Hasta La Gadget!

Engadget Japanese is attending a Sanyo presser where its much loved Xacti camcorders are being overhauled. The 5-strong mix of pistol-grip and new, horizontally-oriented camcorders includes several world’s firsts according to Sanyo: the world’s first to shoot progressive, Full HD 1,920 x 1,080 video at 60fps (models DMX-HD2000/FH11 pictured above), the world’s first waterproof HD cameras (DMX-CA9 and DMX-WH1 with 30x optical zoom), and world’s first HD camera to shoot 10 megapixel still images (DMX-CG10). All the cams shoot in MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 format for broad compatibility with devices and video editing software. The DMX-HD2000 will hit the streets first on February 6 with the rest to trickle out before April is up. No prices were announced but we expect these to be competitive, as always. The rest of the new models pictured after the break with full specifications just beyond the read link.

[Via Engadget Japanese]

Continue reading Sanyo’s 2009 HD Xacti camcorder lineup brings a trio of world’s firsts

Filed under: Digital Cameras, Portable Video

Sanyo’s 2009 HD Xacti camcorder lineup brings a trio of world’s firsts originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 21 Jan 2009 01:50:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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No, it’s not a Web site award show–the Webbie is actually Sony’s new entry into the ever-broadening world of pocket camcorders.

The Webbie MHS-CM1 has an upright form factor similar to other entries in the space, like the Flip and Vado. It has a 2.5-inch LCD and a lens with 5X optical zoom (a vast improvement over most other company’s 2X digital), which swivels up to 270-degrees.

The camera also has a number of scene selection modes, include low-light and sport. Oh, and it can also take 5MB still photos.

Like RCA and Kodak‘s recent entries into the field, the MHS-CM1 is a slick-looking, slim camcorder. Users can pick from three colors: eggplant, orange, and silver. The camera’s looking like a pretty strong contender for best in class.

Another trend at this year’s CES? YouTube camcorders, of course. Illinois-based Cobra Digital has come out with their own entry into the field. The DVC950 looks a lot like a slimmer version of the original Flip, but manages to pack in a lot of features that that camera was missing–for a much lower price point.

Like the Flip, the DVC950 has a retractable USB arm, making for easy uploads to site like YouTube. The camera also has an SD card slot, and a swiveling 1.5-inch screen for those among us (read: teenagers) who like to shoot videos of themselves. The camera doesn’t have a built-in battery, however, and requires two AA batteries.

The camera ships with software, a USB cable, and a 256MB SD card. The DVC950 carries an MSRP of around $60.

We already caught wind of a few new camcorders from Panasonic today, but now the whole crew is official. We’ve got too many to call ’em out, but here’s a few highlights. First off, the SDR-S26 packs a mighty ridiculous 70x optical zoom. The partnering SDR-H80 and SDR-H90 also include optical image stabilization and varying amounts of internal storage, but truthfully, these really aren’t worth swooning over. The half dozen Full HD models, however, are definitely worth peeking. The HDC-HS300, HDC-TM300 and HDC-HS250 all feature the outfit’s 3MOS system, but unfortunately, none of these are particularly affordable. If you don’t believe us, have a look at the links below.

Read – Panasonic camcorders I
Read – Panasonic camcorders II

Filed under: CES, Digital Cameras

Panasonic launches new line of of camcorders at CES 2009 originally appeared on Engadget on Thu, 08 Jan 2009 05:34:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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Regardless of your camcorder needs (well, outside of the professionals in attendance), Sony’s got you covered. Today at CES, the company is introducing the DCR-DVD850 and DCR-DVD650 DVD Handycams to complement its GPS-packin’ HDR line and the perfectly midrange flash-based Handycams. These buggers include Carl Zeiss Vario-Tessar lenses, a 60x optical zoom, 1/8-inch 680k-pixel CCD imagers and instant recording to three-inch DVDs. Thankfully, there’s also the option of capturing to a Memory Stick PRO Duo card, and the DVD850 even adds 16GB of internal storage for the truly indecisive. The pair also features a 2.7-inch LCD touchpanel and Steady Shot image stabilization, and they’ll run you $430 and $300 in order of mention when they ship next month.

Filed under: CES, Digital Cameras

Sony’s DCR-DVD850 and DCR-DVD650 DVD Handycams: perfect for the anti-edit crowd originally appeared on Engadget on Wed, 07 Jan 2009 19:11:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

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