Introduction
Though it may be in the same price category as the Flip UltraHD and its clones, there are plenty of things that set the CG10 apart, for good and for bad. While the sometimes mystifying interface isn't nearly as simple to use as the Flip cams, the Xacti offers a wealth of manual controls, digital image stabilization, and 5x optical zoom. It also has superior bright light video performance and impressive still photos that far outstrip the competition. If you want the easiest video recording possible, the Flip series may be a better choice. But our experience both inside and outside the lab proved that you get a lot more camcorder for your money with the VPC-CG10.
Update: The Vixia HF S11 was ultimately selected as our 2009 runner-up for Ultracompact Camcorder of the Year. To see why we selected it and read about our other 2009 awards, check out the 2009 CamcorderInfo.com Select Awards.
Product Tour
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 is manufactured with the same lens as last year's VPC-CG9 from Sanyo. You still won't find any filter threads surrounding the lens, nor an automatic lens enclosure. There is, however, a hard rubber cap that you can attach to the camcorder with a fine cord tether and cap to snap over the lens. The 1/2.33-inch sensor is the same size as the CG9's but this year's model has received an upgrade in resolution. The 9.1-megapixel sensor is now 10.66 megapixels. In theory, this should result in sharper still images and sharper video.
Color & Noise Performance
The Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10 demonstrated an incredibly impressive performance in color accuracy and saturation. Video recorded in bright lighting conditions had vivid, naturalistic color tones, with some slight inaccuracies in the skin tones and yellow hues. As with all of our testing, the CG10 bright light color testing was done with a manual white balance. The camcorder's auto white balance would not produce colors this accurate. (More on how we test color.)
The CG10 does not have an abundance of color modes or controls that impact color balance, but there are a couple of settings available. If you'd like to achieve the more saturated look that is sometimes popular in consumer camcorders, a vivid color mode will do the job nicely.
Though the CG10's color performance is impressive by any standards, it's particularly good compared to other camcorders in this price range. Other budget models often lack a manual white balance, which means you have to rely on the automatic white balance system for color accuracy. Sometimes—as with the MHS-PM1—the automatic settings aren't bad. But sometimes—as with the Kodak Zx1—the automatic white balance just isn't up to the task. In outdoor lighting, this isn't usually a problem; indoor lighting is what usually gives these ultracompact camcorders the most trouble. With the CG10, you can just perform a simple manual white balance with the push of a button and get vivid, accurate colors both inside and out.
It may not be fair to compare the Sanyo VPC-CG10—a $200 camcorder—to models at the top of their respective lines, but in this regard, the CG10 is actually competitive. The only manufacturer that consistently outperforms the CG10 in bright light color is JVC: both the high definition GZ-HD300 and the standard definition GZ-MG670 have more accurate colors. Every other manufacturer (including Canon, Panasonic, and Sony) has excellent color performance in their top models, but less so in their mid-range and introductory camcorders. Even these flagship camcorders, which cost about $1000 each, come shy of matching the impressive color performance of the VPC-CG10.
In terms of producing a clear, noise-free image, the Sanyo VPC-CG10 once again outclasses most of the competition. The CG10's noise percentage (just 0.55%) is better than what you'll see on most consumer camcorders, no matter what the price range. Of course, noise percentage doesn't tell the whole story. Often, you will see very little noise in an image because the camcorder has a relatively low sharpness; smaller noise may not be visible because the sensor does not resolve the smallest details. That could very well be the case for the CG10: much of the noise may be obfuscated by the slight blurriness of the footage. (More on how we test noise.)
With other ultracompact budget camcorders, the story is much the same: low sharpness makes for relatively low noise. Of the camcorders under $200, the CG10 does have the lowest noise percentage, beating out the Sony Webbie and the Flip series from Pure Digital. Among the ultracompact camcorders we've chosen for comparison, the worst noise percentage came from the Kodak Zx1, which had both poor sharpness and poor noise—an unusual combination.
Motion & Sharpness Performance
Low Light Performance
**Low Light Sensitivity***(0.80)*
Although the CG10 has a large, 1/2.33-inch sensor that should theoretically capture a lot of light, the CG10 does not hold up well to our low light sensitivity test. The camcorder required 24 lux of light in order to produce 50IRE. That's considerably more light than was required by most of the competition. Even the Sony Webbie—which had atrocious low light sensitivity—managed to eke out 50IRE at 23 lux. (More on how we test low light sensitivity.)
