Product Description

Get both the functionality of a digital camera and a digital camcorder in one with the Sanyo HD1010 Xacti Digital Media Camera/Camcorder. It is a high-definition, compact digital media device with a 10x optical zoom. The HD1010 offers advanced, next-generation video performance and high-quality stills in one small, lightweight camera. This powerful little device is designed to record either 1080P (30fps) or 1080i (60fps) high-definition video and 4-megapixel digital still images, all of which are handily stored to a SD or SDHC memory card. 10x Optical Zoom - the f/1.8 lens allows almost 4 times more light through. With 8 groups and 11 total lenses with a built-in neutral density filter, this lens provides a field-of-view of 38-380 mm range (35 mm equivalent) Video & Still Image Stabilization Sequential shooting - 7 frames per second Face detection still images & Face chaser video - up to 12 faces each - monitors the subject's face and adjust brightness and focus for clear photos High Quality Audio Recording - Record 48 kHz, 16-bit, 2-channel sound for AAC-LC (MPEG-4 Audio). An external microphone can be attached Wind Roar & Red Eye Reduction Web Cam Function PictBridge Compatible USB 2.0 & S-Video Output Built-in pop-up Flash SDHC Flash memory compatible - up to 1 hour and 27 minutes 1080P (30fps) video on a 8GB SDHC card or 1 hour and 14 minutes of 1080i (60fps) high-definition video on a single 8GB SDHC card (not included). Compatible with cards up to 32GB HDMI high-definition output Docking station Manual controls

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #265 in Camera & Photo
• Brand: Sanyo
• Model: HD1010
• Dimensions: 5.30" h x 7.00" w x 7.90" l, 3.55 pounds
• Display size: 2.7

Features

• Records in HD 1080p or 1080i high-def digital video; takes 4 megapixel still images
• Playback recordings on a 2.7-inch LCD display
• Includes 10x optical zoom, plus video and still image stabilization
• Features sequential shooting (7 FPS), plus face detection technology for video and photos (up to 12 faces)
• Comes with web cam functionality; USB 2.0 and S-Video output; SDHC flash memory compatible, plus 40 MB internal memory

From the Manufacturer
From the Manufacturer

Summary
The Sanyo HD1010 Xacti digital media camera with 10x optical zoom is a high-definition compact digital media device that combines both the functionality of a digital camera and a digital camcorder. The HD1010 offers advanced, next-generation video performance and high-quality stills in one small, lightweight camera. This powerful little device is designed to record either 1080P (30fps) or 1080i (60fps) high-definition video and 4-megapixel digital still images, all of which are handily stored to a convenient SD or SDHC memory card.

Sanyo Xacti HD1010 Highlights

1080P (30fps) Incorporating the latest high-definition CMOS sensor, the Sanyo Xacti HD1010 camcorder captures either 1920x1080 (1080P) high-definition video at 30 frames-per-second or 1920x1080 (1080i) high-definition video at 60 fields-per-second. Designed to record the rich and vibrant colors of real life, the HD1010 also captures the subtle tones to provide the natural-looking result. The HD1010’s CMOS sensor provides the responsiveness needed to capture fast moving subjects and Sanyo’s noise reduction technology helps obtain the cleanest signal from each pixel. The HD1010 records to the latest in MPEG-4 standard MPEG-4 AVC/H.264, delivering exceptional video clarity and detail while maintaining the smallest file size possible.

10x optical HD lens At the front of the HD1010 is a commanding 10x all-glass HD lens. The HD1010’s fast f/1.8 lens is capable of allowing almost four times more light through to assist in lower light venues. Consisting of eight groups and eleven total lenses with a built-in neutral density filter, the HD1010's lens provides a fantastic field-of-view with a 38-380 mm range (35 mm equivalent). Combined with the 10x digital zoom, the HD1010 provides up to 100x total zooming capability.

Large 2.7-inch wide screen display The Xacti HD1010 features a large 2.7-inch widescreen Liquid Crystal Display (LCD). The display flips out from the camera and rotates up to 285 degrees on an axis that allows you to take great video or still images from otherwise-difficult-to-view positions, especially useful when shooting in large crowds or in small rooms.

4-megapixel still photos The Xacti HD1010 enables simultaneous shooting of 4-megapixel still images and HD (1920 x 1080 pixel) movie clips, with a simple press of the shutter button during the shooting of a movie clip. Users will never need to miss another precious photo opportunity. (Depending on the mode used to take still images, simultaneous video clip shooting may be interrupted. While shooting video clips, using the digital image stabilizer may change the angle of view for still images.)

