Sanyo Xacti C1

The Sanyo Xacti C1 is one of the most stylish digital cameras we've seen. It is packed with a wealth of features and has a pistol-shaped design allowing one-handed operation.

It's not just a pretty face, though. Sanyo claims it will offer around 10 minutes of DVD-quality playback or provide storage for 3,931 still images on its large 128MB SD memory card.

In our tests, both the C1's design and its performance came under criticism. For right-handed users, its logical button layout and comfortable fit make it an absolute joy to use. But left-handed users will be left disappointed since the design is not ambidextrous and does not lend itself well to two-handed operation.

The quality of the C1's images was also questionable. Despite its 3.2megapixel CCD, pictures taken outdoors looked good for the most part, but closer examination revealed some flaring and exaggerated light reflections. The quality of its lens was also called into question due to blurring towards the corners of our test shots.

Indoor photography was less impressive. The C1's standard settings tended to over compensate for a lack of light by overexposing images, which led to some slightly grainy pictures.

Provided you're not expecting to create the next Spielberg epic, mpeg clips were of a good standard. Movies were produced at 640 x 480 at 30 frames per second (FPS) and still shots can be taken during movie recording so you'll never miss any classic moments.

The C1 has a 10.3x digital zoom and a 5.8x optical zoom. In practice, this doesn't lend itself very well to getting close to faraway objects. This issue is made worse by the relatively slow automatic focus, which can take a long time to readjust.

At £500, the Xacti C1 is an expensive proposition. It provides decent results but can only really be recommended if great looks, size and manageability are of the utmost importance.

Contact: Sanyo 01923 246 363
www.sanyo.co.uk

Specifications:

• 2,048 x 1,536 max resolution
• 5.8x optical zoom, 10.3x digital zoom
• 1.5in transreflective low-temperature LCD screen
• 128MB SD card
• 174g
• 108 x 69 x 34 (h x w x d mm)
• USB2

See also:

Olympus C-5060 Wide Zoom

A professional camera with a wide-angle lens.  07 Jun 2004

Canon EOS 300D

At last, a 6megapixel digital SLR at under £1,000.  27 Feb 2004

HP Photosmart 945

HP sets the standard with a 5-megapixel digital camera.  30 Jan 2004

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