Since the CG10 possesses a considerably large sensor, the dim low light footage is likely a result of the camcorder's processing. With relatively low noise, it's possible that the CG10 employs less digital gain to achieve a bright image in low light. That doesn't explain how a budget cam like the the Flip UltraHD can achieve 50IRE with just 7 lux and still have lower noise levels than the CG10. In this regard, the UltraHD is simply a superior camcorder for dim lighting conditions.
As was the case in bright lighting conditions, the Sanyo VPC-CG10 tested very well in color accuracy and saturation in low light. The color accuracy of 3.41 is quite good for 60 lux conditions. Saturation was lowered to 89.16%, but that's still quite good for our low light color test. (More on how we test low light color.)
With less illumination, the CG10 struggled more with pinks and greens than it did in our bright light testing. Skin tones were actually slightly more accurate, while blues and reds continued to be output with high fidelity.
Whereas the CG10 blew away the competition in bright light color testing, the same competing models were more up to the task in low light. Since most of these camcorders have no manual white balance, the automatic white balance has a significant impact on color accuracy. In the case of the models we selected for comparison, the white balance was far superior in low light; the camcorders had no trouble compensating for the LED lights, which have a color temperature very similar to natural outdoor lighting. The bright light tests, which use more traditional indoor Tungsten lighting, were a real struggle for the automatic white balance systems on these budget camcorders.
The Sanyo VPC-CG10, which has a superb manual white balance setting, had no trouble with either kind of lighting, thus producing natural, accurate colors in all of our tests.
Although the CG10's noise levels in low light are not as impressive as those recorded in bright light, 1.05% is still a good result for our low light noise test. At 60 lux, the VPC-CG10 had faint patches of noise discoloration and a fine sheen of graininess. Among the budget ultracompacts that we've selected for comparison, only the Flip UltraHD had superior noise performance in low light. Given the Flip's brighter image at 60 lux, it comes as no surprise that noise levels were reduced. [(More on how we test low light noise.)
](https://reviewed.usatoday.com/camcorders/content/How-We-Test-Camcorders-36180.htm#lowlightnoise)
In the crops above, you can see a detail of each camcorder's performance in low light. The Kodak Zx1 seems the most troubled by noise, but it actually fared a bit better than the Sony MHS-PM1. Though it's difficult to see in a small crop, the Webbie has a consistent presence of very fine noise. This is likely a result of the camcorder's high sharpness: at 600-650 lw/ph, more detail is captured, including noise.
Compression & Media
All Sanyo camcorders, including last year's standard definition models, record in the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec. This is essentially the same as the AVCHD codec, but without some of the additional constraints. Though the CG10 is technically a successor to the 2008 VPC-CG9, the CG10 features one prominent upgrade: it actually records 720p high definition video. The CG9 was a standard def camcorder.
Like the entire 2009 lineup from Sanyo, the CG10 records in HD, but gives the user additional flexibility by offering standard definition recording modes as well. The CG10 doesn't offer as many resolution and frame rate options as its big brother, the VPC-HD2000. (The HD2000 shoots full 1080p or 1080i video, includes two other HD modes, offers one standard def option, and gives you two slow-motion recording choices.)
The primary recording media for the VPC-CG10 is removable SD/SDHC memory cards. This is the main form of video storage for Sanyo's entire Xacti line. Though the more expensive VPC-HD2000 has no internal memory, the CG10—and its CG9 predecessor—have about 40MB of internal flash memory. This is, of course, a pittance, but it's enough to record a short minute or two of video while you scramble to replace your full memory card.
The Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10 does not with any kind of traditional editing software. Most camcorders ship with a free software CD, but this software usually isn't anything impressive. The software that shipped with last year's Sanyo camcorders was certainly functional, but offered nothing that users couldn't do with iMovie or Windows Movie Maker.
What the CG10 does include is some limited internal editing, including a simple trim feature that allows you to shorten your recorded clip and save is as a new video or overwrite your previous clip. For still photo editing, you can also rotate and resize, but this feature isn't available for videos.
