Sanyo VPC-CA102 Waterproof Full HD 1080 Video and 14MP Digital Photos with 12X Dual Range Zoom (Yellow) NEWEST VERSION

by Sanyo

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 1.6 x 3.6 x 4.8 inches ; 8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 1 pounds
• Shipping: This item is also available for shipping to select countries outside the U.S.
• ASIN: B003XT6F1I
• Item model number: VPC-CA102YL
• Average Customer Review: 3.1 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (25 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #5,551 in Camera & Photo (See Top 100 in Camera & Photo)
  • #48 in Electronics > Camera & Photo > Underwater Photography > Camcorders
• Date first available at Amazon.com: August 4, 2010

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

SANYO VPC-CA102YL Waterproof Full HD 1080 Video and 14MP Digital Photos with 12X Dual Range Zoom

VPC-CA102 (yellow)
Waterproof High Definition Video and Photos

Full HD 1080, 60i Video (1920 x 1080)
14 Megapixel Digital Photos
Waterproof up to 3 meters (10 feet)
2.7" Wide LCD Monitor for HD Playback
12x Dual Range Zoom Video
5x Optical Zoom Photo
High Speed Sequential Shooting
Wide Angle Lens Range Video: 40mm – 240mm
Wide Angle Lens Range Photo: 38mm – 190mm
Digital Image Stabilizer (Photos and Video)
Face Detection (Photos and Video)
Mini HDMI Digital Interface
MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 High Compression Technology
Enhanced Eye-Fi Compatibility
SD/SDHC/SDXC memory card compatible

Take stunning Full HD 1080 60i video and up to 14 megapixel digital photos underwater! The compact Sanyo Dual Camera Xacti CA102 delivers high performance results with multiple features normally found on much higher priced video and photo cameras. It delivers amazing 12X dual range zoom for video and 5x optical zoom for photos. The CA102's upright, vertical design is extremely portable and easy to use on land or underwater. The CA102 offers face chasing technology which automatically reads and corrects focus and lighting for up to 12 different subjects. Its compact design makes the CA102 extremely portable and easy to use. Videos, still photos, camera menus and settings can be easily accessed with the user's thumb. The CA102's MPEG4/H.264 recording format makes sharing videos and photos via social networking web sites, portable video devices like iPod's, TV's and computers, a breeze. Offering unprecedented waterproof Full HD 1080 video with 14MP digital photos, the CA102 provides a convenient way to capture both videos and photos in daily life or for special events.

High Performance and Stylish Design Made Simple
The Dual Camera CA102 packs cutting edge technology into a small, stylish, easy to use camera. The CA102 can be used to a depth of 3 meters underwater for up to 60 minutes: meets the IPX8 standard based on JIS C 0920 waterproofing guidelines. It can be used in outdoor situations (in the rain, snorkeling, surfing, water skiing, snow skiing and snowboarding). Designed to fit perfectly in the palm of your hand, the CA102 features an easy to navigate menu which make it a great choice for the beginner and the more advanced user. It is the perfect blend of style, performance, and ease of use.


Full HD 1080 Video and 14 Megapixel Still Image Quality
In addition to delivering Full HD 1080 video quality, the CA102 captures amazing 14 megapixel photos. Separate photo and video recording buttons allow images to be captured easily without changing modes.

12x Dual Range Zoom (video)
5x Optical Zoom (photos)
While the CA102 is quite small in size, it features a full 12x Dual Range Zoom for video. With SANYO's 12x Dual Range Zoom Technology the field of view is dramatically increased. It offers an extensive range for capturing video from wide angle to telephoto zoom for distant scenery, with a magnification of up to 12x (40 mm to 480 mm; 35-mm film basis). With a touch of the Zoom Range Button, the Dual Range Zoom feature allows switching between two zoom ranges; a Wide Mode (40 mm to 240 mm) and a Tele Mode (80 mm to 480 mm). This allows you to alternate between two lenses with different zoom ratios. It effectively changes the size of the video capture area on the image sensor. The photo zoom capability is 5x Optical Zoom.

Large, 2.7-inch Liquid Crystal Display (LCD)
The display flips out from the camera and rotates up to 285 degrees on an axis that allows you to take great video or still images from otherwise-difficult-to-view positions, proving to be especially useful when shooting in confined spaces.

