Very happy with the picture and movie quality, using it mostly for family and recreation. The battery last about an hour, depending on the use, which is not quite enough for a whole day. I will have to get a car charger, an extra battery or both.
br /But I have some more remarks about USB, batteries and recharging.
br /Looking at my RAZR cellphone, I have a standard USB plug, the phone recharges over this very same cable when connected to the computer while transferring some pictures and contacts etc., and car chargers with standard USB connecter are to be found in almost every store which offers car chargers, i.e. Walmart for $8. And to recharge, I don't have to take out the battery from the phone: just plug in. And the AC-charger is still in the box, never to be used, and not cluttering any power strip.
br /Not so the Xacti: it has a propriatary USB cable, which requires me to bring this cable with me if I want to connect this camera to some other computer, let's say at friends or relative's house, or an internet cafe. Furthermore: it doesn't recharge over the USB connection, which means if I return home with an empty battery I have to first take out the battery and recharge, then replace the battery, connect to the computer, and then I can watch my stuff. Also I have to get an extra car charger, of which I have already quite an assortment in my glove department.
br /So I'm going to buy an extra battery (original Sanyo $49), a car charger, and an SDHC reader, which will hopefully ease some of the restrictions. But unfortunately it will just add to all this electronic clutter, which I actually try to get rid of.

I'll try to add some details to this review later, but I wanted to provide everyone with my evaluation after agonizing over these 2 cameras (and others).
br /
br /Now remember, I've been a Sony video enthusiast since the mid-80's, but nothing compares to these 2 Sanyo cameras in the consumer video category in my opinion.
br /
br /The main reason is that you have to be crazy to record anything but MP4 directly to flash memory / media cards today. It's just TOO easy to download and play your video on your computer or Youtube, etc. (as easy as downloading and using photos from your digital camera). This is NOT the case with other video cameras and their recording formats.
br /
br /I originally purchased the CG9 because it was so small I knew I would carry it everywhere. After some questionable indoor videos with the CG9 I purchased the HD1000 - even though I didn't really need high definition.
br /
br /Before the pros jump all over me, I will admit that both of these cameras have shortcomings. For example, there's no question that Sanyo's image stabilization can't compare to the optical stabilization of the Sony. And yes, when the HD1000 records at true HD (1920) you need to get a special version of Quicktime (v7.16, H.264 component only) and you need a kick-a__ computer if you want to edit those big files. Get over it. So for most home videos record at 720 HD, or even at 640 the quality from this camera is outstanding.
br /
br /Also, it should be obvious that the HD1000 ($650) will come with features that are superior to the CG9 ($250), including a better lense, higher resolution, etc.. These differences should be expected when you pay an extra $400.
br /
br /Here's what you really need to consider when deciding between these 2 cameras (and any other video camera on the market right now):
br /
br /MP4 file format straight from the camera is a must. If you agree, then read on:
br /
br /CG9:
br /
br /The CG9 takes GREAT video, and is DECIDEDLY more "pocketable". I mean this baby will fit in your pocket just like a cell phone, and you'll carry it wherever you go. The HD1000 is still small, but the extra 3/4" thickness and bigger lense makes it surprisingly less "pocketable".
br /
br /The quality of low light indoor video, as well as image stabilization is questionable.
br /
br /HD1000:
br /
br /The HD1000 takes GREATER video, and is MUCH easier to operate and hold steady - that extra size fits in your hand better and the controls are much easier to use without jerking the camera. Don't underestimate this just because you think maybe you have a bigger or smaller hand. I was as surprised as anyone how much easier it was to hold steady.
br /
br /The HD1000 takes much better video in low light (e.g. birthday party with indoor lighting at night), and the image stabilization is surprisingly better than the CG9.
br /
br /The bottom line is they're both great - but even though I really hate to give up the small pocket format I'll be returning my CG9 on Monday morning and looking forward to hundreds of instant shoot and play MP4 videos from my HD1000!

