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Technical Details
- Capture Full 1080p HD video (60fps) and up to 8-megapixel still photos
- 16x advanced zoom for video; 10x optical zoom for photos
- Face Chaser technology (can detect up to 12 faces for photos and videos)
- Built-in still photo flash; High-Speed Sequential Shooting (12fps)
- Capture video and stills to SD/SDHC memory cards (not included)
Product Details
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Product Description
From the Manufacturer
Take stunning Full 1080p High Definition video at 60fps and amazing 8-megapixel digital photos! The compact Sanyo Dual Camera Xacti FH1 delivers high-performance results with multiple features normally found on much higher priced video and photo cameras. The FH1 packs tons of features which are sure to please the most discerning user; including 600fps slow motion mode, face chasing technology which automatically read and corrects focus and lighting for up to 12 different subjects, and 16x optical zoom for video. Its compact design makes the FH1 extremely portable and easy to use. Videos, still photos and the various settings and menus can be easily accessed with the user’s thumb. The FH1’s convenient design makes sharing videos and photos via social networking web sites, portable video devices like IPod’s, TV’s and computers, a breeze.
Sanyo Xacti FH1 Highlights
High Performance and Stylish Design Made Simple
The Dual Camera Xacti FH1 packs high performance, cutting edge technology into a small, stylish, easy to use camera. Designed to fit perfectly in the palm of your hand, the Dual Camera FH1 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.
Large, 3-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.
8-megapixel Still Image Quality
In addition to Full 1080P HD Video the FH1 takes amazing 8 megapixel still photos. With an 8-megapixel (effective) CMOS image sensor the still images can be interpolated to reach 12 megapixel quality.
10x optical zoom (photos)/16x optical zoom (video)
The FH1 lens provides a fantastic zooming range for photos with an F=35.7-357mm range (35mm equivalent). For videos, the zoom ranges from F=41.7-666.9mm (35mm equivalent).
12 Subject Face Chaser Technology
Recognizes up to 12 faces for videos and still pictures and optimizes focus and aperture settings to ensure all subjects are in focus.
Sophisticated image stabilizer
Using a proprietary Sanyo algorithm, the FH1 automatically compensates for distracting up-and-down or side-to-side camera movement, keeping your 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.
Sequential photo mode shoots up to 12 frames per second
Take pictures like the pros with sequential shooting up to 12 frames per second. The perfect solution for action photography.
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 FH1, 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 5 hours of full motion video
Using a 16 GB SDHC memory card users can capture over 11 hours and 6 minutes worth of video in standard definition or approximately 1 hour and 28 minutes in full HD video mode.
Capture still images while you’re shooting video
The FH1 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 your chance of missing the perfect shot. The Dual Camera Xacti FH1 is designed for super fast start-up and shooting. With its tapeless design, the FH1 eliminates the need to queue up a video tape, allowing it to begin shooting in as little as 1.7 seconds! When the FH1 is powered on, closing the LCD display puts it in standby mode. Simply open the display and the FH1 automatically powers up and can begin immediately recording in as little as 1.7 seconds.
Includes a high-capacity Sanyo brand lithium-ion battery
The DB-L50 is a high capacity battery designed to work with the Sanyo Xacti FH1 camera and delivers approximately 135 minutes of video record time. High-energy density design minimizes the battery size and weight, making it perfect for use in the Sanyo Dual Camera Xacti FH1. The DB-L50 is designed to resist memory accumulation so it provides a full charge every time.
Easy playback of recorded video directly on a TV
The FH1 camera features a HDMI output which makes connecting it to a digital TV or DVD recorder a breeze. The FH1 can also easily be connected to a computer to back-up copies of recorded content. 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.
Product Description
Take stunning Full 1080p High Definition video at 60fps and amazing 8 megapixel digital photos! The compact Sanyo Dual Camera Xacti FH1 delivers high performance results with multiple features normally found on much higher priced video and photo cameras. The FH1 packs tons of features which are sure to please the most discerning user; including 600fps slow motion mode, face chasing technology which automatically read and corrects focus and lighting for up to 12 different subjects, and 16x optical zoom for video. Its compact design makes the FH1 extremely portable and easy to use. Videos, still photos and the various settings and menus can be easily accessed with the user's thumb. The FH1's convenient design makes sharing videos and photos via social networking web sites, portable video devices like IPods, TVs and computers, a breeze.
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
66 of 70 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
If money is no object and optical image stabilization is your primary concern, then I recommend you buy the Canon HFS10 or HFS100. Now, with that out of the way, you have to temper your expectations with what you paid for. This camera is at least $600 less than the HFS100 for basically the same image quality minus image stabilization. You will see that I compare this with the Canon a lot because Canon has been king of the camcorder scene for a few years now.
