I just purchased the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 and I have to say, I'm very impressed. I bought it as an Amazon open box warehouse deal which made it even better.
First, let me talk about my experience with video cameras.
I have owned a couple, starting with the 8mm format back in the late 1980's and then moving to digital-8 later on.
I liked taking video, but hated schlepping around a camera, so therefore, I didn't use them. Also, editing together video was a pain, having to go through a tape sequentially to import the video.
A friend of mine found the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 and I was intrigued. It was small, portable and waterproof. It looked to be a fun little camera.
I've been taking some experimental videos testing the camera and here are my conclusions.
MY NEEDS/REQUIREMENTS:
- Lightweight and easy to carry around - Something small enough to fit in a pocket and not be a complete drag to carry around, to the point that I would dread it
- Mac compatible (this was a deal breaker)
- Easy to use
- Good quality video. I have HD TVs and Blu-Ray, but realized that my videos would not be Hollywood epics. I wanted quality that was good enough for "video snapshots," small fun videos
PROS:
- This camera is lightweight - not a pain to carry around
- Mac compatible!!!!! Not one problem in using it with iMove and iPhoto!
- MP4's much easier to grab and use! So much better than tape!
- Very nice quality when shot at the maximum quality setting. Probably not as great as some expensive cameras but I'm quite frankly, for the fun videos I shoot, the quality is really quite excellent, as an MP4.
- Good sound
- Easy to use
SOME SIDE COMMENTS
- I have put MP4 clips on my Mac, and then copied them over to our PlayStation 3 (using Nullriver media server on the Mac) and we watch clips on our TV. Talk about ease of use! This has been FANTASTIC!
- While I was not shopping for a waterproof camera, I have to admit that I'm looking forward to trying this little guy out in the water. Plus the benefit of being able to be in the rain with it, and not having to worry about water!
NOT PRO AND NOT CON
- The still photos taken with the Xacti are OK. Not as good as our still cameras (we have quite good still cameras). We might also be really picky about our still photos. I know someone else who has the Xacti and likes the quality of the still photos. This is where taste comes into it.
- The Xacti is so small that I could easily fit it into my bag with my other camera, so not a big deal
- Having said all that, depending on the situation, and how important the still photos would be to me, I could easily see myself just using the Xacti, in those cases, though I would still prefer the quality of my regular digital camera.
CONS:
- Low light effects the quality. The videos can be grainy in low light. This is not that big an issue for me, because I'm just taking fun little videos, so I'm fine with it. I think it's acceptable.
SUMMARY
This little camera is a keeper! I would not hesitate to recommend it. My only advice is to think about what your needs and requirements are, and make your decision based on that. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).
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