The Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder is a light weight and compact flash camcorder. The 15x Optical Zoom is above average for it’s class, and the 3.89 Megapixel CMOS image sensor provides better video quality than the HF100. The HF200 uses Canon’s latest advanced image processor, the DIGIC DV III which has better noise reduction than it’s predecessor.

The VIXIA HF200 lets you record at up to 24Mbps, the highest bit rate in AVCHD format and that too with the highest quality images. It has a 1080/24p Cinema Mode and a 1080/30p Progressive Mode Dual Shot to capture both videos and photos without having to switch from one mode to the other so that you never miss another important shot! With a resolution of 3 megapixels, you can capture decent still photos. You can shoot continuously at 3 to 5 frames per second. The flash is not a xenon tube but a high power LED. This feature comes in handy to get the same frame speed with the flash on. It also has warm white LED for videos that works well up to a range of 5-6 feet.

At 14.1 oz, when fully loaded, it is quite light as compared to other models .It can be carried around with ease. The model is pretty sleek and attractive which makes it fairly comfortable to hold it in your hands. It is quantifiably smaller than the Canon HF S10 and Canon HF S100, but doesn’t have the same quality lens as it’s more expensive sibligs.

The HF200 records directly to a removable SDHC memory card which provide it several advantages over Canon’s hard disk camcorders. For immediate viewing, this card can be removed and plugged into a computer or a card reader slot of HDTV. To increase the storage capacity of your VIXIA HF200 you can use a Portable Video Storage Device that is a great accessory for flash memory camcorders. The camcorder also includes a mini HDMI jack, but you will have to buy your own cable (BYOC) because Canon doesn’t provide one in the box.

It has a Quick Start feature that helps save power (runs at 1/3 normal) and once you open it it’s ready to shoot in about 1 sec. Instead of leaving the camcorder in the recording mode you can put the VIXIA HF200 in a standby mode by closing the LCD panel in the Camera mode. Whenever you want to record you just flip open the LCD and start recording in a second.  Once the battery does run out of power, you’ll have to charge the battery while in the camcorder because there is not a seperate battery charger.  If you are going to buy a second battery (and you should) then make sure you buy the external charger as well.

It is equipped with some innovative features such as Genuine Canon Face Detection, SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization, and Level and Grid Markers. The 2.7-inch widescreen LCD is easy to see from an angle and is bright enough to see in daylight.   As with most consumer camcorders, the best place to install the included software is in the trash.  If you want something better use Sony Vegas for the PC and Final Cut or iMovie for Mac. The audio is relatively clear but due to the placement of the microphone it picks up some wind noise. Fast moving objects tend to have a little more ghosting.

The HF200 is priced slightly higher than some of it’s competitors, but the features and quality of this camcorder make it worth the extra buck.

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Technical Specifications:

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