High Speed Sequential Photo Mode
The CA102 features a sequential "photo" shooting mode. When this mode is selected, the camera will take multiple photos in sequential order; providing multiple photo frames. It enables capturing up to 22 photos at 7 frames per second (in 2M continuous mode). This allows the camera to be used with confidence even in situations where photo opportunities can easily be missed. The perfect solution for action photography!

These advanced imaging features are provided as a result of SANYO's high-speed CMOS sensor and the new, high-speed, video processing engine.

Sophisticated Image Stabilizer
The CA102 features a new photo stabilizer. This technology actually takes two photos at the same time; one at a faster shutter speed and one at a slower shutter speed. The camera combines the benefits of both of the shutter speeds, resulting in an image that has less blur and less noise.

Using a proprietary SANYO algorithm, the CA102 automatically compensates for distracting up-and-down or side-to-side camera movement, keeping the subject steady and easy to follow. It accurately distinguishes between unintentional camera shake and deliberate camera movement. This handy feature operates in both wide-angle and telephoto modes.

Video and Photo Face Detection
The CA102 utilizes specialized video and photo face detection technology. This feature recognizes multiple subjects' faces and optimizes focus / aperture settings to ensure each individual is in focus.

Eye-Fi Compatibility
The CA102 features enhanced Eye-Fi compatibility. This Dual Camera will automatically recognize the Eye-Fi wireless SD card when it is inserted. The CA102 also has "smart power" on board which allows the camera to control the Eye-Fi function and provide power management, automatically shutting the card off when not in use.

Easily Follow Moving Objects with Object Chaser Technology
The CA102 is capable of "object chasing"; a feature which allows you to maintain proper lighting and focus on objects in motion. This is a great way to capture video of family members and pets on the move!

Windows 7 Compatible
The CA102 is fully supported by the latest Windows OS, "Windows 7", further expanding its capabilities. The video files are displayed in the same thumbnail format as still picture files. They can also be played back directly with Windows Media Player, are editable with Windows Live Movie Maker, and are Device Stage compatible. This makes the files even more convenient for use on computers.

Easy Playback of Recorded Video Directly on a TV
The CA102 camera features a mini-HDMI output which makes connecting it to a Digital TV or DVD Recorder a breeze. The CA102 can also easily be connected to a computer to back-up copies of recorded content via the handy USB 2.0 connection. Still images and video clips are played back continuously and in chronological order. When connected to a PC, simple drag-and-drop operation makes it easy to save recorded video clips and still images onto a computer's hard disk for emailing, editing or archiving.

Includes a High-Capacity Sanyo Brand Lithium-ion Battery
The DB-L80 is a high capacity battery designed to work with the SANYO Dual Camera CA102 camera and delivers approximately 70 minutes of video record time. High-energy density design minimizes the battery size and weight, making it perfect for use in the CA102. It designed to resist memory accumulation so it provides a full charge every time.

SDXC Memory Compatibility (over 64GB SD Cards)
While the CA102 works with standard SD memory, and more high capacity SDHC memory cards, it is also fully compatible with the next generation SDXC memory cards. The CA102 can record to more than 64GB of content to SDXC memory cards. This dramatically improves your ability to record and transfer hours and hours of Full HD 1080 videos to a computer. You can also play CA102 Full HD 1080 videos stored on SDXC cards on your high definition TV.

Highly Advanced MPEG4 AVC/H.264 Video Compression
This feature optimizes the file size and makes sharing movies on social networking sites, or e-mailing them to friends and family, even easier. In fact, the file size can be up to 25 percent smaller than that of typical MPEG-4 cameras.

To accomplish the complexity of encoding AVC/H.264 in real-time on the CA102, a dedicated H.264 video compression IC was incorporated into the camera that was designed specifically for portable consumer devices. This achieves high video quality while simultaneously reducing the system power consumption.

Easily Transfer Video and Still Images to your Video Capable iPod
Import video and still image files directly into iTunes software and then port them to your video-capable iPod. Share your latest masterpiece with friends and family.

