Sanyo Shows New VPC-SX500EX at CeBIT

Sanyo has announced a new digital camera, the 1.5 megapixel VPC-SX500EX, according to PC Watch. The new camera has a 1/2" 1.5 megapixel CCD, and marks a departure for Sanyo in that the camera uses Type II CompactFlash instead of SmartMedia. The article notes that Sanyo has made a point of pushing the ability to record animations with their cameras, and this camera is particularly able to do so thanks to the fact that with its Type II CompactFlash capability, the new IBM MicroDrives can be used with the camera, giving a reasonable record time.

The camera was displayed in a glass case, and so was difficult for the writer to see, but appeared almost as small as Sanyo's DSC-X110. Two NiMH batteries are used, although it is not certain if these will last long enough to provide a reasonable battery life with the MicroDrive, and video is recorded in AVI format with sound. The camera also has a built-in speaker for playback of videos in the unit, and a 2" LCD display. The camera should ship in Europe in September at a price of about DM1,500 / US.