Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Reviews

Buying Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-11-05T07:24:00.001-08:00

Before purchasing E2 I was torn between E1 and E2 but decided to go with a new model. There were no reviews on E2 other than a single one for Euro/Japanese/Canadian version of E2 called CA8 and that review blasted the camera's new sensor. Nevertheless, with Amazon's liberal return policy, I decided to take my chance and to get E2 instead of E1. After all, it is a second generation of this waterproof camera, and I thought the second generation is typically better.

If you are trying to decide between E1 and E2, here are the major differences:

The most obvious is a change of sensor.
E1 uses 6MP CCD 1/2.5 sensor
E2 uses 8MP CMOS 1/2.5 sensor.

E2 adds a 60 frames per second movie option (E1 was limited to 30 frames per second)

E2 adds face recognition mode. E1 has no such face detection mode

E2 adds a dedicated 'underwater' mode among several others. E1 did not have a specific 'underwater' mode.

First, I tried both the new 60 frames per second mode and the old 30 frames per second mode and I decided that I will be using 30 frames per second, I actually like the quality of 30fps mode better.

I then tried the photography mode. I took most photographs inside in tricky low-light incandescent and florescent light conditions, because I know these give ANY camera, including DSLRs such as my Canon 40D $1300 camera, the most problems. I upped the ISO to 200 and then to 400. You can see samples I posted here. BTW the macro mode on this baby goes to 1 cm!!!! I don't know if E1 had such super-macro to 1 cm. I found the photo quality acceptable and similar to that of other point-and-shoots using the same 1/2.5 and similar sensors. I felt that ISO400 was acceptable. I have not tried ISO 800 and 1600 yet.

E2 has following ISO range: in photo mode 50-1600
in video mode: 100-3200 in high sensitivity mode (3200 I don't believe you can select, but it does it).

The image stabilization feature is tricky, it is EIS, Electronic Image Stabilization, not Optical Image Stabilization, so when you use it, it crops a little bit on sides of your video and photographs, depending on which mode of EIS you use.

The sound is stereo and the quality is acceptable. The camera is tiny btw, I fit mine in case logic case I had from my Canon A75 camera.

I tried this camera underwater in my pool, both video and photographs. All worked fine, even shoots photographs with flash underwater, which makes for very freaky results.

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Finally, some people complained that Sanyo has their own unique USB cable which is a pain if you lose it or don't have it with you, and cannot read it in ordinary card reader. WRONG. I did not even bother taking the proprietary Sanyo USB cable from camera packaging. The card works easily in my HP (windows vista) desktop's card reader. I downloaded PICASA 3 which I recommend. Picasa 3 will find, download, and play all photos and every video you shoot with this camera easily and quickly, just take the SD card, put it in your card reader and Picasa will do the rest. Very easy, so don't need to bother with this cable that comes with it.

Problems: Battery life is not impressive. Battery is tiny. I am used to Fuji F30's 500 shots per charge. This battery sucks. I charged the battery fully. I then took 80 photographs (some with flash), 4 or 5 2-minute videos and my battery showed 70% gone. You need a second battery, and hopefully there are some with more juice in it that the Sanyo one that comes with the camera.

I also wish the lens would start at 28mm and not 38mm as it would make easier to take pictures/videos of oneself without need to stretch your body away from the camera. Also my belief is that the flash only operates in photo mode and not in video mode. However, it is much better than its only competitor, Panasonic SW20, which does not have any flash at all

I will add more photos later.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Buy Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-11-05T03:17:00.001-08:00

Love it. Easy to use. great pics.
Only con is that in order to take a picture, you have to push relatively hard on the button.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Purchase Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-11-04T22:05:00.001-08:00

The Xacti E2 is a good video camera & it takes lovely photos (not printed them yet but on the telly or Mac they look good).
very EASY to use with a basic menu or the more complex, it is able to play back videos in NTSC & PAL.

It would seems that it captured us surfing (in the sea) without damaging the video camera (that was the main application for the purchase)! After getting the camera wet i followed the simple care instructions & after i was sure the camera was dry reviewed the video clips on my Plasma telly the picture quality is good & fitted the whole screen (not exactly HD) but i am very satisfied & am sure when it come time to making an edit with the various clips i am going to be more than stoked!!!

Hit the record button before the subject starts moving and keep it going for a few more once they are done as it seems to cut of a little sooner!
I found as a stills camera the it does not shoot exactly when you want it too, so its a bit of hit and miss, I'm sure as i use it more it will improve. shoot with the sun behind you helps with the white balancing & remember that the screen is not exactly where the lens is pointing at.

The one down side is the battery life is not the best, so make sure its charged properly before playing.

I did purchase the Water Leash & an 8-gig card which is still empty. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Order Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-11-04T07:24:00.001-08:00

The Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder is ideal for all kinds of environmets. It handled the desert without a hitch. It captured great photos and video during our trip to India. I suggest getting the wrist strap as it keeps the camera from falling when riding a camel and navigating through the crowded markets. I have recommended this model to family and friends.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Where To Buy Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-11-04T03:17:00.001-08:00

Before I start, let me mention that I am a professional photographer and I teach photography for our local college. When I look at a new camera, that background plays a role. You may be looking for something completely different in a camera than I am.

My first impression of the Sanyo Xacti VCP E2 was all about its size. It slips right into my shirt pocket. Once I got over the size (and got the battery charged up) I was ready to go. Oh, and install a memory card. The E2 takes the popular SD cards, and it does not come with one. That's probably not a bad thing. Most people who have had a camera or two have a few of these cards lying around. If you don't, get one with the camera. I installed an 8gig card.

I was first trying to hold the camera in one hand. That didn't work very well for me. Your hands may vary. The best hold for me turned out to be with the camera in my right hand, and my left thumb and index finger on the top and bottom of the LCD, which steadies things nicely. The controls, located on the top rear of the camera, are designed to be thumb operated.

The two buttons at the very top take still photos and movies, respectively. They are easy to operate, and the still photo button does the usual "press halfway to lock everything in" function. Below these is the usual four way rocker with the button in the middle. When you are making pictures, this area is used mainly to zoom.

There is also a menu button on the back, and many functions, like turning the flash on and off, can only be accessed through the menus. If you have used digital camera menus before, these will be easy to follow.

So, how well does it work? Pretty well, actually. The macro ability of the lens is outstanding in a camera of this type. It focuses at 1 cm. That's less than a half inch, if you are metric challenged. In addition, it has a full range focus mode that will go from 1 cm to infinity without putting it into a special macro mode. I like to get in close, so that's important to me.

The camera has all the usual settings for ISO, light balance, etc., and will go as high as 3200 ISO. If you get higher than 400, buy a good noise filter plug-in for Photoshop. Once I apply that, even photos shot at 1600 look pretty good. The 8 megapixel stills are 3264 by 2448, and print nice 8x10s. You can grab stills while shooting a movie. If you do that, the stills will be 1600x1200. With 2 megapixels, you could still print an 8x10, but a 5x7 will be better. The 5X zoom works fine. There is also a 12 megapixel setting, but the sensor is 8 MP, so I assume it is simulated. I didn't use it.

Videos are either 640x480, which is plenty for display on a TV, or 320x240, which is perfect for UTube or similar services. You can record at either 30 or 60 frames a second, and I didn't see much difference. At the lower resolution, you can also record at 15 FPS, which makes a small file that's easy to email or upload.

The waterproof feature is interesting. It is supposed to be safe to 5 feet, and it seems to be. I tried it by holding it under water in my backyard pond and bothering my goldfish. Water's a little chilly this time of year!!! Anyway, it worked fine. For many people, the main advantage of this would be that you don't have to worry if you are getting rained on, and you can use it by the pool with no issues.
This camera won't replace your DSLR, but it might replace both your point and shoot still camera and your camcorder.

Pros: Size, easy to use, great macro ability, and very acceptable photo and video quality, with the waterproof feature a plus.

Cons: Not many - Uses a non standard USB cable (included) and battery life is around 100 or so stills if you are using the flash - more if the flash is off. Figure an hour of video.
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2009-11-03T22:05:00.001-08:00

I love toys, so I was very happy when my new VPC-E2 arrived yesterday. The first thing I noticed when holding the E2, is how well it fits in your hand. It's lightweight, and the simple controls are very well laid out. After skimming through manual, and charging the battery, I loaded it up with an 8GB SD card. I then went out to see what it can do. First off was taking still photos in various lighting conditions. Then I took several different videos. The VPC-E2 is very simple to use, and I didn't need to refer back to the manual for anything. After putting it through various tests, I discovered what is my first minor disappointment. Batterty life isn't great. If you plan on using it for a good part of the day, a second battery is going to be a must. All the pictures and videos looked good on the E2's screen, but the real test was when I got home and downloaded them to my computer. The still photos were very good. I was especially surprised how well the photos taken in low light at ISO 800 and 1600 came out. They were perfectly usable despite the noise level. While it's not ideal shooting at those levels, the results were better than expected. The results under normal lighting conditions were good too, for a hybrid camera. While the results weren't quite up to what a top stand alone digital point and shoot might take, the pictures were perfectly fine for viewing on a screen or printing at 4x6 or 8x10. I shot the test videos at 640x480, 30fps, high bit rate, using all "Auto" settings. Again the results were very good. The videos were clear. The sound was good. The camera focused well under all conditions. All in all, Sanyo has a winner here. You could call the VPC-E2 a "jack of all trades, master of none", but that would be a little harsh. What it does, it does well. It's not really great at anything, but it's very good at most. I look forward to my next vacation when I test it underwater on a snorkling trip. First thing I will do is order an extra battery, and buy a real case for it. The included wrap around velcro case is a joke. Here is a brief list of the pro's and con's.

Pro's:
Well designed, versatile, and easy to use.
Waterproof.
Good pictures and video for a hybrid.
Usable pictures at high ISO.

Con's:
Battery life is disappointing.
No 16:9 video options.
Price isn't cheap.
Cheesy velcro "case" that is included is terrible.
Non-standard USB cable. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-11-03T07:24:00.001-08:00

Where has this been all my life???

I think of all the cool trips I've been on and I would've killed to have one of these at that time. I didn't even know such a thing existed until I found this. Who knew that these were being made for average everyday consumers and at an affordable price?

Got water? No problema! This camcorder can handle the water and anything else you can throw at it. In an effort to give the most precise review possible, I did don my wetsuit and dove into my 60 degree pool. Brrrr. I even dropped this camcorder to the bottom of the pool a couple of times and when I played back the recording, no skips or anything and no problems with the camera. This gadget is wicked cool! The battery did poop out on me a little quick, but that could be from the cold water. I recommend getting an additional battery, but I do that will all my gizmos. Nothing more frustrating than having the battery loss at a critical moment in filming.

Did I mention that this takes still shots, too? Pretty good ones, at that. This is the camcorder/camera that I have dreamed about.

I found this device incredibly easy to use, but it will take me a while to become accustomed to all of the features. My teenagers are dying to use it in the pool next summer. I will update this review as I use the camcorder more. I plan on purchasing some accessories (extra battery, new camcorder case) for it and I'll update with what I got and how it worked out.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Review

2009-11-03T03:17:00.001-08:00

Delivery from Amazon: Securely packaged, came early.

Product Packaging:
Nice packaging, didn't have to resort to metal cutters to open like some packages these days. When you open the box everything is in proper order.

In the top compartment in the box is all the paperwork: the warranty, next was the "important warning" about the camera's waterproof feature (not deeper than 5', not longer than 60 minutes, not warmer than 104 degrees so no hot tub underwater pics), Instruction Manual, Quick Guide, safety warning about the battery charger for USA users, safety manual, software disk.

Under the paperwork compartment is the hardware: the camera, the battery, camera wrist strap, a micro USB to AV component cable, a micro USB to standard USB cable, a travel battery charger, and a protective case for the camera.

Getting started:
First disappointment was the "Quick Guide". It tells you how to take a picture and what all the buttons do. The QG mentions needing to charge the battery and even how to put the battery in the charger but it doesn't tell you how to get the battery in and out. It does tell you that it takes 90 minutes to charge the battery so at least you know when you can play with your new toy. The QG also doesn't mention needing an SD memory card or how to get it in and out. The QG has 50% of the information you would want to carry with you, so it's kind of useless.

Second disappointment was that no SD memory card is included in the box so you have to run down and buy a card before getting started if you got this as a gift. It does have 44MB of built-in memory, but that isn't going to last I have lots of SD memory cards so that isn't a problem.

