Canon VIXIA HF M41 Full HD Camcorder with HD CMOS Pro and 32GB Internal Flash Memory

Well, I have had this camcorder now for a week and tested it in many lighting situations and locations and I must say I'm very impressed. Outside filming my niece and dogs in the yard the videos are crisp viewed on my 40" Sony HD LCD TV. I would give it a 5 out of 5. In my eyes, looks broadcast quality. Indoors with varying light was also impressive although I did notice a little graininess. I'd give low light a 4 star rating. Being as anal as I am, I did a little test. Take it for what it's worth.

Now I am the most anal person you will probably meet and maybe set my expectations too high at times, but I started flipping through some of the HD channels on t.v. to do a little comparison and noticed too a bit of graininess if I stood right up to the television. Now I know nobody watches t.v from three inches away, I just wanted to compare what was being broadcasted to what I was able to film with this camera. I must say, this camera's footage is nearly spot on in many instances (TNT in HD, FOX in HD, USA in HD) I'd like to believe I have a good signal from my cable provider into my television, so in overall video quality, I'd give this camera 5 stars.

So why not 5 stars overall for this camera? Well, maybe I'm used to my iphone's touchscreen too much, but the touchscreen on the viewfinder drives me nuts. I might be old school (34 years old), but I really prefer actual buttons to navigate menus and such. I used to own a Canon Vixia HF100 and really enjoyed the navigation stick and buttons. I would say I have average sized hands, and find it a bit hard to get the right menu selection with my finger at times.

Now I did go with the 16gb version and have no regrets though I can't ever see myself opting for using its internal storage. I like to be able to pop out my sd card and just watch my videos on my PS3 or computer for editing instantly. Don't like the hassle of transferring images via usb. Also, wanted a black body as opposed to the silver one. Yes, I'm that picky. LOL. I like the fact it has two sd card slots, so storage should never be an issue.

I also like that canon took a chance on just making it lower megapixel for ideal HD recording. Let's be honest, if you want to take pictures, use a real camera. I'd much rather have better video quality and sacrifice still photos. I know a lot of people complain about this, but it seems to make sense. You're getting "larger" pixels for higher quality low light recording. It's also nice that Canon included the HD CMOS Pro censor in this model. The same one found in the higher end G10, saving you quite a few bucks.

Overall, I'm very pleased with my purchase and feel Canon has put out a very competitive product with great results. I've already bought a lens hood and extended battery to compliment the camera. (Stock battery is too small and leaves a noticeable gap at the edge. A BP819 should fit the bill nicely. I hope this review was helpful. I know a lot of reviewers commented on its other features, so that is why I omitted some of the other points. Thanks for reading.

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Canon GL2 MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom

Product Description

The Canon GL2 (like its predecessor, the GL1, and its big brother, the XL1) is helping to blur the line between consumer and professional video equipment. This camcorder borrows most of those cameras' professional-quality components and puts them into a more compact, affordable camera. Though it's small enough to carry around and doesn't cost much more than a top-of-the-line consumer camcorder, the GL2 produces such high-quality results that it could be used as a broadcast video camera.

The 3 CCD System
The GL2 maximizes the capability of the DV format by using a 3 CCD (charge-coupled device) system with a separate CCD for each primary color (red, green, blue). A beam-splitting prism separates light passing through the lens into individual color components and each is sent to its own CCD. Compared to a single CCD, the 3 CCD system achieves outstanding detail with highly accurate color reproduction suitable for the demands of high-end video production - wide dynamic range, low color noise, high-contrast detail, natural color resolution and low-aliasing. The 3 CCD system also makes advanced Pixel Shift (for increased image quality) and Low Light Recording (for increased flexibility) possible.

