I just got the Sanyo VPC-SH1 yesterday so these are first impressions. But I've spent quite a bit of time with it already.
I'm a single guy who will primarily use this camcorder to share short clips online, and occasionally burn a DVD. I'm not filming family opuses, doing any kind of advanced video editing, or even plugging it into an HDTV. So for me here are it's pros and cons. They may not be yours. I'll go into detail later.
Pros:
1. Fits in my jeans front pocket. I call it a pocketcam (barely... and you ladies may not.)
2. Fantastic video quality for a pocketcam.
3. Large wide angle lens.
4. Manual settings for practically everything including ISO and focus.
5. AVC/H.264 format (for ease of use, file size, fast transfer, and because it's common and everywhere. Plus I'm a PC guy).
Cons:
1. Monitor doesn't close flush with the body of the cam.
2. The four way directional "set" button is too small for a guy's hands.
3. Anti-shake could be better.
OK we're off look out!
First off, the only thing I have to compare this Sanyo to is a Sony Webbie (the traditionally shaped one that's very similar in size) that I bought a year ago. Since anything would probably take better videos than that, you might want to take it into consideration when you read this review.
Size is very important to me, and this thing is small. This diminutive camcorder is not just the product of some whacked out Asian obsession with miniaturization. It really is a full featured camcorder with a decent lens that can fit in the front pocket of a man's jeans. And that means that I will actually use it. It would stay here at home most of the time unless I can slip it into my pocket. It's widest point is 1.6" and that's just around the lens area. Most camcorders of this type are well over 2" wide, which really disqualifies them as something you can slip in your pocket easily. The Sanyo VPC-SH1 is kind of a unique product right now, having more features for it's size than anything else currently on the market that I know of anyway.
I ran around for a couple of hours with the Sanyo in one hand, and the Sony in another taking videos outside, inside, up close, far away, and at night both indoors and out. I dumbed the Sanyo down to 720p so they would be on an even playing field. No matter what the conditions were, on my computer monitor the Sanyo videos looked much better. The differences were not subtle. They were dramatic.
It couldn't have been more dramatic than in very low light. The Sony videos would be nothing but a black screen while the Sanyo's would still be quite watchable. Grainy yes but I'll take that. I'm not expecting miracles out of a cam this small.
On it's own the Sanyo does all right in low light, but if you manually run the ISO all the way up to 1600 or 3200 things really brighten up. It won't go that high if you leave it in auto probably because of the grain issue but that's a trade-off I'll make anytime.
I set this up as a one button shortcut, along with manual focus, auto focus lock, and display info on-off. These shortcuts are user configurable to whatever you want them to be and it's simple to set them up. I haven't cracked the manual for anything yet, and I'm hardly a video nut.
Optical zoom goes all the way out to an astounding 30x. There is no way that this is usable unless you have the camcorder set on something solid or on a tripod. I tried zooming to some windmills five miles away and they were shaking in and out of the frame like we had been hit with a magnitude 8 earthquake!
But the cool thing about this zoom is that it's speed is dependent on how far you push the lever. If you slam it you will go to it's max in about three seconds, easily outrunning auto focus. However with a gentle nudge you can slow zoom way down.
Speaking of auto focus, I think this Sanyo does all right most of the time. You can fool it in low light if you suddenly go from something near to something far, but for the most part if you behave yourself it does it's job. It also helped when I went into it's settings and changed the default multipoint focus to spot. You do have AF lock which can be engaged anytime if you need it. Manual focus unfortunately is not available when you are shooting, so you have to adjust it beforehand if you want to use it.
Image stabilization is electronic and pretty weak. I tried walking around with it on and off and it did smooth things out somewhat. But it seemed to have little or no effect at all when zooming in on something, and that's when things are really shaking.
The wide angle lens really does take in a huge panoramic view. I'll appreciate it more this summer and it should make for some great scene shots. The downside is that you end up having to use zoom for more normal stuff just to get your subject in the frame properly.
For the most part the OS is pretty intuitive, but there are a few head scratchers. You can delete a photo file from the set button, but in order to delete a video file you have to dive into the menu system. Audio wind reduction is not in "sound" but bunched with the video noise reduction settings.
I took a few pictures. It works but that's not my primary interest. Still I'm glad it's there because you never know when -
This camcorder behaved perfectly when I hooked it up to my PCs. On both it came up as an external drive named Xacti (a nice touch that Sony missed) and it was fast and easy to locate and copy the files to the hard drive for editing. On my Windows 7 notebook I put together a short video using several clips in Windows Live Movie Maker without a hitch. In fact this is going to be my video editing and sharing program from now on. It does everything I'll ever want to do (trim, join, add titles and music, fade out), and will send the finished video anywhere right from the program. You don't have to ask Youtube to go to your hard drive. This program goes to Youtube or anywhere else you want it to online. And the program is free what more can you say?
I also plugged the Sanyo into my desktop PC running Windows XP, and once again no probs. There I made another clip in Nero Vision throwing in some old files from the Webbie for good measure, and it came out perfectly. That's what's sweet about AVC/H.264 BTW.