I love this camera, the price is great for what you get and it's the perfect camera to carry around for those spontaneous "Kodak moments" in life. The reviewer who compared this to an HD camera I think was expecting a little too much bang for their buck. You get what you pay for. I also like this camera because at this price if something happens to it I wouldn't be too devastated which is just what I'm looking for in something that is in my purse on a day to day basis.
br /
br /The size and shape of this camera are very nice. I bought a small padded camera case and keep it in my purse all the time. It also takes nice still pictures so it's the only camera I carry now.
br /
br /Inside performance is pretty good. I had to adjust the ISO on a few occasions and sometimes the white balance, but the fact that these options are even available on a camera at this price is enough to recommend it. There are also pre-set modes for using in florescent light, fireworks, etc. in case you're not comfortable trying to adjust these yourself.
br /
br /Outside performance is excellent. You can see a little pixelation on tv playback if you look for it, but nothing that's distracting. Focus works very well using optical zoom, and as long as you don't zoom too far in you can even get a good enough picture using the digital zoom (I have digital zoom turned off). Play back on the camera lcd and on my computer screen is excellent.
br /
br /The camera also has wind roar reduction and image stabilization. I did notice some shaking in my videos even with image stabilization on, but nothing major. Wind roar reduction seems to work very well. I shot some video near the construction that is going on at my job on a mildly windy day and both the roar of the wind and the construction was cut considerably, yet I could still hear myself and my subject talking.
br /
br /I am using my camera with an 8 gb sd card and set for the highest settings (9mp for stills, you can set it to fake a higher setting but why?). I can record about 2 1/2 hours of video on an 8 gb at the highest quality setting and take about 2,000 stills. These numbers will both vary as you record video and take stills on the same card. You can also take still while you are filming but this will cause a little lag in your filming according to the manual (I haven't tried this yet so I can't say how bad it is). Focus sometimes takes a second or two to catch up as you pan or zoom in and out but nothing too disappointing and to be expected with a cmos sensor.
br /
br /At this price I would definitely recommend this camera. The price has actually gone down by about $25 since I bought it (wonder if I can get a price adjustment *smile*). If you are looking for something to record the kids or to carry around on vacations, this is a great little camera. I just wish it had come with a wrist strap and a carrying case. It would also have been nice for them to include more internal memory on a camera that has such high resolution for video and stills.

I was looking for a camera to replace my Handycam DVD803 which didn't work with Vista or Mac leaving me with a $900 useless camera. I had several criteria for the new camera I wanted to buy:
br /
br /1) Longer recording time than 30mins (one disc on a Handycam)
br /2) Battery life more than 90mins
br /3) Can film in 60 fps
br /4) Can also shoot sequential stills
br /5) Be portable
br /6) Be under $400
br /7) Work with Vista
br /8) Good sound recording
br /
br /As I bought the Sanyo, I really wondered how it would do considering the price tag. Here is how it worked for each criteria:
br /
br /1) With an additional $50 at the store I got a three year accidental warranty and a 4GB SDHC Card. In 30 fps best quality I can film for 2h 40mins. Already a plus.
br /
br /2)The battery life is about 110 mins but the battery is so small and cheap it's easy to get and carry a spare. Also a plus.
br /
br /3)This camera can film in 60 fps. Yet another plus.
br /
br /4)There are two modes for sequential shooting. 8MP but not so fast and 2MP but you get ten pictures after two seconds.
br /
br /5)This thing is tiny!
br /
br /6)Price is way under $400
br /
br /7)The camera acts as a card reader so even if you don't have one on your PC you can easily transfer files. WARNING: If you want to use Windows Movie Maker as an editing software DON'T buy this camera. Although I blame it on windows, the MPEG-4 format does not work with Window Movie Maker on Vista so you'll need to get another editer. That was just about my only disapointment so far.
br /
br /8) When in a quite room, the sound is crystal clear.
br /
br /Also, this camera has loads of features from Macro to Timer to Voice recording. Don't listen to people who say it's a begginer camcorder, you can do a lot with this thing.
br /
br /Overall great camera for the price you're paying. The video quality is so good I wonder how amazing the HD1000 must be.
br /
br /If this is your first camera, go for it. I strongly recommend it.
br /
br /

The Sanyo Xacti CG9 is a solid 'Entry Level' camcorder for the beginner or average user. The camcorder shoots nice video actually when its on the 60 fps mode. Keep in mind that its always good to shoot with a good amount of light. The digital camera shoots really nice high-rez images st 9 megapixel maximum.
br /
br /Just remember that this camercorder is NOT HD and not meant for the advanced user. Its basic. Very easy to use. Great for everyday use - taking pics of the kids, videos etc. Works great with iMovie 06 and 08.
br /
br /Great job Sanyo!

I did lots of searching through compact camcorder reviews before deciding on the Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG9. I am very satisfied with my choice. I am not a professional and just wanted a tiny camcorder that I can pack in a small purse that also shoots photos for the kids, family activities, etc. This camcorder does exactly that and it takes great videos and photos at that. I also have a couple of the sub-compact cameras (the Panasonic Lumix models) which I choose because I wanted only one camera to carry for shooting photos and videos but was unhappy with the fact that you cannot zoom while shooting your videos with these models(nor any others that I could find in my price range). I almost resolved myself to thinking that I just 'couldnt have everything' until I started searching these compact camcorders and found the Xacti. Again I am not a professional and cannot critique this camcorder as such but I can tell you for my needs, it is perfect. The videos and photos are crisp as long as I pay attention to the proper settings and to my delight, I can shoot still shots WHILE video-recording! I was able to operate the camera out-of-the-box with the easy built-in menu, but plan to read the manual to get the full benefit of my camera's features. You have the 'simple mode' which I use because I just like to point and shoot but the normal mode with all the manual settings are there too for those who like that type of control. It's the perfect size that fits right into my small hand, the control buttons are easy to use. I've had no problems with the software and connecting to my computer to access my shots. The only complaint I have about this camera is it does have one of those pesky lens caps but I'm not likely to loose it because it does attach with a little nylon cord. Overall, this little camcorder went beyond meeting my needs by being tiny, taking great video and still shots, zooms while taking video, takes great still shots WHILE video-recording, and is easy to use. I did purchase an extra battery for backup plus a couple extra sd cards.

