Sanyo Xacti VPC-CG10

Sanyo has stuck with its traditional pistol grip for this high-definition camcorder, which has the added benefit of doubling as a digital camera. This dual role means that there’s quite a lot going on with this camera-cum-camcorder but, for the most part, it’s straightforward to use.

One of the features of the CG10 is its generous flip-out 3in screen, which rotates 360 degrees. On the memory front, you’ll need an SD card because the 40MB in-built memory won’t get you very far. As for photos and film, the CG10 captures 10-megapixel stills and records video in 1,280 x 780-pixel HD video at 30 frames a second. The biggest letdown about the CG10 is the quality of video.

Costing a hefty £229, the camcorder should perform better – especially when it comes to capturing motion. That said, the CG10 makes a good stab at straddling the camera-camcorder bridge.