I haven't installed the included editor and probably won't.
The biggest drawback this camcorder has (to me) is the hardware. In the interest of sleek styling Sanyo didn't make the body of the cam so it would be flush to the monitor screen when it's closed. The two back edges really hang out there. That's why I wouldn't recommend this camcorder for teenage kids. I don't think it would survive in one piece for long with a 14 year old skateboarder. It's really for adults who hopefully would be a bit more responsible with it.
The "Set" button, which is a four way directional and enter button, is also way too small and sensitive for a guy's thumb. The way I've found to use this very important button is to not put my thumb on it, but engage each direction by gently pushing it from the opposite side. It works but it's not optimal.
In spite of that, I'm giving it five stars because it does everything that I want it to do and very well. It really makes the videos I took on my Sony Webbie look like they were taken with a toy. It cost $150 more than the Webbie but is worth every cent of it.
My five stars may well be someone else's three though. If you prize optical image stabilization you are going to knock off a couple of stars right there. (I don't because optical stabilization adds bulk and size, and it isn't all that important because of how I'm using this camcorder. If I use two hands and hold it at my waist it's pretty easy to keep steady anyway.) It all depends on what you are doing with your videos. Experienced videographers my snub their noses at camcorders like this, but I love it!
-----------------------------UPDATE MARCH 26 2010------------------------------------
Since there seems to be a difference of opinion about what constitutes acceptable low light performance for a small flashcam in in this price range, I thought I'd put up links to a couple of Youtube vids of a low light karaoke bar to help people decide for themselves. I know it's Youtube but it will still give you a good idea. The first one I made myself and it includes both my new Sanyo Xacti VPC-SH1 and my old Sony Webbie MHS-CM1:Here's another vid of the same karaoke bar (with the same singer) made a few months ago by another guy. His camcorder is a Canon FS100:For the purposes of this vid, I left everything on Auto. I purposely chose the same singer (a mutual friend) because I knew the other vid was up.
My original enthusiasm for Windows Live Movie Maker has dampened a bit after using it for a couple of weeks (not worth going into that!) but not for this camcorder. It's just a champ!
I will qualify this reveiw by saying it is my first camcorder. I am a semi pro photographer however. The things I liked are the lens. It goes from 35-1000mm (in 35mm camera terms)with very little distortion at wide angle. Of course to take advantage of the 1000mm end of the range will require a tripod to limit shake. To be expected. The lens zooms fairly smoothly once used to using it. It also auto focuses while zooming reasonably quickly.
Another positive aspect is the build quality as compared to the lower priced Sony,JVC, and Panasonic units that are more expensive if HD than the Sanyo.
Apple users (like me) will find these easy to use with iFrame. Files are downloaded as MP4 files. Sony and Canon are just now coming out with iFrame compatible units this season, while Sanyo had this for a year. Previous versions of the Canon, and Sony had problems had problems with thier image stabilization being compatible (according to iMovie guide). So, credit to Sanyo for being a leader for iFrame compatibilty.
Now for the downside. I'm concerned with the ability of the Sanyo to do well indoors or heavy shade. I took some footage inside a moderatly lit building and the results were quite grainy. According to the specs, the unit switches between ISO speeds while in the Auto Mode. The max it uses in Auto is 400. If it is grainy at 400, the higher ISOs accessible in Manual would be aweful. The footage I would want are only going to be availible outdoors in full light. Too bad. A fatal flaw for me.
Also worth mentioning, The photos are not 10MP but 3MP interpolated to 10MP if you look closely at the specs. So its camera function has limited use.
In conclusion, if you want a camera to shoot high res video and pics and are using it mainly outside, consider the less expensive Sanyo GH1/GH2 or CG100/CG102 that have a true 14MP. If you want a camcorder that will shoot better indoors, the Canons have better low light specs.
Buy Sanyo VPC-SH1R High Definition Camcorder and 10 MP Camera (Red) Now
I just got the camera last night. I've only done a few tests on it. I'll play with it more this weekend. It appears this camera supports iFrame. This is an apple format that equates to 960x540 at 30p. The reduced dimension format actually takes up more space than the max 1080i setting. I think its a different flavor of mp4 that has less compression than the other HD formats supported on the camera. The idea is that if you bring this format into iMovie on the Mac, the files work natively with the app. On the video settings, this is the star symbol. I'll do a test later tonight, but I'm pretty sure this is so.
Without shooting, I can tell you that this camera is tiny. Like William, I also was looking for a camera that would not be a burden to carry around. I have been shooting on a Flip and an iPhone. The quality isn't great, but the iPhone is always in my pocket. I won't always have the Sanyo with me, but when I am going to an event, or know I want to shoot something specific, this camera's size is near perfect. It does not come with a memory card (The onboard memory is 50MBkind of a buffer i guess). But you would end up throwing away the small capacity card they give you, so this is not an issue. It comes with USB, but no HDMI, but this is not really a big deal either.
