Sanyo's spring 2009 Xacti lineup

This is the $499.99 Sanyo Xacti VPC-FH1, the top-of-the-line horizontal dual camera. It features full 1080p video at 60fps, 8-megapixel photos and high-speed, 12fps sequential shooting, high-speed video recording with super slow-motion playback (up to 600fps), 10x optical zoom for photos and 16x advanced zoom for video, and a 3-inch LCD.

Sorry, none of my shots of the VPC-HD2000 came out, but here's what it looks like. This $599.99 vertical model is the top of the Xacti line featuring full 1080p video at 60fps, 8-megapixel photos and high-speed, 12fps sequential shooting, high-speed video recording with super slow-motion playback (up to 600fps), 10x optical zoom for photos and 16x advanced zoom for video, and a 2.7-inch LCD. It's also the only model to include an external microphone input.

Aside from being the only model with an external mic jack, the HD2000 is alone in having an actual hot shoe for add-on lighting. It's a little peculiar that Sanyo gave these features to the vertical design and not the horizontal VPC-FH1, but there you go.

Available for both the Sanyo Xacti VPC-HD2000 and the FH1 are threaded optional lenses and filters (not pictured). Lens options include a tele, wide, and semi-fisheye.

Sanyo's been doing the "waterproof" thing for a little while now, so no surprise it's adding a couple of new models. This is the VPC-WH1, which is submersible down to 10 feet for up to an hour. Features include a 10x optical zoom, 2.5-inch LCD, 2-megapixel photos and 720p high-definition video, 2-megapixel sequential shooting (13fps), and a lengthy 3-hour 20-minute recording time. Available in blue and yellow (not white, though) for $399.99.

Built like a tank. This is just a close-up of the heavy-duty lens seal on the WH1.

The Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA9 is the vertical waterproof model (sorry for the blurriness). Available in black, red, and green for $349.99, it's waterproof down to 1.5 meters (5 feet) for one hour. You'll be able to snap off 9-megapixel photos and record 720p high-definition video. A 5x optical zoom adds to the underwater fun.

This is the battery and SDHC card compartment in the handle of the Sanyo Xacti VPC-CA9. All of the new Xacti models store to SD cards up to 32GB. None have internal memory.

This is the Sanyo Xacti VPC-TH1. It's basically the step-down model from the 1080p FH1 as it shoots HD in 720p at 30fps. Up front is a 30x optical zoom and you get a 3-inch LCD for framing your shots. It'll take still photos, but at a lowly 1.1-megapixel resolution. On the upside, it does have an HDMI out. In fact, all but the lowest-end Xacti--the VPC-CG10--has an HDMI jack. The TH1 will sell for $299.99.

This is the back of the very small VPC-TH1. See the two buttons at the top? It's Sanyo's way of illustrating the "dual camera" concept. All of the new models have a similar button layout so that shooting video and taking still photos is as easy as pressing the big button for what you want to do. (Regardless, I'm still calling them camcorders.)

Last, but not least...no wait, it is least. The $199.99 Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10 is the bottom of the line, but it does still shoot 720p HD video at 30fps and capture 10-megapixel photos. It also has a 5x optical zoom, a 3-inch LCD, and does high-speed sequential shooting at 7fps.

A side shot of the tiny Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10, which will be available in both black and pink. It's basically an ultracompact 10-megapixel still camera, but in a pistol-grip form factor.