Can we draw some conclusions?

Graham Jones · March 12th, 2006, 06:58 PM

I wouldn't expect the shutter to preview.

I imagine it would only start functioning once you start recording.

Whereas the exposure bar and the ND filter - they would obviously be visible during preview.

Then again, this is digital, who knows. I will try it tommorow!

Graham Jones · March 12th, 2006, 07:02 PM

"you can take 5 MP pictures while videoing and not pause or compromise your video".

Have you tested that function Chris? I seem to remember Joseph reported that it causes the video to pause. Despite Sanyo's promo where the girl is rolling in the grass and supposedly being captured in still and video at the same time!

Joseph Aurili · March 12th, 2006, 07:36 PM

Yep, the video was paused in all tests I did when a picture was taken during video.

Graham, I would think adjusting the shutter speed would/should effect the preview, as it is effecting how much light the shot is getting. If the shutter speed is going to over or under expose the shot, then what good its it not to see that on the display until you start recording? On my Z1 I get a preview with maunal controls that matches when I start recording, including shutter speed. The ND filter for sure shows up in preview. I did not notice an effect from the expose bar, but I would like to try it in brighter light.

Chris Wells · March 12th, 2006, 07:52 PM

Hi Graham,

I had not tried that function... One of the reviews right after CES stated that this camera had achieved a first using its "amazing processing engine" that could capture the digital image without pausing the recording. Now I see the review misled me. It doesn't pause the recording, but it does pause the video input to the camera. That's a dissapointment... simultaneous pictures and videos would have been one of the camera's strongest benefits.

Graham Jones · March 13th, 2006, 08:57 AM

Joseph, you're right. On a digital camera the effect of shutter should be visible during preview. I've just tried exactly what you tried and the same thing happened - as soon as I started recording the screen went black. So perhaps shutter speed isn't available in preview..

Chris, yes, I agree they mislead us in relation to that function. The small print warned us but a central part of their selling the cam was that it could do both simultaniously!

Joseph Aurili · March 13th, 2006, 09:58 AM

Thanks Graham. That makes it hard to use manual controls, when you don't see what you are going to get, does it not? So I guess the best thing to do is use the A or S mode. I supose it I want full manual, I could use the A or S first, to get the proper shutter and fstop, then set the values with the M mode. The reason I would like to use the M mode, is to avoid having the camera adjusting for lighting in the steppy way it does.

Paul Platt · March 13th, 2006, 10:15 AM

Chris,

Thanks for the detailed reply. It really helps. I gather the video meets my requirements. The F700 doesn't do great in low light either (video that is).

I mentioned the speed difference because it was one of the main reasons for getting the F700. Prior to that I had (still have) a Ricoh RDC-7. Turn it on "Hey wait, I'm waking up here and I'm sleepy." Take a shot "Ok, let me see um I'll try to focus here. Just give me a bit will ya." Then have it store "I'm moving the bits as fast as I can. Please wait." My wife and I lost lots of great moments because the RDC-7 couldn't keep up.

I asked about the focus speed because the RDC-7 was horrible. The F700 has a focus assist light and I am very happy with the Fuji now that Fuji has fixed the bad CCD (for free!). The lack of focus assist on the Sanyo has me worried.

My question on auto settigns came because of all of the posts sayignyou had to set ISO, shutter speed etc. manually to get good shots. My wife wants to turn it on and use it. It needs to work on an "auto everything" setting.

I am eager to hold one so that I can get a feel for how big or small the camera feels. THe F700 is aboutthe right size for my wife's purse. It isn't nearly as small as the current crop of cameras but she says that is ok. I think the HD1 will work for us once I can scape together the funds.

Paul

Graham Jones · March 13th, 2006, 02:15 PM

"That makes it hard to use manual controls, when you don't see what you are going to get, does it not?"

It doesn't cause a problem for me personally because I'm used to only seeing the effect of the shutter when I start rolling.

Also, because we're shooting on SD cards we can shoot for a second to see what a shutter speed does - then instantly delete that 'test clip'.

The other settings are perfectly visible during preview, so I guess it could be worse.

But ultimately you are correct - on a digital camera the effect of shutter should be accessible during preview.

Graham Jones · March 13th, 2006, 02:16 PM

"My question on auto settigns came because of all of the posts sayignyou had to set ISO, shutter speed etc. manually to get good shots. My wife wants to turn it on and use it. It needs to work on an "auto everything" setting."

