Sanyo announces HD2 !!! at DVinfo.net

Carlos Barbino · January 8th, 2007, 06:40 AM

Well...well...well...here we go again. A new xacti from Mr. Sanyo.

Read all about it over at Engadget.com:

http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/s...apixel-stills/

If Sanyo has lifted its quality control on this camcorder, I just might bite again.

Paulo Teixeira · January 8th, 2007, 01:01 PM

"the HD2 kicks the stills up to seven megapixels, delivers 75% better low-light sensitivity"

It would be nice if that’s true.

Steve Benner · January 8th, 2007, 01:17 PM

I can't wait to see one. I have a JVC HD100 but want something for around the house in HD. The Everio HD was at the top of my list, but if the new Sanyo is much better than the previous model, I may look into that.

Cliff Gilmour · January 8th, 2007, 03:27 PM

Will they also better the autofocus part? And what does 75% better mean? Fingers X-sed :)

Paulo Teixeira · January 8th, 2007, 10:06 PM

http://crave.cnet.co.uk/camcorders/0...9286779,00.htm

Ronald Wormser · January 13th, 2007, 09:05 PM

Does anyone know if the Hd2 Xacti will fit the newly released under water case?
http://www.divervision.com/catalog/p...roducts_id=311

Chris Wells · January 13th, 2007, 10:48 PM

75% better low light sensitivity would be great, but we'll need to see it to measure with any certainty. If it's just a gain increase, it's worth little. Comparing actual content in low-light will be the best test.

Euisung Lee · January 14th, 2007, 03:40 AM

I don't know how good 75% good is but surely sounds like a substantial number. I hope they did improve the sensitivity and dynamic range. Can't wait to see the first test clip from HD2. It reminds me of when I first discovered DVinfo net. I was lucky to find this place in search for some HD1 sample clips.

Cliff Gilmour · January 14th, 2007, 05:14 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Euisung Lee

I don't know how good 75% good is but surely sounds like a substantial number. I hope they did improve the sensitivity and dynamic range. Can't wait to see the first test clip from HD2. It reminds me of when I first discovered DVinfo net. I was lucky to find this place in search for some HD1 sample clips.

There are 3 things that Sanyo has to improve:

1. jaggies
2. low light performance
3. autofocus

What I find amazing is that all non-professional reviews (T3 magazine, Stuff magazine) are raving about this machine and price. Mainly because of size, design and price. No wonder, after all it is a real gadget. A dutch gadget magazine didn't like it and was only positive about the 5MP photos. But all professional sites just give the HD1a bad reviews: Akihabara News, New York Times, etc. You name it, they smash it.

I did see some great footage from a spanish guy with the HD1 that he made around Madrid during sunlight. Great great PQ but taken with a tripod and hardly any moving scenery/zooming in.

So if Sanyo fixes these 3 things they will have a winner in their hands. Fingers X-ed until march :)

Wayne Morellini · January 17th, 2007, 10:24 PM

Some of the things are improved, but they are still stuck at 9mb/s. The question is, can they reduce the the noise and latitude problems with the higher mega-pixel sensor. The noise is what destroys codec quality a lot. The higher resolution might help with accuracy, jaggies and binning.

Shame, I was hoping they might have gone to 19mb/s and 60fps (and 19mb/s on 25/30/50/60p). It is the cheapest gadget, but HDV cameras are below $1000 on the street. I did some filming at 30th/s on my interlace sharp viewcam. If you film the way they do in 35mm film it is usable, but I think 60fps is a preferable over wise.

Maybe the senor is improved, but a wider aperture would have helped with low light noise etc. 1.8-1.2 (like the JVC GR-3000 1.3mp did) but I think around 1.8 is the limit because of size.

Will be interesting to compare.

Re-edit:

Forgot, I wonder if they will have one of those portable cable connectors with this one, that will give a live uncompressed undelayed output while filming?

Wayne Morellini · January 18th, 2007, 08:06 AM

Found a good link to the press release information and specs:
http://www.steves-digicams.com/pr/sa...pc-hd2_pr.html

The increases in low light are dramatic, interesting to see how low the previous camera scored.

Milan Stojakovic · January 18th, 2007, 01:08 PM

Here you have the full info and specs:
http://www.sanyodigital.com/video_ca...HD2/index.html

Jerry Jones · January 18th, 2007, 03:05 PM

There's a FIRST IMPRESSIONS review up elsewhere:

"We expect the VPC-HD2 to perform better overall, based on the upgrades Sanyo has made since 2006."

"Whether the performance increase will make the HD2 a respectable HD camcorder remains an open question pending our full review of the finished product."

"What we do know is that the CCD size remains 1/2.5” but that the gross pixel count has increased considerably from 5.36 MP to a whopping 7.21 MP."

Jerry Jones
http://www.jonesgroup.net

Chris Wells · January 18th, 2007, 11:06 PM

My friends, I'm a marketing guy. As such, I know the importance of building hype on new products. These are press releases. They are made to build market awareness and interest, not necessarily to represent the truth. Remember the accolades Sanyo gave itself upon release of the Hd1. The reviews weren't all that accurate; the model went to market with significant flaws that Sanyo never corrected.

Until an actual unit is reviewed by a reputable source, it's all just smoke and mirrors... every day marketing propoganda. Show me substance and reliability. My faith was shaken with the HD1.

John Godden · January 20th, 2007, 10:54 AM

From the hype page: "Super-fast 9Mbs frame rate "..................

LOL, never realized 9Mbs was super-fast. That being said, I hope this little camera pushes the pocket-cam envelope.