Recognize up to 12 faces

Face Detection/Chaser Technology The latest in digital still photography -- Face Detection and Face Chaser technology actually monitor the subject’s face and adjust brightness and focus to incredibly clear photos. This technology can be used to recognize up to 12 faces in both video and still photos on Sanyo’s HD1010.

HDMI high-definition output It’s easy to share your high-definition movies on your HD television with the HD1010. Using the HDMI (High-Definition Multimedia Interface) terminal built into the base station, just one cable (cable not included) connects your camcorder to your TV for a totally digital output. HDMI carries both the video and audio signals in digital form for the highest quality playback.

Convenient SD/SDHC memory card The Sanyo Xacti HD1010 records high-definition and photos directly to a standard SD or SDHC Memory Card. In fact, the HD1010 is capable of recording up to 1 hour and 27 minutes 1080P (30fps) video on a single 8GB SDHC card or 1 hour and 14 minutes of 1080i (60fps) high-definition video on a single 8GB SDHC card (card sold separately). The HD1010 is compatible with SD Memory Cards up to a 32GB. The SD memory card’s compact size (0.94W x 1.26H x 0.08D inches) and weight (about 2 grams) makes it ideal for the compact size of the HD1010. The minimal power requirements of the SD card also contribute to longer recording and playback times. When connected to the computer via the USB cable, the HD1000 acts as a standard card reader. Transferring images and videos to your computer has never been easier.

Image stabilization High-definition can't hide shaky or erratic camera shaking. That's why Sanyo's HD1010 comes with a sophisticated image stabilizer for both stills and video. Using a proprietary Sanyo algorithm, the HD1010 compensates for distracting up-and-down or side-to-side camera movement during video shooting, keeping your subject steady and easy to follow. It accurately distinguishes between unintentional camera shake and deliberate camera movement. This handy feature operates in both wide-angle and telephoto modes, giving every shot a solid, professional-looking feel. Sequential photo shoots up to 7 frames per second Shoot pictures like the pros with up to 7 photos in a single second. The perfect solution for action photography.

Random access Each video is recorded as an individual MPEG-4 and each still as a JPEG file. This allows you to review a specific image or video quickly and easily, without having to rewind or fast forward.

Adjustable resolution modes Choose from eight different video resolution modes and eight different still photo resolution levels depending on how your images will be used.

Easy camera to PC connection Sanyo's HD1010 streamlines the confusing and complicated component connection process with an innovative docking station. This doc provides an instant connectivity to HDMI -- (cable sold separately) -- component, composite or S-video connection to a TV, DVD player and computer. The HD1010 even recharges its internal battery when nested in the docking station.

Robust sound recording Record 48 kHz, 16-bit, 2-channel sound for AAC-LC (MPEG-4 Audio). Incredible high quality audio is the perfect match for the stunning high-definition videos. The Xacti HD1010 also features a dedicated terminal to which an external microphone can be attached.

Organization and in-camera editing With the Sanyo Xacti HD1010’s 9-image display function, users can quickly search for specific images or videos. And, with the slideshow feature, images can be played back continuously. The HD1010 allows users to edit clips right in the camera. Unwanted images can also be easily deleted, freeing up memory card capacity.

Ergonomic design The Xacti series has become known for the small size and ergonomic design. The HD1010 features a comfortable angle designed to easily fit in the palm of the hand. The HD1010's design adapts a new 105-degree angle research proven to be less tiring to hold and shoot than typical camcorders. Easy-to-hold and easy-to-shoot, the HD1010 raises the bar in compact camcorder design.

Super-fast startup With the tapeless design, the HD1010 eliminates the need to queue up a tape deck or get a DVD or hard drive spinning. When the HD1010 is powered on, closing the LCD display puts the HD1000 in standby mode. Simply open the display and the HD1000 automatically powers up and can begin immediately recording in as little as two seconds.

Manual controls The HD1010 features versatile manual controls for advanced shooting. The following settings can be manually adjusted according to the shooting situation: Manual focus adjustment (16 settings); aperture adjustment (6 stops); exposure compensation (1.8 EV, 0.3 EV steps); shutter speed (13 settings); and image-quality adjustment (for sharpness and color saturation).

Easy HD playback The Xacti HD1010 enables easy playback of recorded high-definition images directly on a TV screen. Connect the HD1010 to a VCR or DVD recorder to back-up copies of recorded content. Still images and video clips on the Xacti HD1010 are played back continuously and in chronological order. Along with MPEG-4 digital recording, the Xacti HD1010 offers convenient connection to a PC. With simple drag-and-drop operation, it's easy to save recorded video clips and still images onto a computer's hard disk for emailing, editing or archiving. The HD1010 also comes with a remote controller to operate the camera at a distance during playback.

