Canon UK has launched the new Legria FS300 series of lightweight and easy-to-use Standard Definition digital video cameras, comprising the Canon Legria FS36, FS37 and FS306 (pictured) models. These camcorders weigh just 225 grams each, but benefit from a number of advanced imaging features, including a genuine Canon Video Lens and DIGIC DV II processor. In order to reduce the effects of camera shake, especially at the far end of each model’s 41x Advanced Zoom, a new Dynamic Image Stabiliser makes the image smoother and more enjoyable to watch. The new series features Dual Flash Memory. In the Legria FS37 and Legria FS36, 16GB or 8GB of internal flash memory is combined with a card slot supporting SDHC memory cards. The Legria FS306 includes an SDHC card slot without additional internal memory. All three camcorders will be available from March, prices to be determined later.

Stylish and compact

Weighing in at just 225g the stylish LEGRIA FS306 is not only extremely lightweight but also small enough to fit in your pocket, so you can carry it with you wherever you go.

41x Advanced Zoom

You can get up close and personal, even with far away subjects with the LEGRIA FS306’s 41x advanced zoom lens. Its versatility means you can really explore your creative options and its perfect for capturing the action at sporting events or concerts – plus zooming is smooth and steady throughout the range so you always be able to get the shot you need and with the quality you expect from Canon.

The LEGRIA FS306 also offers you additional flexibility to get just the shot you need by giving you the choice of Advanced Zoom in default mode or you can select a 37x Optical Zoom or 2000x Digital Zoom.

Smooth professional looking movies

Canon’s Dynamic Image Stabiliser compensates for almost every kind of movement from the gentle murmurs of your breathing to the vibrations of a car ride, so your movies will always have a smooth professional look. You can switch easily from Standard Mode to Dynamic Range when you want to stabilise heavy hand shake on the move, for example when walking or climbing up and down stairs, or when shooting at maximum telephoto range.

Fun short movies made easy

Using Video Snapshot mode it is fun and easy to create great video montages. Simply press the record button to capture 4-second clips, the average length of one ‘cut’ in a TV show. To make and playback a simple multi-shot movie is quick and easy and you don’t need a PC. All you have to do is select a series of clips and create a ‘playlist’. This can then be set to music, chosen from the pre-loaded rights-free tracks on the camcorder or the selection supplied on the accompanying CD. Alternatively you can upload your own WAV format tracks using the Music Transfer Utility supplied.

Power efficient with quick recharge

The LEGRIA FS306’s intelligent battery lets you shoot for up to 3.5 hours on a single charge. Plus all it takes is 20 minutes to recharge for a further hour’s recording. Shooting to removable flash memory cards is also incredibly power efficient, letting you shoot for longer.

Never miss a shot

In Pre REC mode, the camcorder starts recording three seconds before you even press the Record button. Three seconds of footage are continuously stored and automatically added to the beginning of your clip from whenever you start videoing – so you need never miss that crucial moment again. With Quick Start standby mode you can also power up the camcorder in less than a second by simply flipping open the LCD screen.

Compare Canon LEGRIA FS200 and FS306

The VIXIA HF S21 appears to break away from the pack with its sleek body design, manual focus, revolutionary instant auto focus, massive storage capabilities and HD format. The lens is always an important primary detail, and the VIXIA HF S21 won’t disappoint with its large lens and manual focus. Fully equipped with all the audio and video outputs for even the broadcast pro, this camera comes loaded, including the ability to attach lens accessories. We were impressed before it was even turned on.

Canon’s VIXIA HF S21 Dual Flash Memory Camcorder puts 1920 * 1080 HD recording and a multitude of other features at your fingertips. The HF S21 captures up to 24 hours of HD video to the camera’s 64GB internal flash memory, and lets you store even more footage to optional SD/SDHC memory cards, including Eye-Fi memory cards, using the dual SD memory card slots. In addition to video recording, the HF S21 also captures 8MP stills, and hosts a number of settings and functions to enhance your photo experience.

Low light, bright light, contrasting lighting, fast movements… HD footage shot on the VIXIA HF S21 truly shines on its 3.5″ high-resolution LCD with touch-panel features. Don’t call Fox Studios too quickly, though: once the footage is imported to an editing station, the footage reveals a slightly dull color and low saturation. This is common with Canon’s video series dating back to the L1 and XL1. One solution would lead you to post production editing software, where even an inexperienced editor could simply fix the brightness and contrast.

Powering on the camera leads to fingers running across the feature-rich camera body with satisfaction. Canon spared no expense on buttons, dials and switches with this VIXIA HF S21. Component out, two SD memory slots, HDMI out and an 8-megapixel snapshot function starts us off in the right direction for a great camera.