Disregard the one negative comment that ruined this products deserving rating. The only bad thing about this little cam is the quality in low-light environments. The picture is grainy if the lighting isnt that great. Other than that, the features are good "for the amount you spend", and the quality of the pictures and the videos are fantastic. If you are looking to spend as little as possible but still get a great product, then stick with this one. You wont be disappointed.

Just received MY Xacti today. Had to take the dog out with the frizby to fetch. My 13yo grandson did the recording. It was great! We did 28 min. in 3 videos. I connected up to my 'iMAC w/ Leopard' by USB, started iPhoto and loaded it straight in. Then I started iMovie and imported it in, 4 min to covert one of the videos, and it was ready to edit. No problems!
br /I took several pictures and some at max zoom! Had to steady against a tree at max. but still got great shots.
br /Note: I am a biomedical engineering tech. and understand well, many technologies. This device performs better than the price would reflect. I am really considering the HD1000 next, But I will keep this gem!

I bought this camcorder so I could grab those spontaneous little moments-- events that don't rise to the level of effort needed to for my older and larger DV camcorder or Nikon D80 DSLR. I do get better video with my 6 year old Sony DV cam and better pictures with my Nikon but that's not the point. Its portability and convenience. Most of the time my videos and pics get thrown up on the web for sharing where the quality advantage of DV and a DSLR are negligible anyways. However, you will regret your purchase if you buy this as a "shortcut" thinking this will be all you'll ever need.
br /
br /--For Video:
br /Outdoor quality very good--indoor is decent. Image stabilization only effective at low zoom. Digital zoom is worthless (as expected). I find myself needing to back up a lot to frame the video/stills because the lens has a very narrow field of view. (I'm not pro so I don't know the exact terminology there.) Better video than a point-and-shoot camera with a "video option".
br /
br /--For Pictures:
br /I just don't see the 9.1 megapixel quality here. My older 5 megapixel point and shoot will beat this hands down and any other decent one will too. There is some sort of problem here. Taking pics at the high resolution still produces countless jpeg artifacts that are noticeable at first glance. For web sharing, the pics are fine, but don't even THINK about framing these. Exposure metering is outstanding however, a big surprise. Because of the flash's proximity to the lens, all of your kid's pictures will come out with them looking like the anti-christ because red-eye is horrible. However, the built-in photo editing can take most of it out.
br /
br /Would I buy this again? Absolutely. Ask yourself this question: If you were going to Disneyworld for a full week, would you rather lug around a heavy and expensive DSLR AND a DV camcorder--or just have this little inexpensive jewel in your pocket? (I've done both)
br /

I bought the Sanyo Xacti camera for a family trip to DisneyWorld. I was impressed with the camera's size (which was actually smaller than the pictures made it seem). It was so convenient to carry enough camera for shooting all the video and still shots I needed for a 8 day trip in my pocket with no need to switch out recording media for the entire trip.
br /
br /One small issue - the camera's battery life is somewhat less than desirable. I found that simply closing the camera between shots leaving it in standby mode would drain the battery before a full day of shooting was finished, so I had to consciously turn the camera off between shots. Even then the camera's battery needed to be charged every night. Since the battery was proprietary you can't just run into the park's camera shop for a replacement, so I'd recommend getting a second battery and leave it charging in your room for extended trips like the one I just took.
br /
br /The camera's menu system is easy to follow, and four programmable shortcuts are available for frequently used features. I found it very convenient to be able to add a shortcut to set the camera's ISO setting for low-light shots without having to dance through the menus to find it.
br /
br /Overall, I'm very pleased with the convenience of this camera and would definitely recommend it for anyone looking for a small, easy to use, feature rich camera.

