Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 6MP Waterproof MPEG4 Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom (Blue)

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Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 2.8 x 1.6 x 4.8 inches ; 8 ounces
• Shipping Weight: 2 pounds
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B000QSNQ9S
• Item model number: VPC-CG65
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars See all reviews (75 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #2,147 in Camera & Photo (See Bestsellers in Camera & Photo)

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  Camera & Photo > Camcorders > Flash Memory

• Date first available at Amazon.com: May 22, 2007

Product Description

Manufacturer Description
The new waterproof Sanyo Xacti E1 camcorder captures stunning digital video and beautiful 6-megapixel photos -- on land and even underwater!

Practically four cameras in one, the Xacti E1 allows you to shoot both photos and video at a park, birthday party, or virtually anywhere else on dry land. And, when the opportunity presents itself, you can also shoot both photos and video while snorkeling or while just playing around in a swimming pool. This powerful little camcorder easily records both full 640x480 resolution video at 30 frames-per-second and high-resolution 6-megapixel digital still images, all of which are handily stored to a standard SD or SDHC flash memory card (sold separately).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 Highlights

Designed to IPX8 international standard for waterproof The Xacti E1 is capable of recording full-motion video five feet underwater for up to 30 minutes. Incorporating a water-tight design that can resist the pressure created when submersed at five feet, the Xacti E1 is capable of capturing dramatic photos and video footage underwater to share with less adventurous family members and friends.

Incorporates the highly advanced AVC/H.264 video compression This makes posting movies on the Internet or e-mailing them to friends and family easier by reducing the file size. 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 E1, a dedicated Qpixel-brand H.264 video compression IC was incorporated into the camera that was designed specifically for portable consumer devices to achieve high video quality while simultaneously reducing the system power consumption. The result is high-quality video recording up to a total of 10 hours of full-motion video with an 8 GB SDHC memory card (in TV-HQ mode). The Xacti E1 can also record up to a total of 5 hours of video with a 4 GB SDHC memory card, up to 2.5 hours with a standard 2GB SD card, and up to 1.25 hours with a standard SD card.

Large, 2.5-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 underwater or in small rooms.

Setting the E1 camcorder apart from other video cameras begins inside You can find an advanced 6.37-megapixel (total) CCD image sensor inside the E1. The large sensor allows the E1 to capture high-resolution, 6-megapixel still images in addition to recording high-quality digital videos with full-range stereo sound.

Record up to a total of 10 hours of full motion video Or capture up to 4000 6-megapixel still images on a 8GB SDHC memory card, up to 5 hours of video with a 4 GB SDHC memory card, up to 2.5 hours with a 2GB standard SD card, and up to 1.25 hours with a 1GB standard SD card.

Import files directly into iTunes software Easy transfer to your video-capable iPod allows you to share a quick video the next time you are asked how the kids are doing!

Ever need to capture still images while you’re already shooting video? The E1 enables simultaneous shooting of both 6-megapixel still images and 640 x 480-pixel video clips 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.)

Sophisticated image stabilizer Using a proprietary Sanyo algorithm, the E1 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, giving every shot a solid, professional-looking feel.

5x optical zoom with a bright maximum aperture of f/3.5 Consisting of 9 groups and 12 total lenses, the E1’s lens provides a fantastic field-of-view with a 38-190 mm range (35mm equivalent). Combined with the 12x digital zoom, the E1 provides up to 60x zooming capability.

Super-fast start-up Reduce your chance of missing the moment. The Xacti E1 media camera is designed for super fast start-up and shooting. With the tapeless design, the E1 eliminates the need to queue up a tape deck, allowing the E1 to begin shooting in as little as 1.7 seconds! When the E1 is powered on, closing the LCD display puts the E1 in standby mode. Simply open the display and the E1 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 DBL-L20U is a high-voltage, 3.7-volt battery designed to work with the Sanyo Xacti E1 camera. High-energy density design minimizes the battery size and weight, making it perfect for use in small, portable cameras. The DBL-L20 is designed to resist memory accumulation so it provides a full charge every time.

Easy playback of recorded video directly on a TV Connect the E1 to a VCR or DVD Recorder to back-up copies of recorded content. Still images and video clips on the Xacti E1 are played back continuously and in chronological order. The Xacti E1 offers convenient connection to a PC. With simple drag-and-drop operation, it's easy to save recorded video clips and still images onto a computer's hard disk for emailing, editing or archiving.

On or off, the E1 is a true work of art Ergonomically designed to fit comfortably in the palm of your hand, most video and still functions can be easily accessed with the thumb of the hand used to hold the camera. Available in Blue, White and Yellow, the E1’s design is likely to get as much attention as your videos.

