Consumer cameras continue to shrink and now Sanyo has laid claim to the title of the world's smallest, thinnest and lightest Full HD consumer video camera with its new VPC-CS1. The camera is part of Sanyo’s Xacti line that includes a range of Dual cameras for capturing both video and still images. With its body measuring just 1.06-inches (2.7cm) thick the VPC-CS1 is slim enough to stick in your jeans pocket to ensure you’ll have a camera on hand to capture those unexpected video-worthy moments in glorious Full HD 1920 x 1080 resolution.
Designed to make it easy to share captured videos online the VPC-CS1 records video in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format. Sanyo reports the device is also undergoing official certification to support iFrame – a video format designed by Apple to speed up importing and editing by keeping the content in its native recorded format while editing. Although it was developed by Apple, the computer-friendly format can be used with both Mac and PC compatible applications due to the use of standards-based technologies such as H.264, AAC, and MP4.
A “Sound Zoom” function provides a choice of three microphone modes for capturing audio. Wide Mode captures audio from a wide angle with high stereo separation; Gun mode focuses on sound emanation from the direction the camera is pointing; and Zoom Combination mode automatically changes the settings according to the camera’s zoom setting.
Still images captured through the camera’s 38-mm wide-angle lens with 9x optical zoom are received from the image sensor as approximately 3.3-megapixel images before being enhanced and recorded as 8-megapixel images. Still image features include a Digital Image Stabilizer, Face Chaser Function, Target a Color Function and Sequential Shot, which is capable of 20 shots at 6fps.
With no viewfinder images and video are viewed on the unit’s 2.7-inch TFT widescreen display. The included Li-ion battery should be good for recording around 200 still shots, 60 minutes of video or for around 210 minutes of continuous playback.
To achieve its slim form factor Sanyo developed a slim sensor module and a new super slim lens for the VPC-CS1. The advances have resulted in a camera that is approx. 126 cc in volume, weighs around 5.6 oz (159 g) including battery and SD card, and measures 2.5 (W) x 1.06 (D) x 4.8 (H) inches (62.5 x 26.8 x 123.5mm). It includes a mini HDMI terminal for direct connection to a HDTV and can store content on SD, SDHC (up to 32 GB) and SDXC (up to 64 GB) memory cards.
Sanyo’s Dual Camera Xacti VPC-CS1 is available now at MSRP of US$299.
That\'s some great thinkin\' there, Lou.