Customer Reviews

Great device!
For the last few weeks I have been searching for as many reviews as I could on the Sanyo HD 1010 to help me make a decision on which camcorder to purchase. Because I could only base my decision on the 4 reviews that I read here (which did help immensely), I thought I'd share my opinion of this camcorder to help other potential consumers make up their mind.
I should tell you that I am a professional wedding photographer (still images, 14 years) so that you have a reference point of who's telling you what. I received the Sanyo HD 1010 3 days ago, and had the entire weekend to play around with it.
The quick answer: For my purposes, I love this camcorder. However, this camcorder is not for everyone-you should determine what you plan on using the camera for before deciding to purchase (see below, two paragraphs down).
My wife and I love to travel. I was looking for a camcorder that tooks great video, was portable and took decent still images. The 1010 does just that. I've looked at the Canon HF 100 and the Samsung HMX20C and they are also small, but the 1010 just feels smaller to me and more portable. I own a Sony PC9 which was a great camcorder in its day, but it has stayed at home the last five years. (I like to have a camera that I can put on my belt clip or is light enough to dangle from my neck.) The video's that I've used have come from point and shoot cameras that took decent video clips. The image quality (from the point and shoot cameras) is certainly not as good as mini DV, which the PC9 is, but it was always there for the taking. I only recently became interested in shooting better quality video as the size of these new camcorders have come down recently. Understand that I am not replacing my still camera (the Canon G7 is my travel camera) and don't recommend anyone to replace their still camera with this all in one camcorder. However, the 1010 does take nice stills (a little oversaturated, but quite acceptable). You obviously can only use one camera at a time, so when you are using the 1010 and want to snap a quick photo while you're shooting video or you stop shooting video, it's nice to know you can get a decent photo with this camcorder.
The reason this camcorder is not for everyone is the poor image stabilization. If the 1010 had optical image stabilization, it would be hands down perfect! Does this ruin it for me? NO. Most people have a tendency to overuse the zoom lens and pan too quickly. Most of my videos are taken at wide or mid range (travel, scenic footage and family gatherings). When I do pan, I hold the camcorder as steady as possible and SLOWLY pan, almost exaggerated. I do this whether or not the camcorder has image stabilization. You shouldn't rely on the image stabilization as a crutch. If you use good techniques for average subjects your videos will be fine. I shot 12 minutes of a family birthday party using the techniques I described and my videos were fine, no "motion sickness videos". However, if plan on buying the 1010 to videotape your young children or children's sports, I don't recommend this camera. That's where a good optical image stabilizer will shine.
Ok, my observations:
* As I said, I love this product. It produces beautiful videos, better than any camcorder I've ever owned. I tried all the different quality settings and decided to stick with the 1080i 60fps as my permanent setting. On this setting, I didn't see any artifacts, or lagging, when panning with image stabilization (IS) off. I really need to do some more comparisons with IS on, but this is my initial impression. I looked at my brother in law's HI Def Sony with him. He's a computer/techie expert and we looked together and both agreed on the same things. The 60fps settings on both the 1080i and 720i were better than the 1080p 30fps and 720p 30fps settings. I know everyone makes a big deal about the 1080p setting, but 60fps LOOKS better. It's smoother. The 1080i and 720i at 60fps are very close in quality on the High Def set, but on my 36 inch Sony, the 720i when panned had some artifacts (don't know why; didn't happen on the Hi-def set. I'm sure you techies know). But the reason I'm going to leave it on the highest quality is two reasons: 1.) You should always record at the best setting. You can always down convert, but you can't upconvert. 2. ) With the software(Nero 8) that comes packaged with the product, I am able to burn a standard DVD taken from 1080i 60fps footage. As others have said, I cannot view the footage at normal speed (views jerky) on my PC(windows XP, laptop, dual core), but I can still burn it un-edited to a DVD which plays beautifully. I don't have time anyway to edit videos on a PC. What I CAN do, is splice the mpeg 4 clips together in the camera (very easy to do!) and/or edit them in camera, and then burn to the DVD. It's not Hi-def quality, but it's DVD quality and still better than any other home video that I have ever produced. I plan on getting a separate USB drive to keep my "albums" in Hi-def and play them back on Hi-def TV, and use the DVD's as a lower quality (but still good) back up and/or to share with family/friends. FYI, the 12 minutes of footage took roughly 50 minutes to burn. Not bad! I haven't researched recording on to a Blu-Ray in Hi-def, but even if it's not till next year, the hi-def footage will be there when I'm ready to.
* I love the size. Not really pocketable as some people claim (a jacket yes, pants, no), but small enough to put on your hip or dangle from your neck (I use a Canon neckstrap made for their Elph camera's).
* You can "pull" high quality jpegs from your video footage. I was really amazed at how good the images are when you do this! Very clean and smooth.
* The holster case from Sanyo is so-so. It's ok for a house party or short term use, but the clip is not tight on the belt and there is nothing to prevent the camera from falling out if you snag the case on something or have excessive movement. I bought a UV filter to protect the lens and the lens cap does not fit very snug on the filter. The filter falls off EVERY time I put the camera in the holster. I will look around for an aftermarket case to use instead. I would not use the holster outside of the house.
* The controls/menus, etc, are GREAT. I have never had a camera that navigates so easily and quickly when looking to change settings. This is a big plus and not to be overlooked.
* I use a Transcend 8gb class 6 card and it works fine. Did not seem to take a long time to write the file to the card, but my longest clip was only 3 minutes. Maybe if I shot longer footage, a faster card would make a difference.
* Low light footage is FINE. People have complained about the grain in the low light footage. I don't have an issue with this. In very, very low light you are going to get grain. Of course! Here's my experience. I took my family footage at night at a well lit house (lighting from the ceiling, high-caps) and there was no grain. When we went to the dining room for the birthday cake singing, the lights went off, and a single candle lit the room. I had the camera ISO set to AUTO, which appears to me to set the lowest ISO that will take an acceptable video. That's the way it should be. Anyway, when the lights went off, the video went black for a split second until the ISO adjusted to the candle, and the video had some grain but was fine. It's not a professional camera. This low light problem that reviewers are complaining about is a non-issue. When the lights went back on, everything shifted back to normal.
* I had no problem with focus hunting. There was very little of it and it was not noticeable. There was one time when the camcorder shifted completely out of focus but only for a split second. It seemed no different from any other camcorder that I've owned.
* I'm thinking of getting the wide angle converter (for the travel usage), but don't really have an issue with the widest angle of view. Yes, I would have loved a 28mm equivalent, but the 38mm is fine.
* Battery life seems fine, not an issue. Again, haven't used it too much, but I did get two equivalent batteries on Amazon for twenty bucks.
* I find the pistol grip to be quite comfortable and easier to hold than the more common "palmcorders". Also, I use two hands to hold the camera and keep it steady. I keep my left hand on the LCD screen. This helps steady the camera and keep down the jerkiness when zooming in tight and also panning.
* The flash is pretty good. I was very surprised. However, I found that when I used the flash, it seem to oversaturate the image vs. when I turned the flash off and used natural light.

