Sanyo Xacti VPC-WH1 Camcorder Ratings and Reviews
With Sanyo VPC-WH1 HD Waterproof Flash Memory Camcorder, You can take underwater High Definition video and still photos to a whole new level! As we know that the new Sanyo Dual Camera Xacti WH1 has earned the highest possible IEC 60529 waterproof rating–IPX8–allowing footage to be captured without worrying about the effects of water or snow.
The WH1 is capable of underwater depths down to an astounding 10ft for an entire hour and delivers High Definition video, up to 2-megapixel digital photos, with a 30x optical zoom. The combination of waterproof HD video and 30x optical zoom allow the WH1 to go where no camera dare go before. Its compact design makes the WH1 extremely portable and easy to use. Videos, still photos and the various settings and menus can be easily accessed with the user’s thumb. The WH1’s convenient design makes sharing videos and photos via social networking web sites, portable video devices like iPods, TVs and computers, a breeze.
Index of Sanyo VPC-WH1 Expert Reviews
- Trustedreviews—On paper, Sanyo looked like it had stolen a march on Panasonic with the Xacti VPC-WH1, as the first consumer-oriented waterproof HD camcorder. But whilst its moisture-repelling capabilities are commendable, video performance in poorly lit underwater conditions isn’t so outstanding. Nevertheless, you will still be able to grab many moments of aquatic pleasure, and at under £300 it’s incredibly good value. So this may not be the perfect HD video water baby, but at least Sanyo’s Xacti VPC-WH1 won’t mean you have to dig deep to dive deep.
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(4.50 out of 5)
Fantastic and superbly versatile compact digital camera. The lens is really great (although it has easily noticeable barrel distortion at ...
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Comment by
S. M. Robare on 3 July 2009:
I recently had the opportunity to test out the Sanyo VPC-WH1 HD Waterproof Camcorder. I’ve been jumping feet first into the world of digital camcorders, but I’m still new to the medium and therefore most of my thoughts are coming from the point of view of ease of use and quality from a non-enthusiast. My first impression right out of the box was how sturdy this little Sanyo digi-cam is and how extremely easy it was to get it set-up for use. I had it unwrapped and charging in minutes, and after an hour I was already breezing through the menu settings and shooting video.
I thought I’d start off with my main complaints, which are the design, placement and size of the function buttons. For the most part, these buttons are well placed and pretty intuitive for use on the go. The power-on button is on the top-back of the unit (instead of on the side under the flip out screen like most digital camcorders I’ve used), which is nice though the button is small and recessed which makes it slightly difficult to power up quickly. The rest of the buttons (menu access, play/select/d-pad, playback menu, camera, and record buttons) are all located on the back, and are again fairly intuitive. What I didn’t like is the two menu buttons and the select/d-pad. First off, there are two separate menu buttons, one to access the camcorder settings and one to access the image/video playback menu. Honestly, this seems like a function that could have been combined into one button that toggles through three menus. To add insult to injury, the playback menu button has the traditional right arrow play icon on it, which can easily be confused with playing back video, but it only toggles between the playback menu and the standard record setting. To playback a video you need to press the Set button in the middle of a small d-pad. It’s not a huge deal, but it can get confusing, especially when trying to switch between functions on the go. I also think that the d-pad is a bit too small to easily use the directional function without pressing the middle set button in tandem.
Now what I love. As I mentioned above, this is the sturdiest camcorder I’ve ever played with. The body construction and flip out screen feel very tight, and my guess is that the unit could probably take a decent beating. The camcorder also has a very nice 30x optical zoom. The only drawback is that the farther you zoom, the more the camera needs a tripod to capture good video. The best feature though is the main selling point which is the waterproof construction. The camera touts an IPX8 waterproof rating, and is supposed to be able to be submerged up to 3 meters (around 10 feet). I tested out this capability in a friend’s koi pond and was surprised at how well the camera handled underwater. There are three main points/doors on the camera that need to be closed to ensure a waterproof seal (the A/C adapter door, the battery compartment, and the USB/SD Memory card door. As part of this functionality, Sanyo placed a second record button on the right side near the lens of the camera so you could hold onto the top of the camera, dunking it and your hand in water and still have easy access to the record button. The only drawback of recording under water was the recorded audio of water seeping into the microphone and any waterproof crevasses. I found that dunking the camera in the water a few times prior to filming helps to ease this audio. I also love that this camcorder has the ability to take still photos while recording video.
Also the camcorder records in Mpeg-4, and it acts like an external USB drive when hooked up to a PC so it’s super easy to take the video off the camera as well as editing it and playing it back on a PC.
As far as the quality goes, the video is not quite as nice as some other camcorders that have similar size video capabilities. It records in 720p, but I have seen better. The video tends to break-up a bit and look pixilated when there is a lot of action on the screen. As far as the still photography quality, it takes 2 megapixel photos, which is pretty low quality with a lot of noise. Indoors, even with the flash the quality is pretty bad.
All in all, with the versatility of its super-sturdy waterproof construction (which makes it a great all the time camera that doesn’t have to be smuggled into a bag or purse when rain suddenly starts falling) and its surprising low price point, it balances out its issues with slightly reduced video, and very poor still photo quality. It’s a super fun camera to use and I think it makes for a great on the go adventurous gadget.
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Comment by
Daddy NJ on 3 July 2009:
I didn’t buy this to use underwater – but I did want something I didn’t have to be ‘precious’ with. I’ve taken a bunch of family snippets with my kids in the bath, at the beach, at the part, at the zoo, etc. They’ve all come out pretty well. Picture quality is impressive when the light is good (awful when it isn’t). The zoom lens is incredible – but you have to have a very, very steady hand once you get past around x10 or the result will leave you feeling seasick if you try to watch it. It’s really just a matter of finding something to brace against. Don’t fancy a monopod/tripod as the point of a camera this small is that it’s compact and easy to bring along … right?
Plus Points
- Picture quality (in good light)
- Rugged, well made item – no need to be ‘precious’ with it
- Can survive a dunking at the beach/pool/bath/fishing etc.
- Idiot proof controls
- Saves to SD card – easy uploading to computer, EyeFi compatible
- Sound quality is pretty good
- EXTREMELY long battery life – seems to go on forever
Minus Points
- Picture quality is awful in low-light
- Included software isn’t great
All in all I’m very pleased with it.
[Reply]
Comment by
K. Powell on 3 July 2009:
This Sanyo camcorder is o.k…We took this camcorder to Maui to record our snorkeling trips. The good: small and compact and not to terribly hard to figure out. The Bad: when the sun is shining, you can’t see squat on the screen! and I mean SQUAT! Nada! When we filmed underwater, the current was so strong that it kept shutting the screen and turning off the camera, you couldn’t see what you were filming because the sun was shining. BUT when we got back to the hotel and hooked up the camera to the TV, it was awesome! The pictures were great (when you actually got a shot!)….I had a hard time getting video of the fish when we went snorkeling but when I did get it, it was awesome. I would recommend this camcorder if you just want to record some memeories and you have the extra money to burn. I don’t think it’s worth the money just because the video screen is just that hard to see when the sun is out. If there was some kind of eye porthole to look through, I would rate this camcorder as OFF THE WALL! but because you can’t see what you are filming I wouldn’t recommend it. Sorry. But like I said, once you get it on TV it’s a different world…you can actually see what you filmed!!
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