Sanyo Xacti VPC-C1

With a glut of digital cameras on the market, it's hard to find something that stands out from the crowd. The Xacti from Sanyo is a 3.2-megapixel camera that doubles as a digital video camera.

It's designed to be used one-handed, is compact enough to fit in your pocket and weighs only 174g, even with a battery. For still photography there are three quality modes to choose from. The included 128Mb memory card will fit 122 pictures on its highest setting.

Along with an impressive 5.8x optical zoom, the camera has a selection of seven picture modes and a range of filter functions, which are fun to use.

Movie clips are recorded at a 640 x 480 resolution, with the built-in microphone capturing sound. The results were better than from most digital cameras we have seen. Footage can be viewed on the 1.5in flip-out screen that tucks away neatly when not in use.

The Xacti can connect to a TV or PC via a supplied cable or its stylish cradle. It comes with a remote control, a soft carry case and editing software.

The major downside is its price - if digital video isn't a priority, for an extra £100 you could buy a professional digital camera such as the Olympus C-5060 reviewed above.

Contact: Sanyo 01923 246363
www.sanyo.co.uk