The HD1 Xacti uses advanced MPEG-4 encoding for its Normal and HD video modes, including 1280x720p HD. While the HD motion and color are true, the image clarity suffers somewhat. It isn't as sharp as the HDV camcorders we've tested. We also noticed a good amount of noise in the shadows, which became worse in low light. Also, the images showed noticeable compression artifacts, especially when enlarged to see detail. To be fair, though, a high-end HD camcorder still costs as much as a sports car. The Xacti's sub-$800 price tag is as innovative as the HD technology behind it. If you have a High Definition TV, the ability to plug in and see an HD picture is a joy.

The Xacti's menu options are vast, and a different menu is available during playback and recording. One big advantage of recording to solid-state memory is the instant access to any of your video clips. The Xacti HD1 makes a new video clip each time you press the record button. Inside the Recording menu, you'll be able to modify several image settings. Choose from "vivid," "soft," or "normal" image adjustment. The vivid setting seems to increase the saturation and contrast. The result is a punchy image that has a distinct look. Another option is the ability to edit in-camera. In the Playback menu, simply select a clip, then select at which point to edit. You can erase the unwanted portion of any clip. This is an easy way to "clean up" your memory card to allow for more recording time.

After a week's worth of testing, the Sanyo HD1 Xacti held up quite well. Though its low light quality needs some work, it performed higher than expected in most areas. Using the Xacti is almost effortless thanks to its thoughtfully placed controls. And, the ability to record video onto solid-state memory is really cool.

Format: SD memory card
Number of CCDs: 1
Size of CCDs: 1/2.5 inch
Pixels on CCD (k): 5,360
Video Effective Pixels (k): 5,100
Focus: auto and manual
Shutter Speed: auto and manual
Maximum Shutter Speed: 1/10,000 sec
Minimum Shutter Speed: 1/30 sec
Lens f Stop: f/6.3
Exposure Modes: Manual, Sports, Portrait, Landscape, Night View, Fireworks, Lamp
Optical Zoom: 10x
Focal Length: 38mm- 380mm (film conversion)
Image Stabilization: electronic
Manual White Balance: Auto, Manual, Sunny, Cloudy, Fluorescent, Incandescent
Viewfinder: none
LCD Monitor: 2.2 inch OLED
Progressive Scan: Yes
HD Modes: 720p at 30fps
Video In: no
Video Out: USB 2.0, S-video, Composite, Component
Mono/Stereo Recording: Stereo
Microphone In: Yes
VU Meters: No
Manual Audio Level Controls: No
Headphone Jack: No
Speaker: Yes
Still Shot Media: SD memory card
Memory Card Included: No
Flash: Yes
Wireless Remote: Yes
External Battery Charger Provided: No
Battery Type: Li-ion
Card Loading Configuration: Rear
Onboard Video Light: No
Accessory Shoe: No

• Easy manual focus and exposure
• Slow motion recording
• Small design

• HD compression
• Low light shooting

Look for more companies to take a cue from the well-designed Sanyo HD1 Xacti.

Andrew Burke is Videomaker's editorial assistant, a member of AIVF and has worked in video production worldwide.

Sanyo Fisher Company
21605 Plummer St.
Chatsworth, CA 91311
(818) 998-7322
www.sanyodigital.com
$800