Sanyo underwater camcorder a little shallow

Sanyo's Xacti E1 is waterproof - but deep sea filming is strictly off the agenda

Sanyo 's Xacti range of tiny camcorders has been around for a few years now, with minor spec tweaks appearing every six months or so, but the latest model takes things a step further by being the first ever fully waterproof video camera.

Available initially in the US and priced at $500 (£255), the Xacti E1 is mostly similar to the splash-proof CA6 model that's available worldwide, but with a larger screen and that new seafaring ability that allows it to withstand submersion in five feet of water for an hour.

Stick to the shallows

As you may have noticed, five feet is not very impressive - after all, how many people would want to limit their submarine photography to the shallow end of a swimming pool or the bottom of the kitchen sink? In other words, what's the point? Waterproof enclosures for existing cameras are both cheap and efficient, so we're not sure what Sanyo is hoping for here.

Putting that minor gripe (about an underwater camera not being much use in the water) aside, the hardware is still worth a look. The 235g E1 sticks with the typical Xacti pistol grip and can shoot 6-megapixel stills at the same time as laying down H.264 video onto an SD/SDHC card. An 8GB card will, apparently, hold up to 10 hours of 30fps 640 x 480-pixel video.

Otherwise, there's a 5x optical zoom, a fold-out 2.5-inch LCD screen, image stabilisation and a choice of colours - blue, white or yellow. We'd recommend ignoring the anti-H20 aspect of the E1 and considering it for what it is - a fun little pocket video camera.

J Mark Lytle was an International Editor for TechRadar, based out of Tokyo, who now works as a Script Editor, Consultant at NHK, the Japan Broadcasting Corporation. Writer, multi-platform journalist, all-round editorial and PR consultant with many years' experience as a professional writer, their bylines include CNN, Snap Media and IDG.

Latest in Video Cameras
Canon PowerShot V1 vlogging compact in the hand, user wears blue jacket outdoors
Canon PowerShot V1 unveiled with all-new sensor, and it looks like a Sony-beating compact vlogging camera
Sony FX3 Mirrorless Camera
Sony FX3 II: 5 upgrades I want to see as a pro filmmaker
RED V-Raptor and RED Komodo cinema cameras side by side on a black background
Nikon launches two cheaper RED cinema cameras plus its own cine lens – and it's a sucker punch to Canon
Blackmagic Pyxis 6K camera in the studio, mounted to video tripod, with a vibrant magenta background
Blackmagic Pyxis 6K review - a filmmaker’s workhorse with quality full-frame sensor
Fujifilm GFX Eterna camera on a multi-color background with radar graphic overlay
Forget Nikon RED cameras – Fujifilm just announced a medium-format GFX Eterna cinema beast
Canon EOS C80 cinema camera on a tripod outdoors
The 6K Canon EOS C80 looks like its most powerful and versatile cinema camera yet for indie filmmakers
Latest in News
Robert Downey Jr reveals himself as Doctor Doom to a delighted crowd at San Diego Comic-Con 2024
Marvel is currently making a major announcement about the MCU, and I think we're getting an official Avengers: Doomsday cast reveal
Nintendo Switch Lite
Forget the Nintendo Switch 2, the original Switch is getting one last hurrah in a surprise Nintendo Direct tomorrow
The Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge on display the January 22, 2025 Galaxy Unpacked event.
Samsung Galaxy S25 Edge colors seemingly revealed in new video, and there’s another sign of an imminent launch
Microsoft Copiot Studio deep reasoning and agent flows
Microsoft reveals OpenAI-powered Copilot AI agents to bosot your work research and data analysis
Image of Naoe in AC Shadows
Assassin's Creed Shadows best graphics settings for PS5, PS5 Pro, and Xbox Series X
Promotional image for Malcolm in the Middle featuring the original cast playing golf
Malcolm in the Middle's Disney+ revival gets underway as the series finds its cast – here's which characters are returning