Pros:
The image quality is almost as good and even better than the Canon in some aspects (based on online reviews as I don't own the Canon). The low light sensitivity is excellent (there is an option to turn up the sensitivity level). The thing we need to keep in mind is this: camcorders are best when used in areas with plenty of light. There is really no reason to film at night unless you absolutely need to. For the times when you want to film the night light or night scenery, this camcorder does its job very well. When hooked up to my 1080p television, the video was spectacular. I can't imagine how much better the Canon would be but I'm very satisfied with this. I know that it's impossible for the Canon to be twice as good as this camcorder for twice the price, at least for me.
It is small! I can definitely take this with me on vacation every where I go and not tire out my arms. It's much smaller than I expected, almost like a toy. Having used 5-pound camcorders in the past, this is definitely a good thing.
I can now leave my point and shoot camera at home as this substitutes as a regular still camera, hence the dual camera moniker. It takes 8 meg stills (don't use the 12 meg option as that's interpolated) which is impressive for a camcorder this size/price. There are ISO adjustments which I believe is lacking in the Canon.
Cons:
Image stabilization. If you like to film videos without tripods, monopods then I suggest you stay away from this. However, for under $500, I was able to buy this camcorder and a tripod, 16GB SDHC, and a camcorder bag. No optical stabilization can match a tripod/monopod. If you're serious about creating timeless videos that you can view 20 years from now, you need a tripod. Period.
Yes, it would be nice if the image stabilizer was better for the times when I don't have a tripod with me. However, it's serviceable if I hold the camera very steady so it's not as bad as some people would lead you to believe. I don't plan on filming while walking very often so it's perfectly fine. If you have a shaky hand problem and hate tripods/monopods then stay clear.
You can mitigate shaking with (1) a tripod, (2) steady hands, or (3) deshaker software (free online). You cannot mitigate $600 or low light sensitivity. No matter what camcorder you buy, you will need a tripod eventually if you're serious about taking good videos. So budget that into your purchase plan.
Normally, I would deduct one star for the bad image stabilization, but for a camcorder with superb image quality, low light sensitivity, and the fact that I can throw in a 16GB SDHC, tripod, and camera bag (all bought separately of course) for around $500, it's absurd to dock a star for it. This is the best camcorder for the money.
Pros:
The image quality is almost as good and even better than the Canon in some aspects (based on online reviews as I don't own the Canon). The low light sensitivity is excellent (there is an option to turn up the sensitivity level). The thing we need to keep in mind is this: camcorders are best when used in areas with plenty of light. There is really no reason to film at night unless you absolutely need to. For the times when you want to film the night light or night scenery, this camcorder does its job very well. When hooked up to my 1080p television, the video was spectacular. I can't imagine how much better the Canon would be but I'm very satisfied with this. I know that it's impossible for the Canon to be twice as good as this camcorder for twice the price, at least for me.
It is small! I can definitely take this with me on vacation every where I go and not tire out my arms. It's much smaller than I expected, almost like a toy. Having used 5-pound camcorders in the past, this is definitely a good thing.
I can now leave my point and shoot camera at home as this substitutes as a regular still camera, hence the dual camera moniker. It takes 8 meg stills (don't use the 12 meg option as that's interpolated) which is impressive for a camcorder this size/price. There are ISO adjustments which I believe is lacking in the Canon.
Cons:
Image stabilization. If you like to film videos without tripods, monopods then I suggest you stay away from this. However, for under $500, I was able to buy this camcorder and a tripod, 16GB SDHC, and a camcorder bag. No optical stabilization can match a tripod/monopod. If you're serious about creating timeless videos that you can view 20 years from now, you need a tripod. Period.
Yes, it would be nice if the image stabilizer was better for the times when I don't have a tripod with me. However, it's serviceable if I hold the camera very steady so it's not as bad as some people would lead you to believe. I don't plan on filming while walking very often so it's perfectly fine. If you have a shaky hand problem and hate tripods/monopods then stay clear.
You can mitigate shaking with (1) a tripod, (2) steady hands, or (3) deshaker software (free online). You cannot mitigate $600 or low light sensitivity. No matter what camcorder you buy, you will need a tripod eventually if you're serious about taking good videos. So budget that into your purchase plan.
Normally, I would deduct one star for the bad image stabilization, but for a camcorder with superb image quality, low light sensitivity, and the fact that I can throw in a 16GB SDHC, tripod, and camera bag (all bought separately of course) for around $500, it's absurd to dock a star for it. This is the best camcorder for the money.