Paul, I would recommend testing the cam first.

Like you, I appreciate a decent "auto everything" for use in certain situations, but that's not this cam's strength at all...

Graham Jones · March 14th, 2006, 05:39 PM

I have received an e-mail asking about that firmware upgrade for an earlier Xacti model I had spotted.

In case anyone else is interested, here it is:

http://www.sanyo.de/produkte_eng/dig...&P_ID=1&ptyp=2

Let's hope a similar approach is taken with the HD1!

Kjetil Bugge · March 15th, 2006, 05:42 AM

Hi HD1-owners !

Is it possible for one of you to post one or more movie clips from low light environments ? Example a livingroom in the evening/night with normal (and only) incandescent lightening. If possible, clips with full auto, and clips with manual settings.

And what is your experiences with HD1 in low light compared to other movie cameras ?

Best regards
Kjetil, Norway

Lynne Whelden · March 15th, 2006, 08:07 AM

Graham, just curious how quick Sanyo is on releasing upgrades. Was it issued weeks, months or years after the release of the C1?

Graham Jones · March 15th, 2006, 01:32 PM

No idea, sorry.

I simply googled, curious to know whether the Xacti line had a history of updating firmware.

Actually, my national Sanyo repair crowd says I would have to visit them to get such an update. If within warranty it would be free, otherwise it would cost about €50. They seemed unawares that a C1 update was downloadable.

Or maybe they are fully aware of that - but the HD1 is going to be a totally different story.

My hunch is that we will see a firmware update within 12 months - whether online or in repair centres.

The interest in the HD1 is far greater than the interest in earlier Xactis.

I've heard there will be a short period during which it will become difficult to get one - that they only manufactured 5,000 to start with.

Sounds unlikely to me, but I don't know much about that kind of thing.

Chris Taylor · April 7th, 2006, 11:04 PM

See Below

1--Can the HD1 serve as my primary compact camera?

No one here can answer this it depends on your wants needs and expectations

2--Related to 1 above, will the stills be better or worse than a FUji 700?

I dont have a fuji 700 so I can say. I can say I prefer the still sfrom my casio z57 but that 10x just rocks !! so its a toss up I say yes.

a--Forget that the flash is weak. That means little since most small cameras have weak flash. Is the flash and low light operation comparable to a $300 compact camera?

Dont know. I have a Casio Z57 I think its better it low light but not by much I think the flash in the Sanyo is fine but I dont plan to do much still shooting with it.

b--Is the speed comparable to my Fuji F700 in terms of shot ot shot still speed and focus speed?

My casio is faster but the sanyo really is not far behind at all. its pretty quick. and the flash recharge time is DEFINATELY faster than my casio (pretty impressive really)

the shot to shot in single shoot mode is under 2 seconds. it can also d 3 shots in about half a second.

3--I don't care if the video isn't fully HD quality. Is it significantly better than the 640x480 AVI video taken by most compact cameras like my F700?

So far it is better than ANY under $500 camera I have ever touched and better than ANY video from a digital still camera.

4--Can the camera function as the primary non-enthusiast video camera?

I would say yes. It also has a sickeningly amazing macro mode !!

a--Do you get usable video indoors?

Depends. Normal "lit" indoors absolutely (to me at least) Candle light or dark restaurant ? NO not even close will need aux lighting. then again not one of my $500 of less camcorder could do this either.

b--Is it automatic enough to just turn on and start takign pictures of kds playing i.e. ability to focus, exposure capability when automatic?

Absolutely. two dedicated buttons right for video left for pictures. if you set it for 1.2mp it can seemlessly take pictures WHILE shooting video without interuption. higher than 1.2 and the video will "stall" during that moment when you took the picture and then resume.

I think the 4GB SD card question has actually been answered in the positive since at least two people have used them successfully in the camera. Computer card readers, however, may not work. You may have to transfer from the camera to the computer via USB.

Just find a card reader that does work. that issue is totally irrelevant since card readers are ultra cheap.