Professional L-Series Fluorite Lens
Canon has satisfied the demands of experienced image makers for years through the power, design and quality of 35mm and broadcast TV lenses. Canon's Professional L-Series lenses utilize Fluorite, a material which provides outstanding resolution, contrast, and color reproduction- especially in lightweight, high-magnification lenses. Incorporated into the lens on the GL2, Fluorite delivers the ultimate in clarity and image quality. The Fluorite element inside the lens defeats color aberration -- the effect when the components of light stray from one another within a lens, causing a reduction in sharpness, contrast and color. The Fluorite lens precisely controls components of light providing an excellent balance of these three critical ingredients of picture quality. This is unobtainable with conventional optical glass.

To further improve image detail, Canon has intentionally shifted the green CCD (which contains 60 percent of the picture detail) half a pixel horizontally and vertically. This shift allows more accurate interpolation, resulting in an image that Canon claims rivals those from cameras with 410,000-pixel CCDs. Each pixel is 72 square microns, which is about 1.5 times the size as those in competing camcorders. This increased size increases light sensitivity, allowing you to shoot in low-light situations. All this results in outstanding detail, with highly accurate color reproduction suitable for the demands of high-end video production. The GL2 also incorporates a 20x Professional L-Series fluorite optical zoom lens, which is equivalent to 39.5-790mm, as well as a 100x digital zoom.

Audio
The GL2's omni-directional microphone is designed to deliver realistic stereo sound. Using the GL2's advanced accessory shoe expands your audio options. Audio can be recorded in 16-bit mode on two channels on one track. Alternatively, audio can be record in 12-bit mode, where the audio track is divided into two, and two channels of audio are recorded onto one track, with the other left over for audio dubbing.

Optical Image Stabilizer
Canon's superb optical stabilization system corrects camera shake instantly so even hand held shots, at full telephoto, and shots taken from a moving car, are smooth and steady. And since it is optical, there is no loss of image quality inevitable with electronic image stabilizers. It perfectly complements the high picture quality of the DV format.

Digital Stills
You can turn your GL2 into a still camera by switching to 1.7-megapixel photo mode and capturing high-resolution still images onto the camcorder's MultiMedia/Secure Digital card. (One 8 MB Secure Digital card is included with the GL2.) The full-frame images are free from time-lag blur. A six-blade circular iris, as found on Canon's top-of-the-line XL1 and XL1S models, is used for professional exposure control, helping to deliver stunning video and still photos.

Inputs and Outputs
The GL2 comes with the standard DV IEEE 1394 port (also known as FireWire) for a super-fast, lossless connection to a PC or other DV machines. You can also connect to your PC via a USB connection to download still photos. The GL2 is designed to handle two types of analog input and output: using audio/video cables (composite) or S-video. Both connections are on the camera back.

More Features

Three shooting modes: normal movie mode, digital photo mode, and the cinema-like frame movie mode.
The Custom Key function lets you create and save your own custom settings so your common shooting modes can be readily duplicated.
Digital effects are offered for a greater imaging variety, including fader, sepia, strobe motion, and black and white.
With the Interval Timer function, you can record for a selected time with a selected interval--convenient for nature observations such as flowers or sunsets.

MiniDV Format
The Canon GL2 digital video camcorder uses the standard MiniDV cassette, producing the highest quality video possible from nonbroadcast equipment. The MiniDV format standard delivers more than 500 lines of horizontal resolution. And, because it records both video and audio as digital data, this information can be transferred--without any loss of picture or audio quality--to a computer for editing, then transferred back to DV tape, without a reduction in either picture or audio quality.

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Canon XL2 3CCD MiniDV Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom

Product Description

The Canon XL2 allows you to capture images closer to the finished product than ever before. Work that previously was limited to post-production can be simply and effectively accomplished in the field, in the camcorder.An Open Architecture philosophy, performance found only in much more expensive video cameras, Total Image Control and the solid foundation of Genuine Canon Optics, interchangeable lens capability and superb Canon image processing quality are united in the XL2.

The XL2 brings a host of performance and convenience features to this class of video camcorder- benefits that can't be found in this combination on other high-end video cameras. They include: Canon Super Range Optical Image Stabilization in the standard lens; dual aspect ratios; various frame rate capabilities; image gamma and detail controls; skin detail control and convertible LCD display and among others.