47 of 49 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Vine™ Review
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Length:
9:12
Mins
The test footage (starts around 2:07 in the video - it was shot hand held) has been HEAVILY compressed and resized from 1920x1080! But hopefully, you can still get a general idea, especially the zoom capability. (the open boxing is obviously from a different camera)
This camera is really easy to use. I did not have to read the manual, it's really user-friendly, but it's nice that they include an actual manual book for you! (Funny how when I wish I could use a manual, some manufacturers only include it on a CD!) However I did later read it to understand more about a certain feature; the manual is just as easy to follow.
What I love most about this camera is the ability to set custom shortcuts to the 4 directional buttons on the camera. I love having greater control of the camera, so I set the shortcuts to quickly set manual focus (you can toggle between focuses), focus lock, exposure lock, and exposure compensation. This way, you can really have more quick controls of the camera than using the auto focus.
It's simple enough, but if you want it more basic/restricted, you can set it to simple mode (not something I would use or care). All you get then is:
video: select between HD and web quality
focus: automatic and macro
flash mode: auto, forced, off
For video options, you can choose from:
* Full-HR 1920x1080 (60 FPS HR) - you better have one powerful computer if you want to edit these files. But for simple cut/join edits, you can do that through the camera of course.
* Full-HD 1920x1080 (60 field/s) - same reasons with above
* Full-SHQ 1920x1080 (30 FPS SHQ) - recommended
* HD-SHQ 1280x720 (30 FPS SHQ)
* TV-SHQ 640x480 (30 FPS SHQ)
* Web-SHR 448x336 (240 FPS SHR) - limited to 10 second-recordings
* Web-UHR 192x108 (600 FPS UHR) - limited to 10 second-recordings
* Voice Memo
For Photos:
* 12m 4000x3000
* 8m-H 3264x2448
* 8m-S 3264x2448
* 6m 3264x1840 (16:9)
* 2m 1920x1080 (16:9)
* 2m 1600x1200
* 0.9m 1280x720 (16:9)
* 0.3m 640x480
* 8m 3264x2448
* 4m 2288x1712
Focal = 5.95-59.5mm 1:2.0-2.8
Filter size: 37mm (this is the size that you need if you want to attach a wider lens)
Some pet peeve:
- In the menu, it shows at the bottom in this order:
(MENU) EXIT (SET) OK
but on the actual buttons, the Set button is on the left and the menu button is on the right, so I think that's how they should display it on the menu as well.
- I wish the SD card door would just be a slide open mechanism instead or just not have it at all for quick removable. Somewhat annoying to have to open the LCD, which also happens to turn on the camera, just to remove the memory card.
- Even though Sanyo is a Japanese company, ironically, there's no Japanese in the Language Option.
I also have the TH-1 (720p) model, which is QUITE disappointing compared to this camera, but this one is definitely worth shooting with besides the obvious higher resolution; it performs much better in low lighting (quality is no comparison). On the TH-1, it's REALLY horrible when you shoot in low lighting. Low lighting is where most HD cameras hurt in quality; it's definitely not the best, but it's not the worst either when it comes to shooting in low light with this camera.
The TH-1 model does not warn about not having an SD card inserted (because it has 43MB internal memory so it will show an internal memory icon), but this camera (FH-1) will constantly nag you about it because it has no internal memory. I noticed there are two extra options with this camera versus the TH-1: Photo Wide-D (compromises both dark and bright areas) and Photo Stabilizer
I don't know if I received a broken remote, but the ON/OFF button did absolutely NOTHING. And yes, I've tried holding it for several seconds and from different directions. However, every other button seemed to work.
Unless you hit record, the actual image on the screen is actually not the full sharpness quality; I believe they do this to prolong battery life when you're still setting up your shot. So it's better if you don't always rely on what you're looking at until you hit record.
If you hold the MENU button while in playback mode, it will get rid of the display text on the screen and just show a seekbar of the video.
If you press the SET button while you're setting up your shot, it will get rid of all the display text info on the viewing screen; however, there isn't seem to be a way to get rid of all the info text display once you hit record.
Pros:
- 1080p - excellent video quality. It's HD!
- I love the 4 button custom shortcuts!
- Compact! (smaller than a soda can) yet has a large 3" LCD screen and amazing what it can produce despite its size
- Impressive 16x zoom!
- Image stabilizer (not bad... I can see it functioning, although it's not optical for greater stability)
- Excellent battery life (it's also nice that it displays the actual approx battery life time left instead of just a generic bar)
- Comes with standard composite(yellow; red/white)+S-video AND component (RGB - HD)
- Comes with a small remote
- It takes photos (definitely usable unlike the photo feature with the TH-1, which was horrible)
- Files play smoothly on PS3! (take SD card out of the camera and use a card reader to it)
- Cut/Join videos within the camera
- Transfer directly to hard drive without a computer with the camera.
