Judging by looks, it’s pretty hard to differentiate one from the other… let’s dig deeper, and see if this new baby is worth it!

Just like the Xacti DMX-CG65, the new HD 700 is very compact; both appear very similar, and that’s a great thing because Sanyo managed to put in HD with equal dimensions and weight.

Hands-on!
Again, no big change, or should I say no change at all? What you have here is top-notch “push and shoot”, the Xacti DMX-HD700 will easily fit your hand or your pocket.

The video
As you could expect, this is where things change the most thanks to the almighty HD! All those who were frustrated with the 640x480px on the CG65 will be satisfied; unfortunately the switch from VGA to HD720 doesn’t mean a 720×480 resolution (16: 9) and that’s a bit disappointing… but always better than VGA for sure! The presence of a “real” video format is enjoyable (because VGA is…) on such a small camera. Moreover, Sanyo did well to use the 720p and not 720i which doesn’t look good at all on current PC/TV flat screens… One thing however, the HD is unforgiving. If you want quality creations you’ll need time and patience; otherwise, the result may be awful. The small size of the Xacti is yet another problem, it’s hard to keep it stable like a shoulder cam.

More on the negative side? Unfortunately as the Xacti DMX-HD700 hasn’t REALLY been thought through for HD, it feels much more like a CG65 with “HD option.” Those looking for “real HD” should keep this in mind. The lens is too “light”, lacks good brightness, and the auto focus is, oddly, not as good as on the VGA version.

Photographs
Thumbs up! The image of the 7PMx sensor is smoother and cleaner than before, and overall quality matches what you can get on most digital cameras. Here are a couple of examples for you to see.

Connectivity
The very useful mini-USB port that was on the Xacti DMX-CG65 is gone… replaced by an HDMI, which you plug into a small adapter in order to connect it to a computer. Videos are still .mp4 and .H264. Other items include the power supply, headset plug, and SD cards port.

Pros:
- compact
- fun to use
- HD makes it more than just a “web-buzz-cam”
- macro mode
- manual focus
- photo mode

Cons:
- the lens is not so good for HD
- poor auto focus in HD
- no more mini-USB port
- some parts could have been constructed with better materials

Conclusion:
The little Xacti DMX-HD700 is as fun to use as the CG65, but now with the HD720p! In the end, it really feels like a GC65 with an “HD option.” I think Sanyo should have used a totally new approach for the high definition, especially when it comes to the lens or auto-focus… They actually already found the answer, and it’s called the Xacti-HD1000 (review coming soon).

If you’re looking for a compact camcorder to take on trips, the Xacti is the right choice. With the HD700 you’ll have to be more careful and precise in order to obtain good results for viewing on HDTV.

A couple video tests (110MB)
4 examples with and without image stabilizer (60MB)