Introduction
Product Tour
The lens on the VPC-CS1 has some impressive specs—9x optical zoom (10x advanced zoom), removable lens cover, fairly wide angle—but the camcorder also had a disturbing focus issue that may be related to poor lens construction. During our video testing, the VPC-CS1 had consistent difficulty in producing a crisp, focus image on the left side of the frame. We've seen this problem before from fixed focus camcorders, but never from a model that had an optical zoom lens like the CS1. Even when we attempted to use manual focus with the camcorder it still had difficulty producing a completely focused image on both the left and right sides of the frame. It is possible that this problem is a sensor or processing issue, but it seems like poor lens construction to us.
*The right side of the VPC-CS1 is just a big slab of pink paint
(or silver, depending on the color of the model you purchase).
*
Color & Noise Performance
The Sanyo VPC-CS1 did a good job on our color accuracy test, putting up a color error of just 3.76 combined with a saturation level of 104.1%. These numbers are better than what we usually see from ultracompact camcorders, which probably has something to do with the fact that the CS1 has a manual white balance option (many cheap camcorders have difficulty white balancing properly, which results in poor color accuracy at times). (More on how we test color.)
From the Color Error Map above you can see the VPC-CS1 did have a problem rendering red and pink tones accurately in our color test. The camcorder had little difficulty with green and yellow colors, however, as well as most blue tones. Unlike most budget camcorders, the Sanyo VPC-CS1 does actually come with a few color modes, examples of which we have shown below. These are the same color modes that are available on most Sanyo models, including the VPC-CG10.
The differences between the color modes on the CS1 aren't drastic, so don't expect the 'vivid' mode to really pump up saturation levels by all that much (same goes with the 'soft' and the 'soft and vivid' mode). Below, you can see how the VPC-CS1's bright light image stacked up against the competition. Both the Sony MHS-CM5 and the Flip UltraHD produced more saturated images than the two Sanyo camcorders, but their color accuracies were not very good.
The VPC-CS1 put up another solid performance in our noise test. The camcorder averaged 0.5325% noise in this test, which is a a good score, although it isn't all that much better than the competition (all of which did quite well in this test). (More on how we test noise.)
Looking at the crops above, you can get a good idea of the amount of sharpness and detail each of the camcorders is capable of capturing during video recording. All of the models shown above can capture HD video, but only the Sanyo VPC-CS1 and Sony MHS-CM1 can capture Full HD (1920 x 1080). The other two models top out with a 1280 x 720 resolution for video recording.
The CS1 had a decently sharp image in our testing, but we noticed a huge amount of blur on the left side of our recorded images. We discuss this issue more in the Sharpness section of this review, which is on the next page.
Motion & Sharpness Performance
The VPC-CS1 can record Full HD video with two different frame rates: 60i or 30p. The 60i frame rate produced smooth video without much trailing in our test, while the 30p mode had choppier video for the most part. Both modes had quite a bit of artifacting and there was lots of pixelation and blockiness throughout our motion test. We chalk this up to poor compression and processing on Sanyo's part, as we saw similar problems with the VPC-CG10. (More on how we test motion.)
You can also record 720p video on the VPC-CS1 with 60p or 30p frame rates. Of the camcorders shown below, only the Sony MHS-CM5 can also capture a Full HD 1920 x 1080 image. The VPC-CS1 is the only camcorder in the set, however, that records 1920 x 1080 with a 60i frame rate in addition to having a 30p recording option. While it is great for Sanyo to include all these frame rate and recording options, we'd rather see better overall motion performance with less artifacting and interference instead.
The VPC-CS1 measured a horizontal sharpness of 600 lw/ph and a vertical sharpness of 500 lw/ph in our video testing. While these numbers aren't that bad, we were very disappointed by the fact that the camcorder never appeared to produce a fully focused image when we recorded video. This problem may stem from the lens or a poorly-constructed image sensor, but either way it prevents the CS1 from capturing as sharp an image as it should be capable of. (More on how we test video sharpness.)
