I got this camera yesterday and after shooting for a bit I'd have to say it's better than I expected, but you really have to know what you want it for.

Unlike another reviewer I would not go by the camera's LCD to adjust the image, since it's probably the weakest part of the camera, not very high resolution. The auto functions of exposure and white balance do a pretty good job. The colors are a little saturated and in some situations it does crush the blacks creating a high contrast look, but overall it works well.

The controls are simple and I was up and running in no time. I am used to shooting with manual controls, especially for exposure and focus. I was leery of what I could get with this camera but it handles well using the auto functions which can easily be locked off when need be. You can also assign four functions to the back arrow keys as shortcuts which makes it a snap to adjust the various focus modes, and lock the exposure, etc.

The macro is excellent and the zoom is great in a pinch but the image can become distorted on 30x. I did a long shot along a sidewalk and the image really broke up with the haze. When I was completely zoomed in on branches there was a great deal of purple fringing as well.

It worked perfectly underwater where I was in macro mode and the detail was excellent.

Getting the clips onto the computer is easy. I connected to the USB port and dragged them onto the desktop and from there directly into FCP. The only problem for me is my Mac is a G5 (relatively old) and there was a noticeable jerkiness in the video when played back on the computer. So the power of your computer has a definite impact on playback. Also, when editing this footage in with other HDV footage in FCP it took a looong time to render, i.e. two hours for about 12 minutes. But if you're editing it by itself, aside from making my system a bit sluggish, there were no other problems.

I was disappointed with the stills. You have to have them quite small to be decent, so I won't be using the camera much for that. Not sure why the CA9 is 8mb stills and the WH1 only 2mb!

The size of the camera is nice, it can definitely fit in a jacket pocket (not a shirt pocket) and the battery lasts a couple of hours which is great. Wasn't impressed with the stabilization and I'll definitely be using it on a tripod or braced against something solid.

My main camera is a Sony HDR-HC9 and there is a noticeable difference in quality. The WH1 image is more pixelated. But the underwater aspect is great and for that reason I'm glad I have it. So it really comes down to what you want the camera for. If you want it as your main camera and are seeking a good HD quality image, I probably wouldn't recommend this due to the pixelation and the shakiness. But if you want something for You Tube, want the underwater feature, or a very portable camera, this one is great.

I put up some sample footage and a still here: http://www.robertjohnthompson.com/page1/page1.html

At first sight, this little machine looks almost perfect: an up to 10 feet waterproof, compact, dual camera/camcorder.
Unfortunately, there is grain of salt in almost every aspect.

First, I need to mention that I am a happy owner of an older Sanyo EX2 camcorder and, despite minor drawbacks, I really like it.

I can understand the good intention of Sanyo engineers when they ventured to create a new camcorder that would outdo the previous model in every way possible. The original EX2 was only waterproof up to 3 feet, not HD, and had mediocre battery.
In VPC-WH1, Sanyo engineers fixed and improved everything, but in the process they made several dangerous compromises.

Let's start with new ten feet waterproof rating. I would really adore this new feature if not for one small problem - all the o-rings are not user-replaceable and the manual specifically tells you that they are only good for one year. Well, if you are buying this camera to go underwater (snorkeling, of course), you know what an o-ring is and what happens when it leaks.

Another problem - the camera body has three(!) covers: one for the battery, another for the SD-card, and the third for the power port. I cannot say I am a designer of underwater equipment, but so far all underwater housings I ever used had only ONE cover... with user-replaceable o-ring.

So the camera seems to be waterproof for one year, but what about next year's vacation?

Despite these drawbacks, I was ready to forgive Sanyo because of the promised HD. Unfortunately, whatever it was they decided to call HD was not really "High Definition". The image is terribly over-compressed and has lot of artifacts. Yes, technically, if you look at the file properties, it is 720p, but only technically. I would not rate it above 300 lines of real resolution. It is hard to believe, but my old EX2 makes much better videos. I have compared the two side by side on a 52 inch TV and the difference is obvious. Even in standard resolution the old EX2 beats the new camcorder, which is slightly embarrassing...

Finally, this is supposed to be a dual camera. Well, almost a camera, because in WPC-VH1 pictures are limited to two megapixels. My old EX2 has an 8 megapixel sensor and it makes pictures as good as a standard 3 megapixel camera. The overall level of degradation from the old camcorder has not changed for this feature, so you can imagine how a two megapixel images from the new camera looks. Let's just say my cell phone does a much better job.

The only good thing is battery performance; it is actually decent now. I just do not know what to do with all this battery performance. My new stylish yellow WPC-VH1 is collecting dust now, while the old EX2 faithfully sits in a side pocket of my photo bag.

***
Frankly, I hate writing negative reviews. For a month I played around with the camcorder parameters and lighting conditions, shot underwater (and, I should mention, underwater footage is generally okay, just not HD), tried different video codecs, but nothing helped. Did I get a defective unit?