The VIXIA HF S21 sports both 24p and 30p recording modes for achieving that professional “film-look”. With all these features packed into a compact camcorder at this price point you can’t go wrong.

Tech Specs

Video Recording Format: MPEG4-AVC / H.264
Image Sensor: 1/2.6-inch CMOS
Total Pixels: Approx. 8.59 Megapixels
Video Effective Pixels: Approx. 6.01 Megapixels (3264×1840)
Photo Effective Pixels: 16:9 approx. 6.01 Megapixels (3264 x 1840); 4:3 approx. 8.02 Megapixels (3264×2456)
Frame Rate: 60i, native 24p (records at 24p), 24p progressive (records at 60i), 30p progressive (records at 60i)
Maximum Recording Time: 64GB internal Flash drive: recording time based on internal Flash memory only. Greater capacity is possible when SD memory cards are also used (2 card slots). LP (5Mbps) 24 hours 30 minutes; SP (7Mbps) 19 hours 10 minutes; XP+ (12Mbps) 11 hours 30 minutes; FXP (17Mbps) 8 hours 20 minutes – allows 1920×1080 full HD recording; MXP (24Mbps) 5 hours 55 minutes – allows 1920×1080 full HD recording
Flash: Built-in
LCD: 3.5-inch high-resolution touch panel widescreen color LCD (approx. 922,000 dots)
Viewfinder: .27-inch, approx. 123,000 dots
Manual Exposure: Yes
Shutter Speed: Auto/manual
Maximum Shutter Speed: Movie: 1/2000; photo: 1/500
Lens f-Stop: f/1.8 – f/3
Filter Diameter: 58mm
Minimum Illumination: 0.3 lx (Low Light Mode)
Zoom: 10x optical; 200x digital
Focal Length: 6.4 – 64mm
Recording Media: Internal Flash drive (64GB) or SD memory cards (2 slots)
Microphone Terminal: 3.5mm stereo mini-jack
Weight (fully loaded): 1.2 lbs.

Strengths

• Native 24p
• Component and HDMI output
• Ultra-crisp focus
• Effortless video transfer to computer

Weaknesses

• Grain in low light
• Colors are a bit dull

If you have a Canon Vixia HF10 camcorder, or the latest HD S21, Pavtube HD Video Converter (Mac user: HD Video Converter for Mac) is a must for you. Why? Because working with the raw MTS files is too slow. Canon Vixia HF S21 creates H.264/AVC encoded MTS video of up to 1920*1080, 24mbps, resulting in stunning image quality and smooth motion, even if is the high speed movement phantom can the tiny particle finish presently takes in everything at a glance. The real trouble arises when you try to play, edit or upload these MTS files.

With Pavtube HD Video Converter, you can transfer MTS files to Divx/Xvid AVI for playback and editing, convert MTS footage to F2V/FLV/SWF for YouTube/Fackbook/Vimeo.This HD video converter supports auto de-interlacing and batch conversion, enables you to keep 16:9 wide screen aspect rations.

How to batch convert MTS to F4V, MTS to AVI at correct aspect ratio?

Step One. Launch HD Video Converter, and import the MTS footages to the app by clicking ‘Add’ button and browsing to the files or directly dragging and dropping the files to the ‘Getting Started’ area. By default, the files are selected. You could view the files in preview window, simply highlight the file and click play button. The HD Video Converter supports batch conversion, so you may load multiple MTS files to the program at a time.

Step Two. Click ‘Format’ bar to set output format. To convert MTS to F4V, follow “Flash Video”>> “F4V (*.f4v)”; for AVI, follow “HD Video”>> “AVI HD Video (*.avi)”/ “DivX AVI (*.avi) or “Common Video”>> “AVI MSMPEG4-V3” (*.avi)/ “DivX AVI (*.avi)”/ “Xvid AVI (*.avi)”. Click the small folder icon next to Output bar to specify a location for saving the converted flash files.

Step Three. To keep 16:9 aspect ratio, you can click ‘Settings’ and customize advanced audio and video parameters. For MTS to F4V conversion, you are suggested to set video “Size” to “480*272” or “original”. For MTS to AVI conversion, you may set video “Size” to 1920*1080 or 1280*720 to get HD quality. You can cut the size down by setting a smaller video bitrate or frame rate.

Step Four. Click on ‘Convert’ button to start converting MTS to F4V, or MTS to AVI. The converter supports batch conversion and will convert all the selected files in file list once you start conversion. After conversion the videos can be easily be located, simply click the “Open” button next to output path. When MTS files converted to F4V, you can easily upload the videos to the Internet for streaming and playing back; when MTS clips are converted to AVI, you can import these converted videos to Adobe Premiere, Windows Movie Maker, Windows DVD Maker, Avid, Pinnacle Studio for further editing.