Conclusion: Great camcorder, great video results. Don't let the image stabilization issue stop you from buying this product unless your primary purpose is taking video of your young children and sports action.

an electronics device that actually exceeded my expectations
This camcorder exceeded even my highest expectations. I have only had it a little over 24 hours but so far it has been incredible. the interface is very intuitive, the movie quality is, as far as I have seen, unsurpassed in a camcorder this size and price, and is everything its advertised to be (and then some).

Pros:
light weight
intuitive menu system
REALLY good screen
4MP digital camera
full HD camcorder
can take still pictures while making a movie (I love this feature!!!)
the WOW factor, because every-time I pull it out to use everyone around me goes WOW, what kind of camera is that. no one believes me its a HD camcorder!
so light and small it can fit in your car/purse/back-pocket/pez dispenser.

cons:
price - for me this wasnt a issue. I was able to replace my camera and add a HD camcorder for a reasonable amount.
grip - I would like to have seen the grip area be a bit larger. I have found a way to make it ft nicely in my hand, but if the grip was either larger or came with, say, a plastic extender maybe that you could put on the bottom it would be great. I have put the camera in 6 different peoples hands and they all said it felt nice after holding it for a few minutes. You just have to find a way that it is comfy for your hand size.

screen rotation - the one and only thing , if I were the designers of the HD1010 that I would change (and now you'll see how nitpicky I am being). If the viewing screen would rotate to the front I could hold the camera in front of me, look at the screen and know I'm in focus / in the shot, and make a quickie recording. Sort of a looking at the camera, blair witch kinda shot. It only rotates to the top and bottom, not to the front. just a wishlist thing. thats the absolute worst thing about the camera so far.

Comparing it to all of the complaints of the HD1000, I can say everything that was complained about in the HD1000 has been fixed. Sanyo even admitted that this is not supposed to be a whole new model, only a upgrade to the HD1000. By that I mean all of the autofocus issues I read about with the HD1000 have been resolved. as a matter of fact I couldnt MAKE it have a focusing problem. I've tried low light, bright light, moving subjects, even the fan in my living room. everything focused perfectly.