The "Instruction Manual" is totally in English. The "Instruction Manual" is an improvement in that the inside of the cover has a foldout that shows you where and how to install the battery and the SD card, then how to take your first video clip and first still pictures, and finally how to play them back. The real manual is 197 pages and is really easy to use and shows lots of thought. Wish they had spent just a little time on a real quick start guide you could carry with you. When you flip the manual over, you find the Xacti Software DVD Instruction Manual which is 21 pages long. However, only the last 7 pages are about the software. It starts by telling you how to "mount" the camera on your computer, how to use it as a card reader and a PC camera (nice feature). Again, the arrangement is a little strange as there is information in this sub-manual that should have been in the main manual.

The camera:
Definitely not a shirt pocket camera. Although small, at 1.6" it is too thick and at 7 oz. too heavy to go in a shirt pocket. The protective case doesn't have belt loops or any way to clip it to the camera and only wraps around the camera so it's only function is dirt/scratch protection when you throw the camera in a purse or jacket pocket.

I'm left-handed, so I always look for ease of use for either hand. Neither hand works well with this camera, but holding it in the left hand at least gives a little leverage. The placement of the video and photo buttons causes the camera to rock whenever you push on one unless you are holding on with both hands. You just can't keep the camera stable when you are pressing the zoom, the video, or the picture buttons.

I worked my way through the manual and tested each of the features. There are two different setups for the camera to select from as far as operation: SIMPLE and NORMAL. SIMPLE is supposed to be only the minimum functions necessary to operate the camera and it puts 3 menu selections down the edge of the screen: TV which allows you to select 2 different movie and photo sizes; Select Focus Mode that lets you switch between Automatic and Macro; and finally Flash which lets you pick from auto or on or off. That's it. There are several other options that should be on the Simple menu scheme starting with access to the 9 Scene Select modes (Auto, Sports, Portrait . . . Under Water, etc.) If you switch into Normal mode, all of the camera features are available by pushing the "menu" button, but it is small and hard to hit. The menu replaces the picture on the screen, so you have to make your selection and then hit menu to get back out and see what it does. Some features that you would want to be able to access immediately are two levels down in the menus. I am not impressed with the menu system, especially when I compare it to the Canon system on their low end pocket cameras.

Videos and Pictures:

Here's where I really began to lower my opinion of the camera. It's slow to start up, slow to focus, slow to take pictures, slow to start video recording, and the zoom has one speed which is either too fast or too slow. It's 5x zoom lens going from 38mm to 190mm (35mm equivalent). It would have been more useful with a wide angle starting point, especially for underwater photos and videos.

The camera allows you to take 8 megapixel still pictures. The quality of still pictures is good and the ability to rotate the screen allows you to shoot from interesting angles. Unfortunately, it is hard to frame the pictures because what you see on the screen is not exactly what you get. The ISO goes from 50 to 1600, but above 400 the quality really falls off just as it does in most other cameras with this size sensor. The problem is getting action pictures which is why we buy a camera like this. I tried the sequential mode -- after I found it buried in the resolution selection menu. You point the camera at the action and press the button . . . then the screen goes dark until you let up or you fill the camera internal memory. A little hard to tell if you are following the action. It is a little too slow to start up and take the first picture to use for quick candid shots. When I blow the pictures up, there is a lot more noise and color shift than I see with my Canon 6 megapixal camera taking the same shot in the same light.

Video is OK , but other waterproof cameras such as the Pentax W60 offer better quality (740p) and have a more useful lens range. To give you a range, the video is not even close to my canon S3IS, but that's a whole different class of lens. However, it it fine for UTube or home videos. You can take 640x480 video at 60fps or 30fps and 320x240 at 30fps or 15fps. The 320x240 is intended for videos for the web. You can take still pictures while you are taking a video, but the resolution is not 8megapixel and is related to the video frame per second level you select. At 640x480 60fps HQ the stills are .3megapixels, at 30fps 2megapixels. Makes me think that the quality is being comprised when you shoot at 60fps and after looking at some video shot at 60 and some at 30 I determined that quality is really affected by picking 60 fps. I shot a bunch of video of our Thanksgiving dinner in normal room lighting. The camera would make adjustments slowly to the light, but when it finally got it the videos were good . . . lots of noise and artifacts, but good enough for family memory videos. I also took the camera out to our Koi pond and started it shooting above the water and then slowly moved it underwater to get pictures of our big Koi. The videos were very clear and it adjusted readily to the change to underwater light. I also tried some underwater still pictures, but those were not very satisfactory as flash washed out the pictures. When I turned the flash off I got some acceptable underwater pics.

Waterproof? The camera functioned properly underwater and didn't have a problem. After I washed it off and dried it, I open the door over the SD card/battery and found that the hinges retain water. A little blast of air cleared them, but this is a possible problem if you need to change batteries after having it in the wet. You will be changing the battery a lot, as the battery life is fairly short.

Since I am a tennis pro, I decided to test the camera in my classes. Here is where I found a great application for the camera! Took good action pics, the 5x zoom is all you need on the court, and the LCD was very clear in the sunlight. I was able to take a series of each student and then discuss it with them with no problem. I could slip the camera in my pants pocket when I wasn't using it and bring it out when needed. Much easier to use for this purpose than our Sony Handycam. Coaches could really make use of this camera as you wouldn't worry about sweat or rain or dirt. Battery life wouldn't be a problem as you typically take a short clip and then show it to the player(s) and discuss. It would be great for water polo or swimming coaches.

Bottom line on the camera: not equal to it's competitors for most uses and overly expensive. However, in certain situations like sports coaching it really is one of a kind and has great utility. I will be using this camera a lot for that purpose.
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Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Top Quality

2009-11-02T22:05:00.001-08:00

OK, first the important disclaimer: my other two cameras are SLRs. And had you ask me a week ago, I'd say Sanyo makes great batteries. Sanyo camcorders? What camcorders?
I have an antique Canon A70 with a waterproof case that is good down to depth of 120 feet. This A70 is used in places where I would not risk using an SLR or where the weight restrictions are too high. So as you may guess VPC-E2 is a replacement for that "adventure" mode camera/camcorder.
To be frank, I can give this little Sanyo marvel either four stars or one. You see, when a company enters the market where the smallest gorilla weighs at least eight hundreds pounds, they can only hope to win with a niche product. And this is the one. So the question is - do you belong to this niche?
First, the camcorder is waterproof. Well, not exactly in the sense that I used to define this word; it is only rated for five feet. Snorkeling is OK, but not diving. On the other hand, snow, rain, dangerous edges of a pool, and spilled beers do not bother this gadget. Also, it shoots movies in H.264 which means your IPhone plays them and you can post them up on YouTube faster than I can explain what H.264 stands for. It can shoot movies at 640x480 with 60 frames per second - definitely not HD, but much better than your average compact camera in movie mode. Oh, and when somebody asks you how many of those ergh... megapixels this camera has, you can shock him or her with a lazy reply, "Ah, eight...". Yeah, right! We will talk about this a little bit later. It also features 5x optical zoom with fair wide-end (38-190 in 35mm equivalent), electronic image stabilization, EV shift, macro mode, and even manual focus and face-recognition that works when lightning is good. The LCD screen is large and bright, and can swivel in two dimensions. It supports SDHC cards and the 8 GB card can hold up to five hours of video.
Controls are minimal, but well designed. There are only ten buttons to choose from: four arrows with a central "set" button, a menu button, two dedicated triggers - one for video and other for pictures, as well as an on/off button and a play/record button behind the screen. A well organized menu almost compensates for the lack of dedicated buttons. Left and right buttons can be assigned shortcuts for recording mode (up and down is always assigned to the zoom function) and many functions are easy to select. The menu can be switched to "easy" mode, which limits choices only to necessary basics.
So why I would give it only four stars? First, there is no viewfinder. Second, the flash is extremely underpowered (guide number 3); it is only good at very close ranges. Third, the battery capacity is insufficient; it allows you only about 200 shots or 75 minutes of video (twice as less in real life). Fourth, there is no lens cover, so usage of the included soft case is a good idea. Fifth, this soft case does not have either a handle or a clip, so every time the camcorder is removed, there is a problem - where to put the case?
What else? Proprietary USB cable, no AC power in the box (sold separately). I also have problems accessing up/zoom-in button: it is too small.
Now we get to "out of the niche" one star rating. Yes, one star and I insist on it.
This gadget has a tiny sensor and it is crippled with severe noise. Video is OK, though I can see a lot of noise there as well. However, still image noise is on the brink of disaster. I do not know how many real megapixels this unit has because object contours simply disappear in the ocean of color dots as I try to zoom into the picture. A black line on a white background looks OK, but my attempt to take a picture of Lillet Blank's red-on-yellow label produced huge amount of red specks far away from the edge of red letters. I suspect some sort of processing error here. In terms of resolution it is safe to assume this unit has somewhat around 3 honest megapixels (and your typical cell phone probably has just one half of megapixel being rated on the same scale). Oh, and do not even think of using ISO above 400, unless you want to produce a parody on Claude Monet paintings. Unfortunately in automatic mode unit happily sets ISO above 800 in low light conditions, so I assigned one of the shortcuts to change ISO manually to fight this problem.
What it all means? It means this gadget better not be used for any prints bigger than 4x6. Its video played on HDTV does not look too crisp either.
Despite of all these drawbacks, I like this little gadget. I will never use it to capture beautiful landscape or even a portrait. This thing is for ski slopes, water motorcycles, snowmobiles, mountain bikes, hikes, pools, beaches, outdoor parties - for all those places where action means more than perfect image quality. Finally, it is interesting to notice I made more movies last week using Xacti than I made with my "big" DV camcorder in the last season.

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Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) This instant

2009-11-02T07:24:00.001-08:00

Let me start off by saying congrats to Sanyo on this one. I have owned many Sanyo cameras. This one really does perform better than I thought it would. I have had a Sanyo HD700 and was never really happy with the pics or video from it. Also the focus was really slow. I also have a Sanyo HD1000 and no it is not better than that but the focus is much quicker on this Sanyo E2. The Sanyo E2 is also water proof to 5foot and is much smaller than the HD1000. I was very impresseed by the pictures from the E2 they look just as good as my 800.00 Hd1000. The video from the E2 is also very good in low light. I did have to manually set the ISO to 400 to get good video at low light levels without grain showing up. This camera is a very good performer over all and very impressive. I have used it for several days and have not noticed any probelms with the battery life being short at all. My Kodak V1253 has what I would call short battery life.
I like how the Sanyo E2 feels in your hand and does not get hot after using for awhile like some cameras do. I would most certainly recommend this one.

Pros: Goes in bad whether when other cameras can't
The focus speed is very quick. The fastest I have seen yet.
The video comes out very good in low light if 400 ISO is used
Feels great in the hand and is small in size
Takes very good pics with ISO set to 400
Nice colors most people would like
Quick start up to use times

Negs: Really don't have any. It's a huge improvement. And remember you
use it at that rainy wet football game and being the only one out
taking pictures and video!!!Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Immediately

2009-11-02T03:17:00.001-08:00

I purchased this camcorder / point and shoot camera on a black Friday deal for $199. What a great deal it was. In other words, I may be in love!

For starters, let me tell you what I was looking for:
- Small camcorder - something that would fit easily in my pocket, ready for the quick opportunity
- Easy to use - I'm not a video engineer
- Records to TV resolution, as well as an easy upload to youtube
- Still camera incorporated, good enough to compare to a dedicated point and shoot so I don't have to carry too much stuff.

One of my hobbies is photography, and I have a Canon D20 that I use frequently. But that's bringing out the "big guns" for shooting something that just appeals to me on a whim. I realized that a camcorder / point-n-shoot might not satisfy the photographer in me, so I also got a good deal on a Nikon Coolpix on black Friday. The Coolpix is still in it's box, and will likely be returned.

OK, now about the Sanyo E2.

This appears to be a relatively new camcorder, as there aren't a whole lot of reviews - or even a group on flickr. So when I purchased the thing, it was an impulse buy... I did a little research, found nothing substantial; but still, $199 for a MSRP $399 camcorder sounded too good to pass up. The boxes showed up on Monday: a Nikon Coolpix and the Sanyo. I was most curious about the Xacti, so I opened it first. I charged the battery, went through the set up, and stuck it in my pocket.

After getting used to the idea of a camcorder a bit, and taking numerous pictures of my pets and my husband (my dog runs when I get it out of it's crappy case - more on that later), I am so pleased with my results that I don't feel the need to even open the Coolpix and play with it.

