Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2000

Audio Features (4.25)

Though it's a small camcorder, the VPC-HD2000 includes an external microphone port and a headphone jack. Both are located just under the lens on the front of the camcorder. The HD2000 also allows for a small amount of audio level control over the external microphone (5 increments of gain), but you cannot control the levels for the on-board microphone.

There's only 5 volume settings for the external mic.

Speaking of the on-board microphone, its placement is somewhat unusual for a consumer camcorder—on the outside of the LCD panel, near the top. This is good placement if you're shooting with the LCD screen extended regularly, but if you're recording yourself or tucking the LCD screen inward, then the microphone is positioned in the complete wrong direction to pick up sound. Coincidentally, the last camcorder we reviewed—our first impressions of the JVC GZ-X900 at this month's Photo Marketing Association trade show—had the same peculiar microphone design.

The built-in microphone is curiously positioned.		Similar positioning on the JVC Everio GZ-X900

There is a cold accessory shoe on the VPC-HD2000 as well, although it is somewhat hidden by its large plastic port cover. The shoe is located on the top of the camcorder, just behind the pop-up flash. It's difficult to imagine someone connecting a large microphone to the top of the tiny HD2000, but you can't fault Sanyo for making room for an accessory shoe.

Hidden away in a confusing menu is a wind cut feature that limits wind noise picked up by the VPC-HD2000. You'd think this setting would be grouped with microphone sensitivity or with some other audio control, but no, it's instead listed under noise reduction. What makes this confusing is the other two features under the noise reduction header are meant to reduce image noise, not audible noise. Is Sanyo playing a joke on us, or is this just poor menu design?

Other Features (2.5)

Slow Motion
You could probably get endless entertainment out of the HD2000's two slow motion options. You can record 448 x 336 video at 240 fps (8Mbps bitrate) or 192 x 108 video at 600fps (8Mbps bitrate). Slow motion is only available in these low resolutions and in 10-second clips, but it's a crowd pleaser if you capture just the right moments.

NTSC/PAL Outputs
The Sanyo VPC-HD2000 lets you output to either a standard NTSC or PAL television. Every American television is NTSC-compliant, but if you're traveling to Europe, it wouldn't hurt to be able to watch your footage on televisions over there. Native PAL camcorders usually record at 50fps or 25fps, but the HD2000 records at the usual 60p or 30p, then translates your footage for PAL televisions.

Filter
Known as 'digital effects' on most camcorders, the Filter option lets you select from Cosmetic, Monochrome, and Sepia. Cosmetic is simply the digital effect you see on a lot of digital cameras, which will smooth out facial blemishes to give faces a 'cosmetic' enhancement.