Review: Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA6 camcorder

The Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA6 is presented as a combined digital camera and video recorder.

Designed to be held in an upright video pistol-grip position, it certainly looks the business.

The camera has a 6megapixel CCD for stills and a 640x480 30fps (frames per second) for movies. Sound is recorded at 48KHz 16bit in AAC format from two microphones.

A viewfinder isn't included so you're forced to use the bright 2in LCD instead. The 5x optical zoom operates smoothly, but the ISO 50-400 range feels limited when many cameras can now operate at the extremely sensitive ISO 1600 or higher, albeit with added noise.

In the box you'll find RCA video/audio cables, European and UK power adapters along with a battery charger. A comprehensive, yet basic software suite includes Ulead DVD Moviefactory 4.0 SE, Photo Explorer 8.5 Basic and Motion Director 1.1. An uncomfortable hand-strap is also included.

Sanyo claims the Xacti VPC-CA6 is weather-proof and designed for an active lifestyle. The splash-resistance is rated at JIS grade 4, which means it "will not be damaged by water splashed against it from any direction".

According to Sanyo the camera can be operated with wet hands, which should offer some peace of mind to the active user and parents of young children. The manual notes that the guarantee doesn't cover the camera being sprinkled with water, which feels a little contradictory.

The stereo microphones included on the back of the LCD offer no benefit over a single microphone. They point in the same direction and are only separated by 2cm. The right microphone is blocked off by the main device and so won't pick up any more 'right' sound than the left one.

We feel the screen flips out the wrong way and this makes the whole unit difficult to hold. When first picking up the camera, it is instinctive to put your index finger over the lens or flash. The screen will only flip in and out which means when closed, the display points outwards, offering it no protection from getting damaged.

When plugged into a PC it can operate as a webcam but with no stand you have to hold it when in conversation, which is far from ideal.

The camera lacks discrete buttons for macro and flash selection. Instead a three-stage menu is used. This menu felt confusing at first, but actually works well after some practice.

Test pictures showed a lot of noise and grain throughout. The flash was not particularly powerful and only lit up the immediate distance; anything over three meters wasn't illuminated by it. The video was good, but certainly no better than VGA movie modes on other 6megapixel cameras.

A 1GB SD card is included, but the price of £300 is steep for a 6megapixel camera, especially when you consider models such as the 10megapixel Casio Exilim Z1000 are available for around £205 with a 30fps VGA movie mode.

This camera has a lot of style and drew immediate attention from everyone in the office. However, it is awkward to hold, the pictures are poor, the price is high and the promise of it being a tough piece of kit is dubious.