Sanyo Xacti HD2 Camcorder Review
skar...@gmail.com
I just received this device yesterday. I got to play with for about an
hour so far. So, this review is going to be "first impressions" or
"initial quality" review.
Quality, packaging, instruction manuals, and supplied accessories all
look good quality.
I couldn't find an SD card in the packaging. I did have a 2GB memory
card with me, so I was OK.
I could put in the battery, charge the device, take a couple of
pictures, and a couple of videos without even reading the quick
reference manual. I would call that intuitive enough and user
friendly.
Quality of the pictures and video is acceptable considering that I
used the device straight out of the box without adjusting any
settings. Actually pictures and video looked much better on my home
LCD monitor, but looked pathetic on my work CRT monitor. (This is not
the first time I have experienced this.)
I have played the video on a 61" widescreen HD TV using S-Video cable
and the quality was acceptable. Nothing compared to off-the-air HD
programming, but it was not bad at all.
I have placed a couple of pictures and videos at this URL:
http://skarkada.googlepages.com/sanyoxactihd2versuscanons1is
I will come back here and update the review over the next week.
S. Whitmore
>Sanyo Xacti HD2 Camcorder Review
Thanks for sharing your comments and photo/video samples. I've been
interested in this camera as a possible replacement for a Canon S2 IS
(which has ended up being used for much more video than was originally
intended).
--
S. Whitmore [Omit -bounce to respond]
Show off your best videos at:
http://www.MyVidsRock.com/
Just D
You know there is another NG: uk.rec.video.digital with many people playing
digital video who could be much more interested than the people here in this
newsgroup. Just my opinion.
Just D.
S. Whitmore
Why use a UK-specific newsgroup for something this general?
Just D
>>> Sanyo Xacti HD2 Camcorder Review
>>
>>You know there is another NG: uk.rec.video.digital with many people
>>playing
>>digital video who could be much more interested than the people here in
>>this
>>newsgroup. Just my opinion.
>
> Why use a UK-specific newsgroup for something this general?
Maybe just because I didn't find anything more appropriate on the Internet
for the digital video. And I really love this group, I spent there several
years and I'm still there. The team is looking very professional. Some guys
spent their lives working at BBC, other TV and Video companies and they know
what they are writing about. Also there are many other guys who love that
and all they are always ready to share their personal experience, opinions,
skills and to listen for others. What's the difference if it's the UK based?
Are you sure that you wouldn't understand this language? :) PAL/SECAM/NTSC
are not very critical when we're talking about digital video there. But the
video related people is a much better place for discussions.
As I said it's my personal opinion, it can be easily ignored if you think
that the video camcorder review/experience should be shared to photo guys
instead of video ones. :)
Just D.
S. Whitmore
>As I said it's my personal opinion, it can be easily ignored if you think
>that the video camcorder review/experience should be shared to photo guys
>instead of video ones. :)
I don't doubt that the UK newsgroup participants might be interested
and have valuable input, but you mentioned using that newsgroup
instead of the current newsgroups. But the current newsgroups include
one for photography (the camera does 7MP stills, so this is relevant)
and two for video, all of which are global in scope and UK users can
use them just fine. So, I thought you were suggesting moving it from
the global video newsgroups to the UK-specific video newsgroup, which
didn't make sense. But I think you probably didn't realize that this
thread exists in two (global) video newsgroups in addition to the
rec.photo.digital newsgroup.
Just D
> thread exists in two (global) video newsgroups in addition to the
> rec.photo.digital newsgroup.
Yea, you're right, sorry, just noticed the header.
Just D.
skar...@gmail.com
http://groups.google.com/group/rec.photo.digital/browse_thread/thread/cdbdcf10b5272e6c/08c1f3f37c231690?lnk=st&q=sanyo+xacti+HD2+review&rnum=1#08c1f3f37c231690
Update:
I have uploaded a couple of low light videos. Results are
disappointing.
I could quickly and easily compile and burn a DVD using the supplied
ULead software. I didn't try any bells and wistles, just used the
simplest path and I was done with the production process in about 10
minutes. Burning process itself (with an 8x burner) took a long time
(unattended). DVD played fine on a regular Panasonic DVD player.
MiniDV based camcorders probably produce much better HD footage. But,
that is not of much use for me, because burning a DVD out of MiniDV
footage is very hard. I don't think I could have posted sample clips
on the Internet so quickly if I were using a MiniDV camcorder. So,
should we compromise on quality of the video or ease of sharing the
footage?
Richard Crowley
> Update:
> I have uploaded a couple of low light videos. Results are
> disappointing.
>
> I could quickly and easily compile and burn a DVD using the supplied
> ULead software. I didn't try any bells and wistles, just used the
> simplest path and I was done with the production process in about 10
> minutes. Burning process itself (with an 8x burner) took a long time
> (unattended). DVD played fine on a regular Panasonic DVD player.