How to De-interlace, Trim and Merge MTS files

Note:
The Pavtube HD Video Converter also handles MTS files in AVCHD format captured by a number of different Hard-drive-based camcorders like Canon HFS21, HFS200, HFS20，HFS10, HFS11, HFS100, HFM300, Canon EOS 7D, EOS 550D, EOS 500D, EOS-1D Mark IV, Panasonic camcorder, Sony handcam, Flip porkect camcorder etc.

Canon on Tuesday announced two new professional level, high-end camcorders, the Canon XF105 and XF100. The new models are Canon’s smallest professional camcorders to date, and are designed for standalone use and as companions for the XF305 and XF300 camcorders.

As Canon continues to make video a priority, the new models add to its already substantial line of video recording cameras and camcorders.

Each camcorder weighs less than three pounds, a number much more convenient for things like news and mobile filmmaking than some of Canon’s other camcorders. They each have a 3.5-inch, 920,000 dot LCD screen with a built-in waveform monitor to help ensure accurate exposure. Both also have a 10x zoom lens, and shoot with the same XF Codec that Canon’s other professional camcorders use.

The two camcorders feature MPEG-2 4:2:2 50Mbps recording, and the ability to shoot in high-definition 3D by pairing two of the camcorders and using built-in software to align the camcorders for optimal shooting. There’s also a low-light, infrared feature that Canon says allows HD video to be shot in complete darkness.

Unique to the higher-end XF105 are HD_SDI output and gunlock in/ZMTPE time code terminals. Both can record at multiple bit rates and resolutions, and use variable time rates for shooting in slow and fast motion.

The XF105 and XF100 will both be available in the first quarter of 2011. Pricing was not announced.

Source: http://www.pcmag.com/article2/0,2817,2368533,00.asp

July 14, 2010 Canon unveiled a new dual memory HD camcorder, the Vixia HF M32 . The design closely follows that of the M31 but doubles the built-in flash to 64GB and upgrades the card slot to support SDXC. With a lower bitrate, Canon believes the camera could hold a full day of video in built-in memory alone and another day again with a 64GB SDXC card. The HF M32 will be available in September 2010.

The HF M32 is now the top mid-range HD camcorder from Canon. However, other than the increase in built-in flash memory to 64GB, and the ability to record using SDXC memory cards, the Canon HF M32 appears to be exactly like its predecessor. The HF M32 has the same 1/4-inch CMOS sensor with a total pixel count of 3.89 megapixels, and its lens has a 15x optical zoom, just like the previous HF M series camcorders from Canon.

After the video session, owners can produce standard definition versions of videos without losing the HD original and can share video over Wi-Fi if they have fast Eye-Fi cards.

Shipments of the HF M32 start in September, when Canon will ship it for $1,000.

Solution for editing H.264/MOV footages shot by Canon EOS 7D，550D camera

How to convert Canon EOS 550D video to FCP friendly format?

Canon Middle East today announces the launch of the new LEGRIA FS300 series – a collection of fun, lightweight, easy-to-use Standard Definition (SD) camcorders which feature Canon’s renowned imaging technology and expertise. The LEGRIA FS300 series combines image quality with intuitive and useful features to help even the most inexperienced camcorder user capture and share precious moments.

The LEGRIA FS306 Blue

Small, powerful imaging

Canon’s smallest and lightest digital camcorder range ever, each model in the
LEGRIA FS300 series weighs just 225g. In spite of their small size, these models benefit from a number of advanced imaging features, including a genuine Canon Video Lens and DIGIC DV II processor, offering the highest possible video quality at an affordable price point.

Packed with features

In addition to powerful imaging technology, the LEGRIA FS300 series includes a variety of features designed to make shooting videos easy. Quick Start and Pre REC functions help ensure no crucial moment is ever missed, and a choice of 11 different shooting modes lets you capture the best possible footage, whatever the conditions.

For more creative, exciting shooting, Canon’s unique Video Snapshot mode shoots four second clips at a time – just like a TV show – to create sequences which capture the action perfectly.

In order to reduce the effects of camera shake, especially at the far end of each model’s 41x Advanced Zoom, a new Dynamic Image Stabilizer makes the image smoother and more enjoyable to watch.

Dual Shot mode makes shooting easier than ever before, taking control of camcorder settings to allow you to concentrate on what you’re recording. For extra convenience, you can take still photos or video without having to switch modes.

In addition to capturing great-looking video, these new models also allow you to shoot for longer. One battery charge can provide up to three and a half hours of recording time, whilst Quick Charge mode provides up to a full hour of shooting from just 20 minutes of charge.