Record over 16 Hours of Full Motion Video
The CA102 supports the SD memory card standard making it easy to capture videos, photos, and sound recordings in a reliable, easy-to-use format. SD memory cards are available in three capacity formats: SD, SDHC (up to 32GB) and SDXC (up to 64GB available today). The newest generation is SDXC (Extended Capacity) which supports increased storage capacities up to 2TB along with faster read and write operations. Using a 32GB SDHC memory card with the CA102, you can capture over 16 hours worth of standard definition, full motion video or up to 4 hours in Full HD 1080 video mode.

Capture still images while you're shooting video
The CA102 enables simultaneous shooting of video clips and still images with a simple press of the shutter button during the shooting of a movie clip. You will never need to miss another precious photo opportunity. (Depending on the mode used to take still images, simultaneous video clip shooting may be interrupted. While shooting video clips, using the digital image stabilizer may change the angle of view for still images.)

Super-fast Start-up
Reduce the chance of missing the perfect shot. The Dual Camera CA102 is designed for super fast start-up and shooting. With its tapeless design, the CA102 eliminates the need to queue up a video tape, allowing it to begin shooting in as little as 1.7 seconds! When the CA102 is powered on, closing the LCD display puts it in standby mode. Simply open the display and the CA102 automatically powers up and can begin immediately recording in as little as 1.7 seconds.

World Class Design
The CA-102 offers the latest advancements in SANYO's revolutionary line of Dual Camera products. It provides the ultimate in performance, style, and sleek design. The CA102 is ultra-compact and easy to use on land or in the water.

Galvanometer method structure, Auto focus: 8 groups, 11 elements (3 aspheric elements, 6 aspheric surfaces), Built-in neutral density filter, Photos: f=38-190mm (=35mm), Optical 5x zoom, Videos: f=40-480mm(=35mm) 12x Dual Range zoom, Low-light sensitivity - 17 lux (Auto mode, 1/30 seconds) 5 lux (High sensitivity/Lamp mode 1/15) Sensitivity - Auto (ISO 50-200), Manual (ISO 50/100/200/400/800/1600) AV output (HDMI / Composite video, NTSC/PAL, Audio - Stereo sound) USB 2.0 (high-speed mode) Dimensions - Width 3.62" x Depth 1.6" x Height 4.84" Weight, approximately 8.53 ounces including battery and SD card

Product Description

Take stunning Full HD 1080 60i video and up to 14 megapixel digital photos underwater! The compact Sanyo Dual Camera Xacti CA102 delivers high performance results with multiple features normally found on much higher priced video and photo cameras. It delivers amazing 12X dual range zoom for video and 5x optical zoom for photos. The CA102’s upright, vertical design is extremely portable and easy to use on land or underwater. The CA102 offers face chasing technology which automatically reads and corrects focus and lighting for up to 12 different subjects. Its compact design makes the CA102 extremely portable and easy to use. Videos, still photos, camera menus and settings can be easily accessed with the user’s thumb. The CA102’s MPEG4/H.264 recording format makes sharing videos and photos via social networking web sites, portable video devices like iPod’s, TV’s and computers, a breeze. Offering unprecedented waterproof Full HD 1080 video with 14MP digital photos, the CA102 provides a convenient way to capture both videos and photos in daily life or for special events.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

63 of 63 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars A great camera with quirky controls, August 25, 2010

By 

J. Thompson "jimmy" (USA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sanyo VPC-CA102 Waterproof Full HD 1080 Video and 14MP Digital Photos with 12X Dual Range Zoom (Yellow) NEWEST VERSION (Electronics)

The VPC-CA102YL is the yellow version of the VPC-CA100 that you will find on the Sanyo site, and is the model sold in the US. I do not know if the black and pink colors will be released in the US.

This is about my 10th family video camera. I bought this one to replace the Sanyo Xacti VPC FH1, which is the ordinary box-like form factor, and is a great camera. I'm not an expert by any means, but over the years I've developed a handful of criteria that I have found to be useful. Here are mine, with comments on this camera.