Product Description
Practically four cameras in one, the Xacti E1 allows you to shoot both photos and video at a park, birthday party or virtually anywhere else on dry land. And, when the opportunity presents itself, you can also shoot both photos and video while snorkeling or while just playing around in a swimming pool. This powerful little camcorder easily records both full 640x480 resolution video at 30 frames-per-minute and high-resolution 6-megapixel digital still images, all of which are handily stored to a standard SD or SDHC flash memory card (sold separately). Designed to IPX8 international standard for waterproof, the Xacti E1 is capable of recording full-motion video five feet underwater for up to 30 minutes. Incorporating a water-tight design that can resist the pressure created when submersed at five feet, the Xacti E1 is capable of capturing dramatic photos and video footage underwater to share with less adventurous family members and friends.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

135 of 139 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Much better than I expected from a Sanyo, June 28, 2007

By	Derek Tang - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

I used to be a sony/panasonic/canon user on AV products. After my 3-year-old sony Mini DV cam decided to quit, I was looking for a next-gen video cam that doesn't use those ultra-annoying tapes. (I cannot believe any people out there will still buy a tape-driven-camcorder in this century.)

There are basically 3 options on the market: DVD based, hard disk based and flash memory based. I think among these three options, flash memory based is the true future solution for all the camcorder products out there since it the smallest, lightest, and fastest to load. You don't have to hook up you camcorder to the computer to download the clips like what you would do with a hard disk based camcorder. And with a 2GB, you can shoot high quality video for 1.25 hr. Which is essentially more than a mini DV tape can offer. Plus, you can get 8GB SD HC card these days. Means you can shoot 5 hrs of video without swapping. (Of course swapping in additional cards is no-brainer anyway.) I appreciate the large storage of a hard disk camcorder. But hey, who is going to shoot over 5 hours of boring family video on a single trip?? Beside, even if you need to shoot over 5 hours, you can always buy/bring more SD cards. But that's not the case for a hard disk camcorder. Once it ran out of space, you are doomed. Also don't forget that you are putting all the eggs in one basket if you think storing all the clips in a 40GB in-camera-hard-drive is a convenience. I think majority of us have experienced the capital punishment of hard drive crashes.

Enough words with the reason to buy, let's talk about my experience with this product after using it for one week. First of all the color of this product is blue on the side you see from all the pictures you can find on the web. However, on the opposite side, it is actually plastic-white. I kind of dislike this color combination. But it's not a big issue.

The build quality is quite solid. The flip screen is even more solid than the sony I used. The button feels a bit "spongee" to touch. It doesn't give you a firm feeling. I think it's due to the reason that it's a water proof camcorder and the buttons are actually pressing on a gasket instead of a solid circuit board. Again, once you get used to it, it's no big deal.

The handling is quite comfortable for a vertical-holding camcorder. The tilted angle of the lens and slim body let you hold the camera without too much stress. But since I'm coming from a horizontal-holding world, it took me some time to get use to it. I found that the best way to hold it is putting your index finger above the top of the lens and your midde finger below the bottom of the lens. That way you use these two fingers to firmly hold the camcorder while you use your thumb to control the shutter and zoom. The down side is you will have some camera shake when you push the zoom since the key is "gasketed" and it takes stronger than normal force to push.

The video quality may be many people's concern since it's a "Sanyo". That was my biggest concern too. But to my surprise, I can truely say that it is very good. It's much better than my 3-year-old sony which always give wrong white balance and grany picture when shooting in low light condition. I didn't compare it to the latest generation of sony/canon. But I think it is very acceptable for family videos. The still photo function is so so. The shutter is kind of hard to control since you need to half-press it to focus. But then again the button is not very firm so you need to get used to the half-pressed-spongee-button feel.

One more good thing about this cam is the fast startup time. Remember the time when your wife screaming at you to shoot the babie's once-in-a-life-time moment and you missed it because it took 10 seconds plus to turn on your tape driven camcorder? This camcorder can be put in sleep mode. As soon as your flip open the screen, it will be ready to shoot in about 3-4 seconds. A small difference in seconds, a giant leap for mankind.

I didn't have a chance to test the under water capability. But I guess it will be okay for pool parties, etc. It's either water-proof or water-leak. There isn't much to talk about.

I did compare this product to the latest Canon TX-1 before I bought the E1. But the awkward handling and inefficient data compression ratio have pushed me back.

I would have given it 4 stars because of the spongee buttons. But since it's a Sanyo and it is forgiven and rewarded for a extra star.

DT

51 of 51 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great little DV Camera, October 28, 2007

By	Richard Cummins (California, USA) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a great little camera is many ways. It also has some shortcomings, but they are few and minor, so I am very happy with my purchase. I'll review both my likes and dislikes about the camera.