I have had now this camera for several months, but only now I had the time to used a little more often, so I decided to leave my opinion for future buyers. If you are looking to this device as an hybrid, you will make the same mistake you made. Still picture are just simply bad, doesn't matter if you are in low light or in plain sunlight. Of course the ones taken in low light are much worse than the one in sunlight, making them worthless. Maybe my standards are higher the other reviewers but I think a picture taken at ISO 200 should not suffer from heavy noise artifacts!! If you are shooting in sunlight and look at you pics in the cam monitor, they will look fine, but as soon as you will look at them in your PC, you will discover that if you can save 1 out of 10 you are lucky.
br /I guess video is fine for the type of sensors, and being a low resolution you can expect much. In video mode, the camera is really good to balance the white. If you need to shoot in low light, you better set the ISO manually to no more than 200, and activate the high sensitivity. This will allow for a minimum noise impact in your video. Another thing I like of the device is the responsiveness. It is really easy to start shooting videos, with almost no delay. So, if you care more about catching the moment but you are not very concern about the quality of the results, I guess this device will work for you. Another thing many people were excited about is the ability to take videos at 60fps. There is a major issue in this mode. Because the camera is operating at double the speed, the auto focus system produces a lot of click noise (hard to describe in other way) that is picked up by the mic. If you are shooting in a quite environment, you will be disappointed by the results.
br /Overall I like the feeling of the camera, and I really wish it worked as described. I would NOT by it again. I will probably save some more money and get a high def camera.
br /
br /PS: other cons are the very short battery life, the almost useless image stabilization and the face detection features that almost never recognize a face, not even when you have it right on camera!!

Nice camcorder, very small and the video quality are great for everyday use. Taking pictures is very easy, but when you hit the shutter, there is a one second lag while the camera switches from video to picture.
br /
br /My biggest complain is that it does not use the standard mini USB connectors, forcing you to carry one more cable. Other than that, I would recommend this camera or newer models to my friends.
br /
br /

If you are on a budget buy this one. Our family is very very pleased with the picture/video quality. Very easy to operate. Very compact. After we bought ours we were suprised to find how well built it was. Whether you buy this one or a different one I'd suggest a camera/video with a memory card. We have a 16gb memory card and we have 24000 pictures/16 hours of video. Very easy to download to our computer. Unless you're a professional you will not need any other camera/video.

I was looking for a camcorder with a little bit of everything; something that's small and very portable, takes good video that I can easily work with on my pc and macbook, records good sound (plus wind noise reduction) and can take high quality photos. This camera offers all that for an excellent price.
br /
br /It'll easily fit in your pants pocket, but you probably won't like doing that since it'll leave your pocket bulging out a bit unless you have a jacket with you with its own pockets, either way it can develop scratches on its nice sleek body. You're better off buying a nice small case that you can put on your belt as you would with a cell phone. With that small case, you should buy a spare battery to put in the case whenever your battery runs short. In short, buying a case for this camera is a must as it is with any other camera.
br /
br /As for video, sound and photos. I love that it has 30fps and 60fps video recording. I usually use 30fps when recording subjects that aren't moving too much and 60fps (highest quality setting) to get a smooth video of fast moving things. The quality of the video is very satisfying considering the cameras price. It does get grainy in low light conditions, but in a well lit room it records just fine. When recording outside, the video is great. I could clearly see the veins on a leaf standing a few feet from it when using the 5x optical zoom. Sound is good. No complaints there. Photo's are also great. Not many comments to say on that other than this unit takes better photos than my digital camera. I love the smart flash which detects if the camera needs to flash depending on lighting conditions.
br /
br /Only thing I wish could be better is nothing. I am completely satisfied. I can't be too picky since the camera is only $250. But if I were, i'd like a better optical zoom with better image stabilization (very important when zoomed in very close).
br /
br /Some other good points i'd like to mention;
br /Battery charges pretty fast with the supplied wall charger. The construction of the camera is very good. Everything is put together in a solid, strong and rigid way. No loose feeling panels or anything like that.

I recently purchased the Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG9 after doing a lot of careful review and comparison with several other SD camcorders. After a week's use of the Sanyo Xacti I am very pleased with my purchase. The video quality is excellent and in fact it is just as shown in the sample video on the product description page. The camera is exactly the same, great quality. This is a great camera for entry or even midlevel user who wants something that produces great quality with minimal effort.
br /
br /The only negative I can find is that the camera doesn't have red-eye reduction. However most image editing software out there comes with that, so it's not really an issue.
br /
br /I would definitely recommend this camera to anyone looking for a quality SD camcoder.
br /

If you are not a professional and not making a living out of filming, this videocam should be more than enough to store and share your best moments in life. Small enough to take it anywhere, handy enough for my six year old to use it and the image shown on a 32" LCD TV is very good.