Multiple storage options, same Canon quality

For greater convenience and more flexibility, the LEGRIA FS series features Dual Flash Memory. In the LEGRIA FS37 and LEGRIA FS36, 16GB or 8GB of internal flash memory is combined with a card slot supporting SDHC memory cards. One 32GB card allows users to record up to 20 hours of home movies.

The LEGRIA FS306 includes an SDHC card slot without additional internal memory.

Accessories

The LEGRIA FS300 series is compatible with the stand-alone Canon DVD burner, the DW-100 – an ideal solution for archiving or sharing your movies.

Canon LEGRIA FS series – key features:

• Genuine Canon Video Lens
• 41x Advanced Zoom (2000x digital zoom)
• 6.7cm (2.7”) widescreen LCD
• Dynamic Image Stabilizer
• Intelligent lithium-ion battery system and Quick Charge
• Dual Shot mode
• Video Snapshot function
• Pre REC
• Quick Start
• DIGIC DV II processor
• Stereo audio recording
• 225g weight
• SDHC memory card slot (supporting up to 32GB memory)
• USB-out connector

Canon LEGRIA FS37 individual features

• Dual Flash Memory: 16GB Flash + SDHC card slot

Canon LEGRIA FS36 individual features

• Dual Flash Memory: 8GB Flash + SDHC card slot

Canon LEGRIA FS306 individual features

• Memory: SDHC card slot

Choosing  and buy a camcorder can be puzzling. With so many choices and features you need to understand what is important and what is not. I hope this  guide will be helpful for  you sort out the facts on camcorders and what models best fit your needs.

Video Recording: DVD, MiniDV Tape, FLASH or Harddrive?

Camcorders today store video in a variety of ways, and each type has its advantages and disadvantages. The most popular camcorders have shifted from MiniDV, to DVD, to FLASH Memory and HDD (Harddrive) camcorders. Each method of storage of video has its advantages and disadvantages as can be seen below:

• FLASH Memory – The most popular camcorders today are Flash and Dual Flash camcorders. These camcorders use flash memory cards (same as digital cameras) to store video, or have built in solid state flash memory. Without a tape mechanism or harddrive, these camcorders are generally smaller in size than other camcorders and have better battery life. Most are high definition, using AVCHD compression technology to store the video. They range from cheap camcorders with mediocre video and features to those with excellent sensors and features (such as the higher end Sony and Canon Flash Camcorders). Flash camcorders usually have no moving parts other than the lens. They hold varying amounts of video per card. The most popular memory cards for these camcorders are the SDHC Memory cards. Currently you can get them cards with up to 16gb at reasonable prices, and larger sizes such as 32gb have been introduced. Some of the smaller flash camcorders are cheap, but will not provide the same quality of video as larger models since their sensors and lenses are smaller. TOP PICK: The new for 2010 Canon Vixia HFS200 (Flash Memory) and the Canon Vixia HFS100 (Flash Memory).
• DUAL FLASH MEMORY – These share all the same features of the above Flash camcorders, but record to not only memory cards, but have built-in memory. This means that you can record without memory cards. As prices have dropped these have become very popular. TOP PICKS: The new for 2010 Canon Vixia HFS20HFS21 (64gb Dual Flash Memory), Sony HDR-CX500V (Dual Flash Memory 32gb), and the Canon Vixia HF11 (Dual Flash Memory 32gb).

• MiniDV Tape – The MiniDV tape has been a very popular format for recording video over the last decade. This year, there are fewer choices as manufacturers have moved to flash memory based camcorders. However, most professional camcorders still use tape. For standard definition camcorders (not HD), the video is transferred with little or no compression to the tape, giving the maximum quality which is important for editing should you want to produce your own productions with the videos you take. Tapes are inexpensive and can give you 60 to 90 minutes depending on selected quality. To view MiniDV camcorders on your TV you can hookup the camcorder using included cables. If you are going to be doing a lot of editing of the video, MiniDV camcorders are a good choice as they have less compression than other models. MiniDV tapes also give you excellent archival storage backup. Even if you transfer your video to a computer and the computer drive crashes, you still have your tape. For consumer camcorders, convenience is leading to HDD camcorders to be more popular than MiniDV. With tape, you have to go through the entire tape to view it (sequentially)TOP PICKS Canon HV40 (MiniDV) and the Sony HDR-HC9 (MiniDV)