The camera takes great pictures also. They turned out better than any digital camera I have ever used, albeit I have always used more of the personal point and shoot olympus / nikon type. Dark rooms, outdoors, inside with fluorescent bulbs, you name it the pictures have been better than what I expected.

Like I said, I have had 6 other people try using it, from my girlfriend with really small hands to a guy I work with who is 6'7" and has Andre the giant hands and they have all loved it. I have not told anyone how to use it. Just handed it to them and said 'I just got a new camera, try it out and see what you think.' With no instructions everyone has taken both movies, pictures, and had smiles while doing it. Its rare to find something electronic that anyone can use with no instructions given and the HD1010 is something you can use straight out of the box. It really is fun to use.

bottom line, if you are looking at getting a camcorder, this one deserves a close look. I am very picky when it comes to electronics, and I am amazed at what they have done with this camcorder/camera. Everything I expected when I ordered it has been greatly exceeded. Great camera, ease of use, quality of the product overall, and in the end quality of the movies it makes... you cant go wrong.

UPDATE
-------
thanks to everyone who mentioned you can rotate the lens to the front. I was wrong about that, you can! well, that pretty much zero's out the thing I wanted them to change so, my new complaint is that it doesnt come with Kevin Smith to make better movies with it :)

Poor stabilization mars otherwise good camera
Before HD camcorders became available I had a DV (tape based; standard definition) camcorder. The trouble with DV camcorders is that it is time-consuming to (1) import the movie into the computer and (2) encode it into a suitable format. Needless to say, because of the hassle I wasn't making very many home movies. Then I purchased an Xacti C4. This camera made a big difference. It was tiny, easily fit in the jeans pocket, the image quality was decent for an SD camera, and most importantly, no post-processing was needed! All you had to do was drag & drop files from the camera to the computer. No waiting for the tape to wind. No re-encoding needed either because the file format is already MP4. To watch the movie on TV all I had to do is drop the file into iTunes, then wirelessly stream the movie to AppleTV. It doesn't get any easier than this.

Then HD cameras became available. My first HD camera was Sony HDR-HC1. That's a pretty decent camera. But once again I wasn't making very many movies because HDR-HC1 is tape based, which means a time-consuming process is needed to transfer the movie and to encode to H.264 MP4 format. So I purchased an Xacti HD1010 hoping to repeat my success with the old Xacti C4 but in HD this time.

My first impression when I got the HD1010 was that it is larger and heavier than I expected. This is not a big camera by any means, but my expectations were set by the tiny Xacti C4, and compared to that camera the HD1010 seems big and heavy. It won't fit in my jeans pocket either (unlike the Sony HDR-TG1, the smallest HD camcorder available today.)

What about image quality? I shot a test footage in low light. I was not impressed with the image quality. Fine details seemed to be missing apparently due to heavy noise-reduction. I then decided to compare the HD1010 with my old Sony HDR-HC1. I held the Sony in one hand and the Sanyo in the other and simultaneously shot test footages using both cameras, in a semi-lowlight situation. Initially the Sony appeared to have much better image quality. But that was the raw uncompressed footage. I encoded the Sony footage into H.264 and adjusted the bitrate so that the resulting file is about the same size as the one from Sanyo. Now the Sony and Sanyo quality seemed comparable. In fact the Sanyo seemed to have more accurate color. But the big difference was in image stabilization. I didn't know how good Sony's image stabilization was until I compared it to the Sanyo. The Sanyo movie is very jittery. This is with Sanyo's image stabilization on, and with zoom set to 1x. For HD camcorders stabilization is important, and the HD1010 disappoints in this department.

Another disappointment was that although the MP4 files from the Sanyo are compatible with QuickTime they are not compatible with AppleTV. AppleTV expects 720p 24 fps (frames per second). Sanyo supports 720p but it uses 30 fps, not 24 fps. As a result the file has to be converted before being streamed to AppleTV. It is easy enough to convert using iTunes, but it takes a long time. The resulting file is 960x540 not 1280x720 because iTunes gives priority to preserving the fps and at 30 fps AppleTV only supports 960x540.

I like the fact that this camera comes with a soft case. For comparison Sony charges $50 extra for a soft case for their competing HDR-TG1.

Bottom line: I am a little disappointed because the camera is bigger and heavier than the Xacti C4, the files are not immediately compatible with AppleTV, and most importantly the image stabilization is poor, which means you have to use a tripod. For comparison the Canon HF10 has optical image stabilization and it has a 24 fps mode, both of which would have helped me. The Canon is more expensive but it has 16GB of internal memory which HD1010 doesn't.