Chris Taylor
http://www.nerys.com/

March 12th, 2006, 06:58 PM	#31
Graham Jones Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 489	I wouldn't expect the shutter to preview. I imagine it would only start functioning once you start recording. Whereas the exposure bar and the ND filter - they would obviously be visible during preview. Then again, this is digital, who knows. I will try it tommorow! __________________ www.irishfilmmaker.com

March 12th, 2006, 07:02 PM	#32
Graham Jones Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 489	"you can take 5 MP pictures while videoing and not pause or compromise your video". Have you tested that function Chris? I seem to remember Joseph reported that it causes the video to pause. Despite Sanyo's promo where the girl is rolling in the grass and supposedly being captured in still and video at the same time! __________________ www.irishfilmmaker.com

March 13th, 2006, 08:57 AM	#35
Graham Jones Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 489	Joseph, you're right. On a digital camera the effect of shutter should be visible during preview. I've just tried exactly what you tried and the same thing happened - as soon as I started recording the screen went black. So perhaps shutter speed isn't available in preview.. Chris, yes, I agree they mislead us in relation to that function. The small print warned us but a central part of their selling the cam was that it could do both simultaniously! __________________ www.irishfilmmaker.com

March 13th, 2006, 02:15 PM	#38
Graham Jones Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 489	"That makes it hard to use manual controls, when you don't see what you are going to get, does it not?" It doesn't cause a problem for me personally because I'm used to only seeing the effect of the shutter when I start rolling. Also, because we're shooting on SD cards we can shoot for a second to see what a shutter speed does - then instantly delete that 'test clip'. The other settings are perfectly visible during preview, so I guess it could be worse. But ultimately you are correct - on a digital camera the effect of shutter should be accessible during preview. __________________ www.irishfilmmaker.com

March 13th, 2006, 02:16 PM	#39
Graham Jones Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 489	"My question on auto settigns came because of all of the posts sayignyou had to set ISO, shutter speed etc. manually to get good shots. My wife wants to turn it on and use it. It needs to work on an "auto everything" setting." Paul, I would recommend testing the cam first. Like you, I appreciate a decent "auto everything" for use in certain situations, but that's not this cam's strength at all... __________________ www.irishfilmmaker.com

March 12th, 2006, 07:36 PM	#33
Joseph Aurili Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 326	Yep, the video was paused in all tests I did when a picture was taken during video. Graham, I would think adjusting the shutter speed would/should effect the preview, as it is effecting how much light the shot is getting. If the shutter speed is going to over or under expose the shot, then what good its it not to see that on the display until you start recording? On my Z1 I get a preview with maunal controls that matches when I start recording, including shutter speed. The ND filter for sure shows up in preview. I did not notice an effect from the expose bar, but I would like to try it in brighter light.

March 12th, 2006, 07:52 PM	#34
Chris Wells Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kelowna, Canada Posts: 148	Hi Graham, I had not tried that function... One of the reviews right after CES stated that this camera had achieved a first using its "amazing processing engine" that could capture the digital image without pausing the recording. Now I see the review misled me. It doesn't pause the recording, but it does pause the video input to the camera. That's a dissapointment... simultaneous pictures and videos would have been one of the camera's strongest benefits.

March 13th, 2006, 09:58 AM	#36
Joseph Aurili Major Player Join Date: Feb 2006 Posts: 326	Thanks Graham. That makes it hard to use manual controls, when you don't see what you are going to get, does it not? So I guess the best thing to do is use the A or S mode. I supose it I want full manual, I could use the A or S first, to get the proper shutter and fstop, then set the values with the M mode. The reason I would like to use the M mode, is to avoid having the camera adjusting for lighting in the steppy way it does.

March 13th, 2006, 10:15 AM	#37
Paul Platt New Boot Join Date: Feb 2006 Location: Duluth, GA Posts: 7	Chris, Thanks for the detailed reply. It really helps. I gather the video meets my requirements. The F700 doesn't do great in low light either (video that is). I mentioned the speed difference because it was one of the main reasons for getting the F700. Prior to that I had (still have) a Ricoh RDC-7. Turn it on "Hey wait, I'm waking up here and I'm sleepy." Take a shot "Ok, let me see um I'll try to focus here. Just give me a bit will ya." Then have it store "I'm moving the bits as fast as I can. Please wait." My wife and I lost lots of great moments because the RDC-7 couldn't keep up. I asked about the focus speed because the RDC-7 was horrible. The F700 has a focus assist light and I am very happy with the Fuji now that Fuji has fixed the bad CCD (for free!). The lack of focus assist on the Sanyo has me worried. My question on auto settigns came because of all of the posts sayignyou had to set ISO, shutter speed etc. manually to get good shots. My wife wants to turn it on and use it. It needs to work on an "auto everything" setting. I am eager to hold one so that I can get a feel for how big or small the camera feels. THe F700 is aboutthe right size for my wife's purse. It isn't nearly as small as the current crop of cameras but she says that is ok. I think the HD1 will work for us once I can scape together the funds. Paul