The VPC-CS1 can capture a Full HD image at a 1920 x 1080 resolution, which is better than many ultracompact camcorders are capable of. Still, the Sanyo VPC-CG10 managed to record nearly as sharp of an image as the CS1, despite the fact that the CG10 tops out with a 1280 x 720 recording resolution. And, the Flip UltraHD, which also records at a max resolution of 1280 x 270, captured a sharper image than the VPC-CS1. These results don't speak well for the quality of Sanyo's image sensor and lens components on the VPC-CS1.
Low Light Performance
**Low Light Sensitivity***(0.17)*
The Sanyo VPC-CS1 required 32 Lux of light to reach 50 IRE on our waveform monitor. This is not a good performance for the camcorder, but we're also not really surprised considering the lens on the CS1 doesn't have a very wide aperture (f/2.8) and the camcorder's sensor is also quite small at 1/5 of an inch. Those two specs are probably the most important in determining the low light sensitivity of a camcorder. (More on how we test low light sensitivity.)
The Sanyo VPC-CS1 does not have an auto slow shutter feature that can be turned on and off, but it does have manual shutter speed control (and a shutter-priority mode), so you can lock the shutter speed to whatever value you want. We did our testing with the shutter set to 1/60 of a second, but allowing the camcorder to use a 1/30 of a second shutter speed gave it a low light sensitivity of 15 lux, which is a whole lot better. Of course, shooting with a slow shutter of 1/30 produces some ill effects like trailing and choppiness, so we recommend using a 1/60 of a second shutter speed or higher when possible.
The VPC-CS1 continued its strong color accuracy performance in our low light testing. The camcorder registered a color error of 3.98 in low light, which is just a tad higher than its color error in bright light. The saturation level, however, came in at 72.14%, which is a lot lower than the 104.1% performance the CS1 had in our bright light color test. (More on how we test low light color.)
In addition to its regular 60i recording mode, the VPC-CS1 also has a 30p frame rate that can be used to capture 1920 x 1080 video (there's also some 720p and standard definition recording options on the camcorder as well). The 30p mode did not improve color accuracy in low light, however, it did manage a slightly higher saturation level.
While the VPC-CS1 managed decent numbers in our low light test, its image in low light also had some major problems. The video image from the CS1 showed lots of blur, discoloration, and interference in low light, some of which you can see in the comparison table below. The cropped images from our low light noise test do an even better job showing what we're talking about.
The VPC-CS1 averaged 0.9625% noise in this test, which is a strong score. The rest of the camcorders in this testing set put up similar numbers, however, so the CS1's score doesn't stand out from the crowd in any particular manner. One thing to note is that the camcorder does have a noise reduction feature, which is on by default, so we used it during our noise testing. With this feature turned off, the camcorder measured a much higher noise level of 1.7325%. (More on how we test low light noise.)
As you can see from the crops above, the VPC-CS1's low light image really looks like garbage at times. There so much artifacting, discoloration, and blur that the image is rendered with very little detail—even compared to the other ultracompacts on the market. None of these ultracompact camcorders are stellar models in low light, and each of them has significant problems when it comes to video performance, but the Sanyo VPC-CS1 was definitely at the bottom of the pack in terms of capturing a clear, detailed image in low light.
Compression & Media
The Sanyo VPC-CS1 uses the MPEG-4 codec to compress video, but its compression system is not AVCHD compliant. This means you can immediately drag-and-drop video clips right from a memory card to your computer and play them with a regular media player, but you may have to render the clips when you bring them into a non-linear editing program. Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of MPEG-4.
The camcorder has lots of recording options, which is probably its biggest perk. Mac users may be particularly excited about the iFrame format, which is designed for easy transfer to iMovie and swift uploading to internet sites like YouTube. The iFrame format does not record HD video, but it uses a very high bitrate and captures video at a very large standard definition resolution (960 x 540).
There's a tiny bit of internal memory on the VPC-CS1, but it's only around 50MB, which isn't enough to store more than a few seconds of HD video (or a handful of photos). The real way to store your video footage is by using removable memory cards. The camcorder works with SD, SDHC, and even new SDXC memory cards that currently have capacities up to 64GB. SDXC cards are theoretically capable of storing up to 2TB of media, but there are no cards even close to that capacity that are currently available (and they are sure to be very expensive when they are first released). Read more about the advantages and disadvantages of flash memory.
