Sanyo Xacti Resource Center

What is a Dual Camera?

All about the Xacti line

Some situations lend themselves to still photography, some to video. While most cameras (and even cell phones) can shoot both types of imagery, few cameras on the market are genuinely designed to handle both still and video photography with equal ease.

SANYO's Xacti line is different. By combining the video abilities of a camcorder with the photo-capture abilities of a digital camera, the Xacti truly gives you the best of both worlds.

The Xacti line comes in two convenient form factors, a more traditional horizontal design that evokes the camcorder of old with a flip-out LCD, and a more portable, vertically-styled design that offers quick access to video and photos on the go. Both come in a variety of colors and with a selection of features, with full HD support and waterproof options available in both designs.

The Xacti line is available in a total of six models, two of which are particularly noteworthy.

Among the horizontally-aligned products, the VPC-FH1A is the latest version of the camera and the premiere model on offer. The VPC-FH1A features full HD resolution (1080p with 1920x1080 pixels of image), plus an 8 megapixel still photo sensor. 16x advanced zoom for video and 10x optical zoom for still images are standard on the camera, as is SANYO's image stabilization and face chaser technology. A stationary flash ensures a bulb is always at the ready when needed, and high-speed shooting options let you shoot 8-megapixel still images at 6 frames per second, or 4-megapixel images at 12 frames per second.

The vertically-aligned Xacti VPC-HD2000A is nearly identical to the VPC-FH1A in its feature set, with full HD video, 8-megapixel still camera, and 16x/10x zoom options. It differs in a few small ways: The flash isn't stationary but pops up when needed, the LCD display is slightly smaller (2.7 inches vs. 3 inches on the FH1A), and includes a base station for additional ports and jacks that are built in to the larger HD2000A. But in slimming down the features on the HD2000A you also gain a form factor that's easier to slip into a pocket or a purse.

One of the great features of dual cameras is not just that they can shoot both video and still photos, but you can take them both simultaneously, with no loss of quality. The zoom lens built into the camera works for both types of shots, or you can add conversion lenses to the Xacti if you need to get even closer to the action.

Xacti cameras also feature exceptional battery life, offering more than three hours of shooting time. Suggested retail prices begin at $420 for the FH1A, $600 for the HD2000A. Where to Buy Xacti In the USA In Canada