• Hard Drive (HDD) – Another recording format is a camcorder with a built in hard drive (HDD) similar to what is in your notebook computer. The advantage of a built in harddrive is that you don’t have to bother with DVDs or Tapes. The built in harddrive many hours of video. This should be more than enough for normal or extended vacations and events. When you get home after shooting the video, you can then download the video to your computer with the included cables to later burn to DVD, edit, or archive. You can view video directly on your TV by hooking up the included cables to your TV set (some have HDMI for HD). With an HDD camcorder you can also view scenes without having to go through all the footage in sequence like tape, and can even edit and delete scenes on the fly. The one disadvantage of HDD is that you must be sure to back up your video to an external harddrive so that should your computer crash, you have an extra copy. For 2010 we are seeing fewer models available as there is a move to flash based camcorders. TOP PICKS: The new for 2010 Sony Handycam HDR-XR550V (240gb HDD Camcorder)

• DVD – Although once the most popular, recording directly to Mini DVDs is no longer the most popular camcorder format. Standard definition DVD camcorders will create DVDs that will play directly in your home DVD player with no modifications. These mini DVDs are inexpensive, and give you between 20 minutes and 60 minutes of recording time per disc depending on the quality setting. You cannot edit DVDs directly, but must transfer the video to a computer and re-edit them. DVD camcorders compress the video more than other methods which can result in lower video quality. If you plan to edit your videos DVD camcorders are not your first choice. There are not many choices in this area as more people are buying Flash memory camcorders.

Video Quality

Most camcorders do a acceptable job in ablaze sunlight outside. However, camcorders that accept beyond video sensors (CCD’s) accomplish bigger than camcorders with abate ones (especially in low light). The video sensor is the breadth that ablaze hits (like the retina in your eye). The beyond it is, the added accomplished detail can be recorded. Beyond sensors about appear with college priced camcorders. So if video quality, colors, and accomplished abstracts are important, a camcorder with a beyond sensor will accomplish abundant bigger than that of one with a abate sensor. The new for 2010 HFS200 (Flash Memory), the Canon Vixia HFS100 (Flash Memory), Canon Vixia HFS20 (32gb Dual Beam Memory), Canon Vixia HFS21 (64gb Dual Beam Memory),HDR-XR550V (240gb HDD Camcorder) and the Sony HDR-CX500V (Dual Beam Memory 32gb) accept the bigger imaging sensors for customer camcorders. Added customer camcorders with beyond CCD’s and aloft angel aloft cover the Canon Vixia HF11 (Dual Beam Memory), and the Canon HV40 (MiniDV).

Low Ablaze Achievement – As with video quality, a camcorder with a beyond sensor will accept bigger ablaze acquisition ability, and low ablaze performance. Those camcorders with beyond lenses will aswell advice in low ablaze situations. The aloft camcorders that accept ample CCDs will do able-bodied in low light, about alone the able camcorder will accord you BOTH a beyond sensor and beyond lenses for accomplished low ablaze ability. Poor low ablaze achievement is the amount one complaint of humans affairs camcorders. If low ablaze achievement is important, get a camcorder with a beyond CCD Sensor. Smart-Review lists sensor admeasurement with anniversary camcorder for bigger comparision. See camcorder allegory list. Some reviewers accept appear that affairs a video ablaze makes a big aberration (which it should) in low ablaze situations.

High Analogue (HD) or Accepted Definition?

Today you accept two choices in camcorders. Accepted Definition, which is up to DVD aloft or worse, or Top Analogue which abundantly exceeds DVD quality. In the future, all camcorders will be top definition, as that is the way the industry is headed. A lot of camcorders awash today are top definition. With a top analogue camcorder, you usually accept the advantage of recording in either accepted or top definition. Even if you almanac in top definition, you can still play it through your accepted (non HD) TV set. To approaching affidavit your videos, you can almanac in top analogue today and eventually be able to able to alteration them to Blueray disc, Playstation 3, HD Tivo or accession device. A lot of HD camcorders acquiesce you to affix your camcorder anon to an HDTV through its HDMI or basic input. If you angle up one of the top rated top analogue camcorders to an HDTV, you will see beauteous aloft abutting to that of the best broadcast/cable HD programming such as the Discovery Channel. These camcorders can aftermath actual top aloft HD video.

Top-Rated customer Top Analogue (HD) camcorders include: The Canon Vixia HFS200 (Flash Memory), Sony Handycam HDR-XR550V (240gb HDD Camcorder), Canon Vixia HFS100 (Flash Memory), Canon Vixia HFS20 (32gb Dual Beam Memory), and the Canon Vixia HFS21 (64gb Dual Beam Memory), Sony HDR-CX500V (Dual Beam Memory 32gb), Canon Vixia Canon HV40 (MiniDV), Canon Vixia HF11 (Dual Beam Memory 32gb), Sony HDR-HC9 (MiniDV).