The Sanyo VPC-CS1 comes with a variety of software developed by ArcSoft, the most comprehensive of which is called TotalMedia Extreme for Sanyo. Also bundled in the software disc is a program called Xacti Screen Capture 1.1, Adobe Reader 9, and instruction manuals. The Screen Capture program comes loaded on the camcorder's internal memory as well.
For an overview of the software that ships with the Sanyo VPC-CS1 and other Sanyo camcorders, see our article: 'Video Editing Software For Your Camcorder'
Manual Controls
There is a dedicated auto mode on the VPC-CS1, but you won't find any big or flashy button that is used to activate it. Instead, you must switch the camcorder over to 'simple menu' mode in order to put the CS1 into fully-automated settings. In this mode you cannot adjust manual controls and the camcorder's extensive menu is reduced to three options: photo/video size, focus mode (normal or macro), and LED light on/off.
The VPC-CS1 did have a major problem with autofocus in our testing of the camcorder. No matter what the shooting conditions were, the camcorder always had trouble focusing the left portion of the frame properly even though the right side of the image would be crisp and clear. We don't know if this is bad lens design, poor focus system, or some other poorly-constructed component, but the problem was always there.
Auto exposure on the camcorder occasionally worked well, but we also noticed very bright portions of the frame were often blown-out (so bright that they appear white) in proportion to the rest of the image. You can choose between center, spot, or multi-point auto exposure measurement, however, so that can help depending on your lighting situation.
There's also two tracking features on the camcorder. One is called 'face chaser,' and it is essentially a face detection tracker. The other is called 'target a color' and it attempts to track a subject by following its 'color' as it moves around the frame. We weren't impressed by either of the tracking features, as both of them lost the subjects we were trying to track fairly easily and neither of them exposed the tracked subjects very well either.
Like most of the controls on the VPC-CS1, the zoom adjustment on the camcorder is poorly designed. For starters, the zoom slider is comically small, and it is squeezed right between the equally small shutter button and start/stop record button. This makes it difficult for someone with a large thumb to get a good grip on the thin zoom toggle. Secondly, the toggle doesn't offer variable zoom speed control, and when you tap it to just zoom a little bit, the camcorder produces a choppy zoom effect instead of a smooth transition.
Finally, the camcorder does not list the magnification level on the LCD while you are zooming, although there is a zoom progress bar display. There are no secondary zoom buttons on the VPC-CS1, so you must do all your zooming with the tiny, rear-mounted slider.
The zoom specs on the VPC-CS1 are a bit confusing because the camcorder is equipped with a 10x advanced zoom, but there's no option for using only optical zoom. Sanyo states that the CS1 has a 9x optical zoom in photo mode, so we assume that's the same for video, which means the advanced zoom only bumps things up by 1x.
In addition to the advanced zoom, there's also a digital zoom option that allows you to magnify up to 100x (or 90x for still images). You can also digitally zoom photos up to 51x in playback mode. This varies depending on the resolution of the photo, but the 51x works for still images taken with the 8-megapixel setting.
Manual focus can be set on the VPC-CS1, but the interface is sloppy and the camcorder's entire focus system isn't very good. You adjust focus by pressing the tiny directional pad buttons left and right after selecting manual focus from the camcorder's menu. You cannot set the focus while recording, and if you zoom or make any other adjustments you have to go back into the menu system and select the manual focus option again in order to adjust the focus.
Worst of all, however, is the fact that the left side of the image recorded by the VPC-CS1 is always a bit out of focus. We've seen this problem before on cheap, ultracompact camcorders, but we expected the manual focus on the VPC-CS1 to be able to solve the issue. It doesn't. No matter how hard we tried, some portion of the image was always a bit out of focus on the VPC-CS1. We're not sure if this is shoddy lens construction, a terrible focus system, or both. Either way, it is definitely bad news for Sanyo.
There are other quirks as well. If you're zoomed in when you start the manual focus adjustment the camcorder may zoom out automatically if you bring the focal length too close. We're not entirely sure why Sanyo would implement things this way, as it forces you to reset your shot if you accidentally tap the focus adjustment button a few too many times. Basically, it's bad design—and that seems to be a recurring theme for the Sanyo VPC-CS1.