Size: The camera I use is the camera I have with me, and to be with me all the time it has to be small. This camera weighs 245 grams, with battery, on my scale. Considering the quality of the video, and the fact that you can also get great stills, that's amazing. (I go back far enough to have held a black and white video camera on my shoulder. ) There are a number of other very small cameras out there shooting HD (although not usually in 60 fps progressive like the VPC CA102), so there are other choices, but as far as I know, this one takes the highest quality combination of video and stills for its size, especially if you add a waterproof constraint.

Waterproof: This is not important for everyone, but it is for me, and that's why I bought this particular camera. I'm outdoors a lot, and travel a lot. I want a camera that is dust-proof, sand-proof and rain-proof. I've had a whole video record ruined by the Amazon jungle rains. I assume this camera will also be fine for light immersion, but it isn't an "underwater" camera per se, and the attractiveness of the waterproofing for me is ordinary outdoor use--rafting on severe rapids and the like. I've also owned waterproof still cameras, and over the years have experimented with a handful of waterproof video cameras or used waterproof housing. Now I can get extremely high quality video with a waterproof camera that fits in my hand. Nice.

Video and photo quality: This is important for me, but I will admit that formal lab testing is not paramount. Over the years I've noticed the best pictures--video and stills--come from people who take good pictures, and is far less dependent on the camera. Nevertheless, the CMOS in this camera is terrific, and surprisingly large (1/2.33"). Not all HD cameras take the same quality video. I got fantastic video out of my VPC FH1 on a trip to Ladakh, and this sensor is even better. 60 fps is incredibly smooth.

Design and ease of use: This camera has a double whammy for ease of use, and I'm not surprised to see the complaints from early reviewers more used to regular cameras. First of all, it's a pistol grip. It handles completely differently from either a regular stills point-and-shoot or a regular box-type hand-held video camera. Second, Sanyo put all of the pre-shoot controls on the side of the camera, so for the most part it's difficult to change them on the fly. Finally, the actual buttons which you push for taking a still, zooming, and starting/stopping a video are definitely a little klutzy. I have found that one-hand use means I get a little jerk at the beginning and at the end when I am starting and stopping the video. On the other hand, the pistol grip makes for very stable video while you are taking it. For stills, I use a two-second delay, which is a shortcut default setting, so that I can position the camera. In my opinion, this is NOT a great camera for quick point-and-shoots, although you could probably get pretty good at using it for that, especially if you are willing to use both hands. Since most people use two hands to control regular point-and-shoot cameras, that limitation does not seem unreasonable to me.
The controls themselves are driven off the rocker button on the left side. I find the menus easy and intuitive, although I've seen complaints about how Sanyo organizes them. You can select four settings of your choice as shortcuts; for instance I have Flash, TimeDelay, Display and PictureFormat as my four. Before shooting I can just press the rocker button and rotate through the settings rapidly for each of those four choices.
In order to make the camera waterproof (I assume), Sanyo made this rocker button flush. It's a bit klutzy but I don't find that insurmountable, and I've gotten pretty good at it already.

Other comments:
Image stabilization. If you've followed the Sanyo Xacti line, you know that one concern is the use of electronic, instead of optical, image stabilization. This was definitely an issue at high zoom for my Sanyo VPC-FH1, although like most photographers I recommend a tripod stabilizer wherever possible (This one does have a tripod screw mount on the bottome). Sanyo claims a new EIS on this model, and in brief testing outside it does seem to be pretty good. Unfortunately this is one area where only formal lab testing will really define the difference; in general the average opinion to date is that EIS has not been as good as optical image stabilization.
File sizes. I noticed one reviewer mentioned jerky playback. This almost certainly related to hardware or software, and not the camera. Full HD AVC H.264 MPEG-4 at 60 frames/second creates large files, and how smoothly they play back depends on your computer's video substructure as well as the software. Sanyo includes ArcSoft's TotalMedia Extreme for playback, editing and DVD authoring; I have not used it. On my computer I can play back even the largest files using almost any software. I use Premiere for DVD authoring.
Battery. I was very disappointed that Sanyo puts a battery with only 700mAh in this camera. They claim an hour of video from this, but I have not tested that. My habit is to keep several batteries with me anyway, but my FH1 has a 2000mAh battery, and I loved that. This camera ships without an external charger, so I'll be buying a TechFuel external charger (about $15) plus some extra knock-off batteries.
Connections. Output ports are a miniUSB which goes to an RCA composite video plug and a single white RCA plug (I assume for sound). The other (main) output is a mini HDMI port which I assumes outbounds the full stereo audio as well as the HDMI picture. However the camera does NOT come with the HDMI video cable.
Sound. No external microphone. There is a speaker on the camera for internal playback, and instructions are voiced audibly in English for various features.