I have owned this camera for about 2 months. It replaced a Sony DSC-M1 that, sadly, took a swim in a pool. Camera size is it's best feature. Having hi-res stills and video in one unit is great. In bright light the video is good (better than the M1). Stills are very good too. When you look at the stills at 100% there is a lot of artifacting, but at 9MP, it's only going to be an issue when printing large format. In low light, the camera does not function as well. Video is very grainy and stills are not great. If you are going to be doing much low light recording this is not the camera for you. Audio is good.
br /
br /Overall, I would recommend this product - primarily for it's video/still hybrid capability. Having both options in a small package means I never have to debate whether I want to carry my camera with me.

I researched and had read the reviews and felt that I was purchasing a good product.... I was VERY disappointed. I even looked at the video that was online and the images...there is no way they used this same camera. I am very experienced in capturing video and images and making multimedia products, so it is not like I am an amateur at this. I also have an Aiptek camera which I purchased over a year ago for capturing video and images in classrooms and for products that don't require the "high-end" production cameras. The Aiptek cost about half the price of this product and takes VERY good video and high quality images many times over! I was expecting better, not professional quality, I have another digital video camera for that, but better than what I got. The Sanyo took very and I do underscore VERY poor quality, pixelated video and the images were more like 1 MP images, no where near the 9 MP that this product says. I am returning this product and purchasing a newer Aiptek camera.

Outstanding little camera, I didn't have very high expectations for the price and was pleasantly surprised on the ergonomics, the quality of the movies and the pictures (even the ones that you can take while recording). Default settings are great for most entry level users and manual control gives some room to play to the intermediate. Movie format was readily recognized by iMovie and had an edited video in no time, way faster than importing from a MiniDV. Overall really satisfied!

When reviewing or buying this product, you have to remember that you are only paying about $50-80 more than some of the most basic digital cameras there are. The price tag on this little camera is not going to hurt anyone!! The video quality is more than adequate for casual usage. The camera quality, like a lot of reviews have said, is a little on the weak side indoors, but that can be compensated for using the ISO function. It's easy to use, pocket size, very adequate for anything that someone looking to spend $250 for a video camera is wanting to do!!! Great buy for the price!! (Obviously there are better cameras on the market, but you're going to pay for them. A lot of reviews have compared this camera to many camera's that are double and triple the price.... that says a lot in itself!!)

This is a great camera. I have gotten a ton of compliments on it! In fact, after the ob-gyn was sewing up my wife from her c-section last week both she the surgical assistant and the anesthesiologist asked what it was and wanted to see how it worked. It is a fantastic product that is easy to use, small, and takes great video. Another feature that is fantastic is that I can plug it directly into my PC or Mac laptop and transfer data ti either one without trouble. I have also had great luck with SD cards. I have a 2GB Sandisk which works great (of course) and an 8GB Transcend card (from Newegg) that also works great. It is a relief that this thing is not a finicky product that only takes a specific brand of card.
br /
br /I have several minor drawbacks that, while present, do not take away from the core function of the product, which is a highly portable video camera. First, the camera function takes good pictures, but takes a while to focus and complete the process. It is surely not a replacement for my stand-alone digital camera. Also, the battery charger comes with a cord. I would much prefer if the charger plugged directly to the outlet like my Canon camera battery chargers do; I hate cords. Finally, the USB cord is not the standard cord that fits most other cameras and USB devices. It is a special cord that you need to have with you, you can't just use a single industry standard cable that works with your digital camera. Not that big of a deal, but a bit of a pain if you are traveling.
br /
br /Overall I am very happy with this product and recommend it wholeheartedly.

The Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG9 worked right out of the box. It was really easy to use, but the instruction book was helpful as well. The battery life has been fine, but I am not trying to capture hours of video. The video quality is good, unless you go to far with the zoom. Still photo quality is good as well.
br /
br /My main concern when I was looking for a camcorder whether it would work with my MacBook or not. It was no problem. I just plugged it into my mac and it showed up as a portable drive. I opened iMovie and the footage downloaded, The same held true for iPhoto. It couldn't have been easier.
br /
br /
br /The only reason that I didn't give this camcorder a five star rating is that there is a second or so lag between when I push the photo button and when it takes the photo. It can be hard to capture the moment. Other than that one point fantastic camera

Upgrade from my previous Xacti C5. Noticed better:
br /-Battery life
br /-Bigger LCD screen 2.5" (C5 is 2")
br /-Flash range
br /-While video recording now able to take pictures w/o video rec pausing (C5 would pause video rec for a sec to take pic).
br /-Low light video/picture improved alot.
br /-C9 is a bit thicker then my old C5 but feels even more confortable.
br /-C9 is made out a plastic. C5 is metal. Still C9 look durable.
br /
br /I recorded the Duran Duran concert (Orlando, FL, US). Testing my new Sanyo Xacti C9 camera. Very happy with the low light recording compared to my old Xacti C5.
br /[...]