Sanyo is also pushing several other post-production features, such as uploading to YouTube and watching videos on your iPod. However, these are really just features taking advantage of the MPEG-4 AVC/H.264 codec. The CG10 doesn't offer any options that help you in these processes, other than the online guide, called 'Let's Shoot More Movies!'
This is in stark contrast to other inexpensive camcorders, like the Flip series from Pure Digital, the Kodak Zi6 and Zx1, and the Webbie HD models from Sony. These camcorders all offer built-in software that streamlines the editing and uploading processes.
Manual Controls
The availability of manual controls is one of the main advantages in choosing the CG10 over some of the other camcorders under $200. The Flip—and others like it—have no manual controls whatsoever. However, many consumers like to have their cake and eat it too: they want the option of manual controls, but with a reliable and effective auto mode.
That means that any camcorder in this price range needs to shoot good video when shooting in auto-pilot. The CG10 fares quite well in all of its automatic adjustments. Focus works quickly and smoothly: if you want the effect of a sudden focal change, you'll need to use manual focus. Exposure is similarly smooth, but perhaps too slow when shifting between two extreme lighting conditions.
To complement the excellent auto focus and exposure, the CG10 has multiple focus methods and metering methods. Auto focus has be set to spot focus or 9-point focus; metering can be multi, center, or spot. A 'Face Chaser' option allows the camcorder to detect faces and automatically adjust exposure and focus to accommodate those faces. An auto focus lock and auto exposure lock can be accessed through the customizable shortcuts.
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 also has excellent automatic white balance, which is a real treat for these ultracompact camcorders. The Sony Webbie HD MHS-PM1 has strong auto white balance, but many of the others (such as the Flip series and the Kodak Zx1) have terrible automatic white balance. What's worse, most camcorders in this price range lack a manual white balance, so you're stuck with whatever poor color balance the camcorder has selected for you. With the CG10, you have excellent auto white balance, several white balance presets, and a manual white balance option.
Low Light Modes
In auto mode, the Sanyo will automatically switch to a low shutter speed, but you can tweak a couple of manual controls to further boost brightness in low light—such as shutter speed, aperture, exposure, and ISO. There is also a High Sensitivity mode, which will automatically adjust all of these things whenever you're shooting in very dark conditions. A handful of scene modes may also be appropriate for low lighting (see below).
Scene Modes
The Sanyo comes equipped with a number of scene modes that the user can use to guide auto adjustments to a particular setting. Options include: Sports, Portrait, Landscape, Night Portrait, Snow & Beach, Fireworks, and Lamp.
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 has a sliding zoom toggle that rests in the center of the rear controls. Technically, the slider could respond to variable finger pressure, but we could only really accomplish one very quick zoom speed—or a series of brief stutters. The slider doesn't even engage the zoom until the switch has been pushed halfway up or down. The HD2000, by comparison, had a similar slider switch, but we could definitely get a couple speeds out of it. While zooming, a small scale appears to show you your relative position in the zoom range. There are no numerical values displayed to show a precise zoom ratio.
Of course, all of these controls are a significant improvement over what you will find on most camcorders in this price range. The Flip series of camcorders (and most of their clones) have only a measly 2x digital zoom, usually controlled by the up and down arrows on a directional pad. Even those with a more traditional zoom toggle—like the Sony MHS-PM1 still only offer 2x digital zoom.
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 has a 5x optical zoom, which is more than most camcorders in this price range. The pistol-grip design allows for a longer lens barrel than you'll see on the flat, iPod-like ultracompacts. That means there's enough room for the lens elements necessary for an optical zoom. There is an additional 12x digital zoom, but we recommend that you leave that turned off, especially if you always want the highest quality video.
Many top-of-the-line camcorders these days are offering a smooth ring or dial control for adjusting manual focus. Sanyo, unfortunately, still employs an archaic joystick for this function. On both the VPC-CG10 and the VPC-HD2000, the joystick allows the user to select one of several hard focal increments. On the CG10, there are sixteen increments from 1cm to infinity. At the bottom end of that range, you have 1cm, 2cm, and 5cm. How do you focus on something that's 3.5cm away? Move the camcorder until it's 5cm away.