- You can create new folders within the camera and set where you want the recording to go to.
- Can fast forward up to 15x and can display 21 video thumbnails (by pressing the zoom out button; default shows 8 thumbnails) that you recorded on the screen
- Can take snapshots frame by frame of recorded video
Cons:
- Not Touch Screen (then again, the 4-direction button control makes it very quick to do everything)
- No automatic lens cover
- No built-in memory
- No external mic
- I wish it would have an option to keep recording even if you close the LCD (it ends up stopping the recording because it automatically goes to standby mode)
- Preset manual focus distances (but at least they have auto focus lock)
- Can't manual focus once you hit record. (however, you can still focus lock/unlock)
- Tripod stand hole is not centered! (Why do they have to do this?!)
- The set button has somewhat of a cheap feel
Overall, I give this camera a SOLID 4 star rating. (And I am a pretty harsh rater and rarely give 5 stars) I am happy with the quality and the quick access to the manual controls. The price is just right too. I hope they will make a waterproof version of this (I know they have it for 720p). Definitely would recommend. Avoid the TH-1 model (even if you're on a budget).
This camera is really easy to use. I did not have to read the manual, it's really user-friendly, but it's nice that they include an actual manual book for you! (Funny how when I wish I could use a manual, some manufacturers only include it on a CD!) However I did later read it to understand more about a certain feature; the manual is just as easy to follow.
What I love most about this camera is the ability to set custom shortcuts to the 4 directional buttons on the camera. I love having greater control of the camera, so I set the shortcuts to quickly set manual focus (you can toggle between focuses), focus lock, exposure lock, and exposure compensation. This way, you can really have more quick controls of the camera than using the auto focus.
It's simple enough, but if you want it more basic/restricted, you can set it to simple mode (not something I would use or care). All you get then is:
video: select between HD and web quality
focus: automatic and macro
flash mode: auto, forced, off
For video options, you can choose from:
* Full-HR 1920x1080 (60 FPS HR) - you better have one powerful computer if you want to edit these files. But for simple cut/join edits, you can do that through the camera of course.
* Full-HD 1920x1080 (60 field/s) - same reasons with above
* Full-SHQ 1920x1080 (30 FPS SHQ) - recommended
* HD-SHQ 1280x720 (30 FPS SHQ)
* TV-SHQ 640x480 (30 FPS SHQ)
* Web-SHR 448x336 (240 FPS SHR) - limited to 10 second-recordings
* Web-UHR 192x108 (600 FPS UHR) - limited to 10 second-recordings
* Voice Memo
For Photos:
* 12m 4000x3000
* 8m-H 3264x2448
* 8m-S 3264x2448
* 6m 3264x1840 (16:9)
* 2m 1920x1080 (16:9)
* 2m 1600x1200
* 0.9m 1280x720 (16:9)
* 0.3m 640x480
* 8m 3264x2448
* 4m 2288x1712
Focal = 5.95-59.5mm 1:2.0-2.8
Filter size: 37mm (this is the size that you need if you want to attach a wider lens)
Some pet peeve:
- In the menu, it shows at the bottom in this order:
(MENU) EXIT (SET) OK
but on the actual buttons, the Set button is on the left and the menu button is on the right, so I think that's how they should display it on the menu as well.
- I wish the SD card door would just be a slide open mechanism instead or just not have it at all for quick removable. Somewhat annoying to have to open the LCD, which also happens to turn on the camera, just to remove the memory card.
- Even though Sanyo is a Japanese company, ironically, there's no Japanese in the Language Option.
I also have the TH-1 (720p) model, which is QUITE disappointing compared to this camera, but this one is definitely worth shooting with besides the obvious higher resolution; it performs much better in low lighting (quality is no comparison). On the TH-1, it's REALLY horrible when you shoot in low lighting. Low lighting is where most HD cameras hurt in quality; it's definitely not the best, but it's not the worst either when it comes to shooting in low light with this camera.
The TH-1 model does not warn about not having an SD card inserted (because it has 43MB internal memory so it will show an internal memory icon), but this camera (FH-1) will constantly nag you about it because it has no internal memory. I noticed there are two extra options with this camera versus the TH-1: Photo Wide-D (compromises both dark and bright areas) and Photo Stabilizer
I don't know if I received a broken remote, but the ON/OFF button did absolutely NOTHING. And yes, I've tried holding it for several seconds and from different directions. However, every other button seemed to work.
Unless you hit record, the actual image on the screen is actually not the full sharpness quality; I believe they do this to prolong battery life when you're still setting up your shot. So it's better if you don't always rely on what you're looking at until you hit record.
