Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom Get it now!

manual states "Recordings made with the [PF24], [PF30] frame rate are converted and recorded on the memory as 60i."Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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After using the HF200 for a week i gotta say that canon went to the wrong direction with the HF200, they lowered the camcorder performance in trade for smaller size,lighter weight,Lowered costs

They used a new sensor that have less quality than the HF100 Sensor which made the HF200 low Light simply unacceptable unless you play with the settings and record on 1080p30 progressive mode, if you record your videos outdoors or in a room with great lights then it wont effect you

This Camcorder is pretty Much like HF100 (Check my Profile and my LONG HF100 Review for FULL Details that's help you)

Just as a reminder the Camcorder is not bad its Awesome, but if you compare to HF100 it just fall short, why pay more for a downgrade?, if you can get HF100 get them while you can, but if you cant I'd say take a look at Canon Vixia Hg20,if you do not like hard disk based camcorders then get HF200 if you are a normal user it wont disappointment youGet more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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The video quality is superb, as is ease of use. Here are a few hints and things I noticed. The battery out of the box will not power-on the camera and needs some minutes of charge to even show 0%. You can operate the camera from the charger but the battery is not being charged, says the manual.

There are two 1920x1080 picture quality modes: MXP at 24 mbps and FXP at 17 mbps -- and three at 1440x1080: XP+, SP and LP, at 12, 7 and 5 mbs, respectively. I believe it defaults to LP out of the box, which is 1440x1080 at 7 mbps. I suggest you select FXP to get true 1920x1080 resolution. Upping to 24 mbps might be a good idea only if you are going to do a lot of post editing -- I can't see an improvement over FXP. Recording times with a 16GB card are 1:25, 2:05, 2:50, 4:45 and 6:05, respectively.

When the camera is OFF, pressing the DISP button (on the camera body) will show battery capacity in minutes and percent. Pressing DISP when ON turns the LCD to max brightness. IOW, you can set the LCD brightness for normal indoor use with the menu and instantly set it bright for outdoor use. Handy.

The CINE mode seems to digitally soften the image; there may some color change but I didn't notice it from the shots I took in a park. The PF30 and PF24 rates show a jerkiness when panning as you would expect from a lower frame rate. I think these rates are simulated because all recording is done at 60i. For example when I played back PF24 stepping one frame at a time I saw the same image for 3 steps, then the next. (The "3 steps" varies with both PF24 and PF30.) OTOH, PF24 is useful in low light situations as it permits the HF200 slow the shutter speed down to 1/6 sec.

Previous Canon users will find the menu system easy and familiar, similar even to their still cameras. The joystick is "big" and has a positive, definite feedback feel to it. Menu navigation seems easier and clearer than earlier Canons I've used. There is even a Large Font choice. Good!

The Power On button is deep in a groove that makes it unlikely to accidentally turn on. But with your right hand in the nice grip you have to use the left to press it On - my fingers don't reach. No loss, you need the other hand to open the LCD panel anyway. The zoom lever on top is a middle finger control. The adjacent Photo button is for a trained index finger. Record, at the back, is thumb operated. You can also use an LCD panel button to Record.

The Quick Start feature means you can close the LCD to save power (runs at 1/3 normal) and be ready to shoot in about 1 sec after opening it. Note, if you close the LCD panel while recording it will continue to record -- so slamming it shut does not stop the shot.

The still photo features are quite amazing. The resolution is 3 megapixels, but a very good 3mp! You can shoot continuously at 3 or 5 frames/sec. And you can shoot at the same fast frame rates with flash! The flash is actually a high-power white LED, not a xenon tube. There is a separate warm-white LED for video that works OK to 5-6 feet.

There are the usual auto white balance, auto exposure, instant focus features and so on that you can read about above. There's face detection for proper focus. They all work very well. I like the Vivid color setting for most all shooting - video and photo. It is a slight pump in saturation that helps if you mainly view using your laptop LCD. Instant AutoFocus is aptly named. There is a fairly large IAF sensor next to the lens for this purpose. The 15x zoom, a first for me, is fully useful all the way out. Impressive.

Battery life (BP-809) takes a definite second place to 16GB storage. I just checked and it indicates 100%, 94 minutes. But you can of course buy larger batteries. (I use the smaller BP-808 battery from my FS100 SD video cam as a backup.) With the Quick Start feature (can be turned off) power is used between shots and this will generally use more juice that actual recording. Figure 3 to 5 times battery vs video: one hour of video needs 3+ hours of battery cap. Unless you buy a charger you must charge in the camera. Only one sample so far, but it seemed to take a little more than an hour to charge from 0%.

The supplied Pixela software is minimal. You can combine up to 99 shots into an M3TS file. It can be played on video players like Popcorn Hour and the WD HD TV player. (I have both and strongly recommend the $99 WD over the $230 PCH. The PCH can connect to Internet servers, its main claim to fame.) These players can also play the MTS format directly copied from the SD card but there is a 1-2 sec delay between each shot. Pixela lets you pick and chose shots, trim a given shot, and add titles and audio. I don't know how to get past the 99 shot limit with Pixela -- I made about 170 shots in the park yesterday.