March 14th, 2006, 05:39 PM	#40
Graham Jones Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 489	I have received an e-mail asking about that firmware upgrade for an earlier Xacti model I had spotted. In case anyone else is interested, here it is: http://www.sanyo.de/produkte_eng/dig...&P_ID=1&ptyp=2 Let's hope a similar approach is taken with the HD1! __________________ www.irishfilmmaker.com

March 15th, 2006, 05:42 AM	#41
Kjetil Bugge Tourist Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Norway Posts: 1	Low light samples Hi HD1-owners ! Is it possible for one of you to post one or more movie clips from low light environments ? Example a livingroom in the evening/night with normal (and only) incandescent lightening. If possible, clips with full auto, and clips with manual settings. And what is your experiences with HD1 in low light compared to other movie cameras ? Best regards Kjetil, Norway

March 15th, 2006, 08:07 AM	#42
Lynne Whelden Major Player Join Date: Feb 2003 Location: williamsport, pa Posts: 604	Graham, just curious how quick Sanyo is on releasing upgrades. Was it issued weeks, months or years after the release of the C1?

March 15th, 2006, 01:32 PM	#43
Graham Jones Major Player Join Date: Jan 2004 Location: Europe Posts: 489	No idea, sorry. I simply googled, curious to know whether the Xacti line had a history of updating firmware. Actually, my national Sanyo repair crowd says I would have to visit them to get such an update. If within warranty it would be free, otherwise it would cost about €50. They seemed unawares that a C1 update was downloadable. Or maybe they are fully aware of that - but the HD1 is going to be a totally different story. My hunch is that we will see a firmware update within 12 months - whether online or in repair centres. The interest in the HD1 is far greater than the interest in earlier Xactis. I've heard there will be a short period during which it will become difficult to get one - that they only manufactured 5,000 to start with. Sounds unlikely to me, but I don't know much about that kind of thing. __________________ www.irishfilmmaker.com

April 7th, 2006, 11:04 PM	#44
Chris Taylor Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: Levittown PA Posts: 132	See Below 1--Can the HD1 serve as my primary compact camera? No one here can answer this it depends on your wants needs and expectations 2--Related to 1 above, will the stills be better or worse than a FUji 700? I dont have a fuji 700 so I can say. I can say I prefer the still sfrom my casio z57 but that 10x just rocks !! so its a toss up I say yes. a--Forget that the flash is weak. That means little since most small cameras have weak flash. Is the flash and low light operation comparable to a $300 compact camera? Dont know. I have a Casio Z57 I think its better it low light but not by much I think the flash in the Sanyo is fine but I dont plan to do much still shooting with it. b--Is the speed comparable to my Fuji F700 in terms of shot ot shot still speed and focus speed? My casio is faster but the sanyo really is not far behind at all. its pretty quick. and the flash recharge time is DEFINATELY faster than my casio (pretty impressive really) the shot to shot in single shoot mode is under 2 seconds. it can also d 3 shots in about half a second. 3--I don't care if the video isn't fully HD quality. Is it significantly better than the 640x480 AVI video taken by most compact cameras like my F700? So far it is better than ANY under $500 camera I have ever touched and better than ANY video from a digital still camera. 4--Can the camera function as the primary non-enthusiast video camera? I would say yes. It also has a sickeningly amazing macro mode !! a--Do you get usable video indoors? Depends. Normal "lit" indoors absolutely (to me at least) Candle light or dark restaurant ? NO not even close will need aux lighting. then again not one of my $500 of less camcorder could do this either. b--Is it automatic enough to just turn on and start takign pictures of kds playing i.e. ability to focus, exposure capability when automatic? Absolutely. two dedicated buttons right for video left for pictures. if you set it for 1.2mp it can seemlessly take pictures WHILE shooting video without interuption. higher than 1.2 and the video will "stall" during that moment when you took the picture and then resume. I think the 4GB SD card question has actually been answered in the positive since at least two people have used them successfully in the camera. Computer card readers, however, may not work. You may have to transfer from the camera to the computer via USB. Just find a card reader that does work. that issue is totally irrelevant since card readers are ultra cheap. Chris Taylor http://www.nerys.com/