14 DAY TRIAL // There's somewhat of a habit among most adrenaline-lovers out there to shoot their every adventure and then share it with their friends (or with the entire world, by uploading it to an online video sharing service). However, in order to do so, they require a camera that can take quite a beating and survive even the worst possible environments untouched, and this is exactly what the Sanyo company has in store for its customers, namely the new Xacti E2 digital camcorder, which allows users to record videos in very good quality conditions, down to a depth of five feet.
First, let's talk a little bit about E2's internal components and video recording capabilities. The device can record MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 video (640x480 pixel maximum resolution) and 8-megapixel stills even while being submerged to a depth of five feet for up to one hour at a time. The compression level is also pretty OK, since a total of 8 hours of full motion video or up to 2000 8-megapixel still images can be recorded on a single 8GB SDHC memory card.
At the core of the Xacti E2 there's an advanced 8.0-megapixel CMOS sensor, accompanied by a special lens, providing a 5 X optical zoom level and an f = 6.3-31.7mm (35mm equiv.: f=38 to 190mm) focus distance.
Since this device is designed specifically to be used by people with a very active lifestyle, it includes certain features meant to improve the quality of the shooting, even while the camcorder is in motion. Thus, the Xacti E2 incorporates an anti-shake digital image stabilizer, as well as a Sequential Shooting mode, which allows high-speed continuous shooting at 5 frames per second (for up to 10 frames) in [2M] mode. Continuous shooting at 1 frame per second (for up to 10 frames) is available in [8M] mode.
Among the relatively interesting features provided by the camera from Sanyo we can find the Face chaser, which allows it to detect faces and adjust the focus and exposure accordingly. Faces are sensed even when they are moving, allowing you to track up to 12 people at once. Other similar image-improvement functions are red-eye correction in still images, Flicker mitigation and Wind noise reduction.
Additionally, the "Quick stand-by" mode makes it possible to start recording or playback immediately after the monitor is flipped open. And since we've mentioned the monitor, it's also interesting to note that the Xacti E2 comes equipped with a 2.5-inch, bright LCD screen, which helps users view/review the photos or videos they've just taken or adjust the camcorder's settings.
The SANYO Xacti E2 will be available in stores across US starting at $399.99, which is a fairly moderate and acceptable price to pay for such a product, given its high level of durability and performance.
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