I've been using this camera for about six months now. It makes shooting decent video so incredibly easy. The results are probably just good enough for both pictures and video that it makes it worth it for me. There is a trade off for quality here.
br /
br /What makes it worth it is the most ergonomically pleasing camera I've ever had the pleasure to use. It fits perfectly in my pocket, including a protective camera case I got for it. There are just too many moments in life and I miss a lot less of them because it's so easy for me to carry around.
br /
br /It's great for posting to YouTube. It shoots in mp4, which I just upload to YouTube. On the other hand, there are not tons of programs that can edit mp4s. I use Ulead Video Studio 11 and that works very well.
br /
br /I had been using minidv for years, but the tape drive systems always let me down for a while and are just nowhere near as solid state as a camera like the CG9. After my second minidv camera went I vowed never more. I'm interested in harddrive cameras, but I'm not sure they take very good pictures and I just think that SD cards are the wave of the future.
br /
br /For me the big draw is being able to write on SD cards. They are amazingly easy to use, except that your computer should probably have pretty advanced graphics/video capabilities. My laptop has a dedicated graphics card, and it's still a bit clunky to preview or edit videos.
br /
br /I find the swivel lcd impossible to live without.
br /
br /So overall I think it's a great camera. If you are really sensitive about picture/video quality, this is probably not your camera.
br /

I've had a miniDV camcorder for years (and have accumulated many hours of miniDV tapes that I never watch and haven't imported). I got the Xacti to be an alternative to the miniDV 'corder for more spontaneous shooting and viewing of my kids' activities; I intended to still rely on the miniDV for the longer and more "important" shoots. But the Xacti performs so well (with the addition of a 8GB HDSD 15mb/s card), I never use the miniDV anymore.
br /
br /And I use the Xacti as a camera more than my regular digital camera (but only because of the convenience of carrying the Xacti vs. the 12x optical zoom camera; the quality of the still pictures is good, but not quite as good).
br /
br /I carry it all the time, which leads to my only complaint: the lens cap is not secure enough -- it gets knocked off much too easily. But even that doesn't detract enough from this little wonder to knock a star off the rating.

This camcorder is compact and feature heavy. Anyone looking for a great entry level camcorder should consider this fantastic model.

Without going into extreme detail I found the Sanyo to be adequate for video although not at all impressive. The Sanyo does not have a problem with audio picking up other noises as do most Aiptek units - actually the audio was quite good. The still images were fine outdoor but not much good indoor. Let's just say indoor still photos were between a cell phone camera image and my old 4MP Fuji SLR digital camera. Video was as good as any standard camcorder until there was any motion faster than walking speed. I returned this realizing my money was better spent towards an HD unit that was about 50% more.

This camcorder has couple good thing like size and can't think any other so far...
br /Cons.: Antishake doesn't work and I believe is because the small size of the apparatus. Lotz of flare when object is bright and WORST for me is the HORRENDOUS and DISTURBING sound from the autofocus (chasing object) that you will hear in your movie so you better go for manual focus, "visual noise" if cam is set at 400 and more ISO.... you need to buy a software to edit your movie (about $60).I'm not a PRO but lack of quality electronics disgust me.
br /Overall this cam is over priced, with SANYO brand I was expecting better performance. It's just OK to capture some moments but just that.
br /

This is a great little camera, easy to use and fun. Still pictures look great also. It is also easy to download to the computer. A lot of camera for the cost.

In overview of this product, it says, "Sequential photo shoots up to 5 frames per second Take pictures like the pros with up to ten photos with a shutter speed of 5 frames per second. The perfect solution for action photography. ".
br /
br /I got this product today and i realized that it takes at least 4 seconds to be prepared to take the next shot.
br /Does anyone complain about this at al??

I just got this product a week ago and I am pretty happy with it so far. I have not gotten my 4G SD card yet so I do not know how much video that will hold but I am using it with a 512K card and that holds about 12 min of 60 FPS video. What a handy little thing! Battery life seems good and it is VERY easy to use. The MP4 format is a little problem as Windows Movie Maker does not support that format so other than in camera editing I am stuck for now. The video is pretty good quality and the still pictures are quite good. It is not so great under low light but I did not buy it for that use - I purchased it primarily for outdoor use. If anyone has any good ideas on video editing software that works with MP4 please let me know. I am trying to make recruiting video for my daughter for college and use it to put together nice family video clips. It is GREAT to be able to carry one little thing to sporting events or family outings that will do both video and still pictures well!

I am waiting for a device for both camera and video taking with high resolution for a wile. This one is great on photos and easy handle on video. MP4 file format output. Small pocket size for carry. Highly recommend for family use.

We absolutely LOVE this camera! We took it on vacation, and every time we used it, it worked perfectly. It is so compact and lightweight that we could easily put it in a pocket or purse. One of our friends recommended it to us, and we have recommended it to many others. We should probably work on commission!!