While we believe that focus should be a precise adjustment handled by a smooth control, the joystick is still better than touchscreen focus, where your finger blocks the viewfinder as you step through focus levels. It's also better than the complete lack of manual focus offered by most of the competition. At least the CG10 allows some rudimentary control over focus. And if you don't like the way focus is handled on the CG10, you can stick with the camcorder's auto focus, which is really quite good.
Auto focus can handle objects from 50cm to infinity, while super macro focus is good for shooting 1cm to 1m.
As was the case in the poorly designed menu system of the VPC-HD2000, exposure is buried in a needlessly hidden location. It is only accessible via shortcuts on the joystick menu. By default, Sanyo has assigned exposure compensation to the joystick, but if you reassign that shortcut in the settings menu, there will no way to access feature. This confusion is compounded by the fact that the menus hold an 'Exposure' setting, which allows you to switch between aperture priority, shutter priority, and full manual aperture/shutter speed.
If it's exposure compensation you want, then you will find that tool simple enough to use—if not easy to find. Sanyo offers thirteen increments on a sliding scale from -1.8 to +1.8.
The Recording menu of the CG10 houses an Exposure setting, which allows users to choose Aperture Priority, Shutter Priority, or full manual aperture and shutter speed. In Aperture Priority mode, you can manually adjust aperture and the camcorder will automatically adjust shutter speed to compensate. In full manual mode, you can change both aperture and shutter speed independently.
There are six available aperture settings ranging from 3.5 to 8.0. A warning about the manual aperture controls: we found that it took at least a full second for the aperture display to react to the joystick. This is excessively slow and was often frustrating.
Shutter speed, like aperture, can be controlled from within the Recording menu. There is a Shutter Priority mode, which allows the user to adjust shutter speed, while aperture is handled automatically. There is also a full manual mode, which will let you change shutter speed and aperture independently. Though there is a wide range of shutter speed options available, only some of these will actually impact video recording. If the camcorder is set to High Sensitivity mode or Lamp mode, options range from 1/15 to 1/1500. For still photography, you can use a full 4-second shutter, as well as several other slow shutter options. In regular video recording mode, however, the shutter speed range is narrowed: options range from 1/60 to 1/1500.
There aren't a lot of white balance presets available on the VPC-CG10, but any control over white balance is more than you'll find on most of the competition. Ultracompact budget camcorders like the Flip series give the user no ability to control color balance. If the automatic white balance is good, this isn't a problem. Some budget cams, like the Kodak Zx1, have poor auto white balance and a regrettable lack of white balance control.
On the CG10, the four white balance presets (sunny, cloudy, fluorescent, and incandescent) are usually enough to cover the basics. What will come in more handy is the simple, one-push manual white balance. The results of this manual white balance are accurate—more so that the automatic white balance or the presets—so, we recommend using it whenever possible.
A couple of the major camcorder manufacturers have begun to offer gain control in their consumer lineups. JVC allows you to turn gain off or leave it to the camcorder's automatic settings. Canon lets you turn it off or limit gain. And Panasonic lets you boost gain if you've fully opened the aperture and need even more light in your shot. This year's Sanyo camcorders, however, handle gain gain differently, by allowing users to adjust ISO separately from all other exposure controls.
If you want to boost the gain for low light situations, you can set it anywhere from ISO 50 to ISO 1600. The flexibility of using setting ISO while recording video is a real treat; one we're likely to see on more of these video-still hybrids in the future.
**Color & Image Controls***(4.50)*
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 does not offer much in the way of additional image controls; there is no sharpness, color depth, or contrast controls. There are, however, a few different color modes that will impact the way color is captured in your video. There isn't a lot of a difference among the various settings, but if you're going for subtlety, it's a nice option to have. (You can see the small difference in the Color Performance section of this review.)
**Other Manual Controls***(2.00)*
Still Features
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 is truly impressive as a still camera, blowing away the cheap, ultracompact competition. The Flip MinoHD and Flip UltraHD don't even have still photo functionality, while those budget camcorders that do take still photos usually take very low quality images. The CG10, on the other hand, offers excellent still performance, plus a multitude of options in photo resolution, quality, and image controls. The largest photos available are 12-megapixels still, though this resolution is achieved through interpolation. The largest native resolution available, about 10-megapixels, is considerably larger than anything offered by the competition and is available in two compression qualities.
