Sanyo Xacti VPC-CS1
The ever-decreasing size of digital cameras and mobile phones means we can take these gadgets everywhere we go.
Sanyo has taken this process one step further with the latest model in its Xacti series of point-and-shoot camcorders, the VPC-CS1. Introducing a new slim sensor module and a new super slim lens, the VPC-CS1 is only 2.7 centimetres thick, or about half as thick as previous Xacti models. The VPC-CS1 is also one of the lightest camcorders around at about 141 grams.
Like previous Xacti models, the VPC-CS1 can capture high-definition video at a resolution of 1920 x 1080 pixels in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format. It can also assemble 8-megapixel still images with its software, although the real sensor resolution is 3-megapixels from the sensor, plus a 10x zoom lens.
One of the best things about this model is its stereo audio-recording capability. The VPC-CS1 not only records sound in the general direction of the scene, but its Gun Microphone mode focuses the microphone at a narrower angle. This feature also works with the zoom, with the camera automatically adjusting the recording volume depending on the scene.
The Xacti VPC-CS1 is available now for HK$2,990.
Pros: super-portable camcorder, high-definition quality, stereo audio recording, directional microphone
Cons: the 8-megapixel still images are just souped-up 3-megapixel versions, no external microphone jack