If you hold the MENU button while in playback mode, it will get rid of the display text on the screen and just show a seekbar of the video.
If you press the SET button while you're setting up your shot, it will get rid of all the display text info on the viewing screen; however, there isn't seem to be a way to get rid of all the info text display once you hit record.
Pros:
- 1080p - excellent video quality. It's HD!
- I love the 4 button custom shortcuts!
- Compact! (smaller than a soda can) yet has a large 3" LCD screen and amazing what it can produce despite its size
- Impressive 16x zoom!
- Image stabilizer (not bad... I can see it functioning, although it's not optical for greater stability)
- Excellent battery life (it's also nice that it displays the actual approx battery life time left instead of just a generic bar)
- Comes with standard composite(yellow; red/white)+S-video AND component (RGB - HD)
- Comes with a small remote
- It takes photos (definitely usable unlike the photo feature with the TH-1, which was horrible)
- Files play smoothly on PS3! (take SD card out of the camera and use a card reader to it)
- Cut/Join videos within the camera
- Transfer directly to hard drive without a computer with the camera.
- You can create new folders within the camera and set where you want the recording to go to.
- Can fast forward up to 15x and can display 21 video thumbnails (by pressing the zoom out button; default shows 8 thumbnails) that you recorded on the screen
- Can take snapshots frame by frame of recorded video
Cons:
- Not Touch Screen (then again, the 4-direction button control makes it very quick to do everything)
- No automatic lens cover
- No built-in memory
- No external mic
- I wish it would have an option to keep recording even if you close the LCD (it ends up stopping the recording because it automatically goes to standby mode)
- Preset manual focus distances (but at least they have auto focus lock)
- Can't manual focus once you hit record. (however, you can still focus lock/unlock)
- Tripod stand hole is not centered! (Why do they have to do this?!)
- The set button has somewhat of a cheap feel
Overall, I give this camera a SOLID 4 star rating. (And I am a pretty harsh rater and rarely give 5 stars) I am happy with the quality and the quick access to the manual controls. The price is just right too. I hope they will make a waterproof version of this (I know they have it for 720p). Definitely would recommend. Avoid the TH-1 model (even if you're on a budget).
31 of 31 people found the following review helpful
Amazon Verified Purchase
This is my fourth HD camcorder... I own a higher-end Sony (HVR-A1U), a Canon HV10, and formerly a Hitachi BD70A Blu-Ray model. I have been "doing video" since the 80s.
First of all... do keep the price in mind. This Sanyo VPC-FD1 was never intended to be confused for a professional model. Neither are the $1300-$1500 units from Canon (S10/S100/S11) or Panasonic (TM300). However, they are all symptomatic of the reality that the line between "pro" and "consumer" is blurring, at least with regard to picture quality.
The quality of this camera's HD image is quite good. It holds up well in low light... much better than any other consumer model I have used myself. It's also very good at capturing fast motion, which has until recently been a big problem for AVC based models, rather than DV or MPEG-2. It's not without some artifacting, but quite a bit better than earlier models, in my experience.
Some places claim the lens is 16x... it's really a 10x zoom lens, optically speaking. The 16x comes, as with many consumer camcorders, from "digital zoom"... that's when the software just uses a small bit of the whole sensor. They claim to be doing this intelligently... could be. In normal use, there's an 8Mpixel sensor here being cropped to about 6Mpixel... that's three times the pixels you need to create a 1080p image. That's also useful... you get better color and better light sensitivity, but if you cut out 2/3 of these, you'll still have decent HD video. More than that, and you'll get noticable pixelization. Which you do see in the viewfinder using digital zoom, but I have yet to look at it in finished video. Just something to be aware of.
The Great Big Feature of this model is 1080/60p video... you have to go to a pretty high-end professional model to get this anywhere other than in the VPC-FD1 or VPC-HD2000. Pros would like a higher bitrate than 24Mb/s (it's actually variable bitrate, peaking around 28-29Mb/s so far as I've seen), but it's not bad... the software clearly knows how to avoid macroblock distortion by adding a bit of low-pass filtering (slight blurring when necessary... don't worry, it does improve the video quality... compression mastering engineers do the same thing on DVDs to ensure that high speed video looks a good as it can on DVDs).
There are some caveats. One is the whole flash meets video meets FAT32 thing... like other current flash-based camcorders, this one uses the FAT32 file system. That offers big storage on 16GB and 32GB flash cards, but the maximum file size is 4GB. This means that, after about 21-something-minutes at 1080/60p, the camcorder needs to close one file and open another. That wouldn't be bad, only that the Sanyo doesn't pipeline this, so there's a delay of a few seconds between the end of one file and the start of another. Sure, it's better by far than changing 8cm DVDs every 20 minutes on a DVD camcorder, but it's an issue. They could fix this in firmware... they ought to. You get more time in a 4GB file as you drop to lower video modes (1080/60i, 1080/30p, 720/30p).
