12 element(s)
- Lens system type Zoom lens
- Min focal length 6.3 mm
- Max focal length 63 mm
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Features Aspherical lens, Built-in neutral density filter
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 38 - 380 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual, Automatic
- Macro Focus Range 1-100cm
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- Self Timer Yes
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec, 10 sec
- Additional Features Built-in speaker, PictBridge support, USB 2.0 compatibility
- Remote control Remote control - Infrared
- Software Drivers & Utilities
- Included Accessories Lens cap, Soft case, Neck strap, Docking station
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type None
Display
- Type LCD display - LCD passive matrix - 2.2 in - Color
Microphone
- Type Microphone - Built-in
Connections
- Connector Type 1, USB, Component video output, S-Video output, HDMI, Microphone, Composite video/audio output
- Expansion Slot(s) 1 x SD Memory Card
Audio Input
- Audio input type Microphone
- Microphone type Built-in
- Microphone Operation Mode Stereo
Miscellaneous
- Cables Included A/V cable, USB cable, Stacking adapter
Power
- Power Device Power adapter - External
Battery
- Supported Battery Sanyo DB-L40
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( Included )
Viewfinder / Display
- Display Form Factor Rotating
- Display Format 210,000 pixels
Physical Characteristics
- Width 1.4 in
- Depth 3.1 in
- Height 4.7 in
- Weight 8.1 oz
Manufacturer info
- Sanyo
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Sanyo products on Shopper.com
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- Website: http://www.sanyo.com/
- Address:
2001 Sanyo Ave.
San Diego, CA 92173 - Phone: 818-998-7322 Ext. 464
