Sanyo has confirmed it will be expanding its range of gun-shaped Dual Camera Xacti devices this month with the launch of the DMX-CA100 - a full HD Dual camera suitable for underwater use.
Unfortunately for Sanyo, competitor Toshiba stole a little bit of thunder in the waterproof camcorder market last week, with its announcement that it will shortly be launching its BW10 full HD waterproof sportcam with image stabilization. This will no doubt put a spanner in the works for Sanyo’s pre-launch claims of offering the “World’s first waterproof Full HD Dual Camera."
All is not lost, though. On comparing the specifications of these two forthcoming releases, Sanyo should be able to rest easy, safe in the knowledge that its device has got a bit more welly when it comes to image capture.
Able to withstand up to 3 meters of water, the Sanyo DMC-CA100 will have the capacity to record up to 60 minutes of full HD video (1920 x 1080 pixels) MPEG-4 files. Meanwhile, it will also be able to capture plenty of 14-megapixel stills (4640 x 3480 pixels) thanks to its SDXC memory card compatibility.
As it’s designed for active use, its continuous shooting feature should prove popular, enabling photographers to capture up to 22 still images at seven frames per second.
Additionally, for long-distance shots a “Double Range Zoom” feature will enhance wide-angle capture to telephoto zoom at a magnification level of up to 12x. With this feature in tow, photographers and videographers will be able to alternate between two zoom options. Although there's no option for optical zoom, its digital zoom focal scope is fairly impressive with a Wide Mode focal range of 40mm to 240mm and a Tele Mode range between 80mm to 480mm.
As with previous Xacti models, users will be able to make full use of the dual mode design by selecting either video or photo mode using the designated buttons which sit just above the thumb. From previous experience, the ergonomic gun design should also feel comfortable in the hand if you’re trying to steady yourself underwater as you shoot.
Sales for the Sanyo Xacti DMX-CA100 will start at the end of June, although final prices have yet to be announced. It will be available in black, yellow or pink.