I wonder if it was the burning itself, or the behind-the-scenes transcoding?
> MiniDV based camcorders probably produce much better HD footage. But,
> that is not of much use for me, because burning a DVD out of MiniDV
> footage is very hard. I don't think I could have posted sample clips
> on the Internet so quickly if I were using a MiniDV camcorder. So,
> should we compromise on quality of the video or ease of sharing the
> footage?
Only you can answer that qustion for your situation. It is a classic
tradeoff
issue.
Peter Niemayer
One question: The tech specs. at
http://www.sanyo-xacti.com/produkte/tech_spezifikationen.asp?Xacti=HD2
claim that the HD2 is capable of recording clips at 640x480 in _60_fps.
The manual, downloadable at the same page:
http://www.sanyo-xacti.com/support/manuals/SANYO_HD2_Kamera_en.pdf
says 30 fps is the maximum and even states at page 78:
* Video clips recorded using model VPC-HD1A or VPC-HD1 with the mode
set to XXX (640 x 480 pixels, 60 fps) will be played back on this camera at
a resolution of 640 x 480 pixels and frame rate 30 fps.
Either of those two statements must be wrong.
Can you tell us which statement is true?
Regards,
Peter Niemayer
Smarty
I certainly am not an expert on this camera, but there is nothing to say
that these 2 statements are contradictory. One relates to recording rate,
the other to playback rate. I assume your concern is the apparent
disagreement between 30fps and 60fps? This camera could, for example, make
60 fps recordings, but at playback time "skip" every 2nd frame, playing back
therefore at 30 fps.
Smarty
"Peter Niemayer" <niem...@isg.de> wrote in message
news:_IY%h.44$9W3....@se2-cb104-9.zrh1.ch.colt.net...
Peter Niemayer
> Peter,
> I certainly am not an expert on this camera, but there is nothing to say
> that these 2 statements are contradictory. One relates to recording rate,
> the other to playback rate. I assume your concern is the apparent
> disagreement between 30fps and 60fps? This camera could, for example, make
> 60 fps recordings, but at playback time "skip" every 2nd frame, playing back
> therefore at 30 fps.
If the HD2 was able to record 60fps (in whatever mode), the manual would
certainly name that mode - as it names all the others (page 74, page 77 etc.) -
but it doesn't. So from the manual it seems there's no way to record 60fps.
And the fact that it mentions 60fps clips only to say that such recorded by
the HD1(a) cannot be replayed at 60fps is a another indication that this
feature is missing, right?
So while you are formally right that the cited sentence alone would not rule
out 60fps recordings, it seems very likely that this feature is gone.
That's why I ask (somebody who actually own a HD2 already)...
Regards,
Peter Niemayer
Smarty
Also, since the older VPC-HD1A model may have a different file format or
recording format, the newer HD2 may only allow older files to be played back
at this downsampled 30 fps speed by "skipping" every other frame.
Smarty
"Peter Niemayer" <niem...@isg.de> wrote in message
news:_IY%h.44$9W3....@se2-cb104-9.zrh1.ch.colt.net...
Smarty
otherwise (a max of 30), you have not provided this quote from the manual to
show such a contradiction.
Is there indeed a statement in the manual which explicitly states that the
camera only can record up to 30, and not 60 fps?
Smarty
"Smarty" <nob...@nobody.com> wrote in message
news:Cd-dnZaklszT593b...@adelphia.com...
Smarty
(mostly from Japan) are all 29.97 fps (mpeg4) files. I would imagine that
60fps samples would be posted if the camera were truly able to record at
that rate.
Smarty
"Smarty" <nob...@nobody.com> wrote in message
news:NNWdnR2XEei95t3b...@adelphia.com...
Peter Niemayer
> If the contradiction is between the spec saying 60 and the manual saying
> otherwise (a max of 30), you have not provided this quote from the manual to
> show such a contradiction.
How would one quote a non-existing statement?
> Is there indeed a statement in the manual which explicitly states that the
> camera only can record up to 30, and not 60 fps?
No, but there's neither any explanation of how one would enter a 60fps
recording mode.
"Proving" that the 60fps mode is non-existing within the HD only according
to the existing manual is as impossible as proving the non-existence of
any deity from a set of ancient books... :-)
Regards,
Peter Niemayer
PS: Of course I asked this question to the Sanyo-support, too, I'll let
you know if I ever get an answer.
Gene E. Bloch
Meanwhile, remember that 30 frames per second NTFS records 60 fields
per second. Did you possibly misread a statement regarding *fields*
as *frames*?
Those things do happen :-)
--
Gene E. Bloch (Gino) ... letters617blochg3251
(replace the numbers by "at" and "dotcom")
Frank
in article <Re: Sanyo Xacti HD2 Camcorder Review>,
Sort of like typing "NTFS" instead of "NTSC".