I LOVE this camcorder! It's everything that I was looking for: small, under $300, takes pictures and videos, and is compatible with a Mac.
br /Upon receiving the camera, I plugged in the charger battery--didn't take too long for a full charge-- popped in a memory card I "borrowed" from my old camera ) only 512 MB, and began taking little clips of my baby. Worked perfectly!
br /Then-the true test. Used the cable provided to sync to my computer. A menu pops up on the camcorder screen, you click ok (follow directions in manual), and iphoto begins the upload. Easy.
br /I have yet to take long videos, so I'm not sure how long an 8G card will last. But the 512MB has suited me fine for the purposes of taking short clips and stills to e-mail to relatives and for creating a memory DVD of baby's first steps, peek-a-boo moments, etc.
br /I can go a few days before I have to recharge the battery. Again, I only take short clips and stills here and there--but I do this on a daily basis.
br /Another very cool feature is the fact that it doesn't look like a regular camera. So my baby, who normally will want to play with a camera or pose for one, doesn't realize she's being filmed and continues to do whatever cute thing it is that I'm trying to film. Plus is just LOOKS good.
br /As for the quality: I have no complaints. It picks up sounds well--even the cooing or babies.
br /The zoom is also great. I have friends with similar cameras (size, price range, etc) and their zoom is not as good. I don't have a very steady hand, but the footage is not shaky. So I know the image stabilizer works well.
br /I've read reviews criticizing buttons' placement, size, etc. in cameras. I don't have any problems, but I do have small hands. BUT my husband does have large hands (think fingers that wouldn't be able to fit into the holes in the old rotary phones) and he hasn't uttered a complaint.
br /Overall, love this camera. If, by some bad luck, it broke after a year, I would still consider it a good investment. Can't put a price-tag on capturing great memories. But IF it did break, I would buy another one without hesitating.
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br /Some suggestions: buy a small case for the camera (it does get scratched easily--like anything black and shiny), get a spare battery, and MAKE SURE you buy a memory card. The camera comes with none of these. Good thing it takes the same memory card as my old camera.

This is the fourth camcorder I Have owned. The previous three have been one Sony model or another, the latest being a dvd HD. The Sony got returned to the store after I started using the Xacti. The main reason for this is the fact that I have to carry so much stuff that it became a whole ordeal to use the camera with extra dvd's extra battery, not to mention the dvd cam was not so tiny. Now I can literally slip the tiny CG9 camera in my side pocket, and moments that would otherwise be lost can now get recorded.
br /The high definition Sony camera works poorly in low light conditions compared to the Sanyo. I sacrificed video quality in well lit areas, but it was a small price to pay. I have a iMac that seamlessly works with the video stored on the SD card, and makes DVD's with ease... I am so happy with this combination.
br /You will not regret buying the Xacti VPC-CG9 especially with the low price, I am waiting for their HD model to come down and plan to purchase it.
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Finally, one device that is good enough to carry as a camera and a camcorder. No more missed video clips. Hours of video on an 8GB card. Great Mac compatibility. In pure camera mode, picture quality is good, but shot-to-shot speeds and time to focus are slow. In video mode, the ability to take a 2 megapixel picture while shooting video is great - no interruption in video at all. Great price, great functionality, one device to carry. I'm sure this technology will improve, but for now, this is the magic point where you can buy one product for both uses.

I bought this specifically to take on a trip to Ireland. It was just as I had hoped. I could pop it into my pocket and have it there for use as either a single shot camera or video. I bought extra memory and it never came close to running out of room. Battery life was excellent. The "pistol grip" style was great for video ( a bit less then that for single shots), and the quality was top notch. Could not be happier with it from a quality, convenience, price point view.

I bought ths camera because it promised to record 60 Frame Per Second (FPS) video, which I need for recording baseball pitchers and hitters. It works as advertised. I don't know how it would work as a general videocamera, but it's perfect for my purposes.

Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG9 9MP Flash Memory Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom (Black)
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br /This is a great camera to carry with you everywhere. I use it for work, while away at conferences and with my niece and nephew. I love the easy controls and that I can take videos or pictures quickly.

I purchased this after reading positive reviews. Even on the highest settings, indoor video and pictures are not very good. Outside shots are fine, but we take lots of video and pictures inside too. I tried turning on all the lights and opening all the windows but the video is still grainy. Several reviewers said that this is a good camera for the money, but mine is going back. Keep looking unless all of your shots are going to be outdoors.