To support the impressive resolution options, Sanyo makes all image controls available in both video and still mode. That means that you can manually adjust focus, exposure, aperture, shutter speed, color modes, and ISO while in still mode. In fact, still photos are even more flexible than videos, allowing the user to select a wider range of shutter speeds, including long 4-second and 2-second exposures. Also exclusive to still photos is a 2- or 10-second self-timer and a two Sequential options: 10-megapixel stills can be captured at 18 fps for a maximum of eleven photos, and 2-megapixel still can be captured at 7 fps for a maximum of fourteen photos.
There is a built-in flash mounted to the front of the camcorder, just under the lens. The flash can be set to auto, off, and forced flash.
Surprisingly, the Sanyo VPC-CG10 may be the best still performer we've reviewed this year, even beating out the thousand-dollar flagship models of the competition. With Sanyo marketing the CG10 as a true still/video hybrid, it's nice to see the company backing up these claims with actual performance. Chief among the successful performance is the camcorder's color accuracy, which came in at an impressively low 2.67. With excellent saturation to back that up, the CG10 has some of the best still color performance we've ever recorded. (More on how we test still color.)
In terms of still color performance, the other compact camcorders don't even come close to the level of accuracy offered by the CG10. The closest competition we've seen is from the Sony HDR-XR520 and the new JVC GZ-X900, two camcorders that each cost at least $800 more than the CG10. The Canon HF S100 and Sanyo VPC-HD2000 also offer good still color performance. (Of course, all four of these camcorders have better video performance than the $200 Sanyo VPC-CG10.)
In still noise, the CG10 once again blows away the competition. While most camcorders record relatively high noise levels during still photo capture, the CG10 had a mere 0.49% noise. That's a much clearer picture than you'll get with the Sony Webbie HD MHS-PM1 or the Kodak Zx1 and a much clearer picture than what you'll get with the Canon HF S100 or the JVC GZ-X900. (More on how we test still noise.)
The closest competitors in the noise department are probably the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 and the Panasonic HDC-HS300, though both of these camcorders have nearly twice the noise of the CG10.
In still photo sharpness, the CG10 once again outclasses the competition, resulting in a horizontal sharpness of 2073 lw/ph and a vertical sharpness of 1993 lw/ph. This is superb still performance for a camcorder, and completely blows away other models in this price category. The Webbie and the Kodak both have much lower sharpness and abysmal undersharpening. (Those camcorders effectively scored a 0.00 in our still sharpness test.) (More on how we test still sharpness.)
Of course, the CG10 is not without its flaws. To achieve that level of sharpness, the camcorder employs a high level of oversharpening, which can leave your photos looking slightly pixelated as the processor tries to guess at the details it might be missing. Some of the more expensive models, like the Canon HF S100 and Sanyo VPC-HD2000, manage an even higher level of sharpness, with much less digital sharpening. The HF S100 actually reached a horizontal sharpness of2800 without any artificial sharpening at all.
Handling & Use
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 may have a lot more functionality than ultracompact camcorders like the Flip UltraHD, but that functionality comes at a price. The CG10 is decidedly more complicated to use than its simple point-and-shoot counterparts. Most of this is a result of the convoluted menu system, which makes it difficult to navigate through the numerous options you might want to consider when shooting video.
To provide beginning users with an easier interface, Sanyo has included a 'Simple Menu' setting, which omits about 95% of the menus. Strangely, this option is difficult to find, buried as it is in the lower-left corner of the main menus. This tiny S/N option is easy to miss, especially if you don't know to look for it. Those users that might really appreciate a simple menu seem unlikely to ever find the simple menu. However, this view does make the user interface considerably easier to use. Only three options appear in the simple menu design: Video and Photo Size, Focus Mode, and Flash Mode. Even those three options are considerably trimmed down; there are only two video/photos sizes: 'HDTV size' and 'web size.'
What's frustrating is that the Simple Menu interface is so hard to find and removes all functionality from the camcorder. A true Easy Mode offers tool tips, shooting advice, and access to more automatic recording options. The CG10 has none of this.