You can adjust exposure manually on the VPC-CS1, but you are likely to have a difficult time finding the option in the camcorder's menu. Why is that, exactly? Well, it's because the option isn't there. The only place you can access regular exposure compensation is by setting it as one of the d-pad 'shortcut' options. Setting the d-pad shortcuts isn't terribly difficult, but it is annoying and will likely be overlooked by the majority of users.
We really don't like when manufacturers bury important features like this, and we'd much prefer if Sanyo had simply added exposure compensation to its regular menu page (as well as including it as a 'shortcut' option). By the way, this isn't the first time Sanyo did something like this—the VPC-CG10 and other previous models from the company hid the exposure control in the same place.
Luckily, aperture control is easier to find on the VPC-CS1 than exposure compensation. Confusingly, however, you must select the 'exposure' menu option in order to pick a setting that allows you to adjust aperture controls manually (this is not how you make basic exposure adjustments). You can set aperture in either aperture-priority mode (you pick the aperture and the camcorder sets a corresponding shutter speed automatically), or in the full manual mode (you pick both aperture and shutter speed).
The interface isn't good for adjusting aperture, but what else do you expect from a $300 ultracompact camcorder. After all, this is one of the only camcorders of its kind to include manual controls to this extent.
Like aperture, shutter speed can be set manually on the VPC-CS1 in either shutter-priority or the full manual mode on the camcorder. Also just like setting aperture, the interface on the VPC-CS1 is terrible. Using the d-pad to make adjustments simply doesn't give you the kind of accuracy we'd like and you can't alter the controls while recording is taking place. We also found ourselves being forced to re-enter the menu numerous times because once you press any button the camcorder—like zoom, or record—the shutter speed adjustment interface disappears.
White balance is probably the best-designed manual control on the VPC-CS1. You can select one of the four preset white balance modes on the camcorder, you can use auto white balance, or you can set the white balance manually. To set the white balance all you have to do is point the camcorder at a white or neutral card (or subject) and press the manual white balance button. It is easy, intuitive, and it is just like the manual white balance options on any other consumer camcorder. The cool thing is, however, Sanyo is one of the only manufacturers to include a manual white balance setting on its ultracompact models—something that goes a long way in improving the color accuracy on the camcorder.
The VPC-CS1 has ISO control in video mode, which is the same thing as offering gain control. You only have a few options to choose from in a range of ISO 50 to ISO 1600, but it's still a pretty cool feature for Sanyo to include. Manually selecting an ISO on the camcorder is much easier than setting focus, aperture, shutter, or exposure too. You can also select auto ISO if you don't want to manually adjust the setting.
**Color & Image Controls***(4.5)*
**Other Manual Controls***(2.0)*
Still Features
The VPC-CS1 doesn't really have a separate mode for taking still images, but when you press down on the photo shutter button halfway the screen changes to a photo view mode (the aspect ratio will also change to 4:3 if you have the camcorder set to take photos in). We don't like this system because it makes framing your shots a challenge when it could be so simple if the camcorder just had a dedicated photo mode.
The CS1 has a bunch of photo resolution options for capturing still images, but keep in mind that the camcorder's effective pixel count is just 3 megapixels. This means the 8-megapixel capability boasted by Sanyo is interpolated (the photos are simply larger in size and don't have more detail). So, the camcorder's two 3-megapixel settings, the 2048 x 1536 and the 2288 x 1288, resolution options are really the largest native images that can be captured by the CS1. There are also a number of lower-resolution still image options going all the way down to a 640 x 480 resolution.
The camcorder has a few special still image controls, including a manual ISO function that can also be used as gain control when shooting video. There's a sequential shot mode that allows you to take 6 photos a second (up to 20 shots), and there is a self-timer on the camcorder as well. You cannot take photos during recording on the VPC-CS1, which is a usually allowed on consumer camcorders.
At best, the still color error on the VPC-CS1's still images measured at 3.67 with a saturation level of 85.93%. These are strong numbers when compared to the competition, and the CS1 put up very similar color accuracy results in our video testing (although the saturation level was a bit higher in its videos). (More on how we test still color.)