I have shot a number of High School soccer games with this in 1080/60p, and I get great results. Last year, I used my Sony in 1080/60i mode; this is overall better video. For one, I can downconvert to web video without interlacing artifacts. I can decide, after I shoot the video, if I want to make a 1080/60i, 1080/30p, 1080/24p, or 720/60p Blu-Ray disc, assuming I target Blu-Ray for delivery. That's pretty nice.
The other big issue is edit. Know this now: your PC is probably going to struggle just to play back 1080/60p at full frame rate. Neither Windows Media Player nor VLC had a prayer of playing this back on my Q9550-based desktop (that's 2.83GHz, quad core, 4GB fast DRAM, etc) on a 1200p monitor. Splash Lite did play it back, but used 65-75% of CPU power... that's all four CPUs. Using Nero Showtime with GPU acceleration enabled, I was able to play this video back with under 50% CPU on my desktop, and just about 100% CPU on my laptop (both using nVidia 8600 GPUs).
So when it comes to editing, you're in trouble. I don't know of a video editor yet that uses either multithreaded rendering or GPU acceleration during editing (most use the former for rending a final video... at least one also uses GPU acceleration). I opted to buy CineForm NeoVision for this. CineForm is an "intermediate CODEC"... you convert from your shooting format to CineForm for editing, then render to MPEG-2 or AVC or whatever you want for delivery. In theory, this means a loss of quality, in practice, nothing you can see. In fact, CineForm interpolates the 4:2:0 color of AVC to 4:2:2, so if you're doing lots of compositing and effects, the quality could actually improve. You need a ton of space for CineForm.. it runs over 100GB per hour of 1080/60p video.
The video format is MPEG-4 AVC in an MPEG-4 transport stream wrapper (.MP4). This is similar to, but not the same thing as, AVCHD, which is MPEG-4 AVC in an MPEG-2 transport stream wrapper. AVCHD is a full consumer standard, MP4 isn't, really. However, Sanyo's choices here should work with most software.. they're using MPEG-4 AVC at Level 4.2, and AAC audio, which is the usual MPEG-4 compressed audio format (AVCHD uses AC-3, formerly known as Dolby Digital, which is one of the Blu-Ray and DVD standards... the AVCHD standard really comes from Blu-Ray). I believe Sanyo has been making MPEG-4 camcorders longer than most companies, so they do have their act together here, even if they're not following the current popular standard to the letter.
I have not used still photo mode. They claim it's as good as a typical P&S still camera (that's the "Dual Camera" thing). I used my HV10 as a still camera, for about 300 photos, on a backpacking trip, and would have liked something better... I would be surprised if the Sanyo didn't do better stills. But it's not usually that important to me.
The battery is inside the camera, so you can't really get a much larger one. But unlike many kits, the stock battery delivers 150-180 minutes, which is ok. Also good is the fact this battery has been used by both Sanyo and Kodak for awhile... they didn't feel compelled to have to create a brand new cell here. So you can find 3rd party cells, chargers, and all.
The lens takes a 37mm filter/accessory, which is fairly standard. I was able to fit a polarizer from my Canon and a wide-angle lens from an old Sony SD camcorder... all good. There's no automatic lens cap.. there's a real lens cap that stows in the cloth handle when not being used.. fine with me. Those mechanical shutters generally break.
The image stabilization on this is digital (like my Sony), not optical (like my Canon).. that means it's inherently not as good. Optical these days always wins. With that said, optical can get confused by vibrations, and it can break if you drop the camera (so can other things, but that's one of the first to go). I usually shoot video from a tripod or monopod anyway, so this wasn't a big deal for me.
If you're buying just one camcorder, and plan to use it for video and audio, you probably don't want the VPC-FH1 (you might consider the VPC-HD2000, which is much the same, only in Sanyo's pistol form). The reason is simple: the mics are built-in, no plug to add an external mic. Microphones built-in on camcorders are general bad. The FH1's aren't noticably better or worse than anyone else's, they're just typical built-in mics. Not very sensitive, no wind screen, and ... well, at least they won't pick up tape noise like similar mics on similarly small DV and HDV camcorders. I have a Rode mic for my Sony that cost nearly as much as the FH1... you can imagine it does a bit better on the audio than any built-in. But it you're using this as a "B" camera, or using a field recorder for audio, that's not such a concern. The mics are located just below the lens, which is a superior location... many small camcorders put them on top somewhere, where your fingers will undoubtedly antagonize them no-end.