With the VPC-CG10, Sanyo perseveres with its unique pistol-grip style. For those accustomed to a traditional horizontal camcorder, the upright design can be a bit unsettling. However, the under-$200 price range includes very few traditional camcorders. The CG10's real competition comes from models like the Pure Digital Flip series, the RCA Small Wonder, and the Kodak Zi6 or Kodak Zx1. These camcorders all have an upright, cellphone-like design.
Compared to these ultracompact designs, the CG10 is incredibly comfortable and stable. You can wrap your hand around the grip and use your thumb to operate all the controls. Plus, it's smaller and lighter than the Sanyo VPC-HD2000, so the lack of a hand strap isn't likely to impact handling. Camcorders like the Flip MinoHD give you nothing to grasp but the broad, flat front of the camcorder—and sometimes the surface is slippery and it's easy to mistakenly cover the microphone or lens with a stray finger. Not so on the Sanyo VPC-CG10, which offers a clear, comfortable handhold. It's even easy to use whether you're left-handed or right-handed.
The one drawback to the CG10's handling is its poorly designed joystick, which makes item selection trickier than necessary. The joystick isn't precise enough for quick, responsive control over manual image adjustment or menu navigation. Clicking the joystick in and pushing it in a particular direction feel much the same and there's no clear distinction between the four cardinal directions and the areas between. Old camcorders might have worse joysticks, but very few camcorders today use joysticks at all. We think that if you're going to persist with joystick control, you should have a perfectly designed joystick.
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 has digital image stabilization, but the camcorder didn't show any stabilization improvement when the setting was engaged. In fact, the CG10 actually produced a shakier image with its DIS turned on than it did with its DIS turned off. This isn't that big of surprise, considering the Sanyo VPC-HD2000 also showed no improvement when its digital stabilization system was used. (More on how we test stabilization.)
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 is certainly a small and highly portable device by camcorder standards. Though the small bulk of the lens barrel would stick out, you can slip the CG10 into your back pocket without a problem. Plus, the LCD is protected by folding into the body of the camcorder—unlike the exposed LCDs of most ultracompact camcorders.
The recording media is another plus: SDHC memory cards are tiny and portable. They can be easily swapped in and out if the cards fill up. Of course, since they are so small, you're a little more likely to lose them—a trouble you won't encounter with internal memory. If you want to clear space off those cards or watch footage on TV, you'll need to tote along the USB and/or AV cables. Gratefully, the CG10 does not require a docking station in order to make use of these ports; all of the AV and data outputs on the HD2000 were located on a separate dock.
The one frustration you will find in the CG10's portability has to do with battery life. You cannot charge the battery and use it at the same time. The camcorder simply doesn't have a DC power input on the body, so you have to remove the battery and charge it separately. (See below.)
The battery life of the Sanyo VPC-CG10 is only a mere 1hr, 20m, 18s (about 80 minutes). This is a shorter battery life than many of the competing camcorders, which typically last over one hundred minutes. (More on how we test battery life.)
An 80-minute battery life may seem adequate, but we wish it had been better to accommodate the horrendous design that prevents you from charging the battery and operating the camcorder at the same time. We had this trouble with the Panasonic camcorder, which bury the DC input in the battery cavity to much the same effect. With the Panasonics, however, you can at least plug the camcorder in and operate it that way. The CG10 operates only on battery power. So, if you run out of juice, you'll need to use a spare battery (not included) or wait until yours charges up again.
The vast majority of camcorders do not have this problem. Many ultracompacts run on removable AA batteries (which can be easily swapped in and out) or internal batteries, which allow you to plug the camcorder in, even while recording. Some competing models (like the Flip MinoHD and Creative Vado) have batteries that are typically charged via USB, so they have similar limitations. For a more traditional camcorder, the CG10 doesn't really have any excuse for this abysmal design. Plus, an enclosed battery compartment means that you're stuck with this small battery and cannot upgrade to a larger. Buying a spare seems like a good—if frustratingly necessary—investment.