Summary:
Great quality video in a waterproof format. Quirky controls that you can get used to. High-quality stills but too awkward for zipping around pointing-and-shooting. Fine for landscape stills. Image stabilization unknown, but probably at least acceptable.

38 of 40 people found the following review helpful:

3.0 out of 5 stars Sanyo XACTI VPC-CA102 ****REVIEW****, August 21, 2010

By 

Mrs. Melissa B. Munitz "melissa_munitz" (Los Angeles, CA) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sanyo VPC-CA102 Waterproof Full HD 1080 Video and 14MP Digital Photos with 12X Dual Range Zoom (Yellow) NEWEST VERSION (Electronics)

Length:: 0:37 Mins

I just received the camcorder a few hours ago. I was excited to open it up and try it out. I havent recorded video yet or taken advantage of the waterproof camera functions. I did however take a number of digital shots, the images look really good. I shot from the lowest resolution all the way up to 14 megapixels. The build of the Xacti VPC-CA102 feels very solid and sturdy.

So far my only complaint or rather complaints are the controls. NOT easy to use. It feels a bit quirky when using them however with any new product it takes time to adjust to the controls. We also noticed when turning on the camcorder you have to hold down the button for at least 3 seconds to power on.

UPDATE: I just took the camcorder into the pool 8 feet deep and shot some HD footage. We used a 16gb SDHC class 6 card. It was recorded in 1080i/60fps. Overall we were both very pleased with the HD quality. We did notice that the colors on the video seem a little off. Take a look at the sample video with this review and decide for yourself.

We noticed that when playing back HD video on our iMac using the newest quicktime, the video skips. Not sure why. We then tried the VLC media player and found that it plays the HD video flawlessly. (perfect)

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Great compact Dual Camera, September 15, 2010

By 

Busterlou45 - See all my reviews

Amazon Verified Purchase

This review is from: Sanyo VPC-CA102 Waterproof Full HD 1080 Video and 14MP Digital Photos with 12X Dual Range Zoom (Yellow) NEWEST VERSION (Electronics)

I'm not a camera junkie. I have a simple point and shoot that I have used through the years and it works great at 4.9 megapixels. I have a nice Digital SLR I bought a few years ago and it takes great pictures, but it is so big and bulky, that I never use it. So, I have some experience with higher and lower end still photo cameras, but I'm pretty much the average consumer. I went on a trip last year and we did some rafting and I wished I had a good waterproof camera, other than the disposable one that I bought. You get spoiled by the ability to check your shot digitally to be sure it came out, as well as the ability to zoom and focus. I was trying to find out what was out there and then I stumbled on one of the older Sanyo Dual camera videos. I really didn't even know that this was available for video and still, not to mention in a waterproof model. I watched some videos on YouTube and I was impressed. The waterproof aspect of it was a bonus, as it seemed to take pretty good video as well. I then noticed some other manufacturers had some simple cameras in 1080 HD and that caught my eye, and I was thinking of going that way, until I stumbled on the "future release of the Sanyo VPC-CA102." I had already seen and liked the older versions of this camera. This one now has 1080 video and a 14MP still capability. I thought "Wow, I'm going to pre-order this thing....decision made." I got my camera a few days after it was released and went on a trip a few days later.

