Updating its already sizable Xacti family of camcorders yet again, Sanyo unveiled the full-HD Xacti HD1010 on Thursday, an update to last year’s HD1000 handheld HD camcorder. Like the original, the second-gen cam boasts a comically oversized lens atop its skinny body and captures 1080i video, but with new features like “face chasing” technology and ultra-high-speed video capture.
The new Xacti’s face chasing function allows it to track up to 12 faces on screen during both video and still image capture. It will monitor each face for brightness and focus, then automatically adjust the cameras settings to compensate.
Perhaps more exciting news for amateur filmmakers, Sanyo claims the Xacti HD1010 can capture high-speed video at an astounding 300fps, which is sure to make for some fun Mythbusters-style shots of explosions and other debauchery. (We eagerly await the forthcoming YouTube clips of stunts gone wrong with agonizing slow-mo detail.)
Besides these updates and a 7fps still image capture feature, the HD1010 retains many of the features of its predecessor, including 10x optical zoom, image stabilization, and a 2.7-inch LCD display. It writes to standard SD cards up to 32GB in capacity, with enough video compression to cram about 87 minutes of HD footage onto an 8GB card.
The camcorder will debut in the United States sometime in July with an MSRP of $799.99