I will start by saying that this was the worst camera experience that I ever had or for that fact any of my friends ever had. I purchase the camera on April 21 on Amazon.com. After I recieved it I got the chance to take a little video and still shots. The quality of the video was impressive on the highest settings but don't view it on a HD television. The video is quite grainy. The still shots are far from a 9mp quality. We have a canon sureshot that is a 7mp that in my opinion is a by far a quality product with a true 7mp. The sanyo is not.
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br /Second, our family planned a vacation that we were able to take the camera with. The terrible thing is, that is when the camera stopped working and since that time I have contacted Sanyo to which they told me to send it to a service center in Wheeling, IL. That location is not a Sanyo store,it is only a certified service center. They told me that after looking at the camera, that it was so new to the market that the parts would have to come from Japan so Sanyo was going to give me a new camera. I thought problem solved. Not So! I received a new camera from Sanyo to discover that it also did not work on arrival. I then contacted Sanyo and the there response was for me to send them that camera and let them verify that it would not work (to dispute there claim that it worked before it left the warehouse). I was right, and they decided to send me a 3rd camera which I recieved this past Friday. I thought third times a charm. Not So!!!
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br /This 3rd camera turned on Friday, Saturday but not on Sunday. I have since contacted Sanyo this Monday morning a asked for a refund. The lady on the other end of the phone said she would have to ask her supervisor and that she would call me right back. That was over 2 hours ago.
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br /I'm not sure what will happen on there end, but I can tell you that I will never buy a Sanyo product again and I advise everyone else I can also.

Realmente estoy impresionado de esta cámara. Es un híbrido entre una cámara fotográfica y una de video, por lo tanto no tiene tantas funciones como alguna de estas dos por separado. Sin embargo, tiene lo mejor de cada una. Las fotos que saca son bastante buenas e igual pasa con el video.
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br /Yo estaba buscando una cámara que pudiera ser dos en una y la Xacti VPC-CG9 realmente cumple mis expectativas.
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br /Es muy ligera, manejable y pequeña. De hecho es casi del tamaño de mi nextel (motorola i560).
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br /Antes de esta cámara tuve una Panasonic Lumix DMC-TZ1K 5MP Compact Digital Camera with 10x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom. Esta cámara era muy buena sobre todo el zoom óptico. Esto es lo único que extraño de la Panasonic; el ZOOM.
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br /La Xacti vpc-cg9 tiene un zoom óptico de 5x que es bueno pero no es a lo que yo estaba acostumbrado.
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br /En general, la Xacti es una muy buena cámara. Toma muy buenas fotos, tanto en lugares obscuros como en lugares abiertos a la luz del sol.
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br /Efectivamente toma un poco mas de una hr. de video por cada gb en la tarjeta SD.
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br /Otra cosa importante es que para bajar las fotos o videos a la computadora solo la tienes que conectar vía un cable usb (incluído con la cámara). Cuando la conectas, la cámara funge como si fuera un driver por lo que puedes vaciar la tarjeta simplemente arrastrando los archivos.
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br /En cuanto a como se ven los videos en la tele... se ven muy bien, se escucha muy bien.
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br /Si quieren una cámara que tome buenas fotos y buenos videos no le piensen; esta es la que buscan. Yo busqué mucho antes de decidirme. Que beno que me decidí por esta.
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br /Tiene algunos puntos mejorables... claro, pero son los menos.
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br /Esta cámara es para tomar las tardes en el parque con los niños, vacaciones, fiestas de la escuela de los niños, reuniones familiares, etc. La cámara es para una persona normal que no va a vivir de tomar fotos; es para una persona que le gusta guardar recuerdos del día a día.

Worth every penny, This is and excellent camera in everyway.
br /Buy it - you won't be dissappointed
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this camcorder's quality is not that good, there's a lot of noise when taking picture indoor with dim light, but large variety of iso to choose,
br /and it's slow on taking picture, so not a very good choice if you want to snap and go.
br /on the menu setting has a custom shortcut which is good, but just can't fit every thing you need.
br /after the picture now the video, the video basically sucks...
br /so over all it's just not good
br /don't get too excited about it

Well I have been looking for a small flash camcorder to shoot video of the kids. I started with the Aiptek Ahd, which looks ok on the computer but very very poor on my lcd and plasma. So the Aiptek went back. I have shot some test video with the Sanyo HD1000 and was very impressed, but didn't want to spend $700. So when I heard about the CG9 coming out I decided to give it a try. Wow what a difference between the HD1000 and the CG9! The video from the CG9 was blocky, grainy, and had poor color indoors, however the colors were good when shot in bright sunlight. The video even in the bright sun looked very bad(blurry) when played back on the TV's. The ergonomics are very nice for my hand and it was easy to use, but that is about all the good I can say about this cam. This camcorder might be ok if all you use it for is youtube videos. It looks like i will now have to decide between the Canon TX1, Sanyo HD1000, and Sony's new HDR-TG1. I suggest anyone interested in a small camcorder look at those models. Good luck.