Lorin Thwaits

Many still cameras these days can record 640x480 video at 30fps, encoded in MPEG-1 and stored on a memory card.  Basically the same resolution and framerate as an average NTSC camcorder, just not interlaced.  It has been expected that this capability would eventually evolve into high definition at some point, and that day has now arrived.  Yesterday at CES Sanyo announced their new HD1 Digital Media Camera:

Based on a 5 megapixel still camera platform, it includes an MPEG-4 compression engine that can squish 21 minutes of 1280x720 HD content (720p) on a 1 gig SD memory card.  Pretty neat trick!  Note that it still is only 30 frames per second, and not 60.  So the same framerate and resolution as the first consumer grade high definition camcorder released two years ago, the JVC GR-HD1.  I don't think that Sony's HDV camp has to be too worried yet about this little device stealing their 1080i thunder.  But it is noteworthy as its MSRP is half of Sony's new HDR-HC1 camera: only $800.  And it is one of the first cameras to use the more efficient OLED display rathar than a standard backlit LCD.

Very nice to see these developments, which will no doubt feed the trend of blurring the definition between what is a camera, and what is a camcorder.

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