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 has a 3-inch 230,000-pixel LCD. The screen is mounted on a panel that flips out from the body of the camcorder and can be rotated up to 285 degrees. That makes for easy self-recording, which is not a convenience offered by the Flip UltraHD and many comparable models. The Sony Webbie MHS-PM1 does allow self recording with its swiveling lens. The large LCD is an excellent tool for lining up your shots. If the menus aren't easy to navigate, at least they're easy to see: three inches is a good amount of real estate. There are seven brightness settings for the LCD.
The CG10 does not include any kind of viewfinder. You'll have to rely on the LCD to get the job done.
The menus are a clear weak point in the design of the VPC-CG10. If you want to have access to all of the camcorder's features, you'll need to use the 'Normal' menu scheme, which is quite convoluted and not pretty to look at. Options are placed haphazardly in one of six tabs: there is some sense to the three Record tabs and the three Settings tabs, but even some of those assignments are seemingly arbitrary. With any device that has this many options, randomly organized menus are an absolute curse. Even after a week's use, you're likely to have to hunt through tabs to find the option you want.
If the Normal menu is too convoluted, users can opt for the 'Simple Menu,' which is, as advertised, simple. The problem with the Simple menu is that there's barely anything there. Sanyo has taken away too much, including some options that would be very straightforward for even the greenest videographers. In record mode, the Simple menu consists only of video/photo size, focus method, and flash settings. In playback, it's just slideshow, playback volume, and delete.
Focus method seems an especially odd choice, since most beginners would rather have easy access to something like scene modes. What's nice about the Simple menus is that they utilize large, friendly icons and have clear descriptions explaining each of the features. It's a shame we only get such treatment on six functions in the whole camcorder. Beginners would love a little extra guidance on using the camcorder's plethora of manual controls.
If you do feel yourself ready for the larger menu structure, you'll just need to spend time searching for everything you need. Even with the most thorough searching, users may miss some of the more stealthily buried features: exposure compensation, auto focus lock, and auto exposure lock are only accessible through joystick shortcuts, which can be custom-configured through the Settings menu.
Menus can be set to one of thirteen different languages, including Spanish, Portuguese, and a number of Asian languages.
Playback & Connectivity
Playback on the Sanyo VPC-CG10 is very similar to the vast majority of traditional digital cameras and camcorders. Pressing the Playback button will bring you to a thumbnail display, where each clip or photo is represented by a single image. Since there is no dedicated still photo mode, photos and videos are mixed together in a single list of thumbnails. The playback screen displays eight thumbnails at a time; there is no alternate view offering more or fewer than eight.
If you'd like to view a photo or a video, simply click the 'Set' button (pushing in the joystick). A video will begin playing immediately. Pushing in the joystick will pause/play the video. While the clip is playing, left and right act as fast-forward and rewind buttons; while paused, they cycle between next and previous clips. The CG10 doesn't offer much flexibility in playback options, but you can capture a still photo during playback—a feature that's convenient and easy to use. The stills captured from playback will only be 1280 x 720, but at least Sanyo makes this an easy process for the most inexperienced beginner.
For those that want to do a little in-camera production, the CG10 allows you to rotate and resize photos and cut and join video clips. This is really the bare minimum when it comes to internal editing. If you want to make any serious changes to your footage, you should stick to post-production editing software.
As a small camcorder in the sub-$200 price range, it comes as no surprise that the CG10 offers very little in the way of connectivity. The sole output is a proprietary connection compatible only with Sanyo's cables. The CG10 ships with USB and composite AV cables, but you can purchase component cables separately from the manufacturer. Unfortunately, you can't just use standard cables you might have lying around. It also means that you should be careful that you don't lose the cables that come in the box—replacements cost money and you'll have to get the special Sanyo cables.
You might also notice a startling lack of high definition video cables in the box: there is no HDMI or component AV cable for watching your high definition footage on an HDTV. Of course, the CG10 only records 1280 x 720 footage, but that's no reason to prevent consumers from watching their footage in high definition. Many budget camcorders today have some kind of HD output right out of the box: either a standard jack so you can use cables you might already own, or proprietary cables that come with the camcorder.
There is one other port on the CG10 worth mentioning: the SD/SDHC memory card slot located on the back of the camcorder. The CG10 doesn't really have any internal memory to speak of, so videos and photos will be captured primarily on memory cards. This makes file transfer easy—you won't need that USB cable if your computer can read SD cards with an internal slot or external card reader—and lets you expand the memory capacity ad infinitum. However, if you don't already own some memory cards, you'll have to spend some extra cash to to buy one or two. The CG10 does not come with a memory card.