This camera has "out of the box" functionality. I didn't need to read anything to learn how to use it. Like most point and shoot cameras, the automatic functions will allow you to do most of your shooting. If you want to optimize it for night photography, close up, fireworks, or whatever, you do have those options available in the menus. I haven't done that yet, as I haven't felt the need to do it. As I said, I'm not a camera junkie, I want simple stuff. I took some AWESOME shots with this camera. The clarity of the stills really surprised me. I thought my 4.9 Megapixel camera took crisp shots.....compared to a 14 Megapixel....it was easy to see the difference on my computer screen. There is really no reason for 14 MP pictures unless you are blowing things up to poster size, or maybe showing on a big screen tv, but with this camera, you can do that with no problem. The video was so nice. I used it at the Full 1080 HD at 60 frames per second and it was really clear. I also liked the ability to snap a still while you are shooting video as well. I have read some reviews here and YES, some of the controls are awkward, but again, this is a simple camera. If you are like me, you need a button to zoom, and a button to shoot (here there is one button to shoot stills and another one to start/stop video). All three of these are pressed with your thumb while holding the camera like a gun. The other "awkward" controls are more for changing settings or reviewing the shots. They are a bit awkward because they have to be in order to be protected for underwater use, so I am not that concerned about it. It isn't that big of a deal for actually taking the pics. I have read that there is some shake in beginning and end of video shooting when you hit the button....well, it is a small camera and any hand motion will usually cause this "shake" when you press the button. A big bulky camera is heavier and the strength of your thumb may not cause that, but just like in the movies, they snip the videos to get things they way they want it. The software they gives you allows you to trim the ends off if it is needed. I have also read a review that complained about the instructions on a few functions. I do understand that some of the enclosed instructions fall short of explaining everything, BUT IF YOU ACTUALLY READ THEM instead of skimming through them looking for things you want, you will see that there is an online PDF Full Manual that does explain things in detail for more in depth users. I like it as I don't need some giant manual to give me more than I will ever need. The enclosed manual gets you up and working, and the downloadable one gits you the answers to so much more. I downloaded it and haven't needed it yet....as I said....I like simple and this is simple to use.

I gave it 4 stars oveall. The stills were 5 star to me....awesome clarity close and far. The video rocked as well. I can't compare to any other video cameras as I don't have any, but on my 52 inch plasma, the clairity was awesome....so I would give it 5 stars for that as well. The menus were good and easy to navigate although the buttons were a bit tougher to navigate with my fat fingers, but I do understand that the waterproofing makes the design options limited. I can't complan much about that so I will give it 4 stars...not perfect, but pretty good. Accessories....I will give this 3 stars. It is a full HD camera but the enclosed TV hookups are a composite RCA type wiring isntead of the mini HDMI available. At $350 for the camera, I would like the HDMI wire as well. I see them available online for a wide range of prices (some extremely low, others much higher). I don't know much about the cost to make them, but for this price of a camera, I would think you would get the wires to match the capabilities. I am going to buy the HDMI cable myself and not worry about it, but this camera is quite a bit more pricey than some of the competitor's 1080 HD cameras and it would have been nice to get the cable included as they don't cost all that much. The Battery included worked fine for me. I did a 4 hour tour of Niagara Falls and it ran out of juice at just about the end of the tour. I didn't have it shooting all day, and I didn't have it on all day. I would highly recommend a backup battery if you are doing anything memorable as the battery did wear down on me. I don't know about batteries much, but my SLR camera had an upgraded battery I bought aftermarket that had the ability to hold a charge longer, but I don't remember what numbers are involved in that (maybe mAh, but I'm not sure...ask a tekkie). The software suite is simple to use, and seems to have a lot of capability. YOu can even watch video and press a button and pull stills out of your video. This is a pretty cool option as you can capture the video of a moment, but it is more difficult to catch the still of a facial expression at exactly the right time to get a great photo....now you can extract that "wow" frame in the software suite. I am familiar with ArcSoft from previous cameras and I really liked their software. It was easy to use, and had everything I needed....without forking out the big bucks for the big names. I'm glad to have the ArcSoft suite.

Finally, I will say that I WOULD RECOMMEND THIS CAMERA in a heartbeat. Remember what you are buying. It is a Dual Camera. It is mainly a video camera in my opinion as the shape makes it easy for video. The still photo capability is a bonus. If you want a camera that you can hold traditionally, buy one of those...this is a gun shaped camera and it will feel different than you may be used to. It is small enough to fit in a pocket and take with you anywhere. One final design flaw I feel is the lack of a lens cover when not in use. This worries me when I throw it in a pocket so I'd get a camera case (mine is the purple bag from some Crown Royal) just to keep you from scratching or dinging the lens. I can't wait to go snorkeling on my next vacation and try it out underwater.