Sanyo Xacti VPC CA9 Camcorder Review
Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA9’s standout feature is being waterproof. Most of us do not use our camcorder in the rain or under water due to the fear of damaging the camcorder. With the VPC-CA9, it is safe to operate it underwater to a depth of 1.5m or 5 feet, and obviously in the rain. Because it is not bulky and has a non-plastic body, it does not look like it is waterproof. You may rinse your VPC-CA9 under tap water, after using it underwater. However, beware; you may get in the habit of washing other gadgets, too! It has the highest possible IEC 60529 waterproof rating of IPX8 (full water submersion). Even with this certificate, Sanyo warns the consumer of moisture and condensation in cold places or in locations of high temperature or humidity.
It can capture high-resolution 9 megapixel digital still photos and high-definition 720/30p video underwater. Its dimensions are 70x 41×111mm and it weighs 249 grams.Its size and weight make it ultra portable. It is ideal for people who are constantly on the go and need a lightweight camcorder that can capture digital videos and still pictures, both. It is small enough to fit in your pocket. The camcorders are available in three colors: black, green, and red.
Its video quality is average, but the same may not be true about the still pics; they are lousy, and will not replace your point and shoot camera. When you compare its results with proper digital cameras, its outcome are not up to the mark. Still photo quality is equivalent to photos taken on iPhones.
Its buttons feel wobbly and a little strange. The reason for this may be its waterproof body. Functionality wise the buttons are good. Its body, made up of plastic, is scratchproof. It is sturdy and firm, too. It has 5x optical zoom, which is more than sufficient on mostly all occasions. The digital zoom is not very good.
It also includes the face detection feature for both, stills and videos. It can detect up to 12 faces for still photos and up to 6 faces for video. Videos easily upload to social networking websites like YouTube and to portable digital media players such as iPods. It sports a 2.5-inch Liquid Crystal Display (LCD) screen. The LCD screen rotates up to 285 degrees. This feature comes in handy for capturing self-portraits and videos and to take shots from difficult angles.
You can capture full motion video up to 8 hours on a standard SD card and up to 10 hours on an 8GB SDHC memory card. However, it lacks internal memory. It is capable of capturing still images while shooting video. It has a 3D DNR noise-reduction system that renders clearer videos. It has high-speed sequential shooting, too. It sports a reverse sequential shooting function that helps not to miss a shot. This feature continues to load images as long as you keep the Photo button pressed down. Once you release the button, the most recent image is recorded on the SD card.
The other camcorders launched by Sanyo are the VPC-HD2000 and VPC-CG10. The three are capable of capturing high-resolution photos, but HD2000 can capture 8megapixel, CG10-10 megapixel, while CA9 can capture 9 megapixel high-resolution photos. CA9 and CG10 feature a 5x zoom, while HD2000 has an advanced zoom of 16x. They all have the face chaser function for both, photos and videos. The other common feature amongst the three is the image stabilizer. CG10 has a slightly bigger LCD screen of 3.0inches, while HD2000 has a 2.7-inch LCD monitor and CA 9 sports a 2.5-inch LCD display. CA 9 and HD2000 have a ½.5-inch CMOS sensor, while CG10 has a slightly smaller ½.33-inch CMOS sensor. The major difference between the three is that VPC-HD2000 is a full HD camcorder, VPC-CG10 is a 720p HD camcorder, and VPC CA9 is a waterproof camcorder.
If you are looking for a stylish and ultra lightweight camcorder, then VPC-CG10 is a good choice for you. If you are the one who needs to capture full high-definition videos and that, too with a camcorder, that is lightweight and compact, VPC HD2000 is ideal for you. If you are an on-the-go person who needs a portable and light camera, that can capture images and videos underwater, too then VPC CA9 would be best suit you.
Overall, the Xacti VPC CA9 is a light and portable camcorder that is waterproof. It is best suited to people who need a small and easy-to-carry camcorder. It may not be as high end as other professional digital camcorders but is a very good camcorder for its class with the added benefit of being waterproof. Sanyo’s VPC-CA9 is waterproof, HD, light, compact, and it looks great.
Technical Specifications:
Optical zoom 5x
Digital zoom 60x
LCD monitor 2.5 inch
Photos: 9 effective megapixels
HD Videos: 7.3 effective megapixels, SD Video: 8.8 effective megapixels
Camera: 1/2.5 inch CMOS sensor
Recording media: SD Memory Card, SDHC Memory Card up to 32GB
Internal memory: approx 43MB
Recording file formats: Photos: JPEG, Videos: ISO standard MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 MP4, Audio: 48kHZ sampling, 16bit, 2ch, AAC
Lens Aperture: F=3.5(W)-4.7(T)
Focus distance: f=6.3 to 31.7mm
Photo range: Standard: 50cm to infinity (wide), 1.0m to infinity (tele), Super macro: 1cm – 80cm (wide)
Digital zoom: Shooting: 12x max, Playback 62.5x max (12M mode, depending on the resolution)
Low light sensitivity (video): Approx 16 lux (Auto mode, 1/30 sec), Approx 4 lux (High-sensitivity, Lamp mode, 1/15 sec)
Photo Stills sensitivity: Auto (ISO 50 – 400), Manual (ISO 50/100/200/400/800/1600)
Digital Image Stabilizer: Photos: Digital Image Stabilizer (electronic), Videos: Digital Image Stabilizer (electronic)
Audio Microphone: Built-in stereo, Speaker: Built-in monaural
LCD monitor: 2.5 inch, Low-temperature polysilicon TFT color LCD display, Approx 150,000 pixels (7-level brightness, 285 degrees rotation)
Interface: AV output Video: Composite video, NTSC/PAL, USB 2.0 (high-speed mode compatible)
Power source: Lithium-ion battery x 1 (DB-L20 included: 720mAh)
Dimensions: 70.4 (W) x 111.4 (H) x 40.5 (D)mm – maximum dimensions excluding protruding parts
Volume: Approx 192cc
Weight: Approx 230g (main unit only), Approx 249g (including battery, approx 17g and SD card 2g)
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