It should not be difficult for Sanyo to fix almost all the drawbacks. I would guess the video over compression problem may be fixed with a software upgrade. And a mail-in o-ring replacement service can solve the one year problem (the current manual tells you to go to your "dealer"; with all due respect, I am not sure Amazon would provide such a service). The remaining two megapixels still image camera seems hopeless, but this would not be a big loss after all...

After reading some of the negative reviews I was hesitant to purchase this camera. I am really glad that I didn't let them sway me away. I have had no issues with contrast or black areas as other reviewers have had. The video, while not as good as a $1000 camera, is excellent. I have taken videos in a variety of lighting conditions and have been happy with them all.

If you need a good general purpose HD camera then this is a good choice in my opinion. It also has the added benefit of being able to go into the pool with you!

Summary:
* A toy, but a usable one.
* If you want a waterproof camcorder, there aren't too many choices. And this happens to be a decent one at that. If you're on the CHEAP side and/or want to go into deeper waters, look at the other "toy" camera from GoPro. I also have that, by the way. GoPro takes (slightly) better photos than this, but this takes much better videos. Note GoPro has no LCD screen, so you're shooting almost blind.
* Get a tripod, or at least a monopod, especially if you're going to zoom in a lot.
* I'm not unhappy with it.

The good:
* Waterproof!
* Excellent battery life (almost enough to fill 16GB card with 720p video).
* I guess the face chaser thingy kind of works.
* Umm, it's... small? Oh oh, it turns on relatively quickly. It's no DSLR, but it's not bad.

The not-so-good:
* No image stabilization. You say it's got the "digital" image stabilization? Whatever! It's useless. Hope you have steady hands or at least a monopod.
* Horrible still pictures. Its ISO50 pictures look worse than (Canon) 40D's ISO3200 pictures. ISO1600 with this? Is that a photo or some kind of an artistic painting?
* Not so great image quality. But then, who's expecting great HD image from a 1/6" 1280x888 (guessed) bayer-patterned sensor? I'd actually prefer better quality 854x480 over 1280x720. Of course, I can always scale it down after I take the video, but that takes up more room in the card. I'd also have liked it to take 720x480 (native standard definition NTSC resolution) instead of 640x480.
* Low light performance is, well, not very good. Again, we're talking about a tiny 1/6" sensor. The high-sensitivity mode helps a little since what it's doing is slowing the shutter down and basically giving you 15 frames per second video (or rather 30 frames where every other frame is repeated).
* 30x zoom is nice, but I'd rather have wider lens. 28mm equivalent would be really nice, but that's probably asking for too much. At minimum, 35mm equivalent would've been nice. 43mm equivalent is too, umm, normal.

Other:
* No comments on the software compatibility. I mostly just use open-source stuff to play them. Check out avidemux (http://avidemux.sourceforge.net/) for simple editing job.

"Every critisism of this camera you must follow up with the statement "but it goes underwater and shoots HD" For this amount of money your not going to do any better. Most any camcorder your going to need a tripod, and this one is no exception. The features including the talking menu and easy to navigate menus are great. The picture is good.. not great, but then again.. IT GOES UNDERWATER... The image can become shaky eventhough the zoom is quite smooth. The still pictures are worthless, but still IT GOES UNDERWATER... It is a nice color, (I got yellow) and using SD cards is the way of the future. HD 720 Video is awesome. You will need to weigh the pro of being able to shoot underwater with other factors, however, your not going to do any bettr in HD video even if it doesnt go underwater for this price. So you might as well get the one THAT you guessed it GOES UNDERWATER. If your considering any camcorder in this price range, I would recommend this, for having all the right features and underwater HD video is just unreal!! A Great deal, glad I bought it, Everyone loves it and everyone can use it. It has not only an easy mode but the settings most wanna be pro videographers want as well. I SAY put it on auto and go, however I have friends who just insist on using manual settings because it makes them feel more like a pro. Gettng the shot makes me feel like a pro and within a second of turning it on your ready to go. Did I mention the battery lasts an amazing three hours?? It is truly solid and the waterproof feature makes it a solidly built piece of equipment. I recommend this for anyone who wants something that is #1 going to last and #2 is very trendsetting nd unique. Not like the other Sanyo "gun" models, this one can sit on a table. It will also shoot pictures fast. I am glad I bought it and think it is worth beyond the price. Even if your not going underwater, shooting in the rain, water rafting or even snow, you should get this for piece of mind!

If your even considering an HD camera or a SD camera or an underwater camera or even just a yellow camera. THIS IS THE ONE TO BUY!"

I've been shooting with Digital SLR's for sometime, but have been more and more drawn into exploring video.

I got this and starting playing around with it as soon as I got it out of the box. I have to say, that after a week, I'm smitten with it.

Super simple to use, though I've learned that I need to use this with a tripod (much harder to hold still than I imagined). It does have a 2mp camera, but nothing I'd write home about, but then again I'm used to using hi-end digital cameras.