Unprecedented image control coordination between two XL2 cameras, remote computer camera control and direct video recording to computer are just a part of the capabilities of the XL2. Never before has so much creative power been put in the hands of the film maker, video artist, and corporate and event videographer.

Fluorite 'L' series lens
Canon is known worldwide for its optics -- its broadcast and photo lenses, for example. The new 20x Professional L-Series Fluorite optical zoom lens for the XL2 is an outstanding lens, using fluorite to deliver outstanding resolution, contrast and color reproduction. In addition, the lens features Canon's superb optical stabilization system. This corrects camera shake instantly and, with its SuperRange feedback system, even catches low-frequency vibrations, refining the movement of the vari-angle prism, delivering the most advanced optical image stabilization available today.

Canon has satisfied the demands of experienced image makers for years through the power, design and quality of 35mm and broadcast TV lenses. Canon's Professional L-Series lenses utilize fluorite, a material that provides outstanding resolution, contrast, and color reproduction - especially in lightweight, high-magnification lenses. Incorporated into the XL2's 20x lens, fluorite delivers the ultimate in clarity and image quality. The fluorite element inside the lens defeats color aberration (an effect that causes a reduction in sharpness, contrast and color). The fluorite lens precisely controls components of light providing an excellent balance of these three critical ingredients of picture quality. This is unobtainable with conventional optical glass.

20x Optical zoom
Canon's 20x Professional L-Series Fluorite lens for the XL2 is the equivalent, in 35mm format, of a 42.3 - 846mm lens when the camera is recording in 16:9 widescreen format. When the 20x Professional L-Series Fluorite lens for the XL2 is recording video in the TV-standard 4:3 aspect ratio, it is the equivalent, in 35mm format, of a 51.8 - 1036mm lens.

Super Range Optical Image Stabilization (VAP type)
Canon's superb optical stabilization system corrects camera shake instantly so even hand held shots, at full telephoto, and shots taken from a moving car, are smooth and steady. And since it is optical, there is no loss of image quality inevitable with electronic image stabilizers. It perfectly complements the high picture quality of the DV format.

Previously, optical image stabilizers have used a gyro sensor to detect camcorder vibration (the data from which controls a vari-angle prism that continuously corrects the path of the incoming light). SuperRange goes one step further by examining the image after it is received by the CCD, and detecting any low-frequency vibrations missed by the gyro. This data is fed back to accelerate and refine the movement of the vari-angle prism. This greatly improves performance for low frequency vibration, resulting in the most advanced optical image stabilization available today.

f/1.6 - f/3.5
Canon's 20x Professional L-Series Fluorite lens features a fast aperture of f/1.6, variable to f/3.5 at full telephoto. This maximum aperture of f/1.6 aids in capturing quality video in low light conditions.

72mm filter thread
With a standard 72mm filter thread, the 20x Professional L-Series Fluorite lens offers the availability of a wide variety of filters from Canon and other suppliers.

You can customize the XL2 to fit your specific application and preferences through a full range of accessories. They include optional lenses, viewfinders, mounts and microphone adapters.

6 blade iris diaphragm
A six-blade circular iris is used in the XL2 for professional exposure control. This helps to deliver stunning video and still photos.

2 independent ND filters
The 20x Professional L-Series Fluorite optical zoom lens includes two neutral density filters to help control light -- for example under bright, sunlit conditions, or when less depth of field is desired. The two built-in filters, 1/6 ND and 1/32 ND, can be used independently.

Electronic focus and zoom ring
The focus ring and the zoom ring are independent controls on the 20x lens. They are servo controlled and the speed can be changed by the speed of the rotation of the ring. There is also a zoom control on the handgrip and one on the top handle.

Zoom preset position
This function allows memorization of a zoom point, so that the lens can return to that framing by a push of the button. The speed of the zoom can easily be controlled.

Focus preset position
This function allows memorization of a focus point, so that the lens can return to that focus by a push of the button. A 'pull focus' can easily be accomplished. The speed of the focus can easily be controlled.

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