First of all... do keep the price in mind. This Sanyo VPC-FD1 was never intended to be confused for a professional model. Neither are the $1300-$1500 units from Canon (S10/S100/S11) or Panasonic (TM300). However, they are all symptomatic of the reality that the line between "pro" and "consumer" is blurring, at least with regard to picture quality.
The quality of this camera's HD image is quite good. It holds up well in low light... much better than any other consumer model I have used myself. It's also very good at capturing fast motion, which has until recently been a big problem for AVC based models, rather than DV or MPEG-2. It's not without some artifacting, but quite a bit better than earlier models, in my experience.
Some places claim the lens is 16x... it's really a 10x zoom lens, optically speaking. The 16x comes, as with many consumer camcorders, from "digital zoom"... that's when the software just uses a small bit of the whole sensor. They claim to be doing this intelligently... could be. In normal use, there's an 8Mpixel sensor here being cropped to about 6Mpixel... that's three times the pixels you need to create a 1080p image. That's also useful... you get better color and better light sensitivity, but if you cut out 2/3 of these, you'll still have decent HD video. More than that, and you'll get noticable pixelization. Which you do see in the viewfinder using digital zoom, but I have yet to look at it in finished video. Just something to be aware of.
The Great Big Feature of this model is 1080/60p video... you have to go to a pretty high-end professional model to get this anywhere other than in the VPC-FD1 or VPC-HD2000. Pros would like a higher bitrate than 24Mb/s (it's actually variable bitrate, peaking around 28-29Mb/s so far as I've seen), but it's not bad... the software clearly knows how to avoid macroblock distortion by adding a bit of low-pass filtering (slight blurring when necessary... don't worry, it does improve the video quality... compression mastering engineers do the same thing on DVDs to ensure that high speed video looks a good as it can on DVDs).
There are some caveats. One is the whole flash meets video meets FAT32 thing... like other current flash-based camcorders, this one uses the FAT32 file system. That offers big storage on 16GB and 32GB flash cards, but the maximum file size is 4GB. This means that, after about 21-something-minutes at 1080/60p, the camcorder needs to close one file and open another. That wouldn't be bad, only that the Sanyo doesn't pipeline this, so there's a delay of a few seconds between the end of one file and the start of another. Sure, it's better by far than changing 8cm DVDs every 20 minutes on a DVD camcorder, but it's an issue. They could fix this in firmware... they ought to. You get more time in a 4GB file as you drop to lower video modes (1080/60i, 1080/30p, 720/30p).
I have shot a number of High School soccer games with this in 1080/60p, and I get great results. Last year, I used my Sony in 1080/60i mode; this is overall better video. For one, I can downconvert to web video without interlacing artifacts. I can decide, after I shoot the video, if I want to make a 1080/60i, 1080/30p, 1080/24p, or 720/60p Blu-Ray disc, assuming I target Blu-Ray for delivery. That's pretty nice.
The other big issue is edit. Know this now: your PC is probably going to struggle just to play back 1080/60p at full frame rate. Neither Windows Media Player nor VLC had a prayer of playing this back on my Q9550-based desktop (that's 2.83GHz, quad core, 4GB fast DRAM, etc) on a 1200p monitor. Splash Lite did play it back, but used 65-75% of CPU power... that's all four CPUs. Using Nero Showtime with GPU acceleration enabled, I was able to play this video back with under 50% CPU on my desktop, and just about 100% CPU on my laptop (both using nVidia 8600 GPUs).
So when it comes to editing, you're in trouble. I don't know of a video editor yet that uses either multithreaded rendering or GPU acceleration during editing (most use the former for rending a final video... at least one also uses GPU acceleration). I opted to buy CineForm NeoVision for this. CineForm is an "intermediate CODEC"... you convert from your shooting format to CineForm for editing, then render to MPEG-2 or AVC or whatever you want for delivery. In theory, this means a loss of quality, in practice, nothing you can see. In fact, CineForm interpolates the 4:2:0 color of AVC to 4:2:2, so if you're doing lots of compositing and effects, the quality could actually improve. You need a ton of space for CineForm.. it runs over 100GB per hour of 1080/60p video.
The video format is MPEG-4 AVC in an MPEG-4 transport stream wrapper (.MP4). This is similar to, but not the same thing as, AVCHD, which is MPEG-4 AVC in an MPEG-2 transport stream wrapper. AVCHD is a full consumer standard, MP4 isn't, really. However, Sanyo's choices here should work with most software.. they're using MPEG-4 AVC at Level 4.2, and AAC audio, which is the usual MPEG-4 compressed audio format (AVCHD uses AC-3, formerly known as Dolby Digital, which is one of the Blu-Ray and DVD standards... the AVCHD standard really comes from Blu-Ray). I believe Sanyo has been making MPEG-4 camcorders longer than most companies, so they do have their act together here, even if they're not following the current popular standard to the letter.