The E2 has a nice feel to it, looks good in the blue color I got, and generally, is a pleasing piece of geekery. On top of that, it takes serviceable pictures, decent video, and is fun to use. The interface is really workable, with a simplified menu and a more complex one when you need it. It doesn't seem to like my 8GB Transcend SD card, but the 4GB SanDisk hasn't failed me yet.

The battery life is not great on this thing. I was warned by other reviewers to purchase a secondary battery (I did), and I would recommend this to anyone.

Although this Xacti is waterproof, be aware that it's not a scuba camera. That doesn't bother me because I can't swim; but to those who think they can go further than 5 feet, be aware that this camcorder won't do better than that. It's more like "waterproof." So if you want, take it in the shower (heh), or by the pool, or in the rain without worries.

PROS
Satisfies all my requirements for a pocket carry camcorder / camera
Better picture quality than I expected
Easy to use interface for deleting, changing presets, etc.
Waterproof - can take it with me in rain with no worries
Fast start up

CONS
No lens cap
Crappy wrap around "case"
Doesn't like my 8GB Transcend SD card
Battery life is not good

This thing has lived in my pocket for a week, and more often than not, it's been my own reluctance to pull out a camera than my confidence in the camera to do its job that prevented me from taking more pictures or videos. I like the idea that I can photo or video anything that suits my fancy at a moments notice.

Way good bang for your buck!
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Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Best Quality

2009-11-01T22:05:00.001-08:00

The Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera is sort of a multi-tool approach to still and video cameras. It does a huge number of things that other more expensive cameras do, and does them fairly well. The thick instruction manual reflects the versatility and complexity of the Xacti. There are several good reviews of this camera on Amazon, so I will not repeat the technical details already contained in these reviews.

The Xacti takes one hour of 640x480 movies per gigabyte of SD card. There is no HD mode. Since 8 GB cards are readily available, you can get 8 hours of movies on one card. The small battery will not last that long, and may not last even 1 hour. A second non-oem battery may be obtained for less than $20. However, for most things one hour of movies is enough unless you are a pro and plan to do considerable editing. In addition to movies,the Xacti takes 8 MP still images of good quality, and you can take a still while taking movies. Both movies and stills have access to a 5x optical zoom that seems to be fairly accurate over its entire range. Focus is good and quick. Movies are good at fairly low light levels, and stills can use the built-in flash where needed. As with most cameras, brighter lighting produces better pictures. The ISO values increase to compensate for dim light, but the noise level becomes noticeable at ISO levels above 400 for still pictures. Noise levels in movies is not noticeable. I have now used the camera in movie mode in a child's birthday party in very dim indoor light. The results were quite good.

The camera has a very good macro capability that permits good focus down to about 0.5 inches. This feature can be a lot of fun or can be simply useful for recording extreme detail. I have now used this feature to copy old 35 mm color slides by placing them on an inexpesnive light box and photographing them. The Xacti does a good job.

The fact that the camera is waterproof to a rated 5 feet means that you can safely use this at the beach or poolside where there is a lot of splashing. Underwater photography seems to be an interesting application, but I have not tried that (it's winter now).

Picture and movie playback are easy using either the included USB cable (non-standard) or by moving the SD card directly to your PC using a card reader (my preferred method). The quality is surprisingly good from such a small camera. Zoomed images were sharply focused. There is some small delay in focusing when tracking objects, but this is not a problem in most situations. The large rotating view screen is a pleasure to use for taking pictures and for playing them back. When taking movies, the sound quality during playback is quite good.

The included case is almost useless. Throw it away and get another small carry case (less than $10).

Overall, I think the user will be pleased with the camera in a wide variety of situations.
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Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Get it now!

2009-11-01T07:24:00.001-08:00

I've used a couple cameras like this now. They were pretty cheap and lightweight to a fault. The weight of the Sanyo makes it feel like it's worth more at least, and by far, the best smaller digital video camera I've tried.

Positives
-It can record at various quality levels. I was surprised to see 60 frames per second record rate; 30 is the usual for video.
-It can record under water.
-It's fairly small and pretty durable
-Good for videos you might want to display on the internet
-The menus are simple to use
-The charger is small
-It comes with a case

Negatives
-Picture and video quality is okay, but not great. I have an old digital video tape camera, and the detail is much sharper and clear with my old camera. The video with the Sanyo was a little blocky.
-The handle seems like it should be more rounded. It's got a harsh edge if you're holding it for a long time.
-Interesting that it had voice prompts. Not sure that it was positive or not, but I don't want to be filming something in a crowded location and have my camera make lots of noise.
-I use Windows Movie Maker (Vista) for editing. I could drag a movie file copied from the Sanyo into Movie maker, but the file would apear in the Audio section only. I couldn't get the video to load or else I would have uploaded a comparison of my Digital Tape Sony camera versus this one. I also couldn't get a video to upload here to show the quality. The video is recorded in mpg4 format which on my computer is playable by iTunes.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Buy Now

2009-11-01T03:17:00.001-08:00

my hand is 6.5 inches from my wrist to the tip of my middle finger, and just about 3.5 from the curve of my thumb across my palm. In the specs it says the height and weight but I really didn't know how that would translate to my grip. It was a bit larger than I imagined, and that means its a little harder for me to get my fingers on the buttons. I will deffinitely have the strap on my wrist to prevent slipping. I also thought it was completely blue, but half is white plastic. its a sturdy little camera though, and the swivel mechanism for the screen is smooth and solid. I've fiddled with the settings a bit and snapped a couple photos, from the looks of it they're really sharp, and the menu is reasonably user friendly. I'm looking forward to putting this through its paces. This camera gets a thumbs up reccomendation from me.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Order Now

2009-10-31T22:05:00.001-07:00

This is about the shipping and delivery. Great. I purchased 4 different orders that were for the camera and other accessories. All arrived either one day earlier or on day expected. Impressive considering they came from 3 different sellers. Initial look at this little jewel is impressive. I have never used such a small camcorder and was very apprehensive about purchasing it. However, the alternative was to lug my full size (albeit small) camcorder on a trip for New Years. My wife and I enjoy snorkeling and this little jewel should work just nicely. I will write again after the trip with a performance review.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Decide Now

2009-10-31T07:24:00.001-07:00

I have the first E1 and now the new E2. Both are phenomenal. I just met someone who also had the E1. It is almost cult-like the response you get. The people that have the SANYO Xacti camcorders LOVE them. I shoot a lot of video of my son and I sync it to my TV box and my iPhone with ease. It makes it REALLY easy to share with the SANYO's. Something I found extremely difficult with Sony camcorders. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Right now

2009-10-31T03:17:00.001-07:00

The text in the description "Audio Input: Microphone" is misleading. The camcorder has no microphone jack, only the built-in mic.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Lowest Price Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-30T22:05:00.001-07:00

This is a good looking digital video camera with a nice compact design. It appears to be very durable, and worked well right out of the box. It comes with Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0, which is a great product, and perfect for this camera; but be aware that it is woefully out of date and not upgradeable at a discount. The current version is 7.0. This will not affect you significantly if you run Windows XP. Just be aware that most software written for XP does not run well [or at all] on Vista.

Sanyo touts the camera's underwater shooting ability. Be warned: Maximum depth is 5 feet. You can't even take this to the bottom of most swimming pools. If you can limit yourself to snorkeling along the surface and shooting what's beneath [or if all your underwater video is shot in your bath tub] you'll be fine.

On the subject of waterproof: Because of this feature there are some compromises. The battery, connector and card are all inside a waterproof slot with a secure cover. You will have to open the cover to hook up the usb cable and you will have to remove the battery from the camera and use the separate charger [included] to re-charge the battery. The USB cable has a custom mini connector, so if you lose or damage the cable you will have to get another from Sanyo. Nothing else will work.

Also be aware that the camera will not stand up on it's own, so you will need a tri-pod for any un-attended shooting. The sound is adequate, but audiophiles will cringe.

I notice when I use video, the resolution for still photos drops to 2 megapixels. So if you are in the middle of shooting video you cannot snap off a high resolution photo. The Sanyo only has a 5x optical zoom. As with all digital cameras, Once you move into digital zoom video quality drops very quickly. There is a built-in flash for still pictures which works very well within the distance limits.

The camera also features image stabilization. It works pretty well and is essential for indoor or action shooting. Stabilization and flash are off by default and have to be turned on through the menu. Also, be aware that stabilization has to be turned on separately for still photos and video. While you are in menu mode you might also want to turn off digital zoom. This will prevent you from accidentally zooming into digital and blurring an otherwise good shot.

The camera records in mpeg 4 [divx] format, which is a compressed format. The image is not as sharp as the un-compressed AVI format my digital camera uses, but allows you to record a lot more video on a given memory card. At a full 30 frames per second and 640x480 resolution you get about 18 minutes on a one gig SD card. The Sanyo supports SDHC so you can use cards up to 32 Gig. My Canon S5IS digital camera produces exquisite video, but one gig is only good for a bit over 7 minutes.

Bottom Line:
The underwater feature is a bit of a gimmick. The quality of the video, particularly indoors is about the same as VHS--maybe. It has a nice screen and a compact form. But for essentially the same money, I am starting to see 720p hi def cameras out there. And, if you can live without the underwater feature, for about 125 more, you can get a first rate digital camera like the new version of my Canon [SW10IS] that shoots very good video and has greater [12X] optical zoom. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Low Price Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-30T07:24:00.001-07:00

After reading the reviews here, I ordered the camera as a replacement for my Sony DCR PC-100 camcorder. Obviously my expectations were high. These were the few things I was terribly disappointed when I received the camera :

1..The camera is just not ergonomically designed. It was just so wierd to hold and operate with one hand. Just didn't feel right.

2..The videos I shot were so full of jerks and movements that it was impossible to watch them without feeling dizzy. I tried the special features on the camera that suppesedly help you to minimize the shaking.

3..The picture on the video was just OK in natural light but as soon the camera hit the indoors and areas with shade, it just went black - literally.

4..Even the still pictures were very average. Nothing to write home about. Same problem with the light issue.

5..I didn't buy this camera just because it is water resistant. So, I didn't even try that feature. It's cold and I had no intention of jumping into the pool to just try the water-tighness of the camera. For me, the camera was a failure in its basic function of taking clean, non-shaky, crisp pictures. It is small but not small enough to keep in a pocket. Doesn't have a cover for the lense and the cover it comes with is very tacky...Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Save Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-30T03:17:00.001-07:00

Just ordered this from Amazon a few days ago. Camcorder looks good and works well but has a high amount of noise on video screen. At first I thought it was broke but after reading all the reviews on this camera I found out this is normal and you have to set the ISO to 400 or below.

Still picture come out decent but I don't think it actually takes them at 8 MP. Video is barely average quality, good for backyard BBQ, pool parties and stuff like that. If great clear HD video is important to you then this is not the camcorder for you. I have a old 5.1 Nikon Coolpix digital camera and the pictures are much better with it. Overall I am satisfy with this camcorder because it feels rugged, sturdy, waterproof and I brought it for pool party, sporting events and just to have in my pocket for those late night embarrassing shots of friends. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Discount Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-29T22:05:00.001-07:00

This is a very cute camcorder.My husband bought this for me to take vedio for our son.
At first, I found that the noise of the video was very serious.After read the users guide,I noticed that I did not take the correct light sensibility.So I changed the setting,then the noise was gone.Overall I like this camcorder.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Cheapest Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-29T07:24:00.001-07:00

Note that this records in mp4 format. The video is fairly clear, in normal lighting. It has a macro mode that goes from 1 cm, and ISO up to 3200, with the usual caveats about noise. No 16:9 format, though.

Sleek-looking and waterproof to five feet, it's sleekness and waterproofness has probably contributed to its couple of shortcomings, both in the usability department.

First, in the name of waterproofing, the battery, memory and AV connection are locked behind a slim door under the control pad. This means when the door is open to accomodate the AV cable, it's hard to use the already mushy control pad - its hinge is just under the pad, so the open door gets in the way of the pad.

The pad itself must be made of some rubbery membrane underneath, because, as mentioned, it feels loose and mushy, both the selection button and the directional pad around it.

It has 5x optical zoom, and supposedly face detection to boost its anti-shake. However, at zoom, some jitteriness is still noticeable. The sound is pretty good, at least from recording our band practice.

Its menus are easy enough to navigate. Battery life is iffy, don't expect more than about an hour's worth for video.