One of the big advantages Sanyo's camcorders have over other ultracompact models is the fact that they include manual white balance options. This helps ensure that you're recording accurate colors with the camcorder—just look at the comparison images below with the Sony MHS-CM5 if you don't trust us. The Sanyo VPC-CG10 also has a manual white balance feature, which is why it managed a solid performance on this test as well.
The camcorder measured 0.71% noise in its still images, which gives it a better score than most of the models we test in this category. The Sanyo VPC-CG10 did have less noise, however, but that makes sense, as it has a larger sensor and takes higher-resolution photos than the CS1. We did this testing with the VPC-CS1's photo noise reduction feature turned on. (More on how we test still noise.)
Arguably the most important of our still image tests, the VPC-CS1 didn't do incredibly well with still sharpness. The camcorder managed a horizontal sharpness of 1070 lw/ph with 12.6% oversharpening and a vertical sharpness of 1051 lw/ph with 21.5% oversharpening. While these sharpness values aren't bad—particularly for such a compact camcorder—it is the oversharpening percentages that are worrisome and end up lowering the camcorders score in this test. The Sanyo VPC-CG10, which takes native 10-megapixel still images, did a whole lot better in this test. (More on how we test still sharpness.)
Handling & Use
Playback & Connectivity
The playback setup on the VPC-CS1 should look familiar to anyone who has used a camcorder that records to non-linear media before. What sets the CS1's playback system apart, however, is the poor design of the VCR control interface. All playback controls are manipulated using the tiny d-pad that is also used for just about every other control on the camcorder. These d-pad buttons are too small, so you frequently press the wrong buttons back accident and suddenly you are fast forwarding when all you wanted to do was pause the video. This is a recurring theme for the VPC-CS1—too many cluttered options are controlled by small buttons and it makes for a frustrating user experience.
The VPC-CS1 doesn't come with a wireless remote control, either, so you're basically stuck with using the d-pad during video playback. The camcorder does have a few video editing features that can be activated during playback, but the options are just basic splicing and joining of clips. There are also options for resizing and rotating photos in the playback menu.
The VPC-CS1 doesn't have much in the way of connectivity options, but that's what we've come to accept from ultracompact budget camcorders. All of the ports on the CS1 are located behind a very flimsy port cover that is just under the camcorder's lens. The cover is tethered to the camcorder via a small plastic line and the cover itself is somewhat difficult to open and close.
There are two ports located in this area: an HDMI terminal and a multi-use Mini USB port that also works with the provided AV cable. Having the HDMI terminal is definitely a plus, but that port has become nearly universal on all HD camcorders—even ultracompact ones like the VPC-CS1. The Mini USB port is a bit annoying, however, because it uses an 8-pin design, which is far rarer than the 5-pin Mini USB ports you usually see on consumer camcorders.
The VPC-CS1 does have a DC-input, but the camcorder does not ship with an AC adapter. You must purchase this power adapter separately (model name VAR-G9U) for $50 if you want to run the camcorder off of wall power rather than the battery pack. The DC-input is also very hard to find on the CS1, as it is hidden behind a small gray tab on the bottom of the camcorder. This tab is unlabeled and there is very little mention of the DC-input in the instruction manual. What this all boils down to is basically bad news for users. Unless you pony up the extra $50 for the AC adapter, you have no way of using the VPC-CS1 once the battery becomes depleted (you must remove the battery pack and recharge it in order to use the camcorder again).You cannot charge the VPC-CS1's battery using the USB cable.
Audio & Other Features
Like most ultracompact and budget camcorders, the VPC-CS1 is very limited when it comes to audio features. The camcorder has no external mic input, but its built-in microphone does record stereo audio (which is more than you can say for many other ultracompact camcorders). Unfortunately, the built-in mic is also strangely located on the back of the LCD panel. This location is odd because most people won't realize the mic is there (it is only represented by two small dots), and some users may accidentally rub their fingers up against the mic during recording for without realizing it.
The one audio feature found on the camcorder is a wind noise reduction option that is located under the noise section of the menu. Under this section, Sanyo groups 'wind noise reduction' with video and photo noise reduction, which we find amusing.