HD camcorders are now alone hardly added big-ticket than Accepted Analogue camcorders, so Smart-Review recommends affairs an HD camcorder to approaching affidavit your videos.

Professional Video Aloft – If uncompromising video aloft is top on your antecedence list, again a able aloft video camera may be your choice. A able video camera/camcorder will about be abundant beyond than its customer siblings. This helps in several ways. One is that the video sensors will be beyond for bigger quality, and the lenses will be bigger for bigger ablaze acquisition and low ablaze performance. Today, these able camcorders appear in two flavors. Accepted analogue (TV quality) and Top Definition. Several of the able models accept been acclimated to accomplish documentaries and even abounding breadth movies. These are a admired of indie (independant) filmmakers and those that almanac important contest such as weddings. These beyond camcorders aswell accept the advantage of changeable lenses, abstracted microphones, wireless microphones, and abounding added options not accessible on customer camcorders. Almost all able camcorders absorb the 3ccd sensor technology. The camcorders listed beneath are able models.

* Able Accepted Analogue (TV) Camcorders: Panasonic Pro AG-DVX100B, Panasonic Pro AG-DVC20,

Canon XL2.

* Able Top Analogue Camcorders: Canon Able XH A1S, Sony Able FX7, Sony Able HVR-Z7U, Panasonic Able AG-HMC150 Sony Able HVR-Z1U, and the Sony Able HVR-A1U.

3CCD Imaging Sensor – A 3ccd imaging sensor is a appropriate sensor that is composed of 3 abstracted sensors. One for anniversary blush (red, dejected and green). A lot of able camcorders use the 3ccd sensor array. These blazon of sensors accept about been bigger than a individual sensor. The advantage of a 3CCD sensor is that with the abstracts from anniversary of the three sensors , you can acquisition out the exact hue, brightness, and assimilation of anniversary pixel, you’re no best interpolating (which is estimating). A lot of of the able camcorders (above) accept 3ccd.

Optical Zoom – Optical Zoom refers to how abutting an article can be “zoomed in”. So a camcorder with a 10x zoom can accompany a abroad article about 2 times afterpiece than a camcorder with a 5x zoom. Beyond zoom lenses can accord you added options. If you see a advertence to agenda zoom, this is an cyberbanking representation of optical zoom, and absolutely just crops the account and you lose resolution. With optical zoom, you do not lose resolution. Agenda zoom should not be a application in our assessment to purchasing a camcorder, while optical zoom should be considered. A lot of of our top-rated camcorders appear with a 10x zoom which is acceptable for a lot of applications.

Microphone – All camcorders almanac in stereo sound. All accept congenital in microphones. For bigger aloft you can buy college aloft microphones, and even get a wireless microphone for some models. Several camcorders accept a congenital in beleaguer complete recording arrangement (Dolby 5.1). There are two means to add an added microphone to a camcorder. One is to bung it into a microphone jack (if available), or what is alleged an accent shoe which allows accessories to attach to your camcorder.

LCD Admeasurement and resolution – The LCD is the awning that you use to compose your video, and appearance airheaded for the camcorder. Abounding are touchscreens which makes traveling through the airheaded easier. (You just blow a best on the menu). LCD stands for Liquid Crystal Display, the accepted technology acclimated for such displays. A beyond LCD awning is abundant easier to see. In accession to admeasurement its aswell important to attending at the resolution of the awning (i.e. how abounding pixels does it have). The added pixels acclimated for a awning the better. So for both LCD admeasurement and amount of pixels on the screen, college is better. Abounding models aswell accept touchscreen capabilities congenital into the screen.

Camcorders with the bigger LCD screens with the a lot of pixels include: the able top analogue Sony FX7 has a ample 3.5 inch screen. Canon for 2010 has alien a new band of camcorders with a ample 3.5-inch screen, now with a touchscreen, and top resolution (922,000 pixels). The new models are the Canon Vixia HFS200 (Flash Memory), the Canon Vixia HFS20 (32gb Dual Beam Memory), and the Canon Vixia HFS21 (64gb Dual Beam Memory). For 2010 Sony has aswell alien a camcorder with a ample 3.5-inch top resolution (921,000 pixels) Touchscreen. It is the Sony Handycam HDR-XR550V (240gb HDD Camcorder).

Manual Features/Zoom – Automated absorption is accepted on all camcorders. About there are times if you may ambition to manually focus your camcorder. Examples are low light, macro (closeup), cutting through glass, and calm shots area automated absorption is not as effective. All able camcorders can focus manually. A lot of of our top rated camcorders cover the chiral focus option.