The case is a weird, tight-fitting, half-open design, and there is no lens cover. I suppose since it's waterproof, the lens must be ruggedized anyway.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Cheap Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-29T03:17:00.001-07:00

I got this to use with my son. Being watermen, and rough on gear, it is great to get something that could possibly fit the bill for both. I am not sure of its durability, this will be my second one, I bought my first one refurbished, big mistake. Sent it back and got this one. It is not the best quality you can buy for digi, but I have already dropped it, flown with it, and got it wet, and it is still going at the same quality.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Buying Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-28T22:05:00.001-07:00

I really wanted to like this camera, but found that I couldn't.

The first problem that I had with it was the "ergonomic grip" on the camera. It's fine for just holding the camera, and would work well for video shooting. I just found the buttons to be hard to use for still photos when trying to use it with one hand. The camera never felt comfortable in my had when trying to rotate my thumb up to hit the photo or video button. When it comes to using the D-ring and the center button, they felt fine.

The next major issue I had was with the image stabilization for photos. According the the manual the image stabilization won't be used under the following conditions.
1. Setting the flash mode to forced flash
2. Setting the shooting mode to the sequential shots mode
3. Setting flicker reduction to "ON"
4. Setting the scene select function to the night view portrait, fireworks, or lamp mode.

What I found is if you set the flash to any mode other than "OFF" the image stabilization automatically turns off. Then you have to deal with the crazy menu system to turn it back on. There's no easy way that I could find to have it temporarily shut off for the above situations then automatically turn back on. Given that I was concerned about camera movement while rotating my thumb up to the button on one handed use, image stabilization seems really important.

I also didn't like the confusing menu system on the camera. By default the menu system is in "normal mode" and then there's a "simple mode" that you can select. That all sounds find in theory. The only thing is I expect every function to be adjustable in the normal mode, and then basic functions to be available in the simple mode. That somewhat seemed to be the case, but it wasn't clear what some of the options really were in simple mode. For example to adjust the video recording in the normal menu it give you a lot of different TV options and a couple of different web options. How do those relate to the selection of recording size in the simple menu? Maybe I just didn't find the answer in the manual, but I don't think that was the case.

As far as the water proof, it's really limited to 5 feet of depth. Not something that will be useful if you go scuba diving, but maybe will be ok for light snorkeling. I think for the most part it's just a gimmick to lure people into buying an inferior product.

I really can't comment on the actual photo or video quality. Because I got so frustrated with the menu system, the image stabilization, and how awkward it seemed to use; I never bothered transferring the data to my computer to check it out.

All in all, I would say avoid this camera and see what else is out there.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Buy Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-28T07:24:00.001-07:00

I was made a believer when I got my first xacti, the xacti CG65. The video quality on that was very good. I produced a few very good quality DVDs using the CG65 and got quite a few compliments. A lot of my friends were surprised at how clear the videos turned out to be.

But then I have a chance to go to several beaches and took at lot of videos as well. Although I was very happy with the videos I thought about how things would be better if I had a waterproof camcorder.

On black friday this thought was realized. Amazon put this camera on sale for $199. It was a deal I couldn't pass up. I then sold the CG65 to a friend which he gladly took. The E2 came in quickly from Amazon.

Just this past weekend, I had a chance to really test it out at the xmas party. I am tranfering the videos now and sad to say I am disappointed. In videos I took with high ISO settings, there is a lot of vertical/horizontal banding. Even in my 19" monitor its so visible and its definitely annoying. There is also a problem with the image stabilization on this camera. On the top of the screen whenever I would move the video from 1 side to another, there is this flickering. In the CG65, the videos are very good regardless if its low light or good light condition. This one needs a "just right" light condition to work just like the CG65.

The bottomline is I am not impressed and in fact I am returning this camera. Maybe the change from CCD to a CMOS sensor is the culprit? I dunno. But definitely I miss my CG65.

The still shots are a bit better than the CG65 but the red eye problem is worse on this camera. I used to have just the red eye problem with my CG65. In this E2 camera, there is also the red eye + cat eyes problem. Makes my subjects look like a bunch of aliens lol.

So there you go. If you are considering this camera, maybe look at the predecessor E1 instead as it had the CCD sensor. Now I have to find a CG65 on ebay or unless I can find an E1 that I can try out. But definitely, skip the E2. When you look at the E1 and the E2 and ask, how come the E1 is still more expensive that the E2 considering E1 is the older model? You now know the answer. There is something cheap in this E2.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Purchase Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-28T03:17:00.001-07:00

1) It is very handy for taking quick, easy video. Storage on SD card is very convenient.

2) The picture quality is definitely second-rate. I would rank it alongside current generation phone cameras. It will do in a pinch, but that's about it.

3) Principal problem is poor quality in low-light conditions.

4) The form factor seems kind of snazzy, like it will feel neat in your hand when using. Actually, however, it gets old fast. It's an uncomfortable position to hold your hand in. And taking pictures is actually pretty difficult. If you've used a camera, you're used to holding a camera steady with one hand while you press a button with the other. With this, you're doing both while holding the device pistol-style, which results in movement you'd prefer to avoid when framing your shot.

5) As to underwater use: mine's not had problems yet, but I've got to say, looking at the manufacture, it doesn't inspire confidence.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Order Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-27T22:05:00.001-07:00

I had some very high expectations about the VPC-E2 that were mostly based on the glowing Amazon reviews. Let's start off with the good stuff:

-Well built
-Solid door on the card/battery compartment which is very rare
-Water resistance makes it easy to use in places you wouldn't use another camera
-Switching between photo and video is very easy
-Flipout LCD means you can get some angles that are difficult otherwise. Not very many P&S cameras (read on to see why I compare it to a P&S and not a camcorder) have LCDs that flip out and rotate.

On the downside... let's start with the minor annoyances....

-Custom USB cable
-It's water resistant/proof but only at very shallow depths so forget scubadiving or snorkeling
-It's a little too short for most hands so it's tough to reach the photo/video buttons when holding it in a grip style
-The shutter release button is very hard to depress and often sticks. I don't think that this was unique to my unit since other reviewers also complained.
-Zoom buttons are hard to reach and very small
-No lens cover
-Long shot-to-shot delays and shutter lag. Very, very pronounced in poor lighting
-Horrible LCD quality, even outdoors under ideal conditions

But what it comes down to is this.... the video quality is absolutely horrible except in ideal outdoor environments. The photo quality is decent but not as good as a P&S camera at half the price.

So basically what you're paying for, in my opinion, is the water resistant/proof feature and the vertical style/flip out LCD. Apart from that the video quality is not any better than what your average P&S can produce and the picture quality is worse.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Where To Buy Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-27T07:24:00.001-07:00

I got the Sanyo Xacti with my only recent experiences of shooting movies with a Flip Camcorder. At first, I thought the weight might be an issue (because it was so much bigger and heavier than the Flip). But, now that I have it, and have used it several times in the last month, this Sanyo will now become my only camera. I love the pictures it takes and the stabilization features helps me take pictures without the shaking and movement that I get with my other camera. I haven't used it for underwater use yet, but plan to when I make a trip to the Carribean in the Spring. According the other reviews, the Xacti takes great pictures under water as well. I love the color of the camcorder too (I know that's such a girly thing to say). Anyway, great camera for the price. Don't hesitate to buy it.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Shop For Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-27T03:17:00.001-07:00

The quality of the still photos and the video was surprisingly good for this lower end camcorder. The underwater photos that we took snorkeling were very clear and of decent quality. Sometimes it was hard to control movement because the current is moving you, but that may come with more experience snorkeling and using the camera. For underwater you definitely need the waterproof neoprene strap, which I bought with the camera. I had no problem with the battery, and had a spare charged up in case.

However, there are some things I did not like about the camera. There was no eyepiece viewer and it was very difficult, sometimes impossible, to see what you were shooting in bright sunlight. I also found it more difficult to find my subject, especially if it was moving. This was it's biggest drawback--finding and staying on a moving subject without an eye viewfinder. There were also times that I did not know the record was still on so I got a number of clips of garbage. The zoom button was also difficult to maneuver, it would be much better to have it going from left to right rather than up and down, and have it as an independent button that could be moved with your thumb. It was in an awkward position for one finger to control it and it was also difficult to zoom a little bit at a time. I found I often over zoomed.

All in all, it is a decent camera and I am happy with the purchase.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-26T22:05:00.001-07:00

I absolutely love my Sanyo Xacti E1 (newest version is the E2). It is small (easily fits in my pocket), lightweight (about 8 oz w/ battery and memory card). The editing softwear that comes with it is easy to use and the overall quality of the video is amazing. Granted the YouTube versions of you video will look like most of the other ones on there (somewhat blury and grainy). On the other hand if you burn your video to DVD, it is amazingly sharp. I've found the audio/mic to be pretty good. There is no way to add an additional wireless mic. It stores video to an SD card. With my 4GB card I can get over 2 hours of video that is recorded at the highest possible quality. I paid about $350 for mine but now they are as low at $219. on-line.

To see some hiking/backpacking type videos shot w/ the camera, go to [...](my website) and go to the video page link. I've got ones on the following there: Glacier National Park, Mt. Hood, Lake Superior Provincial Park (in winter) and Killarney Provincial Park. The "Killarney" video has an underwater shot in it.

If there was anything I would change about the camera it would be to add a night vision mode which it currently does not have.

It is really nice to know that if I want to film in the rain or jump off a cliff into the water while filming (which I've actually done), I don't have to worry about the camera. It is awesome. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Review

2009-10-26T07:24:00.001-07:00

This was an upgrade for me from the first model of this camera. One of the reasons I picked this camera is its water capability. I was always worrying about the regular point and shoot getting dirty or splashed and avoided use in inclement weather. Having a camera designed for water use to 1.5 meters gave me a comfort level to get a lot more use out of the camera. It takes decent still pictures for well-lit outdoors shots. This (prior model, now this) is the camera we take on our yearly camping/tubing trip to the clear, spring-fed Frio River. No worries about splashing and the kids had fun capturing underwater video with the fish in the river. This is also the camera I pulled out for some quick outdoors shots during Hurricane Donna. The software bundle included Adobe Premiere 4 for editing and your video. I purchased an 8GB SDHC memory card which allows a good bit of capture time. I did find it necessary to purchase a second battery to have more record time.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Top Quality

2009-10-26T03:17:00.001-07:00

I like it lot. The pros overweight cons hands down.

Pros:
1. Compact;
2. Waterproof;
3. Well-built;
4. Descent quality daylight photos and videos;
5. Cheap memory cards;
6. Easy and customizable UI;
7. Great close-ups;
8. Still shots while recording video - awesome!

Cons:
1. You can not see display in bright light or underwater. You do not have optical viewfinder either;
2. Flash is a joke;
3. Battery life is short. You will need 1-2 extra batteries when you travel. Fresh battery will give you 1 hour of recording w/o playback or flash;
4. Special USB cable - do not lose it;
5. Could use wider angle lens;
6. Bundled software is bugly and outdated;

To the people who have trouble reading SD card w/o cable - your card reader most likely does not support HDSD cards. Grab one that does. You won't need this cable at all, unless you plan to use the camera as a web cam.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) This instant

2009-10-25T22:05:00.001-07:00

Most hikers have either point-and-shoot digital cameras (which have a setting for videos) or a digital camcorder. The point-and-shoot cameras, though, don't allow you to zoom in and out during your video. Well, this Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 allows you to do that - obviously because it is mostly meant for videos. But even most camcorders aren't waterproof. This one is! And for such a great price. I never even found out before I bought this camcorder that it records audio, takes pictures in several different settings, takes sequential pictures in some of those settings, and takes videos in (I think) every setting, as well as being able to take pictures while taking a video! This is something extremely helpful for hikers - most don't want to get their camera wet, which limits their routes. But now they don't have to be worried! Great camera, great price! I would suggest this to anyone who doesn't want to spend a lot of money on a camera! Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Immediately

2009-10-25T07:24:00.001-07:00

I am 12 years old. My twin brother and I received this as a gift. I like this small camera because it's handy, easy to use, and portable. It's not an HD 1,000 dollar camera but it records with pretty good quality. My brother and I use it in our videos that we make all the time for our friends to see and it has worked like magic. The LCD screen looks good and can flip over for the actor to see himself being recorded. The battery lasts about 1 hour of continuous use. Although i've noticed that the battery is already starting to have less and less of it's charge. If you were to buy it I would say get a couple extra batteries so you won't have to keep putting the battery back on it's charger and wait like 1 hour and a half for it to get fully charged so you can use it again. The best thing I like about this camera is that it is waterproof, not just resistant to a little water getting on it, it can go under water! I looked at the manual and found out that if you want the camera to last long, then you shouldn't take it lower than about 4 feet. Overall the camera works great! and I can't wait to make our next video with it and put it on youtube!Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Best Quality

2009-10-25T03:17:00.001-07:00

after reading the reviews and contemplating whether to buy or not, at $199 with free shipping (previously at $300), this should be a good deal for a WATERPROOF camcorder. The package arrived quickly.