I've been using this with 4gb SD Cards, and have ordered 8gb Cards just for the camcorder. The battery lasts for a very long time, which I really like, tough I'll probably get an extra battery just to have in case I'm out and need more juice (much like I do with my DSLR).

Getting the video to the computer couldn't be easier. In fact, the first time I plugged it it, the computer saw it and I just used it as an external drive and uploaded a couple of short clips to YouTube straight from the camcorder.

I've not jumped in the pool or ocean with this, so I can't attest to it's 10 ft below the surface of the water claims, but I've exposed it to wet weather conditions that I wouldn't do with my DSLR with no problems.

I like the design, very well thought out, straight forward and simple. No reason to be fumbling with controls when trying to capture the moment.

I'm very satisfied with this product and the new endeavors it's made possible up for me.

Oh, and the zoom is cool too, but it has it's limitations, which I'm still learning.

First let me say I love toys, especially great ones.

As a previous owner of SANYO's underwater cameras I was very happy when my new WH1 arrived. The first thing I noticed when holding the WH1, is how well it fits in your hand. It's lightweight, and the simple controls are very well laid out. After skimming through manual, and charging the battery, I loaded it up with an SD card. I then went out to see what it can do. First off was taking still photos in various lighting conditions. Then I took several different videos in my pool. The WH1 is very simple to use, and I didn't need to refer back to the manual for anything during my first outing with the camera.

After playing with it for about an hour, I downloaded all the pictures to my computer. The still photos were very good. I was especially surprised how well the photos were underwater. The results were very close a top stand alone digital point and shoot might take, the pictures were perfectly fine for viewing on a screen or printing at 4x6 or 8x10. I shot the test videos at 640x480, 30fps, high bit rate, using all "Auto" settings. Again the results were very good. The videos were clear and the sound was good. The camera focused well under all conditions. All in all, Sanyo has a winner here. If you love the outdoors, water, snow or rain. This is the best camera on the market hands down!

I've been a loyal Amazon customer for many years. You can't beat the price, shipping and service you receive. Don't purchase from anyone else online, you never know who they actually are.

Buyer beware....

I was so


excited to purchase this camera..talked about it for weeks..got it..great. The camera is great as a dual camera with the camcorder and camera and all that...but like many have said..the pic quality is uselss. The video camera part is decent in good lighting, but the still quality is really poor you really could do better with a 35mm.
My biggest gripe with sanyo and their underwater gem is the underwater part. Bought it specifically for vacation in florida..used it on the beach in the surf..that was great..underwater not so great. I used it snorkeling in the keys..I was so anal about this camera and made sure that everything was "water-tight", no getting into this sucker..so I thought. I filmed underwater for about 3 minutes then..blink...that was all she wrote. I brought it out of the water to find the lens filled with water and the entire camera immersed in water.
My other gripe was with sanyo. They demanded the retailer test it first, which would cost me $40 non-reimbursable, and then they would go from there. Everything that the retailer and manufacturer told me said there is "NO WAY" this camera could malfunction, therefore, telling me that no matter what...it was user error. My precious toy ended up in a recycling bin in Illinois. Frankly, i'm p***** that $400 and 1 month later...I have only stored memories and no camera to show for it.
Take it or leave it...could have been a faulty camera...but beware with a toy like this that there is a huge risk with using it for it's advertised purpose of underwater ready. The only thing that could lighten the fear of this happening is an accomodating manufacturer...thanks sanyo.


sincerely,
a bitter sanyo fan :)

I didn't buy this to use underwater - but I did want something I didn't have to be 'precious' with. I've taken a bunch of family snippets with my kids in the bath, at the beach, at the part, at the zoo, etc. They've all come out pretty well. Picture quality is impressive when the light is good (awful when it isn't). The zoom lens is incredible - but you have to have a very, very steady hand once you get past around x10 or the result will leave you feeling seasick if you try to watch it. It's really just a matter of finding something to brace against. Don't fancy a monopod/tripod as the point of a camera this small is that it's compact and easy to bring along ... right?

Plus Points
- Picture quality (in good light)
- Rugged, well made item - no need to be 'precious' with it
- Can survive a dunking at the beach/pool/bath/fishing etc.
- Idiot proof controls
- Saves to SD card - easy uploading to computer, EyeFi compatible
- Sound quality is pretty good
- EXTREMELY long battery life - seems to go on forever

Minus Points
- Picture quality is awful in low-light
- Included software isn't great

All in all I'm very pleased with it.

The camera worked great outdoors where ample lighting is available. The quality of the HD pictures was impressive and the controls were easy to operate.

The quality of indoor shots, however, left much to be desired. It appeared grainy when limited lighting is available. Also, image stabilization should be improved, as well as the sensitivity of the microphone as light sounds were not picked up consistently.

Admittedly, I bought the camera for its waterproof ability and in that, it met my expectations. It was easy to operate and the underwater shots were of sufficient quality. It's a good, all-around consumer product that you can take with you in your active, summer activities.