Snapshot Affection – Abounding of the newer camcorders action the adeptness of the camcorder to yield pictures (still photos) with your video camera. Abounding account the admeasurement of the pictures they can yield in megapixels. Angel aloft varies from camcorder to camcorder, but you should not apprehend the aforementioned aloft as a committed agenda camera. Use this affection added as a accessibility if you don’t accept your agenda camera with you.

Image Stabilization (IS) – Angel Stabilization is a technology that reduces the bleared video that you could get in low light, application a zoom lens, or benumbed in a car. (Sony camcorders alarm their angel stabilization SteadyShot). This technology compensates for any movement of the camcorder you are captivation to accord you aciculate video, even in low light. This is a actual admired and advantageous feature. Almost all camcorders now accept this feature. This aswell helps if application your zoom out to its abounding magnification. As you zoom in, any afraid of the camcorder is magnified. Optical (as against to digital) stabilization is advised to be best.

Built-in Video Light/Flash – Abounding camcorders accept a congenital in beam (for the snapshot affection – still pictures) and/or a video ablaze for lower ablaze situations. Our camcorder allegory page will agenda if this is included. External beam units and video lights are accessible as accessories for abounding camcorders. (See our accessories page for anniversary top-pick camcorder).

Many firms are SD-based camcorders for compact designs, simply because the technology to flash-based models can be much smaller than those based on the tapes, hard drives, DVD and mini. So that Canon still offers compact AVCHD models, the VIXIA HF20 and HF200 of the company branch with a little more pro prosumer offerings “in the VIXIA VIXIA HF HF S100 and S10.

These two models, which record 1,920 x1, 080 60i video, have a bigger, faster f1.8 10x HD and a relatively large, high resolution 8-megapixel 1/2.6-inch CMOS with high-end capabilities, such as the SMPTE color bars, the ability to manually stimulate up to 18 dB, fixed 70 and 100 IRE zebra, and a user-assignable button / knob combo. They differ only in the internal memory: HF S100 has none, while the S10 32GB HF.

Most controls direct fire on the LCD bezel. The function button draws both the most frequently used settings and the entire menu system to another level. In addition to the usual – white balance, image effects, digital effects, video quality and size of files, programs and a handful of scene modes – the HF S10/100 offer real trigger and opening , shutter speed priority modes options with speed range of 1 / 8-1 / 2000 seconds and aperture from f1.8 to f8, giving you more control over depth of field that you usually see in a Model semi-professional. It also provides the mode of the Canon Color adjustment and gamma Cine to go with its progressive modes 24F, 30F and if it is recorded as 60i. In fashion, you can always choose metering and drive modes as well. Other high-end features available via the menus include three fixed or variable speed zoom mode, xvColor, color bars, and a test tone.

The menu system itself has been updated for a soft feel and the ability to choose the font size. Since the 2.7-inch screen is the typical pattern of low resolution, small fonts look pixelated and would be difficult for some to read. It is fairly resistant to direct sunlight, however.

Navigate down on the joystick while shooting triggers a menu of flight to show the video light (which works in photo mode), digital effects, pre-registration for 3 seconds, the backlight and exposure compensation, up to manual focus, micro-level, face detection and a digital teleconverter. The options are slightly different in the way again, you win and lose the flash micro and teleconverter. It’s especially nice that you always have a quick access to functions that you can not assign to the knob.

The HF S10/S100 also incorporate features of this year, which include video snapshots, videos of 4 seconds to create an underlined “Reel” effect (the ship camcorders with a music CD). I like the idea but the implementation can be annoying. You enter the video mode by pressing an instant hard to feel the button on the left side of the camcorder in the LCD recess. A blue outline appears on the screen. When you press record, a peak travel through the blue outline of your count 4 seconds. He remains in Video Snapshot Mode until you spend reading or press the button again. While I like the way information display works, I think I would have preferred a separate record button, or a choice on the mode dial rather than having it isolated on the button. (For a full account of the characteristics of the HF S10/100, you can download the PDF manual.)

Performance and quality are top notch both its rate up to 24 Mbps and 17Mbps bit. (Recording Capabilities are approximately 5.5 minutes per gigabyte and 7.8 min / GB, respectively. Canon recommends Class 4 or better SDHC card.) The camera focuses quickly and accurately, even in low light. Although battery life is fairly average in its class, it recharges fairly quickly, Canon claims it takes 10 minutes per half-hour of battery life. The optical stabilizer, as usual, works well until the end of the zoom range. The video is superb: sharp, with saturated colors and excellent exposure with relatively few blown highlights. The DigicDV 3 Treatment is solid work by maximizing dynamic range. Show records light at look pretty good too. There is some noise and softness, but it is expected. Audio recordings and clear, too. The camcorder is not perfect, however. exterior shots show a bit of purple fringing on the edges of high contrast, and there is a tendency to color in shades of red and blue. The photos look a bit like overprocessed stills camera and many do, and the flash does weird things to saturation, but overall they are not bad.