Let me state first that I work as a film editor (using Final Cut Pro), videographer, compositor, photographer and anything multimedia related for the largest county in the US. I am fortunate to have access to the latest and greatest equipment and have a ton of fun doing my job! On occasion, though, I have wished I had a camera like the Xacti with me - particularly when I wanted to take some personal photos or video during an event I was covering, or if I had some kind of video or photographic equipment failure and needed a quick stand-in. The Xacti is not a pro-series camera, but in a pinch it can do a pretty good job of standing-in. It is a 6-megapixal camera, so the photos are clear and sharp, you will find many adjustments, filters, focusing options available in its easy-to-use menu. Same goes for the video. Easy to adjust, set it the way you want, and it's ready when you are. It is incredibly easy to use - can't say this enough - there are only three buttons - one to take a picture, one to start video and one for zoom. Because the Xacti uses flash media, all you have to do is open the viewfinder and the camera is ready to shoot. There is no tape to spool, nothing to wait for - instant shooting, and no shot to miss. Transferring to your computer for editing is just as easy - either use the included USB cable and attach the Xacti to your computer, or use a card adapter. I purchased two 4GB flash cards and have been pretty amazed by how much they will hold. The flash cards came with a USB card adapter, and I remove the flash card from the camera, insert it into the card adapter and plug the adapter into my Mac. The batteries, however, are not as robust. I ordered a couple from a vendor here on Amazon and paid about $10 each - a great deal for camcorder batteries. Don't worry about finding batteries to mach the VPC-E1 - I think the camera is too new to cross reference - any battery for any Sanyo Xacti will do just fine. Sanyo has a steady-cam feature - be sure to use it while videotaping. While it does a pretty good job, you'll probably want to come beck home and run it through your smoothcam editor if you have one to really make your video shine. Of course, there is the waterproof feature of this Xacti. I have seen footage shot underwater with this cam, but have not actually had the opportunity to do so myself. However, in my job we do end up in some pretty dusty, dirty, abusive situations for our cameras. This is why I was excited about the Xacti VPC-E1 6MP Waterproof. I probably won't get a chance to try it in the pool until next summer, but i have already washed it off several times in the sink after days of filming in the desert. So it is not just the underwater feature, but the easy-clean feature I enjoy as well. On last note: I really like its size - it is really small, as in "easy to fit in your pocket" small. For me this is great because when I am called to shoot I have to leave very quickly, and I can easily grab my Sanyo and pop it in to my pocket and head out the door.

What do I dislike? Not much. I'm not crazy about the MPEG4 codec that Sanyo uses. I tend to use Apple's Macs more than PCs in my editing at work and probably would have preferred a more robust codec. I have read, after purchasing my Xacti, that Sanyo is coming out with an HD Xacti, which would be nice - but the model I read about is not waterproof. Would it be worth the tradeoff? Not for me right now. I also find the zoom extremely touchy. I have looked relentlessly for settings to adjust this and cannot seem to find any. If you use a feather-light touch it gets better, but this is an issue with me. Another minor issue is that the camera does not give much warning as to when you will be running out of memory while you are shooting. There is some warning, I would just like more. And finally, if I was in Sanyo's design department, I think I would make this underwater camera less slippery. The black strip down the center of the camera is ridged with a zigzag pattern, but the rest of the camera is very slick and slippery. I would think that for any underwater camera, additional rubberized or grip zones might be in order.

As you can see, I am very pleased with my Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 6MP Waterproof MPEG4 Camcorder. When Sanyo's HD model comes out in the near future I may look at that model as well. The few minor gripes I have with the camera are minor in comparison with the outstanding features and performance.

55 of 57 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Great video camera!, July 19, 2007

By	Jill Hart "cwahmjill" (CWAHM.com) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is not your average camcorder. We recently purchased a new Canon Digital Rebel XT 8MP Digital SLR Camera with EF-S 18-55mm f3.5-5.6 Lens (Black) to replace our old point and shoot and realized that we missed the "Video" features of the point and shoot. We have owned an older Canon camcorder but really hate lugging around tapes and getting the video to the computer is not fun. So we purchased the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E1 and have been very impressed. I have never seen such a small lightweight waterproof camera anywhere. If you are looking for a great easy to use camcorder and you aren't worried as much about video quality, the Xacti VPC-E1 is the way to go.

Good:
small
light
Easy to use.
Very nice zoom for a small design.
Convenient waterproof design.
Creating video starts very quickly so you won't miss that shot.
Seems to be well constructed. Some people seemed to be worried that the buttons where mushy, but that is just so they can make it waterproof.

Bad:
The menu can be a little bit confusing at times.
You have to have the screen open and the battery hatch open to sync to your computer.
No matter which front color you get the back is white, don't be fooled.
I read that you need to replace the "seals" on the camera after around a year of use, but I can't figure out how to order them.