Those things do happen :-)
--
Frank, Independent Consultant, New York, NY
[Please remove 'nojunkmail.' from address to reply via e-mail.]
Read Frank's thoughts on HDV at http://www.humanvalues.net/hdv/
Smarty
Well, it seems the only question you have been asking from the start but
never explicitly stated is simply whether this HD2 camcorder can or cannot
record 60 fps.
I was initially trying to understand your stated concerns, which you
expressed as what the specs said, versus what the manual said, and their
apparent contradiction.
Obviously you cannot provide a nonexistent statement from the manual. The
fact that is does not exist may be altogether clear to someone like yourself
who apparently has the manual to read, but its' absence is not the slightest
bit obvious to someone like myself who has neither the camera or the manual
but was merely trying to help you.
Smarty
"Peter Niemayer" <niem...@isg.de> wrote in message
news:78%%h.46$9W3....@se2-cb104-9.zrh1.ch.colt.net...
Just D
> Well, it seems the only question you have been asking from the start but
> never explicitly stated is simply whether this HD2 camcorder can or cannot
> record 60 fps.
> Obviously you cannot provide a nonexistent statement from the manual. The
> fact that is does not exist may be altogether clear to someone like
> yourself
It's out of my patience...) Couple minutes in Google helped me to find some
docs about this device. Enjoy!-) To simplify the search click Ctrl-F and
then enter 60, you will find it out in several places yourself.
http://www.steves-digicams.com/2006_reviews/hd1a.html
640x480 MPEG-4 movies @ 60fps or 30fps with stereo audio
Video:
<HD>
[HD-SHQ] 1280 x 720 (30 fps, 9 Mbps)
[HD-HQ] 1280 x 720 (30 fps, 6 Mbps)
<SD>
[TV-HR] 640 x 480 (60 fps, 6 Mbps)
[TV-SHQ] 640 x 480 (30 fps, 3 Mbps)
[TV-HQ] 640 x 480 (30 fps, 2 Mbps)
[Web-SHQ] 320 x 240 (30 fps)
[Web-HQ] 320 x 240 (15 fps)
What else do you need?
Just D.
Smarty
The link your provide from steves-digicam is actually for the earlier HD1
camera rather than the more recent HD2 which Peter inquired about. Your
method, however, of doing the research using Google is 100% sound, but it
seems that Peter apparently did not use Google / another search tool to find
an authoritative answer to his question (and thus asks us why does the spec
say one thing whereas the manual says another). Perhaps he searched the web
and came up dry.
Perhaps some reader here has the HD2 and can answer his question. The topic
of this thread is as simple as "Does the HD2 record 60fps" versus the
subject line he chose:
"Sanyo Xacti HD2 Camcorder Review"
which frankly had me confused from the start.
Smarty
"Just D" <n...@spam.please> wrote in message
news:3ja0i.256655$g24.1...@newsfe12.phx...
Peter Niemayer
> Sorry, there is a mistake in our homepage. In case of your VPC-HD2, it's
> not possible to record movies in 60fps, only in 30fps. In the next time, we
> will change in the correct details.
So my suspicion was founded: The HD2 does _not_ have a 60fps recording feature,
while the HD1 has.
(And no, the recording was always progressive, no "fields" or "half frames" due
to interlacing involved)
Such a pity - no more slow-motion effects...
Regards,
Peter Niemayer
Gene E. Bloch
news:bbs143tu2j82hnm1a...@4ax.com:
National Television Fields/Frames per Second?
Frank
Sounds good to me, Gene, let's spread the word! :)
Gene E. Bloch
news:5cs443t5q1rov39a3...@4ax.com:
I always try to get good mileage from my rare misteaks :-)
Frank
"misteaks"?
Was this a test? Did I pass? Do I win something (of value)? :)
Gene E. Bloch
news:kkth4359ftkkc84hq...@4ax.com:
Nothing of value, just a passing grade from me :=)
I debated whether to add some verbiage besides the smiley, but
thought it was overkill. OTOH, that doesn't usually stop me...
I really wanted to replace "mileage" by something that went with
rare & steak, but I failed to come up with anything. Life's like
that in Punsville.
Frank
I'll accept that!
>I debated whether to add some verbiage besides the smiley, but
>thought it was overkill. OTOH, that doesn't usually stop me...
No reason why it should. I have it on good authority that no one on
earth actually reads these newsgroups anyway.
>I really wanted to replace "mileage" by something that went with
>rare & steak, but I failed to come up with anything. Life's like
>that in Punsville.
That's in Ohio, right? Think that I had a stopover there once on a
flight to Cincinnati.
Gene E. Bloch
news:di8i439tpqd1kpd7p...@4ax.com:
I believe you're thinking of Carthage.
Tennessee, of course :-)