Have just used it for a week and been happy with the performance. Video shots were great (but dont expect for a professional quality coz this is not the equipment for such!)

Pictures were great too, but again if you expect for high quality pictures, then get a good nikon or cannon SLR camera with at least 18-200mm zoom lens.

Being a waterproof camcorder is a plus, and just what i needed - just in time for the snow and splashes this summer, I dont need to worry if it gets wet.

I dont want to be technical and profound with my comments. This is just one of the toy that will be outdated in a year or so anyway. What's important is you capture the memories in a handy & snappy way, and with wonderful pictures.

Well, I just hope Sanyo made a lens cover fot this, and a better case.

Now: Aug 2009. My unit is not working. Used in the a 3ft pool for few minutes. When u turn it on again, the date/time will show up in the screen, red light keeps on blinking. That's it. The only way to turn it off is to remove the battery.

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Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Get it now!

2009-10-24T22:05:00.001-07:00

I have tried many digital cameras over the years and this one is one of the iffy ones. This camera does take good pictures, just not all of the time. My Sony DSC-S85 4.1M camera takes good pictures every time. The movie mode is good, but movies tend to stutter and look odd at times. Not a bad camera, but overall not that great either. Also, this camera is awkward to hold, would have been better if the buttons were along the top. The door where the battery and SD card goes also gets in the way when connecting to the PC. I am returning it and getting the Canon SD770IS. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Buy Now

2009-10-24T07:24:00.001-07:00

Very light! Very small! Good video quality for a $199 consumer level camcorder. Not the greatest in low light situations, but on a bright sunny day or in good lighting conditions, the video quality is great. Menus and settings are easy to figure out. Battery life is quite short, about an hour. Extra battery is less than $20 though. I don't plan to take it under water (4.5 feet max for 1 hour max) and go through the procedure the manual advises after taking it under water, but the waterproof feature makes me feel better about using it outdoors if it rains or if water splashes on it. Looking forward to taking it out on a jet ski or inner tube when the weather warms up. If you need a low end, consumer level camcorder, you'd probably like this one. I'm glad I got it. Did I say it works great with a Mac? Just plug it in, pick two options from the menu, and you have videos in your iPhoto library.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-24T03:17:00.001-07:00

This camera is very hot. I bought it for my 16 year old daughter who constantly steals my camera and she absolutely loves it. The handle and the ease to which you can shoot pictures or movies is simple and fast. The picture quality is awesome and it is very light weight. It is the perfect vacation camera.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Decide Now

2009-10-23T22:05:00.001-07:00

I've been looking for an inexpensive compact digital camcorder for a long time, for my snow and water sports, until I found Xacti E2.
The compact size make it easy to fit in the jacket pockets whiling riding. The authentic Water-proof and shaking control are critical for shooting while moving on the snow or under water. Video and sound quality is not a big concern for me, but I know it's at least as good as other regular camcorders at this price range. To my surprise, the night video quality is also very good, clear and no much noise point. Battery life is also good at low temperature (my cell phone battery usually stops working very soon after I get onto slope)
So far, I'm very satisfied with it. There are only a few minor UI issues I don't like. e.g. the buttons of camera and video taping are small and so close, that I cannot operate while wearing snow gloves. Also, no button to switch flash, so I have to change setting by menu each time.
So overall, I would strong recommend it for sport purpose. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Right now

2009-10-23T07:24:00.001-07:00

The camcorder takes poor video. I did not test the waterproof function.
Upon installing the software and taking a video, the software did not allow me to view the video on my computer - only to burn to a dvd. The quality was very grainy and unclear. Perfect size camcorder though - would be wonderful if the quality was improved.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Lowest Price Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-23T03:17:00.001-07:00

After disasters with leaky gaskets on other underwater camera enclosures, it is a pleasure to have the seals built in to the VPC-E2. Its novel shape makes it easy to handle while snorkeling and the standard land-based shots are fine.

Although its rated waterproof to only about 5 feet, I'm surprised that it is the only Xacti with waterproofing, because that sort of durability makes it great to carry around where it might get rained on or splashed. The underwater picture quality is very good. I've taken to chasing fish (visually) with the camcorder running, then, back home, I'll save and print the best frames from the session.

A few concerns: I haven't been able to find any useful information about replacing the waterproof seals. The manual says it should be done annually, but I don't know how much it might cost and whether or not it has to be sent to Sanyo. The design minimizes external buttons, but that tends to make changing settings require many trips to the menu (for example, turning the flash on and off). You can't really do that while you're floating around in the ocean.

It's an unique camera. A very good choice for outdoors people and entirely capable for day-to-day work. The video/still combo is a great idea. Whether or not you like it probably depends somewhat on your lifestyle.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-22T22:05:00.001-07:00

I got the Xacti VPC-E2 when our old mini-DV camera stopped working. The Xacti is very easy to use and the picture quality is better than that of our old camera. It's so small that we take it everywhere. I like the waterproof feature because we can use it outside even in the snow or rain. I would recommend purchasing an extra battery because the one that comes with it lasts only about an hour. I like how easy it is to transfer the files to our computer. I downloaded a free MP4 player from the internet and now I can just click on the files to play them. The included software is sufficient for our editing needs.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-22T07:24:00.001-07:00

I was looking for a camcorder that was portable and that I could rely upon regardless of the weather. I also didn't want to spend too much money, yet at the same time didn't want the picture/video quality to be awful. The Xacti VPC-E2 answered my prayers and with a great discount it fell right into my price range.

The Xacti VPC-E2 is great because its compact and waterproof. I took it for a snowboarding trip and took videos all day while it was snowing and the Xacti didn't skip a beat. The buttons are easy to use and it even comes with string attachment so you can carry it on your wrist if you'd like. There are also a decent amount of settings within the camcorder and camera settings although the quality of the "face chaser" wasn't up to par of my digital camera.

The resolution on the viewer of the Xacti doesn't have the best resolution which is the only reason I gave it 4stars, but once you load it up to your laptop or computer the resolution is a lot better and comparable to the $1000 camcorders out there.

I agree with the other reviews that the case is not that protective, but it does cover the lens part, so it does do its job.

All in all, its size is great and so is the fact that I don't have to worry about rain or snow. It's a bit pricey, but I was able to buy it through Amazon at a great price (~200). I got the white one and it does look a bit like a toy though...Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-22T03:17:00.001-07:00

Overall, a good product for the price. We got this for our 11 year old daughter to record video with her friends. She really enjoys the camera and found it very simple to use. We plan on using it to record special family events also. This is not high quality video, but it is fine for our use. We have not tried it underwater yet. You should be aware that storing all your movies on your computer takes a lot of capacity and is probably not a good idea. For example, my daughter recorded 3 minutes and 32 seconds of friends playing Rockband. That file is 115 MB. That means 1 hour of recording would be roughly 2 GB. Depending on how much you record, I would recommend either getting an additional external hard drive or more likely, keeping "works in progress" which you are editing or saving enough video to move to a DVD. A blank 2 hour DVD costs roughly 50 cents. My 8GB (about 4 hours) memory card purchased with this camera cost $20.

Pros
Simple to set up and use. Small size is easy to keep in a pocket. No expensive tapes to buy. Reasonable quality for the price and type. You can shoot a still shot while recording video. You can playback directly to a TV, download to a computer or burn it to a DVD through the computer.

Cons
Buy a second battery at the start. Battery life is less than 1 hour and there is no AC adapter to plug in and keep the camera running. The battery must be removed from the camera and placed in a separate charger. Doesn't come with any memory card to start. Power switch is awkward and easy to turn off while operating the camera.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Cheapest Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-21T22:05:00.001-07:00

This is a great buy. Very nice functionality, versatility and easy to take anywhere. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Cheap Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-21T07:24:00.001-07:00

I have had this camera about 3 weeks. I bought it for watersports, kayaking, rowing, sailing. Main interest was in stills, being water resistant and small, easy to handle.

On land I am very happy, I've played with the video, still learning the editing software, you can see my first youtube posting here
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-FXs6AA6h1E

i've dropped the camera twice and it still works just fine. I've not had much problem figuring out the menu, I've taken some after dark photos and am quite pleased.

We've been on the water once, kayak on SF Bay. I secured the camera to myself with a longer lanyard and left it on the sprayskirt for easy access. It was rough enough that day that I took several small waves over the spary skirt, thoroughly drenching the camera.

I had paddling gloves on, thin, but full finger with a gripping material on the palm/fingers. I had no problem in 45°f chill picking up the camera, opening it and working the buttons. I could use the smaller menu button to change setting, and the ring that controlled zoom was likewise easy to use with the gloves on.

The stills I am getting are great.

My only irritation is with the sun behind me, I can't really see the video viewer, I have to make an educated guess of where I am aiming, but the camera still works fine.

I bought an additional battery and a 2gig card.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Buying Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-21T03:17:00.001-07:00

Its almost perfect, but I had some issues with it. So I will lay out what I thought were faults, and then lead into what I thought is great about the camera. Just as a preface, I am not an expert on cameras, so I hope this will be a "non-tech-friendly" kind of review.

First, while the design looks cool, it's not as easy to handle as one may think. Basically, once you open the digital viewfinder, the camera needs to be held like a gun. So your grip is around the waist holding it, rather than some of the more traditional models, where its like a circular barrel that you hold your hands over the top. The controls are all at the reach of the thumb. There is a button for photo, video, zoom, menu and selections. In my opinion, the design of this seems a little awkward. I felt, if you are going to make a gun-style camera, the zoom should be at an easier access point, like where the trigger would be. Not so. Overall I had little use for the zoom.

The buttons they do have are small and feel like I need to press them hard to get them to activate. Especially the menu and photo button. They wobble in place and I keep thinking I am going to break these buttons pressing too hard.

A few things about the photo part. I took some photos with it. Some were nice, some were not. Most of the shots I took seemed to come out really grainy. I am not sure if its my settings. I have some photography knowledge of indoor/outdoor and ISO film, etc. So I played with those settings, but I still felt like everything was coming up grainy. I hope its my own settings thats the problem because I was hoping to rid of my digital camera in place of this.

The battery life is a little on the low side. I would say about 2 hours total. Also you have to take the battery out of the camera and into a battery charger. How nice it would be to just plug it in to the wall and let it charge that way.

The software that comes with it is worthless.

On the plus side of this camera. It is really responsive. The videos are clean, takes nice long videos. I shot one for about 30 minutes and playback was perfect. No drops in voice or video. Quality was sharp and picture size was big (not certain of the specs on the video playback). Its entirely digital and uses an SD card for storing information.

I have used the camera on both PC and Mac and its easy to get the info. The PC creates a new drive and you can access it that way. They are MPG4 files and you can drag and drop them from the SD card onto your hard drive. Quick read, the camera is responsive once you put the USB into the port, the menu on the camera asks if you want to read from the card - clicking the center button on the camera starts it in motion.

On the Mac, it took it, loaded it all up, showed you thumbnails in iPhoto, once you clicked import, it brought them all to its place. Very simple and quick. I like how the Mac handled the info.

The menu offers tons of options in controlling the quality of your image varying size of the image, rate of recording, various settings you might be while recording, etc. And this is for both photo and video. There is a flash installed on the camera as well for your photos, but does not work with the video settings. You can also set it up on a tripod which has a standard sized insert screw-thingy (i dont know what its called).

The camera is also waterproof (not resistant - proof!) You can go into about 5 feet of water. I have no tried this, its been on the chilly side lately, but when I get a chance, I will definitely try some underwater video.

I don't recommend this camera for amateur filmmaking, but definitely for videos with friends or YouTube stuff, or even if you want to practice filmmaking and doing some editing. Despite my criticisms, it is a very friendly camera and easy to use and both PC and Mac are friendly with it as well. It comes with a nifty protector case that wraps around it, and a strap that hooks onto the bottom to hold while you are vacationing or wherever. Very nice camera that performs much better than you might expect. I liked this one a lot and glad I got it!Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Buy Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-20T22:05:00.001-07:00

Used it during the holidays and had decent video in low light conditions. The pictures that I took were unusable (most of it anyway) though. The video and pictures are a lot better when used during bright, sunny days. As mentioned in other reviews of this product, the battery life is short. You'll need to have a spare battery if you don't want to miss anything during your parties. I have not tested the waterproof capabilities...Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Purchase Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-20T07:24:00.001-07:00

I have a friend who is a die-hard fan of Xacti. Although the Xacti has a camcorder look ever since it came up, he always described it as a digital camera taking great videos. This gave me a feeling that the Xacti was a versatile camcorder since the camcorders that I have been using are very poor at taking still pictures. Finally, the Xacti VPC-E2 was on my hand, and I had a really fun time using it.

