Review: Sanyo DMX-HD1 / VPC-HD1 Camcorder
Posted by Sean Fallon on March 26, 2006
Filed Under Misc. Gadgets | Stumble This
The camcorder known in Japan as the DMX-HD1 and in the U.S. as the VPC-HD1 (how annoying is that!) made a big splash at CES 2006 for being the world’s smallest HD camcorder. The question is whether or not Sanyo was able to cram some quality into such a small device.
Reviews:
Akihabara News: (Disappointment)“So what can we say? The HD1 is a mix of good news bad news. The handling and design have been tremendously improved, and functions have been reviewed too, like for example the manual exposure when taking pictures. Nothing but good news… until you start shooting videos, the video quality is an absolute disaster, and nothing like HD video. The same goes for the image stabilizer, that is totally inefficient.”
Camcorder Info: (Pass) If I had to say yes or no without having any official testing results, I’m thinking… no. Much of this conclusion is based on my estimate of the horrible video performance, and then noticing other glaring flaws on the periphery.
Steve’s Digicams: (Too expensive) “The Xacti VPC-HD1 was a blast to use. I love how well it fits in your hand, and yet is still small enough to be tucked away in a pocket. The still image quality is on par with most 5MP cameras, the movie mode needs improving, the 10x lens, stereo sound capture and the 2.2-inch OLED display are very nice. With an MSRP of around $800 we feel it’s too expensive and may only be attractive to “techno-geeks” who absolutely must have the latest hi-tech gadgets. For the family wishing to capture those special moments on video we think you’ll be better served with one of today’s MiniDV camcorders and a good 5MP digital still camera.”
Product Information:
Avalibility: Hits shelves in U.S. in late March 2006. Retails for $799.99
Click here for features and Specifications.
Bottom Line: While everyone can agree that the HD1 is well designed, there are major issues with regard to the video quality and the overall price that make the Sanyo HD1 a pass for most consumers.
Posted by Sean
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