Steve's Digicams - Breaking News - Sanyo 07/13/2006 Press Release
Press Release - July 13, 2006
New Sanyo High-Definition Digital Media Camera Features Optimized Recording For Portable Video Players And 16:9 Still Mode Ideal For Widescreen ViewingSANYO Xacti HD1a Offers In-Camera Editing, 2.2-inch LCD Display and .99 MSRP  CHATSWORTH, CA, July 13, 2006 – A video recording mode optimized for the video iPod® and other portable video players tops the advanced feature set of the new SANYO Xacti HD1a high- definition compact digital media camera. Following quickly on the strong sales and critical success of the SANYO Xacti HD1 introduced in January 2006, the new high-definition HD1a also adds such compelling features as a selectable 16:9 widescreen still picture mode and easy, convenient in-camera video editing. The SANYO Xacti HD1a retains its title as the world’s smallest and lightest high- definition digital media camera*. Featuring ergonomic, one-handed operation, the camera can record both 720p high-definition video and 5.1 megapixel digital still images to a standard SD flash memory card. It will be available in the U.S. from SANYO, the world’s leading manufacturer of digital cameras and components, in September 2006 at a very competitive .99** MSRP. "The remarkable success of our precedent-setting Xacti HD1, along with user feedback, prompted SANYO to incorporate several new key features into the new HD1a," said John Lamb, Senior Marketing Manager, for SANYO Fisher Company’s Audio Video Division. "Our inclusion of a 30 frames-per-second 320 x 240 pixel video recording mode – optimized for viewing MPEG-4 video clips on a video iPod or other portable video player – reflects a shift by consumers towards on-the-go viewing." Video recording optimized for personal media players The HD1a’s new "Web-SHQ" recording mode is designed specifically to capture video destined for the video iPod and other popular MPEG-4 capable personal media players. For optimal playback on such devices, video is captured at a resolution of 320 x 240 pixels and a smooth and natural 30 frames per second. 16:9 still shooting An all-new 16:9 shooting mode allows users to capture 3.8 megapixel stills in the same widescreen format as their high-definition videos for eye-catching viewing on a 16:9 television screen. Convenient in-camera video editing The HD1a features enhanced video editing functions, enabling quick A>B deletions and easy combining of video clips. In-camera editing makes it easy to remove unwanted material and helps conserve memory card space. High-definition engine The SANYO Xacti HD1a is powered by high-precision LSI (large-scale integration) circuitry for advanced, high-definition image processing. This powerful "high-definition engine" quickly executes a vast number of calculations and enables the HD1a to realize image processing functions such as high-definition 720p processing, real-time MPEG-4 compression and noise reduction. 2.2-inch LCD display The HD1a features a large Sanyo-developed 2.2-inch LCD display with 210,000 total pixels for exceptional viewability. The display flips out from the camera and rotates up to 285 degrees on axis for taking great video or still images even in difficult locations. 10x optical zoom The HD1a features a generous and highly efficient 10x optical zoom lens. Built from 12 elements designed in 9 groups and with a built-in neutral density filter, the 10x zoom lens has a maximum aperture of f/3.5 in both wide and telephoto angles, allowing for clear images in lower light situations. Combined with a 10x digital zoom capability, the HD1a is capable of a total 100x zoom. Digital video and stills, all in one Like the Xacti HD1 and all previous SANYO Xacti digital media cameras, the HD1a can record still images in addition to video clips. Utilizing the 5.36 megapixel (total) CCD, the HD1a captures beautiful 5.1 megapixel still images which are recorded directly onto a standard SD memory card. The camera can record both 5.1 megapixel still images and high-definition (1280 x 720-pixel) digital video at the same time with a simple press of the shutter button during the shooting of a video clip.