JohnG

January 8th, 2007, 06:40 AM	#1
Carlos Barbino New Boot Join Date: Jun 2006 Location: San Bruno, CA Posts: 23	Sanyo announces HD2 !!! Well...well...well...here we go again. A new xacti from Mr. Sanyo. Read all about it over at Engadget.com: http://www.engadget.com/2007/01/08/s...apixel-stills/ If Sanyo has lifted its quality control on this camcorder, I just might bite again.

January 8th, 2007, 01:01 PM	#2
Paulo Teixeira Trustee Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,773	"the HD2 kicks the stills up to seven megapixels, delivers 75% better low-light sensitivity" It would be nice if that’s true. __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/PhotoVi...esEtc/featured https://www.pond5.com/artist/paulot

January 8th, 2007, 10:06 PM	#5
Paulo Teixeira Trustee Join Date: Dec 2005 Location: Massachusetts Posts: 1,773	http://crave.cnet.co.uk/camcorders/0...9286779,00.htm __________________ https://www.youtube.com/user/PhotoVi...esEtc/featured https://www.pond5.com/artist/paulot

January 13th, 2007, 09:05 PM	#6
Ronald Wormser Tourist Join Date: Aug 2006 Location: Malibu California Posts: 4	Under Water Case Does anyone know if the Hd2 Xacti will fit the newly released under water case? http://www.divervision.com/catalog/p...roducts_id=311

January 18th, 2007, 08:06 AM	#11
Wayne Morellini Inner Circle Join Date: May 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,762	Specs Found a good link to the press release information and specs: http://www.steves-digicams.com/pr/sa...pc-hd2_pr.html The increases in low light are dramatic, interesting to see how low the previous camera scored.

January 8th, 2007, 01:17 PM	#3
Steve Benner Major Player Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: United States Posts: 590	I can't wait to see one. I have a JVC HD100 but want something for around the house in HD. The Everio HD was at the top of my list, but if the new Sanyo is much better than the previous model, I may look into that.

January 8th, 2007, 03:27 PM	#4
Cliff Gilmour New Boot Join Date: Sep 2006 Location: Amsterdam Netherlands Posts: 21	Will they also better the autofocus part? And what does 75% better mean? Fingers X-sed :)

January 13th, 2007, 10:48 PM	#7
Chris Wells Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kelowna, Canada Posts: 148	75% better low light sensitivity would be great, but we'll need to see it to measure with any certainty. If it's just a gain increase, it's worth little. Comparing actual content in low-light will be the best test.

January 14th, 2007, 03:40 AM	#8
Euisung Lee Regular Crew Join Date: Apr 2006 Location: San Francisco, CA Posts: 57	I don't know how good 75% good is but surely sounds like a substantial number. I hope they did improve the sensitivity and dynamic range. Can't wait to see the first test clip from HD2. It reminds me of when I first discovered DVinfo net. I was lucky to find this place in search for some HD1 sample clips.

January 17th, 2007, 10:24 PM	#10
Wayne Morellini Inner Circle Join Date: May 2003 Location: Australia Posts: 2,762	Some of the things are improved, but they are still stuck at 9mb/s. The question is, can they reduce the the noise and latitude problems with the higher mega-pixel sensor. The noise is what destroys codec quality a lot. The higher resolution might help with accuracy, jaggies and binning. Shame, I was hoping they might have gone to 19mb/s and 60fps (and 19mb/s on 25/30/50/60p). It is the cheapest gadget, but HDV cameras are below $1000 on the street. I did some filming at 30th/s on my interlace sharp viewcam. If you film the way they do in 35mm film it is usable, but I think 60fps is a preferable over wise. Maybe the senor is improved, but a wider aperture would have helped with low light noise etc. 1.8-1.2 (like the JVC GR-3000 1.3mp did) but I think around 1.8 is the limit because of size. Will be interesting to compare. Re-edit: Forgot, I wonder if they will have one of those portable cable connectors with this one, that will give a live uncompressed undelayed output while filming?

January 18th, 2007, 01:08 PM	#12
Milan Stojakovic New Boot Join Date: Jul 2006 Location: Merano, Italy Posts: 12	HD2 at Sanyo website Here you have the full info and specs: http://www.sanyodigital.com/video_ca...HD2/index.html

January 18th, 2007, 03:05 PM	#13
Jerry Jones Join Date: Mar 2004 Location: Boise, Idaho Posts: 54	There's a FIRST IMPRESSIONS review up elsewhere: "We expect the VPC-HD2 to perform better overall, based on the upgrades Sanyo has made since 2006." "Whether the performance increase will make the HD2 a respectable HD camcorder remains an open question pending our full review of the finished product." "What we do know is that the CCD size remains 1/2.5” but that the gross pixel count has increased considerably from 5.36 MP to a whopping 7.21 MP." Jerry Jones http://www.jonesgroup.net

January 18th, 2007, 11:06 PM	#14
Chris Wells Regular Crew Join Date: Mar 2006 Location: Kelowna, Canada Posts: 148	My friends, I'm a marketing guy. As such, I know the importance of building hype on new products. These are press releases. They are made to build market awareness and interest, not necessarily to represent the truth. Remember the accolades Sanyo gave itself upon release of the Hd1. The reviews weren't all that accurate; the model went to market with significant flaws that Sanyo never corrected. Until an actual unit is reviewed by a reputable source, it's all just smoke and mirrors... every day marketing propoganda. Show me substance and reliability. My faith was shaken with the HD1.

January 20th, 2007, 10:54 AM	#15
John Godden Regular Crew Join Date: Aug 2005 Posts: 172	From the hype page: "Super-fast 9Mbs frame rate ".................. LOL, never realized 9Mbs was super-fast. That being said, I hope this little camera pushes the pocket-cam envelope. JohnG