Filters
Three image filters can be set on the camcorder: Cosmetic, Monochrome, and Sepia. It should be obvious what Monochrome (black and white) and Sepia (orange/brown tint) do to the image, but the Cosmetic function is a bit more subtle. It attempts to smooth out skin tones (like a smooth skin setting), although we barely noticed a difference with the filter turned on.
LED light
The VPC-CS1 has a small LED light located above the lens that can be turned on and off from the camcorder's menu system. The light has a slight upward angle, which means it doesn't always shine right on your subject. The light also doesn't turn on until after you start recording video (even if you turn on the light in the menu). Still, it is fairly unusual to see a built-in light on an ultracompact camcorder, so we shouldn't really complain.
Sony MHS-CM5 Comparison
Neither the Sanyo VPC-CS1 nor the Sony Bloggie MHS-CM5 would be on the top of our list of best ultracompact camcorders. They do both have their benefits, however, as they are two of the few camcorders in this class to feature rotatable LCDs, optical zoom lenses, and Full HD video recording. As far as performance goes, the Sanyo VPC-CS1 bested the Sony in most categories, although the Sony had better overall performance in low light and sharpness.
If you want access to lots of manual controls, then the Sanyo VPC-CS1 is obviously the better choice here. Sanyo is the only manufacturer of ultracompact camcorders to really offer a full set of manual controls on its products. The Sony MHS-CM5 does have more features than, say, a Flip camcorder, but it doesn't have nearly the amount of options as the VPC-CS1.
What really bothers us about these two camcorders is their cheap design. The Sanyo gave us one of the worst handling experience we've seen from a consumer camcorder, and the MHS-CM5 wasn't that much better. It has cheap construction, its LCD is tiny, and the menu interface isn't very slick. Still, the Sony was much easier to use overall and it comes with a significantly cheaper price tag than the Sanyo—and those are probably the two most important aspects of an ultracompact budget camcorder.
Sanyo VPC-CG10 Comparison
The VPC-CG10 is a much better camcorder than the VPC-CS1, despite the fact that it is slightly thicker and doesn't have Full HD recording capability (the CG10 tops out with a 1280 x 720 resolution). What we like about the CG10, however, is that it is cheaper than the CS1 (by $100), has a more durable construction, and it features a larger LCD. It also didn't have any of the strange focus issues that plagued the VPC-CS1 to the point of it being nearly unusable for certain shooting situations.
Even though the Sanyo VPC-CG10 can't record 1920 x 1080 video, it did as well or better than the VPC-CS1 on nearly all of our performance tests. The fact that it has a larger image sensor and better lens is probably the reason for this discrepancy. Unless you require Full HD recording, we think the VPC-CG10 should satisfy your video needs (and it should produce a better video image than the CS1).
Flip UltraHD Comparison
Flip has been the leader in ultracompact budget camcorders since they launched their first model a few years ago. And with good reason. The Flip UltraHD is one of the larger Flip camcorders, but it also has 8GB of internal memory, a decent battery life, and the best controls and grip of the Flip models. The Flip UltraHD is $100 cheaper than the Sanyo VPC-CS1, but it only records video at a 1280 x 720 resolution (not Full HD like the CS1).
Of course, the Flip UltraHD does have lots of limitations. Its lens is fixed and has no optical zoom, the camcorder has no still image features, and there are no manual controls to speak of. This makes for a much simpler (and different) user experience as compared to the Sanyo VPC-CS1, but we think it is the perfect setup for someone who just wants to point, shoot, and upload video to the internet.
So, the choice with these two camcorders should be made very clear by your priorities. If you want an easy, seamless video experience, then go with the Flip UltraHD. If you like having lots of confusing manual controls at your disposal, then the Sanyo VPC-CS1 is the better option. We just don't think the VPC-CS1 handled all that well, nor did we find its video performance to be all that superior to the Flip UltraHD (despite it's more impressive specs on paper). The CS1 might have more options available, but if you're looking for options, the CG10 is a better choice.
Conclusion
Photo Gallery
Specs and Ratings
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Meet the tester
Jeremy is the video expert of our imaging team and Reviewed.com's head of video production. Originally from Pennsylvania and upstate NY, he graduated from Bard college with a degree in film and electronic media. He has been living and working in New England since 2005.
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