The Little HD Shoot-out: Canon TX1 and Sanyo VPC-HD2by David KenderPublished on Jun 28, 2007 9:26 AM 
|
|
Compression
The Canon TX1 (Specs, Recent News, $424.15) captures video in the Motion JPEG (MJPEG) format, and older variant not seen too often in modern digital cameras or camcorders. The compression functions just like it sounds: the camera captures a progressive series of independent JPEG images, 30 per second, in this case, at a size of 1280 x 720. When you consider that that image size in under 1MP, and this is a 7.1MP camera, it actually doesn’t sound that impressive. The image quality is also compromised by the heavy amount of compression that each of those frames is undergoing. This is why we saw so much artifacting in the video clips.
The TX1 offers two HD qualities, 1280 x 720 @30fps, and 1280 x 720 @30fps, LP (which is a higher compression). In standard definition, there are options for 640 x 480 @30fps, 640 x 480 @30fps LP, 320 x 240 @60fps, and 320 x 240 @30fps. On a 1GB card, the TX1 offers a truly pitiful capacity of just over 3 minutes in the highest quality, or 12 minutes on a 4GB card. THREE MINUTES! Honestly, what’s the point? This speaks to just how inefficient the MJEG codec really is. Panasonic's HDC-SD1 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $1119.99), which records HD video in the AVCHD codec to SDHC cards, can fit 40 minutes of 1440 x 1080 video to a 4GB card. To boot, the vodeo quality is better on the Panasonic.
 |
 |
Finished TX1 clips are exported in the AVI format, which is compatible with most NLEs, precisely because it has been around so long.
Sanyo’s VPC-HD2 (Review, Specs, Recent News, $585.36) is arguably using the smarter codec, MPEG-4. Rather than the independent frames of MJPEG (known as intraframe), MPEG-4 uses interframe prediction. This means that the camera takes a few full frames a second, called I-frames, then uses predictive technologies to guess at how each of the pixels in between I-frames should be created. Interframe compression has gotten quite good at making these predictions, and while it lacks the motion resolution of intraframe compression like DV, it’s used on almost every still camera movie mode, often to great effect. Interframe compression also offers more efficiency and a smarter use of storage space, which is important when recording low capacity memory cards.
The Sanyo’s compression settings include HD-SHQ (1280 x 720 @30fps / 9Mbps) and HD-HQ (1280 x 720 @30fps / 6Mbps). In standard definition, the camcorder offers TV-SHQ (640 x 480 @30fps / 3Mbps) and TV-HQ (640 x 480 @30fps / 2Mbps). Finally, there are webcam quality options of 320 x 240 @30fps and 320 x 240 @15fps. The Sanyo VPC-HD2 can store 14 minutes of the highest quality video on a 1GB card.
Winner: Sanyo VPC-HD2, hands down.
Media
Both the Canon TX1 and the Sanyo VPC-HD2 record to SD and SDHC cards. The Canon manual states that the TX1 can accept MMC cards, as well. Sanyo does not specify MMC cards, but it seems likely. SDHC cards are available in capacities up to 8GB currently, with higher capacities on the way.
Winner: Tie.
 |
 |
|
Canon TX1 card slot |
Sanyo VPC-HD2 card slot |
Editing
The Canon TX1 ships with ImageBrowser 5.8, which offers very limited import, timeline, and export options. However, the TX1 exports finished clips in the AVI file type, which can imported in to virtually any NLE, including entry-level and freeware.
The Sanyo VPC-HD2 ships with the more robust Ulead Movie Factory 5.0 SE, as well as QuickTime 7 for playback (if you didn’t already have it). Movie Factory has a strange interface that requires a learning curve, but will support meager editing needs. The VPC-HD2 saves clips as .MOV files, which are not as easily imported in cheap NLEs. Many will require additional plug-ins or intermediary software that have to be tracked down online.
Winner: The Canon TX1 takes it home for ease of use, which is key to the intended demographic.