*** 21 minutes of HD video per Gigabyte of memory The HD1a can record up to 21 minutes of 720p HD video per Gigabyte on a standard SD or SDHC memory card. That’s up to 42 minutes on a 2-Gigabyte card or 84 minutes on the soon to be released 4-Gigabyte SDHC card (cards sold separately). Alternatively, HD1 users can select to record in Standard Definition mode (640 x 480 pixels at 30fps progressive) for up to one hour per Gigabyte of recording capacity. Users can quickly switch between high- definition and standard-definition recording modes by simply pressing the "HD/Norm" button located beneath the LCD display. Ergonomic and lightweight Designed for convenient, one-handed operation and one-thumb control of most key functions, the truly ergonomic SANYO HD1a is ready to use whenever inspiration strikes, at home or away. Lightweight at only 8.3 ounces (including battery and a standard SD memory card), the HD1a measures 3.1" W x 4.7" H x 1.4" D. Key SANYO Xacti HD1a features include:
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Xacti HD1a Specifications
| Effective Pixel Count | Approx. 5.1 megapixels |
| CCD | 1/2.5 inch, 5.36-megapixel CCD (total) |
| Recording Media | SD memory card, 4 GB SDHC memory card compatible |
| Recording File Format | Still: JPEG (DCF, DPOF, Exif Ver. 2.2 standard) Video: MPEG4 (ISO standard) Audio: 48 kHz sampling, 16-bit, 2-ch, AAC-compression (stereo) |
| Resolution (Pixels) | Still: [10M] 3680 x 2760 [5M-H] 2592 x 1944 (low compression) [5M-S] 2592 x 1944 (standard compression) [3.8M (16:9)] 2592 x 1464 [2M] 1600 x 1200 [1.2M] 1280 x 960 [0.3M] 640 x 480 Sequential: [5M-H] 2592 x 1944 (low compression) [5M-S] 2592 x 1944 (standard compression) [3.8M (16:9)] 2592 x 1464 [2M] 1600 x 1200 [1.2M] 1280 x 960 [0.3M] 640 x 480 Video: <HD> [HD-SHQ] 1280 x 720 (30 fps, 9 Mbps) [HD-HQ] 1280 x 720 (30 fps, 6 Mbps) <SD> [TV-HR] 640 x 480 (60 fps, 6 Mbps) [TV-SHQ] 640 x 480 (30 fps, 3 Mbps) [TV-HQ] 640 x 480 (30 fps, 2 Mbps) [Web-SHQ] 320 x 240 (30 fps) [Web-HQ] 320 x 240 (15 fps) |
| Lens | f = 6.3 – 63 mm (equivalent to 38 – 380 mm on a 35 mm camera) F: 3.5 (wide) – 3.5 (tele) 10.0x optical zoom lens Auto focus 9 groups, 12 lenses, ND filter |
| Photo Range | Standard: 10 cm (wide)/1 m (tele) to infinity, Macro: 1 cm – 1 m |
| Shutter Speed | Still: 1/2 sec. – 1/2000 sec. (Flash: 1/30 – 1/2000 sec., Lamp mode: max. 4 sec.) Sequential: 1/15 sec. – 1/2000 sec. (No flash) Video: 1/30 sec. – 1/10000 sec. |
| Sequential Shooting | 6 photos at 5 fps ([5M] mode), 10 photos at 5 fps ([1.2M] mode) |
| Digital Zoom | Shooting: max. 10x Playback: max. 58x (in [10M] mode, depending on the resolution) |
| Focus | Auto (Stills: 5-point AF/spot AF, Video clips: continuous area AF) Manual (22 steps) |
| Digital Image Stabilizer | Stills: no, Video: yes |
| Scene Select (Program AE) | Auto/Sports/Portrait/Night View/Landscape/Fireworks/Lamp |
| Filter Function | Standard/Cosmetic/Monochrome/Sepia |
| Photometry | Multi-section measuring/Center-weighted measuring/Spot measuring |
| Exposure Control | Program AE, Shutter priority, Aperture priority, Manual |
| Exposure Correction | ±1.8 EV (in 0.3 EV steps) |
| Sensitivity | Still: Auto (ISO 50 – 200), Manual (ISO 50/100/200/400) Video: Auto (ISO 200 – 800), Manual (ISO 200/400/800/1600) |
| Self-Timer | 2 sec./10 sec. |
| White Balance | Auto: full auto TTL Manual: Sunny/Cloudy/Fluorescent/Incandescent/Sampling |
| Flash | Auto/Forced/Off/Red-eye reduction (Slow Synchro mode possible in Night View mode) |
| Flash Range | GN = 6.4, 35 cm – 2.5 m [wide], 1.0 m – 2.5 m [tele]) |
| Audio | Microphone: built-in stereo Speaker: built-in monaural (L/R mixed output) |
| LCD Monitor | 2.2" a-Si display, 150,000 pixels (100% coverage, 7-level brightness), 285?rotation |
| Interface | AV output (Video: component video/composite video/S-Video, NTSC/PAL, Audio: stereo) USB 2.0 in high-speed mode (Storage Class + PC Camera + Video Class) Interfacing via docking station or connecting adaptor |
| Multi-Language Display | 11 languages: Japanese, English, French, German, Italian, Spanish, Dutch, Russian, Korean, Traditional and Simplified Chinese |
| Power Source | Lithium-ion battery (DB-L40, included: 1200 mA), AC adaptor (VAR-G8, included) |
| Approx. Battery Life | Still: CIPA standard 170 images Video: 75 min. Playback: 220 min. |
| Dimensions (W x H x D) | 80 x 119 x 36 mm (excluding protrusions), Volume: 204 cc |
| Weight | Approx. 210 g (main unit only), Approx. 235 g (including battery and SD card) |