First of all, the Xacti VPC-E2 is not an HD camcorder. These days, we see many HD (High Definition) camcorders on the market, and I would only look for an HD camcorder if I needed to buy a camcorder. As a matter of fact, I am using two full HD camcorders. One is using a hard drive as a media (Canon HG10) and the other one is using a flash memory (Samsung SC-HMX20C). Fortunately, I had a chance to own an E2 otherwise I would not buy it because it is not HD. Its highest resolution is a mere 640 * 480 at 60 frames per second. The E2 cannot compete with the resolution of the HD camcorders whose resolution is 1920 * 1080. However, now I believe that the E2 has its own advantages and I carry the E2 more than my HD camcorders these days. By the way, there are HD versions of Xacti, which are HD700 and HD1010, available on the market.

My first impression of the E2 was that it was small. I have owned many consumer camcorders to date and the E2 is the smallest one of them. I know that there are smaller flash memory based camcorders, however, those are mostly YouTube quality camcorders. Also the blue color body looks very nice. I prefer a shiny color for gadgets that I use and the E2 is a perfect match for me. It fits in my pocket nicely and the included soft case works very well. The good thing is that the lens is protected by a tightly sealed (waterproof) glass, so I do not need to buy a UV filter that I always buy when I buy any kind of camcorders to protect the lens. This will save you $15 to $20. And there is no lens cap to open or to close. The vertical shape of the body feels a little unfamiliar at the first time, since my camcorders are either barrel shape or the shape that needs a vertical grip. Once I got used to, it felt better and comfortable.

The one thing that I want to mention is that I had a hard time pressing the buttons to take the picture or the video. It is just too firm to press. When I asked someone to take pictures for me, most of the times they did not press the button that they thought they did. So, I had to make sure that they took pictures right. After I took more than 50 pictures, my thumb became numb. I wish this problem would be fixed in the later version.

Now here is the fun part. The E2 is a waterproof camcorder. Although the spec sheet says it can be waterproof within 5 feet of water depth, I am happy with it since I am not a diver of any kind. I received the product in the winter so I cannot test this other than the bath tub. Fortunately, we had a good friend asking us to go to an indoor water park together and I said yes passionately to test this new toy. Wow, it was one of the most fun things I ever done in a water park. I saw some people taking pictures or videos in the water park. However, they are standing outside of the pool or at least 10-20 feet away from the possible water splash. But I am in the middle of the water and carrying the E2 in the water. I took moments of my family floating on the lazy river while I was lying on the tube with them. My daughter loves to play with it, and we are the only one in the water park who was carrying a camcorder everywhere. I sometimes took the video under the water, and I have never tried that with any other camera or camcorder. People in the water park found out that my camcorder is waterproof and they all said "Coooooool !' After we came back from the water park, I carefully took a look at the E2 and everything was fine. I did not find any water inside of the memory and battery compartment. The interesting thing is that the E2 has 2 water drain holes for cleaning. I washed the E2 with tab water and it felt very odd since I have never cleaned my camcorder with running water.

The E2 records video in MPEG4 AVC/H.264 format. This video format is getting popular and is supported by most video editing software. As I described above, I use two HD camcorders, and the Canon HG10 uses the AVCHD format (Canon HG10) and the Samsung SC-HMX20C uses MPEG4 AVC/H.264. As far as the compatibility is concerned, AVC/H.264 works far better than AVCHD. I had a hard time just to play AVCHD video files, and AVC/H.264 format files can be played flawlessly in every media player that I have. And AVC/H.264 format is easier to upload to video streaming services like YouTube. YouTube announced that they have started to support MTS/M2TS files that are recorded in AVCHD format. However, when I uploaded MTS files without any conversion, it did not work (they allowed to upload MTS files directly). The sound was breaking and the video stuttered. Anyways, if you concern about the compatibility issues, the MPEG4 AVC/H.264 is for you.

The one thing I was really disappointed is the low light performance of the E2. It is too grainy. Under normal indoor lighting at home, you will get very grainy video. If you use your video in low resolution such as 320 * 240, you might not be bothered much. However, if you see your indoor shot on TV, you could immediately notice how coarse your video is no matter what the resolution is. The low light performance is almost the same as a cheap flash memory camcorder such as the Flip. If you take most of your videos indoor (like the baby shots), you should find something else.

The photos coming out from the E2 is pretty good. I can use the E2 to take still pictures (I have never used any of my camcorders to take still pictures). It cannot be compared to digital cameras in the same price range, however, the E2 makes very good pictures. Unlike the poor indoor performance in video, the E2 gives pretty bright pictures. Now I know why my friend called the Xacti as a great digital camera that takes nice videos.

Having internal memory in the E2 is a blessing. You might have an experience like me that you forget to bring your memory card and regret missing precious moments. As a matter of fact, I got very mad at myself whenever I make a silly mistake like this. Although the size of an internal memory is small (44 MB), it could be a life saver sometimes.

As many reviewers stated, the battery performance is disappointing. It only lasts for 80 to 100 still pictures and less than an hour for video only. However, I do not take long videos with the E2, so I was OK with it. I am using the E2 to take the short moments that I could meet at any time. If you plan to use the E2 as your only camcorder, I recommend you to buy an additional battery.

Overall, the E2 is a great camcorder to carry anywhere including underwater. I am using an 8 gb SDHC card with it and still have tons of space left. It is tiny, and it looks great. It is a versatile camcorder making great still pictures. If you take most videos outside, the E2 will work better for you. With a street price of $180, you cannot go wrong with the E2.
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Order Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-20T03:17:00.001-07:00

I do not recommend this camera. I bought one and it has been repaired under warranty twice and I have only tried to use it twice (one trip to Galapagos, the other to the Carribean). The picture quality is not great, photos under water have poor colour and focus, even if you try to correct the white balance or change filming modes. I recommend you consider an alternative to this camera.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-19T22:05:00.001-07:00

While looking for an entry level and highly portable camcorder to record the meyhem on our weekend off-road motercyle excursions, I targeted the Xacti VPC E2 versus other comparable brands because of reviews and its features.

Recieved the package on time and in perfect condition. For the price, I was impressed with the ruggedness of the unit and its relatively compact and light form factor. The very first video/pics I shot were in a snow storm, which turned out well considering I have no experience shooting video and spent no time at all setting up the camera. Over the next few days I shot various videos and pics indoors, this is where I realized the camera's video limitations. Similar to some other folks, I found the indoor video quality to be less than perfect and interestingly worse @ 60 fps (indoor). However, with a little tweaking on the settings, the indoor photos I captured were better than my point and shoot 5MP HP R707.

The camera ergonomics take a little getting used to as do the feel of the buttons but the menu is easy to navigate and find what is needed. The main 4-way selector button is not in a very good position and somtimes you have to stabilize the camera with the other hand to use the button, but the thing is so small I guess they really couldnt have put them anywhere better.

I found that adjusting the settings(particularly the ISO) for an indoor environment provided very acceptable results for photos and..well, viewable video. Though I wasnt really dissapointed, since my primary intention for this is outdoor use in all kinds of bad weather. Note that video on the TV will look much better than on a computer screen due to the resolution. DVD playback looks fine.

Pros: Price per feature ratio, rugged, lightweight/compact design, digital media storage, weather-proof properties, readily transfer and view the video to a PC or upload to the web without any special software -it couldnt get any easier with this unit. Can edit photos and videos in the field. Decent control over camera settings.

Cons: Can only assign limited functions to the shortcut button. Battery life is very poor - havent had a charge last more than an hour or so. Throw the case away - I gave it to my dog to chew on. The software is outdated and cranky, I had to encode my video to my PC's HDD first, then burn that to the DVD to get it to work. Indoor video quality could be better.

Summary: Very nice camera for the price, as long as your expectations are on par with its capabilities.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Shop For Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-19T07:24:00.001-07:00

This product has some great features and is water resistant. Unfortunately, the camera is not rated to go very deep - its only good for protecting your camera if you are swimming on the surface.
The real problem with this camera is that is practically useless indoors. Unless you are outside on a very bright day, your picture will be muddled with scan lines and severe pixellation. It is not worth the $200 I paid for it.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-19T03:17:00.001-07:00

We are very happy with this product. It is easy to use and has many useful features especially for a 70 year old.
I recommend this to all especially the Seniors.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Review

2009-10-18T22:05:00.001-07:00

This was a gift for our son. He unwraped it at Christmas and right out of the box was filming our granddaughter unwraping her gifts! The next day, we had a video up and running on Phanfare.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Top Quality

2009-10-18T07:24:00.001-07:00

I purchased this camera because I was going on a caribbean cruise. It exceeded my expectations in almost every way. The waterproof feature was outstanding and we got many videos and pictures we could never have gotten otherwise. The video editing software that came in the box was very helpful as well to edit the movies and make something everyone can enjoy. If there was one negative thing I had to say about it, I would say the battery power doesn't last as long as I hoped because I used it so often. Great buy -- recommended to all. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-18T03:17:00.001-07:00

Hello everybody,
I only want to warn to buy this camera, if you want to use it really at the water. Even if you keep all restrictions of the manual (5', 60min) you can get problems.
But if you want help from Sanyo you get the answer "Maybe you didn't closed the battery door well." But after loading the battery nearly every day it could be happen or it comes in a hair, a grain of sand, maybe a dust particle. So they proposed me to repair the camera for more the $400! Now I have to buy a new camera, but not from Sanyo, that's clear!Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-17T22:05:00.001-07:00

This is a great camera and I highly recommend it. It is small and compact perfect to take anywhere with you. In addition the video and photo's are very high quality. I have been using mine to make snowboarding videos all winter and they are great. The picture holds very stable even at high speeds and bumps. Family video's are just as good and the sound capturing is impressive. For your everyday video and photo needs you will not be disappointed.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-17T07:24:00.001-07:00

I am a show choir director and I purchased this mini-camcorder for business and pleasure. I have used it numerous times in show choir rehearsal, and it was perfect.

I have also used the camera a number of times and was slightly disappointed. I have to experiment a bit more, but so far my pictures have been slightly blurry unless the subject was completely motionless.

4 out of 5 stars because it was a great deal for the price and was not expecting the best of both worlds. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-17T03:17:00.001-07:00

Just my feedback after 1 month of usage. I would like to add I got a 16G SDHC for this camera. Another purchase here in Amazon.com.

