Product Description

The compact, portable and stylish SANYO Xacti CG9 camcorder is designed to capture both photos and videos.

Capture life when it happens. The new SANYO Xacti CG9 camcorder records stunning digital video and amazing 9-megapixel digital photos and in one compact and easy to use design. The CG9 not only makes capturing images easy, but it also makes sharing them online, on portable video devices like IPods, TVs and computers a breeze.

Quality that is built to last. The perfect all around camcorder CG9 takes stunning digital video and amazing 9-megapixel still images. With high speed sequential shooting (up to 5 frames per second) and the very latest face chasing technology (recognizing up to 12 faces in still images) the CG9 has set a new standard in affordable camcorders.

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #58702 in Consumer Electronics
• Brand: Sanyo
• Dimensions: 2.20 pounds

Features

• 9.12 Megapixels CMOS image sensor
  2.5-inch LCD Display
  5.0x Optical Zoom
• MPEG-4, H.264 Digital Video: easy to upload movies to websites and blogs, or use them in podcasts. You can even load your movies onto your iPod, without having to convert the file format.
• 40MB Internal Memory and expansion slot for SD/SDHC memory cards
• Video and Still Image Stabilization; Real-Time Interpolation (12MP)
  High Quality Audio Recording (AAC-LC); Wind Roar and Red Eye Reduction; Web Cam Function
• Super fast start up time, flip up the screen and it is ready to go(DVD/HDD camcorder takes much longer to initialise)

Customer Reviews

Well pleased
This is a cracking bit of kit. It is an ideal home movie camera for taking shots of the kids and other home movie type stuff such as holidays and days out. The quality of picture is fine for this type of stuff. It is really simple to use and you can even do basic editing on the camera itself (cutting and joining clips). It is really easy to view shots on your TV and to copy onto either video or DVD. You also get a 9MP still camera as well and it fits in your pocket as it is not much bigger than a large mobile phone!! I bought it to replace my broken Panasonic mini DV camcorder and for £160 I think it is a bargain. I am well pleased with it.

A Good All-Rounder

My first impression of the CG9 was that it looks very plastic - which it is, but it also looks cheap. Certainly, the plastic covers over the SD/SDHC card slot and battery compartment don't imply a high quality product but, having use the camera, I've concluded this, along with the flimsy lens cover, is probably the only negative on this little piece of kit.

Performance-wise, and this is what counts more than cosmetic appearance, it is good. Video quality is good and the 60 fps high resolution mode is very good. I won't say it's the best available but it's probably a lot better than that found on other budget camcorders under £200 - £300. It can be a little slow to focus if you pan too quickly or in dim conditions but this is common to many. However, there is a 'High Sensitivity' mode which works very well (although will inevitably produce noisy images) and it managed to pick up an image when filming in almost total darkness in a disused railway tunnel. The stereo sound is superb and the wind filter worked well when tested on the coast (but perhaps not quite as well as that on the waterproof CA65).

An excellent feature is the 9 megapixel camera which sets this apart from probably all other camcorders - most of which can shoot only at 640 x 480 resolution or perhaps 3 megapixel on the more expensive models. The Sanyo VPC-CG9 will produce superb quality pics at 9 megapixel and below but, thanks to the new CMOS processor, will also shoot a 2 megapixel (1600x1200) image while filming at up to 640x480 30 frames per second without pausing the video. I'm sure this is unmatched by any other camcorder in its class.

The camcorder produces mpeg-4 video files which are smaller and much more manageable than the mpeg-2 still produced by the majority of camcorders, but thankfully this is changing with more manufacturers beginning to switch to this more efficient format. Being smaller, these files are much easier to edit and easier for a PC to handle. Most current video software packages eg Adobe Premiere Elements, Sony Vegas etc provide codecs for editing these - but check the version first if you're about to place an order.

With its 'pistol grip' the camcorder is easy and comfortable to hold; the video, zoom and still picture buttons are in just the right spot - unlike the more awkward positioning on the waterproof versions (CA65 and CA8 models) and being small and lightweight, it's easy to carry everywhere. So, it's a camcorder you will actually use, and enjoy using, rather than one which stays in its box or bag because you can't be bothered to lug it around!

As for the plastic body, I'm now questioning if this is really so bad..? During the current sub-zero temperatures, I've found it actually warm to the touch unlike my cold metal-bodied cameras and as the battery is directly beneath my palm, this is staying warm so probably extending its life. Also, the plastic design and close-seams might have made it rather more splashproof than others so I've actually grown to rather like this feature although it was quite a turn-off when I first opened its box!

Easy Peasy
Ok so i'm no Stanley Kubrick, but you can't fault this for size and ease of use. Both camcorder and picture quality very good. If my dog had a thumb he could use this.