Whither goes Sanyo, so goes the camcorder industry?

Sanyo melds several of the hottest trends in video today in its Xacti HD1 camcorder: HD video, flash-media recording, and an OLED (organic light-emitting diode) display. The ultracompact device records 720p MPEG-4 video to an SD card, shoots 5-megapixel stills, uses a 2.2-inch OLED display, and does it all for a relatively reasonable price: $800. And, unlike many of its similarly designed competitors, the HD1 sports a 10X zoom lens.

Additional specs include:
• 16:9 wide-screen format
• 60fps VGA-resolution capture
• Continuous still shooting
• On-camera flash with red-eye reduction
• Digital image stabilizer
• Talking navigation guide for first-time users
• Macro shooting down to 0.4 inch
• A self-timer
• Voice-recorder capability

Expected to ship in late March, the HD1 will also include a docking station.