Features on video recording (my main purpose of buying a v. cam)
1. Anti shake I feel is good, 6 out of 10 rating.
2. Lighting, in the location of no natural sunlight, a fluorescent light fare much better than yellow light. When it gets dark, the picture seems to be grainy.
3. Video format: there are like 5 settings, I only uses the 640x480 30fps SHQ ( it think is stds for Super High Quality?). W/ that format, I can store about 10 hours on 16G card. The 640x480 HQ gives about 15 hours. The rest of format I find no use of.
4. There's no flash working when in recording mode.
5. Battery life for the camera is about 2 hour of constant recording, pausing for occasion photo shoot.
6. During recording, you can take photos, however, depending on your video format setting, the resolution on the photos is automatically corrected. Say my setting, 640x480 at SHQ, during recording, I can only take a 2 MB pixel photo (and no flash). If you set to 640x480 60 fps, it gets down to about 500k pixel.
7. Booting up and shutting down is fairly quickly, about 2 seconds maybe, tho you have to hold down the button until you see the screen comes alive or the LED blink (unlike the canon PS SD400, you just hit the power button and the camera is on)
8. B/c of the water proof feature, the button to activate recording and photo shoot are very clumsy, you have to press really hard for it to activate. Again, unlike SD400, the buttons are light touch.
9. Output out to my laptop, the USB cable is proprietor by Sanyo. Don't lose it. I have no card reader so I plug the USB cable into the camera. USB plug is next to the battery so every time you need to plug the usb, you have to open the battery compartment. Again, I think it's for waterproof reason.
10. Output using Picasa 3.0, the download speed is about 9.5 to 10 mb / second.
11. Power will be drain during upload to Picasa b/c the USB doesn't charge the camera. Only way to charge it is to unload the battery and plug in the housing charger.
12. Connect the camera to our tv is very easy with the red, yellow tv connector for tv viewing.
13. Photo mode w/ recording stopped is at 8 mega pixel. However, pictures gets quite grainy when it's low light (I think it's due to CMOS technology and not CCD), anti shake for photo shoot is terrible too when it's low light, when it's bright, it's excellent. And no Red Eye function, almost all photos shoot are with red eyes. (use Picasa to auto remove them), one feature I wish they have.
14. Menus are pretty easy, buttons are pretty easy, nothing complicated.
15. This thing is light, to about the weight of a cell phone.
16. 1 thing I get around for this camera to stand by itself it thru tripod, and the square base that comes w/ tripod for quick releases, I use that as the stand (on countertop, etc), as well as a better feel for not dropping the camera.
17. 2 suggestion to make this good. 1. USB to charge the battery when uploading files, 2. Red Eyes reduction, make the flash light goes 3 times.
18. All and all, this cannot really be use as a great camera for the buttons are clumsy, so a hard press would often move/shake the camera and gets blurry images, no red eyes reduction and CMOS tech makes it grainy in low light. Canon SD400 don't do that at all.
19. As a video camera, for $185, I think it's good.
20. Didn't have a change to try out the waterproof, it's winter time here and I haven't got a chance to go to Hawaii yet.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-16T22:05:00.001-07:00

Very small cute camera. It comes with a carrier which is cool. The quality is not great but good enough. Have not tried to use it under water yet. Very easy to use.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-16T07:24:00.001-07:00

Having owned camcorder's since they first came around years ago, I've gone through the purchase of "updating" every 5-7 years and each time, they've gotten smaller and promote themselves as mobile and bring anywhere. Problem is that by and large, they get left behind. The beauty of the Sanyo Xacti is that it is so easy to drop in your pocket and go, that there is no longer an excuse not to have the camcorder with you. Even the charger is small and mobile and takes up no room in your luggage. Sure, it's not HD but the price is great, the quality for recording those fun moments with the kids or whatever you choose, this camcorder was the one that stood out in all the reviews I read prior to purchasing. I'm very happy with it, it's a breeze to use and the transfer of your video over to your computer (I'm on a Mac) couldn't be simpler or quicker. I highly recommend the Xacti E2 for anyone looking for a great fun camcorder at a very affordable price.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-16T03:17:00.001-07:00

This unit is perfect for space conscious/ weight conscious travel. It's not very good in low light, but you don't have to worry about spilling you margarita on it while sitting by the pool or on the beach.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-15T22:05:00.001-07:00

This is my first review of an item on Amazon. I'm impressed with the quality of the pictures and video for the price. It takes a few seconds to adjust to lighting during video but then works fine. I haven't used it under water yet but did use it while sailing with a lot of ocean spray and it was fine. I usually use a large Cannon 40D camera so pictures aren't quite as nice as that but for a lightweight easy to use camera it does what it is expected to do. I have a 4GB card so have had plenty of space. Just keep an eye on the battery. It is probably a good idea to have a backup. There are lots of settings and I haven't had the chance to test them all yet. Easy to transfer to PC and view. Much easier than my other video camera!Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-15T07:24:00.001-07:00

Overall, a great unit.
- Small size, easy to fit in jacket pocket (or handbag)
- Nice picture quality for video, decent quality for camera (stills)
- Looks good, and has not scratched with over 2 months of regular usage.
- Great price.
- Overall, a great option for causal use, and definitely beats carrying a separate camera and camcorder.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-15T03:17:00.001-07:00

I had read all the reviews before buying the product and they were largely favorable. I can certainly add my voice to that group. The Xacti comes out of the box and into service right after charging the battery. It was easy to use and takes outstanding still pictures as well as very high quality video. I have never been a video buff but I felt that I wanted to try to get more into it when considering all of the great tools now available for manipulation of video. I now find myself remembering to bring the Xacti and having video memories available.

I had read some people thinking the battery life could be a problem. I have not experienced that and I wonder whether the concerns might not stem from the difference between the sleep setting and the off setting. The Xacti can be be turned off with a long push of the on/off button but it can also be suspended with a short duration push of the on/off button. It seems at least plausible that some people think it is off when it is not actually. Certainly just a theory.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-14T22:05:00.001-07:00

Not a bad deal for the money. The CD that came with it was of no help.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-14T07:24:00.001-07:00

Positives: Cheap price, starts recording fast, small, build quality is good, and the video imports easily to my mac.

Cons: Doesn't do well in low light, battery last 1 hour and 7 minutes, video is 4X3.

Overall this is a good camera to capture quick video of our kids, my wife keeps this in her purse at all times and loves it. Again this camera works poor in low light but is really great for spontaneous recording of our kids.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-14T03:17:00.001-07:00

I bougth the Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder at Amazon January 2009. I was happy at the beginning. It seemed a good product. However, after just one week, it stopped working completely. We were filming in the pool. It was in the middle of my vacation so I was not very happy.

When i came back from my vacation, i called Sanyo. They finally asked me to send it for repair to a company called Skokie, which i did. About a week later, Skokie called me and said that water got inside. Unfortunately, it is not covered under warranty!!! I was shocked. It does not make sense. This is supposed to be a waterproof camera. I spoke with a supervisor at Skokie. I also called back Sanyo and spoke to a couple of persons including a supervisor called Dan. They all said that they can not do nothing. It passed their waterproof tests they said, so they assume i must have done something wrong (which i did not) and won't repair it under warranty. In fact, they are quoting 366$ for repair! Almost twice the value of the camera...

I am extremely disapointed by the camera, but a lot more by the service i received. I bought the camera because of the good reviews and because i did not want any problems.

I will probably have to throw it away and buy another one, for sure not a Sanyo.

Think again before purchasing it.

Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-13T22:05:00.001-07:00

This camera is everything you want in a small, take-it-anywhere camera. Its rugged, it's lightweight and small, it's an excellent still camera, and it works in the pool or ocean. It's also really easy to throw something onto youtube since it records in the perfect frame size.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Buying Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-13T07:24:00.001-07:00

I was unsure about this camera when I researched it. It looked too good to be true...A very small video camera and point and shoot camera that is waterproof, takes underwater photos and video and is delivered for under $180? Well some reviews were not very favorable talking about grainy picture quality in low light but others were glowing. Just about everyone said it was a good bang for the buck so I ordered it thinking I would send it back if I didn't like it...first of all I do like it...It's compactness is second to none...not much bigger than my smartphone or a tape on my old camcorder...no more carrying a big bag around to sporting events...even the small ones you buy today won't fit in your pocket as this one does. And the more time I use it..the more I like it. Quality and workmanship is great. Everyone I show it to is impressed also..
When using it in the out of the box configuration with adjustments set on "Auto" it worked great in good natural light but the first time I shot in indoors with low lighting I was very disappointed. I was just about to send it back and then and only thing started reading the manual and adjusting the ISO and white balence and I got back the great picture quality. This adjustment only takes seconds so well worth the time. I have not used it underwater yet so I can't say anything about that yet but, from what I have seen so far, this is a keeper. The only thing that kept it from getting 5 stars is the minor distraction of the auto setting not being truely an "Auto" setting and the fact that the little carrying pouch to protect and keep the screen clean that comes with it didn't have a belt loop..very minor issues. The only other thing this camera is missing is that it isn't a smart phone as well...:0) I would have given it a 5 star if it included a simple cell phone it would have been a 5 star. A smart phone would have it in the 7-10 range out of 5...can we do that?
Buy it and familiarize youself with the settings from the get go and practice with it a little in different lighting situations and you will unlock this cameras full potential.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-13T03:17:00.001-07:00

I've used my camera for some time now, the zoom works really good, the still camera is of good quality and the video records smoothly.
Pros:
Being waterproof has served me really well for snowboarding, can't wait to try it underwater.

Drawbacks:
The still images taken when shooting video are low quality its better if you take the video and strip the frame by using any other software.
The battery (as with any other electronic) will not last long (45-50 minutes of video)
The buttons are to small for using them with gloves (not a big deal, but becomes bothersome when you are in the snow and have to remove your gloves to take pics), so its hard to take pictures or video when using them, also the zoom buttons and the menu buttons are hard to reach.

Aside of that so far this camera has proven really goodGet more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-12T22:05:00.001-07:00

I know I took a chance in getting this camera, I was looking more at the price than the quality. The battery power is low, doesn't last too long so you may want to purchase another battery to switch out. The indoor video quality is poor in low light, improves with more light. The outdoor video quality is excellent, however, it is very difficult to see the viewfinder in sunlight due to the glare. A separate eye viewer would work better than the LCD screen. The still pictures look ok indoor or outdoor but I purchased this camera for the video and it came short of my expectations.
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2009-10-12T07:24:00.001-07:00

I have had this little camera for a few weeks now. I haven't taken it underwater yet but that's because it's cold right now where I live. this camera loves bright light. the image becomes pixilated in low light settings. the interface is simple and easy to use and in the sunlight or bright indoor lights the video quality is great.
For the price you really can't go wrong with this little guy as long as you don't need it for low light.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-12T03:17:00.001-07:00

Great product for the money. Fits in your pocket, great still pictures and video. I was hesitant at first to use it under water for fear that my pictures I had taken earlier on vacation would be ruined if something went wrong before I had the chance to download them, but was brave and video tapped my children swimming in the hotel pool. It is amazing how clear underwater video is and amazing to me that it can even go under water. Overall very happy. Money well spent!Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-11T22:05:00.001-07:00

This is an awesome little device. Havent had a chance to try it under water though. It is easy to figure out the menu and shoots a good quality video. The only thing that sucks is the battery life. It only lasts about an hour, not impressed with that. Can hold around 5 hrs of video on a 8GB SDHC card depending on what setting you have it on.
Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-11T07:24:00.001-07:00

First I had the E-1 and loved it. Now they upgraded it making it even better with the E-2.

This is an excellent camera for travel. Compact and very durable.

Works underwater, resists dust, sand, grit, high humidity.

Solid state design saves photos and movies to convenient SD card.

Highly recommended !Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Review

2009-10-11T03:17:00.001-07:00

The Sanyo was bought for a trip to Mexico and proved to be great. It is user friendly and compact. The waterproof feature was especially handy around the ocean and pool. A great value for the money.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-10T22:05:00.001-07:00

I purchased this camcorder on a whim, simply because it was on sale for a great price, and I was going on vacation where I would be snorkeling. The camera worked great underwater in the ocean, underwater in the pool, and splashed by water in the ocean. There are only 2 setbacks. The buttons for taking pictures and videos are small, and too close together for my big fingers, and I sometimes push the wrong button. Not a big issue on vacation, but it could be if you are trying to catch action pics. The only problem I had underwater was not being able to see the screen, so I just had to point in the direction of what I wanted, and hope. I still got some nice video while snorkeling. There are better options out there I'm sure, but for the price, I was quite pleased.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-10T07:24:00.001-07:00

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)
Finally a camcorder you can control instead of the other way around. Great for sharing by simply making a copy of the memory card and sending it to the kids. Love it.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-10T03:17:00.001-07:00

Love it! Takes great pics, videos seem good quality. Need to get a back up battery so one is always charged. Haven't used the camera underwater yet but as soon as the weather is warm enough we will have it in the pool! Easy enough for the kids to operate and play back. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-09T22:05:00.001-07:00

Good value for the $175 price. I purchased the camera as a birthday gift. The video quality is better than my 3+ year old Xacti C5. The photos are decent, but still not as good as most other digital still cameras, especially in low-light. The waterproof shell, however, makes the camera much larger that previous Xacti cameras, but it is still relatively small. While the video is only 640x480 and HD would be preferred, the HD Xacti cameras cost a lot more.

