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Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10

Camcorder Review

Previous: Part 10

Audio & Other Features
Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10
Part 11

Sanyo VPC-CG10 versus Sony MHS-PM1



• The CG10 has superior video performance in most lighting conditions
• Still photography on the CG10 is light years ahead of the Webbie
• The PM1 records 1440 x 1080 video, while the CG is restricted to 1440 x 780
• The CG10 has electronic image stabilisation, manual controls, and 5x optical zoom
• The Webbie is slightly simpler to use

Sony's budget camcorder series was designed to compete with the Flip—not something like the CG10. As a result, the Webbie simply can't compare to the CG10. For a price difference of £20, you get a lot more for your money in the Sanyo VPC-CG10. The CG10 outperforms the MHS-PM1 in just about every category, except video sharpness. Bright light colour accuracy and noise are both substantially better and still photography capabilities simply blow the Webbie out of the water. You also get exponentially more options for manual image control, optical zoom, and electronic image stabilisation. So why would anyone buy the PM1? Well, it's a little more compact and, some may argue, more fashionable. It also is slightly easier to use—though not by much—but cost £20 more.

The real leg up that the PM1 offers is 1080p recording—albeit in 1440 x 1080. The Sanyo records to a maximum resolution of 1280 x 720. If your main destination is YouTube, this won't make a difference. But if you plan to make DVDs for your friends and family, the increase in resolution may be compelling. In our estimation, the £20 more is not worth it. The CG10 gives you a lot for that money, including superior video quality.

  Comparison Specs
 
  Sanyo VPC-CG10 Sony MHS-PM1
Price £229.99 £249.99
Primary Recording Media SD/SDHC memory cards Memory Stick PRO Duo
Secondary Recording Media 40MB internal memory 12MB internal memory
Image Sensor 1/2.33-inch CMOS 1/2.5-inch CMOS
Effective Pixel Count 8.28 Megapixels 2.07 Megapixels
Mic Input None None
LCD 3-inch / 230,000-pixel display 1.8-inch / 230,000-pixel display
Viewfinder None None
Weight 188g
120g
Dimensions 38 x 112.8 x 72mm
55 x 103 x 24mm
HD Yes Yes
Frame Rates 720/30p, 480/60p, 480/30p 1080/30p, 720/30p, 480/30p
Compression MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 MPEG-4 AVC/H.264
Maximum Bitrate 9 Mbps Unknown
Optical Zoom 5x None
Stabilisation Digital None
Battery Removable lithium-ion rechargeable
(rechargeable via wall-plug adapter)
Removable lithium-ion rechargeable
(rechargeable via wall-plug adapter)
  Scores
  Sanyo VPC-CG10 Sony MHS-PM1
Colour 11.59 7.83
Noise 10.40 7.77
Video Sharpness 8.20 9.77
Low Light Sensitivity 0.80 0.97
Low Light Colour 9.20 8.29
Low Light Noise 10.29 8.89
Battery Life 80 minutes 115 minutes
  Close-Up Colour Comparisons
   
  Ideal Sanyo
VPC-CG10
Sony MHS-PM1
Red
  Ideal Sanyo
VPC-CG10
Sony MHS-PM1
Green
  Ideal Sanyo
VPC-CG10
Sony MHS-PM1
Blue
  Ideal Sanyo
VPC-CG10
Sony MHS-PM1
Skin
Tone 1
  Ideal Sanyo
VPC-CG10
Sony MHS-PM1
Skin
Tone 2
 
Video Sharpness Score Comparisons
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Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10
Camcorder Review

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Audio & Other Features

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Kodak Zx1 Comparison