Audio & Other Features
The CG10 offers only the bare bones of audio functionality. All sound is recorded via the stereo microphone mounted on the rear face of the LCD panel. The placement of the microphone is off, since the microphone will be facing away from you if you're doing any self-recording. (i.e. flip the LCD around so you can see yourself and the microphone will be pointed in the opposite direction. If you're recording someone else, at least the mic is facing the right way, even if it is a mediocre stereo input. And if you happen to be recording on a mildly windy day, the CG10 includes an optional Wind Cut feature—called Wind Sound Noise Reduction.
The CG10 does not offer any alternate microphone inputs, an accessory shoe, headphone jack, or level control.
We do feel obligated to mention that our model gave off an irritable, high-pitched squealing sound whenever we were in record mode. (The sound ceased while in Playback mode.) The sound was so loud and atrocious that it was clearly audible in all of our recorded video clips. This defect made the audio completely unusable for every single recording. However, we did exhaustive research, watching countless YouTube clips and reading numerous customer reviews and it seems that no one else experienced this flaw. It seems like we just got an early build or a rare manufacturer defect. If you purchase a VPC-CG10 and it makes this noise, make sure you contact the retailer immediately for a new product. (And let us know that we weren't alone!)
NTSC/PAL Outputs
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 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 these Sanyo camcorders record at the usual 60p or 30p, then translate 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.
Voice Memo
The CG10 has an extra feature that allows to record simple audio-only voice memos. Since most people don't have a digital audio recorder, this could actually come in handy.
Sony MHS-PM1 Comparison
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 $30, you get a lot of bang for your buck in the Sanyo VPC-CG10. The CG10 outperforms the MHS-PM1 in just about every category, except video sharpness. Bright light color 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 stabilization. So why would anyone buy the PM1? Well, it's a little more compact and, some may argue, more fashionable. It's also slightly easier to use—though not by much—and $30 cheaper.
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 $30 you save isn't worth it. The CG10 gives you a lot for that money, including superior video quality.
Kodak Zx1 Comparison
When it comes to capturing video and stills in bright, indoor lighting, there can be no question that the Sanyo VPC-CG10 comes out on top. The Kodak Zx1 struggled in many types of indoor lighting and had substantial amounts of grainy noise in all conditions. The CG10 also has a lot of bells and whistles that you simply don't get from the Kodak: loads of manual controls, a 5x optical zoom, digital image stabilization, a flip-out LCD panel, and a flash.
The Zx1 does have one significant asset that the CG10 lacks: low light video performance. The Zx1's image in dim lighting is considerably brighter than that of the CG10. So, if you do a lot of shooting in bars and nightclubs, the Kodak has a major advantage. There's also something to be said for the ultracompact design and streamlined user interface of the Zx1. For a complete novice, the Kodak will probably be a less intimidating piece of technology to use. And the inclusion of standard mini-HDMI/mini-USB jacks, a 60i frame rate, and easy built-in software are a some more compelling reasons to choose the cheaper Zx1.
Flip UltraHD Comparison
The Sanyo VPC-CG10 and the latest from Pure Digital's Flip series—the Flip UltraHD—are a close race. Both cost about $200, but the similarities end there. The Sanyo has a slew of manual controls, superior color and noise in bright light, and some surprisingly strong still photo functionality. The UltraHD is a breeze to use, has much better low light sensitivity, and convenient built-it editing software. Motion also looks better on the UltraHD, with less compression artifacting.
For most people, this choice will be quite simple. People that want something that's elegant and easy to use will buy the Flip. If you want something that's a little more robust, the Sanyo is a bargain. What if you want the flexibility of the CG10 but need good low light performance? Then you might have a little more trouble choosing between the two.
Conclusion
Photo Gallery
Specs and Ratings
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Meet the tester
Vice President of Editorial Management, Kaitlyn oversees the editorial departments of Reviewed.com’s various sites. She has been writing about technology since the turn of the century. Outside of her Reviewed.com home, Kaitlyn is also a theatre director and avid gamer.
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