Sanyo Xacti HD1010 4MP MPEG4 High Definition 1080i/1080p Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom by SANYO
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Digital camera reviews of Sanyo Xacti HD1010 4MP MPEG4 High Definition 1080i/1080p Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
Digital camera Review: Very Handy but has File Format Issues
Summary: 3 Stars
Excellent form factor, very handy to us, very good video quality, shoots well in low-light conditions. Getting to play HD files on the PC is a major pain though if you can't use the accompanying software. You need to "activate" the software but when I went to the Web site, I found that the software has a new version and the activation code didn't work for the new version.
Pros
1. Excellent form factor, very handy to use.
2. Easy to carry, small and light enough to take around.
3. Adequate batter life.
4. Shoots well even in low light, compared with other digital video cameras I have used.
Cons.
1. The supplied software was out of date. When I went to the Web site to activate the product, found that the software has a new release; could not locate new version.
2. Very painful to play HD files if you don't use the accompanying software. Took me a month of research to get to play the files on my PC (Windows).People have had issues play HD files on their computer, strongly recommend going through forums to see if you're up to the hassle.
Digital camera Review: My opinion on Sanyo Xacti HD1010
Summary: 3 Stars
Sanyo Xacti HD1010 4MP MPEG4 High Definition 1080i/1080p Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom
PROS The picture is extremely sharp ! No question about it. Unlike the older version (the HD1000), this model is way more robust, less plastic feel and a strong metallic attach on the flip out LCD screen.
CONS the manual focus is a total joke ! First of all, it is not located on the ring of the lens but on the menu. Even worse, once selected, impossible to actually set up your focus as you are filming !! You would have to stop recording to set your focal length. Extremely frustrating as you get a lot of out of focus as subject filmed are constantly moving.
CONS I havent figured out yet, but footage seems to be jiggering when played back. Maybe has to do with the progressive mode ? Or my poor graphic card on my mac mini ? Or could be the fact that my 42" Samsung LCD screen doesnt support progressive mode ? Again, i will need to figure this out before complaining.
FINALLY, if i were you guys, i would probably get the canon AVCHD. It has a real focus ring. A tripod (or even a monopod) is a MUST when filming with the tiny Sanyo Xacti.
Digital camera Review: Sanyo Xacti HD1010 4M MPEG4 HD Camcorder 10X Opt Zoom
Summary: 2 Stars
Easy to use and set up. But the HD video quality is not as clear and vivid color as I expected. I had tried both different camera and video mode with all settings. I purchased this camcorder based on the great reviews this Sanyo Xacti camcorder received...Disappointed, I had to return it. Digital camera Review: Almost Perfect
Summary: 4 Stars
I bought this because I rarely use my expensive video camera to take videos of the kids and instead have thouhsand of pictures. I want both so I bought this little wonder. My wife and I are happy with it but there are a couple of things I wish were different. The biggest is the flash being a manual flip up thing. If you want to take a quick picture you need to think about what light you are in and flip a switch before shooting. The camera will then decide if it needs the flash or not but this is a pain if you are have used an automatic flash for some time. Videos look great and I got a 16gb card which seems to hold a lot of clips and pics and easy to transfer. My wife would also like to hear a "click" sound or noise when taking a picture. I have not figured that one out yet but honestly I have not taken the time to look in depth. So all in all a nice little camera for the $$ that is probably just the start of cameras that "do it all".Digital camera Review: IS and focus hunting... otherwise GREAT
Summary: 4 Stars
This is a fantastic little camera. The image quality is great, and I love being able to finally record true HD and have them look stellar on my HD TV. I think everybody agrees on what's right with the camera. I'll skip that, and go straight to the two glaring problems. Others have pointed them out, and I just have to add my bit.
Focus hunting.
Doesn't matter what I'm filming. Doesn't matter what settings I have. The subject will start off in perfect focus and the camera will always dart quickly out of and back into focus. For the life of me, I don't know how to stop it. If I set the camera on a tripod and film an empty room, there is no hunting. But add ANY movement, and the hunting begins. It is always brief, and it always recovers. But why is it there? My cheap cameras would sometimes lock to something else, and eventually would wander back. But this thing goes -POW- way out of focus and right back in quick blips. I've studied the clips and can't figure out what it is even trying to focus on. Whatever it may be, it never gets there. It isn't locking to something else. It is just darting out of focus and right back again. Some say they've noticed it, and it isn't annoying. It sure is annoying to me!
Image Stabilization.
Does it really do anything? I can't tell if it makes the images better or worse... or maybe does nothing at all. There seems to be no way of walking with this camera and then being able to view the results on a TV. Try as you might, there's just no way of holding the camera still enough. And even bracing myself with elbows locked to my sides, the image still wanders around. Just what does the IS do? And when does it do it? If I use a tripod, the image is great, of course. But even panning on a tripod creates image jiggles that I don't understand. The sad truth is that I've never owned a higher-end cam corder than this one, and I've never had one with worse IS. :(
But you know what? Even with these warts, I'm keeping the thing. If these two items could be solved (seemingly with a firmware upgrade) I'd be down-right giddy about this thing.