I have not used still photo mode. They claim it's as good as a typical P&S still camera (that's the "Dual Camera" thing). I used my HV10 as a still camera, for about 300 photos, on a backpacking trip, and would have liked something better... I would be surprised if the Sanyo didn't do better stills. But it's not usually that important to me.
The battery is inside the camera, so you can't really get a much larger one. But unlike many kits, the stock battery delivers 150-180 minutes, which is ok. Also good is the fact this battery has been used by both Sanyo and Kodak for awhile... they didn't feel compelled to have to create a brand new cell here. So you can find 3rd party cells, chargers, and all.
The lens takes a 37mm filter/accessory, which is fairly standard. I was able to fit a polarizer from my Canon and a wide-angle lens from an old Sony SD camcorder... all good. There's no automatic lens cap.. there's a real lens cap that stows in the cloth handle when not being used.. fine with me. Those mechanical shutters generally break.
The image stabilization on this is digital (like my Sony), not optical (like my Canon).. that means it's inherently not as good. Optical these days always wins. With that said, optical can get confused by vibrations, and it can break if you drop the camera (so can other things, but that's one of the first to go). I usually shoot video from a tripod or monopod anyway, so this wasn't a big deal for me.
If you're buying just one camcorder, and plan to use it for video and audio, you probably don't want the VPC-FH1 (you might consider the VPC-HD2000, which is much the same, only in Sanyo's pistol form). The reason is simple: the mics are built-in, no plug to add an external mic. Microphones built-in on camcorders are general bad. The FH1's aren't noticably better or worse than anyone else's, they're just typical built-in mics. Not very sensitive, no wind screen, and ... well, at least they won't pick up tape noise like similar mics on similarly small DV and HDV camcorders. I have a Rode mic for my Sony that cost nearly as much as the FH1... you can imagine it does a bit better on the audio than any built-in. But it you're using this as a "B" camera, or using a field recorder for audio, that's not such a concern. The mics are located just below the lens, which is a superior location... many small camcorders put them on top somewhere, where your fingers will undoubtedly antagonize them no-end.
Most Recent Customer Reviews
A good camera for the price
It's not a bad little camera, but one big thing I found is it's hard to get a decent steady shot. Most any camcorder your going to need a tripod, and this one is no exception. Read more
Published 11 months ago by D. Nelson
Amazing. Features vs. Price Point
When I read the reviews for this camera, it was often compared to the Canons (HF10 and HF20) which were two to three times more expensive. Read more
Published 15 months ago by Roger Gardner
Sanyo VPC-FH1
I bought this camcorder Sanyo VPC-FH1 for about 6 months now, I am getting better everyday.
I am happy with its qualifty for video and photo. Read more
I am happy with its qualifty for video and photo. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Duke Nguyen
Solid, affordable HD camera for amateur use
I found this to be a decent camera for ordinary home video use. You'll get fairly good results just pointing and shooting. Read more
Published on December 12, 2009 by C. Wynes
Loses 10 seconds of video every 22 minutes
As others have pointed out, the Sanyo VPC-FH1 (and VPC-HD2000) will lose about 10 seconds of video every 22 minutes (or so) when the file size hits the 4Gb limit for the FAT... Read more
Published on December 11, 2009 by Lucy Z. Regan
Excellent HD Camcorder
The Sanyo VPC-FH1 HD Camcorder is a top notch piece of equipment. The size is wonderful for travel and for this price point, it would be hard to beat this unit. Read more
Published on November 23, 2009 by midnight821
Do you really want HD with this lens?
I have used this camcorder for over three months and in two trips to Asia. I find the camcorder to be very usable in terms of its ergonomics and its menu system and the huge LCD... Read more
Published on November 8, 2009 by fatmav
Great camera for the money
I bought this camera for its compatibility with Mac computers which seems to be rare among consumer grade video cameras. I tried several other brands and models without success. Read more
Published on November 2, 2009 by J. Foster
Excellent Camcorder but could be improved
I bought this camcorder about 5 months ago. I saw the review about VPC2000 instead but couldn't get here. All were from HongKong without US warranty. Read more
Published on October 29, 2009 by J. Kim
Perfect Football Mom Camera
I looked a LONG time, and went through a few other cameras before settling on this one - it fits my needs for taking video of High School Football games PERFECTLY. Read more
Published on October 23, 2009 by Avalanche Design, LLC
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