I have only tried the underwater capabilities in the sink, but I can't wait for the summer to take it to the beach and in the water. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-09T07:24:00.001-07:00

This is a compact and durable, extremely easy to operate, do almost everything camera. It takes great stills and good outdoor movies. I was disappointed a bit with the indoor movies.
It works underwater and is sealed to resist dust, sand, high humidity.
It interfaces flawlessly with PC. With the Mac, I sometimes have connectivity problems and need to remove the SD card to upload the photos and movies. Overall, I would recommend the camera. It does fit in my shirt pocket..
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2009-10-09T03:17:00.001-07:00

This is a cute camera to take on a road trip and you don't have to worry about it getting wet because it's waterproof. Just make sure you look at the directions when you charge the battery that it is in right and get a memory card. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-08T22:05:00.001-07:00

Just perfect for me. I was aware of it's downsides such as short battery life( just buy a 2nd, they're cheap), no lens cover and very average picture quality. However for the price, I could overlook those issues. It is well built,easy to use. the SD format makes it simple to upload to your computer. The camera also came with Adobe Premiere Elements 4.0 editing software that is great for the average Joe. I use it mainly to shoot ski footage, as the waterproof aspects of the camera allow me to use it in wet weather(just keep lens covered)I've had it for a month and so far so good. Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-08T07:24:00.001-07:00

Okay I've been using Flips for a few years. Loved the Ultra and the Mino, but I swapped up to the MinoHD. Bad move on my part. The video on the MinoHD is amazing as long as you are holding the cam still or on a tripod. I needed something for a snowboarding vacation that could handle the bumps and jolts down the slope. Sure the video isn't the best ever but compared to the MinoHD inability to be walked with this thing does pretty good. I do like the multiple settles so I can tweak the way I want. Used my Roxio DVD software and burned a few movies, playing on our 50" Panasonic plasma they look pretty good. Actually better than on the PC monitor. Wouldn't have paid $200+ for this cam, but the gold box $150 wasn't bad. BTW the terrible time with the 8gb transcend card I bought with it. I switch to Lexmar with better results. Overall a fun cam that does tons of stuff. 4.5 stars for effort.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-08T03:17:00.001-07:00

This is a good little camera for the price. The picture quality is fair on video and pretty decent for stills. I like it's compact size and the ability to take stills and video easily with one unit. The controls are a bit awkward in your hand, but do-able. I bought this for a trip to Disney and it was super easy to tote around and use. I can't attest to it's longevity as I've only had it for about a month. I bought a 16gb card that held a weeks worth of video and stills with room to spare. The battery life is not bad. By the end of the day it was exhausted though. Save your video review for when the action is over. With a bit more practice I think I could improve some of that video quality by simply shooting in the appropriate mode. I shot almost solely in Auto without thinking. Recommended for simple everyday memory capture.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-07T22:05:00.001-07:00

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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2009-10-07T07:24:00.001-07:00

This is an amazing camcorder as well as a camera. Two in one. No more taking a camera and a Camcorder. Easy to use, just has lots of options that you need to take the time to read, but after that, watch out. Videos and Photos---all in one. Easy to download onto your computer as well as share with other friends and family. And it's small. Fits right in your purse or pocket for men :D. The only thing I would suggest if you are using it all day, is to have a back up battery for it. Ours ran out and I didn't have a backup and was disappointed. Other than that, it's worth buying this product.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-07T03:17:00.001-07:00

Product looks pretty cool with an affordable price. My major interest about this product is the waterproof feature. Beside, the operation is very very simple.
The thing I don't like much about this camera is the battery slot where the battery lock locates in a position that makes it difficult to remove the battery. Also, inserting battery to an incorrect position can be done which actually does not cause any damage but it needs to reopen and reinsert it again.
Image and video captures are great for home users. The great thing is now I am no more worry about taking pictures in the beach, under the rain, and/or swimming pool. P.S. I like the color too, it makes the camera looks much better.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-06T22:04:00.001-07:00

We bought this camera specially for our vacation, it was a cruise in the Carribean, we wanted to have some video from whale watching in Samana and underwater swimming on coral reefs. The first day was OK, but on the second day all lense got covered with water from inside, we couldn't picture anything for future memories, we were very upset - it was just the beginning of our cruise. Whatever video clips we had a chance to take during our first day came out nice, maybe the brand itself is OK, but it was our bad luck with that specific item.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Cheapest Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-06T07:24:00.001-07:00

I bought this for a week-long cruise with the intention of using it while snorkeling, but after the first 10 minutes in the water, it had failed. I opened up the battery compartment and there was just about two drops of water on the inside of it, but I had a good seal on it and did not use it deeper than three feet even! After looking at all the other negative reviews, I realize this product is just sub-par.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Cheap Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-06T03:17:00.001-07:00

I've had the camera for a few months now and I find that it's more then good enough. The picture quality is good for a camera this size. Fine for Youtube or other web sites. The zoom is also adequate, but the image stabilization is almost non-existent. I can't zoom more then half way with out the picture shaking so much that the footage is unusable. On land I've been using a monopod, and that helps a lot. The auto focus is also ok but not super fast. You can't expect ultra high quality from this type of camera

So far I've gotten 4 hours of footage with an 8meg memory card, but I did have to buy an extra battery. I run out of juice long before I run out of room on the card. The camera also works well under water. Just make sure that the cover is closed all the way or it's not waterproof. I got it to go kayaking, so the one hand operation is nice and I put a float on it, so when I drop it in the water I can retrieve it down stream. After loosing several pair of binoculars that way, it's good to have a "cheap" camcorder that I don't have to worry about. The sound quality is also a bit lacking, especially in the wind, the audio sounds like a hurricane is blowing.

I'm a Mac user, and the camera down loads to Iphoto via USB, not Imovie, sort of a pain, and it's slow. I find that if I create a desktop folder and download to the folder first, and then Imovie, it's a little faster. Over all a good camera for limited uses and a good price. I'm glad I got it.

See a video shot with the Xacti at:[...]Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Buying Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-05T22:04:00.001-07:00

The Sanyo Xacti waterproof digital camcorder/camera is soooo adorable! I could not believe how SMALL it was when it arrived. My husband likes to film underwater when snorkeling. Previously we used our Sony Camcorder with a "waterproof housing" that was very bulky to travel with, plus a "dive light". Wow, with this baby we are traveling light! You don't need a dive light with the included video editing software, you can adjust the colors to remove the "blue" tint.

The camera is also fantastic for using in the rain, at the beach or the pool - you don't have to worry about it getting a little wet. The camera quality is about what you'd expect - not HD quality but fine for home movies, YouTube, etc. You can bring multiple SD cards with you for tons of recording time - this is much more convenient than the miniDV tapes. I can directly import photos and videos into iTunes and put them on my iPod touch, which is SO convenient. I can't say enough great things about the Sony Xacti camera. It's adorable, functional - all in all, a great gadget!Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-05T07:24:00.001-07:00

I have really enjoyed the size, hold, and the water-proof features of this camera! I love how I can take video and snapshots with ONE device! However, it is very slow on the snap shots...must hold button for 4 seconds before it takes the still picture. Only other complaint it that you cannot set the camera down for a timed photo of yourself (makes it tricky to get a group shot without anyone to hold it). There are TONS of features and specifics that you can tinker with too. Over all, I really like the camera--IT'S SO NICE NOT TO HAVE TO WORRY ABOUT GETTING IT WET!!!Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-05T03:17:00.001-07:00

This was my first camcorder and I wanted to see what I could get in the way of a waterproof/submergible one for under $200. Lesson learned: you get what you pay for.

Pros: decent DVD quality, decent menu interface and ergonomics, very compact, stylish design, SD memory cards and compact file sizes, files are very YouTube, iMovie friendly, screen swivels nicely to 180 degrees, 8MB camera stills while shooting, decent flash, and best of all IT IS WATERPROOF down to 5' and for up to 60 min!

Cons: very shaky even w/ steady mode enabled, not much of a wind buffer on the mic, very noisy in low-light situations, no infra-red/night shot mode, screen is hard to see under water or in bright daylight, to many button presses to delete a single file, BATTERY LASTS APPROX. ONE HOUR, SO YOU MUST HAVE A BACKUP BATTERY, the pistol grip takes a while to get used to for good aiming, and my packaged shipment didn't contain the AV cables.

All things being said, I've decided to keep the this puppy. It's a good first camcorder and I'm really looking forward to getting more snorkeling and snowboarding footage without worrying about the camera getting wet or submerged.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-04T22:04:00.001-07:00

I am an avid sea kayaker. I need a waterproof camera to get good photos and video for my website. I have used a Pantax Optio 6mp water resistant camera for several years to good advantage. But the Optio did not take good quality video. I have just returned from a seven day, 138 mile trip down Florida's Suwannee River. The Xacti spent the trip in the pocket of my life jacket. I shot many photos and more than an hour of video with the camera (some of these have been posted to my website Yackman.com). I found the camera easy to use, and it seems to take both good still shots and video. It's small size makes it difficult to maintain a steady video shot, but I am learning. I found the battery life to be shorter than expected, but that is probably because I left the camera on standby mode for too long. I have since bought additional batteries to take care of that problem. I really like this camera.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Where To Buy Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-04T07:24:00.001-07:00

On our last trip to Hawaii I told my husband I wanted ONE camera/camcorder that would take really good video & pictures. I was tired of carting the big SLR on vacations and then not wanting to get it wet/sandy so we'd also bring a cheap digital and a camcorder. Ridiculous! We'd come home with bad low res digital photos of 99% of the trip and 1 or 2 'staged' photos from the SLR and virtually no video.

We came home, checked on Amazon and 'voila' the perfect camera had just been released. I've been using it for 4 months now and LOVE it. I usually keep it in my purse and it's been great for those impromptu moments at the park or just around town. Great pictures (ok, not as good as my Nikon D40X but really good) and very good video (better than our 3 year old Sony DVD403 camcorder). Looks great on the computer and even on the 50" plasma screen.

I highly recommend this for anyone who wants one 'everything' camera. We've taken it on a couple of beach trips and the underwater feature is ridiculously cool. I even let my 3 year old take it in the ocean and it's totally indestructible.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

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2009-10-04T03:17:00.001-07:00

I currently own the Flip Video Ultra Series Camcorder and have been very pleased with it for the most part. I wanted to upgrade to a camera that had a sharper focused image, optical zoom with image stabilization but was still flash based. Went with the Xacti VPC-E2 and could not have been more displeased.

The fit and finish on the Xacti VPC-E2 is very good and the menu system is easy to use....the only problem: Horrible Indoor Movie Quality!

If had to rate the overall quality (indoors & outdoors) of recorded movies on a scale of 1 to 10 I'd give the Flip Video Ultra Series an 8 but I'd only give the Xacti VPC-E2 a 5 at best.

Where the Flip blew the Xacti away was on indoor videos. The Xacti had to bump the ISO up to 1600 which introduced tons of noise or graininess into the video. I tried manually holding the ISO down to between 100 and 200 which did clear up the noise issue but then the picture was so dark that you couldn't make out any faces.

On outdoor videos the Xacti was just slightly better than the Flip. The video wasn't really that much better except for the fact that the Flip was constantly adjusting it's white balance where as the Xacti was more consistent.

Overall I like the design of the Xacti over the flip but in the end it's all about the movie quality with me.

I've decided to return the Xacti and have bought the Kodak Zi6 HD Pocket Video Camera. It doesn't have the 5x optical zoom or image stabilization but from what I've read the "HD" is supposed to give me sharper images.

I've had the Kodak Zi6 HD Pocket Video Camera for about 2 hours and I can tell you that I am already much more pleased with the video. There's been reviews of poor build quality on the Kodak but I would say it has very good build quality but not quite as good as the Xacti.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue)

2009-10-03T22:04:00.001-07:00

I BOUGHT THIS PRODUCT WHEN MY OLDER MODEL VIDEO CAMERA BROKE. I THINK IT IS A VERY NICE, COMPACT CAMERA. EXCELLENT PRICE AND WITH AN 8GB SD CARD U CAN RECORD 8 HRS OF VIDEO AND TAKE STILL PICS. PERFECT FOR A FAMILY WHO TAKES ALOT OF PICS AND LIKES TO TAPE HOLIDAYS, SPECIAL OCCASIONS, ECT.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).

Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue) Review

2009-10-03T07:24:00.001-07:00

I'm glad I bought this little fun camcorder with a great price at Amazon Warehouse before it went out of stock.
It is very solidly build, feels good in your hand (either you're left or right handed). To my surprise it also comes with a nice Adobe Premiere Elements 4 software for video editing.
First of all don't compare this camcorder with those mini DV or DVD camcorder. This isn't made for that. If you want higher video quality, this isn't for you. What make this Sanyo camcorder shines is it's small and compact size, waterproof function, decent video clips (MP4 format) outdoor or under water, uses popular cheap SD memory cards, easily download files into your computer, ipod, PSP or you tube. It is truely a fun camcorder for your family and travel activities, rain or shine.
It now stays in my pocket all the time. My advise is to get a couple extra batteries and SD cards, so you can shoot nonstop.Get more detail about Sanyo Xacti VPC-E2 Digital Camcorder and 8 MP Digital Camera (Blue).