All told, without extensively testing the camera/video quality, this camera is pretty amazing. If you are spending over $150 for a flip with no features or controls, its a no brainer to get this tiny camera for $350.
More on the quality at a later date...
Read Best Reviews of Sanyo VPC-SH1R High Definition Camcorder and 10 MP Camera (Red) Here
I was looking for a compact HD digital camcorder that also takes good pictures on SD cards so I don't have to carry a camera with me out on trips. After extensive research, I found this Sanyo Xacti VPC-SH1 is the only one in the ~$300.00 price range with large CCD. All others, including Canon, Sony, Panasonic, and JVC, have small CCDs which can't produce good quality pictures in low lights. This camera is also capable of taking 10MP pictures while others can't even come close. No wonder it is called a Dual Camera.
I have had it for a month. I took videos and pictures both indoors and outdoors. I even took pictures of fireworks on 4th. of July and indoor circus show. All came out good! To save memory space, I only set the camera at 2MP but the picture quality and resolution are every bit as good as those taken from a digital camera. This camera/camcorder also allows you to take snapshots while taking videos. Some expert reviews had issue with the on-screen menu but I find the menu to be easy to use. I am pleased with this purchase.
Want Sanyo VPC-SH1R High Definition Camcorder and 10 MP Camera (Red) Discount?
I bought this because we wanted a dedicated video camera instead of using the video function on our digital camera. The things that drew me to this:
* Low price
* HD quality video (though only 1080i I think, not 1080p)
* Small size
* Still camera function
* Big optical zoom
How did it live up? Well, for sure it is inexpensive, much cheaper that approximately equivalent Sony & Canon that I've been looking at. And it is small. It is scarcely larger than some dedicated point-n-shoot's. In fact, on a 2 week trip, I often just stuffed it into my shorts pocket, and it was fine even hiking through mild forest trails.
To really put it to the test, I almost exclusively used this camera on a 2 week trip, mostly for stills and some video.
* The battery life & startup time are excellent. At first I turned off the camera, but then, I just shut the viewer to put it to sleep. 2 weeks later, I still had battery left after video and almost 300 still shots.
* It was comfortable and easy to handle (I have relatively large, though not chunky, hands). Those with even bigger hands than me might find it a bit "cramping" to try and hold such a small camera in the usual camcorder grip. You may want to opt for the VPC-C* series with the unconventional format.
* Low light performance was not great (I understand Sony & Canon are significantly better), however, it still beat a Canon SD850 in real-life situations. Although it might be a bit grainy, it was at least fast enough to capture a shot without blur. In fact, comparing the the SD850, I only had 1 or 2 bad shots lost to blur or low-light, which is a LOT better. By low light, I mean bright dinner table candle-light.
* Lots of setup options, but a very easy to use system. Very nice. It basically stayed out of the way and let me do the shoot. The 2 dedicated still or video buttons in 2 positions are great.
* Solid! It got dropped on hard floor, rocks and pavement and it survived with barely a scratch and nothing broken or loose.
As a video camera, it did okay, it got the shots and met expectations for a camcorder at this level. Video's looked clear and no problem with the sounds. Even though often windy, I never noticed it in the shots, only the conversations.
As a still-camera replacement? Tougher answer, at first when I download the shots to my laptop, I was quite disappointed with the colour and "vibrancy" of the images vs. my memory. Some noise reduction artifacts are visible if you are looking for it. It is a "true" 4MP sensor only, so I mostly stayed at the 4MP size and the wide-screen 7MP format. I took some test shots at various resolutions, and sure enough, can't really tell much difference. I recommend you stick with the high quality 4MP setting unless you need the wide-screen setting.
The zoom works as advertised, it is pretty amazing (beat even my DSLR with a 28-105mm zoom) though it did not do as well as a decent pair of binoculars. And yes, you need a very steady hand to use the zoom. However, to be fair, in bright sunlight, I did manage to use maximum zoom in my hand and it grabbed the shots without blur.
When I put the photos up on a 42" plasma, and the pictures are excellent. If this is your preferred viewing format, then I would be very satisfied with this camera, especially for vacation shots. The image colour looked great, the images looked sharp and clear. Unless you're a hard-core camera enthusiast, it's hard to imagine being disappointed with this camera. If you are printing large-format paper, you may be disappointed as well, but I'm not sure. I took some test shots on the trip using a Canon DSLR and the Canon (with a significantly better lens) is sharper and clearer with better colour reproduction, but you have to be really looking for it or put it side-by-side to notice.
Things that are not so good:
* Holding strap management, the extra length is supposed to fold back on a little clip on the strap, but this is next to useless and the strap often flew out in front of the lense.
* The lens cover is "stupid", it only fits in 2 specific orientations, so it makes it finicky to put on.
* Low light performance could be better (but for the price...)
At this price point, I would highly recommend this camera. In a year or so, I might upgrade to a better low-light camera or the waterproof version, but for now, it is an excellent camera. I would even take just this and replace my still digital camera.