If you are a video enthusiast or someone looking for something cheap and portable equipment to supplement your battle horse, identical twins Canon VIXIA HF and HF S10 S100 offers an experience of shooting much better than the harvest current $ 600 HD camcorder – as long as you can live without the viewfinder. The HF S100 is probably the best bargain since the price of a 32GB card should be less than the price difference between the two models.

Although it weighs a little over a pound, the camcorder feels kind of light for its size of 2.8 inches by 2.7 inches by 5.4 inches. Yet this is not a featherweight, and while I integrate it into a jacket pocket loose, it is not very compact. With few exceptions, the camcorder has a beautiful, functional design, with intelligently planned controls and a simplified user interface. The larger size makes it a little more comfortable to hold and operate that way.

Looking at the camera on his head, one of the first things you notice is the strange construction in lens cover that uses a type of eye closure rather than openness, the blade-type design that we usually see. It would not be notable except that when closed, the two plastic parts tend to throw off against each other, because the camcorder is off, this is not a problem just a minor irritation . Instead of putting the video light to the typical location on the side of the lens, Canon put it on the pop-up flash. The stereo microphones sitting on either side of the frame. Although they may be more susceptible to wind noise at this point (if I have no problems), it allows more microphones with better separation than the typical position above or below target . If this is not enough, you can attach a microphone via the mini accessory shoe on top of the camcorder. There is a 3.5mm microphone input on the handle side of the unit, and other connectors – USB, component and miniHDMI – sitting in a covered compartment under the strap. The belt should not interfere a bit when you’re hanging Stuff Up.

On one side of the Canon set a new custom dial, which looks, feels and works similar to the knob on the semi-professional models from Sony. You press the button to activate and use the wheel to adjust the settings you have programmed for – the choices are exposure, development, support functions (70/100 IRE Zebra art ), micro-level, and automatic gain control limit (0 to 18 dB). I like the Sony and here too is a convenient interface for setting options such as exposure and focus, if I am not a fan of it to cycle through the Zebra and advanced options.

As usual, the zoom control and photo button are on top of the camera under your index finger with the mode selector just behind where a viewfinder at eye level must be one of the biggest drawbacks of model-oriented fans, is the lack of an electronic viewfinder. The power connector and 3.5mm headphone jack on the side mode button. One of the two recording buttons located under your thumb on the back. To the left of the zoom control is the small power button is recessed a bit difficult to handle.

Went for a trip to the firework show the other night. Shot in cinema mode – 60i and rendered down to .WMV 8 MBPS HD 1080 file. Edited in Sony Vegas Pro 8 and colour graded in Magic Bullet Looks.

If you decide you need a new camcorder, you want to make sure you choose the best for you. Some things you want to buy in the selection of camcorders, at a price, as you must use it to format camcorder, how easy it is, and what kind of distribution support. If none of these things into consideration when selecting the best camcorder for you.

Price
If you have a camcorder are the selection, you should take a look at this price. May then you do not want, you want to take the cheapest, you must ensure that you have a good example. Before deciding to go shopping for your camcorder, how much money you want to spend and set the camcorder best available to find so much money. One way to get a high price to manage a variety of different stores or online shops to ensure that you are still a bargain.

Format
The format is also important if you have a choice of camcorder. In the past, DVD camcorders are very popular, but lately, more people are turning to digital cameras, DVDs so that they can from the material they are able. If you see mostly VHS tapes, Mai then you want a VHS camcorder, but for those who want the latest technology, more than likely a digital camcorder is best.

Ease of Use
Another aspect, if you buy a camcorder, will be how it is easy to use. If you are a genius in technology, could this not so important, and you should find the camcorder hard with all these buttons to choose, but many people have a camcorder that they want to use easy to find. Check out the buttons and how the camera before trying to take home and make sure that you will be able to function well it works.
Use the camcorder
What do you plan to use your camcorder will certainly not come into consideration if you try to find the right camcorder. Decide what you use your camcorder for most, then find the most suitable for this activity. If you use them to get outdoors, which is more suitable for outdoor applications. If you’re shooting in low light, and then choose a camcorder, a good performance in low light.
Sales Support
Sales support is another consideration that should be considered when choosing a camcorder. You want to make sure that your support is included with the camcorder and sales of spare parts if something should go wrong. Even if you spend a little money over having to buy a service contract, more than likely it will be worth what you spend.

If you look at these things to keep in mind can help you, a great camcorder that is great for you. Once you’re in your budget, and what you need for the camera, the rest easy. Choosing a camcorder is not a difficult process if you do your research before you go.