All in all, I luves it.
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Great piece of equipment! Many options! Easy to operate with super results! I already filmed a wedding and the video and sound was great! I also used the camera function for quite a few shots! The 3.3 MP is great unless you want to enlarge to poster size prints(not too many times is there a need) This camcorder is also very portable, and durable! My only knock is that I wish it had a viewfinder for bright sunlit outdoor shots, although the LCD so far seems to be sufficient. Again, I am VERY pleased with this camcorder and I did my homework by looking at SEVERAL others...some less expensive and many were more expensive. In conclusion I don't think there is a better all around camcorder in the under $1200.00 price range!Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Just spent a day shooting with my HF200. For reference, I have been using a Sony TRV 17 for about 7 years. (BTW, great camcorder, still works perfectly well).
Pros: Great video - don't expect Discovery channel quality, but outdoor shots are wonderful. The small size also makes it a lot easier to lug around. Photos are pretty good (but not great).

Cons: This is may just be me, but the larger & heavier Sony felt a lot more comfortable to hold and shoot with. The ergonomics of this camera seem to have been (a bit) sacrificed for the more compact form factor.
Second issue - The ultra sensitive microphone picks up a lot of wind noise. So a great outdoor shoot on sunny, breezy day was somewhat marred by a very 'hissy' audio. However, I guess you cannot have it both ways - great microphone pickup, and no wind noise.

Summary - Generally satisfied with the purchase, but expected a wee bit more!

May 13, 2009: using an HDMI cable, the image quality of videos shot in bright sunlight are indeed close to what you see on a local HD news channel - awesome. However, the supplied video editing software sucks!Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I don't know how much time I want to devote to something that Canon apperently didn't spend much time in thinking through. If you'd like the Cliff notes, here they are:

Canon Exec 1:
-Chad, I've got a great idea.

Canon Exec 2:
-Really Chester? What's that?

Canon Exec 1:
-Let's take our winning formula of blowing the market away cameras that are years ahead of our competitors, make them worse, and charge more!

Canon Exec 2:
-I don't follow.

Canon Exec 1:
-You see the economy's bad, people are looking for ways to save money. They want the newest and best, but they don't want to spend a lot of money. So we'll downgrade last years model.

Canon Exec 2:
-And charge more...

Canon Exec 1:
-...

Canon Exec 2:
-...

Canon Exec 1:
-Synergy.

Canon Exec 2:
-Oh, Synergy. Sounds good.

-The End-

Buy the hf100/hf10, or hell, save some money and get the Sanyo VPC-HD2000

Canon... c'mon. And yes, I expect you to use the HF S200 to make up for this and it better have native progressive or you're going to watch Sanyo and Panny take over your house and haz all your cheezburgerz.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Great camcorder, but get a bigger battery such as the BP-827, the default one makes a nice backup.

The software provided sucks, and you have to figure out by yourself which program does what: The main interface can upload videos, but not play or edit them, as it does for photos. It also creates a clutter of Start menu shortcuts in Windows that you don't need since these programs are called by the main program, ZoomBrowser. About the Pixela video editing software provided, well, let's just say that it's better forgotten...

Only 15 music tracks in wave format are provided to use as soundtrack.
There is also a Canon online photo storage offer that you probably don't need if you already have a blog or email provider.

The good thing is that the AVCHD format of this camcorder is supported by Windows Media Player 11 (at least on my Vista Ultimate machine). Not sure if it's native to Windows or if it came with other software I installed. The MTS file extension was not supported, though, you need to add it: Open a MTS file from Windows Explorer, choose "Select an installed program", select Windows Media Player and the checkbox to remember it.

Transferring the videos using the software provided is very cumbersome (cantbearsome really): You need both the USB and power cables, and clicking your way through a few screens on the camcorder before the transfer can start. I could start the photo transfer from either the camcorder or the computer, but only from the computer for videos.

My suggestion: Don't install any of the software, it's easier to just copy the files from a card reader to your hard disk using Windows Explorer. You can get a multi 23-in-1 card reader for about $20, finally get rid of this useless floppy drive, and add a front USB port to your PC!

The camcorder in this offer does not ship with any card, you need to buy one separately. 16GB is good enough for medium quality. If you need higher quality or continuous shooting, you should probably get two cards, like a 32GB card for long capacity and a smaller one as a backup while uploading the videos from the first card. Transcend SDHC Class 6 cards are from a good brand at decent prices.

One more thing: This camcorder is VERY small and light, and its true HD resolution means that it is hard to shoot without making jumpy videos, you need to hold it with 2 hands or more. The built-in stabilizer can only help so far, and will not save you from the butterfly effect: A wing beat on the other side of the planet WILL shake your video. On the other hand, nobody can see the difference if you shot your video drunk or sober, so enjoy the beer. I found a tripod helpful (when shooting from a static location is OK), any should do because the camcorder is so light.

If you need a bag, the Lowepro Edit 110 is just the right size and fits the camcorder with the largest battery, an extra battery, the power adapter, the remote and as many SDHC cards as you need. The camcorder manual also fits in, but it's a pity it's so thick, as it includes 3 languages (English, French, Spanish). There are 23 languages on the camcorder's menus. Cables won't fit. BTW, the camcorder ships without a HDMI cable, you need to get your own if you have a AVCHD-compatible TV and you want to playback on TV directly from the camcorder. Not necessary if your TV has a card reader or is connected to your computer.

Lastly, check your computer rig, you may need an extra large disk (1-2 TB) to store these videos, and more than one if you need to keep the original AVCHD videos for post-production: DVD backups just won't do for this kind of files. If you don't need to keep the AVCHD files, burning DVDs is the best way to archive your movies. Just remember that even in HD, DVDs are highly compressed (meaning losing a lot of the quality of your original AVCHD files.) $13 will get you a very basic USB IDE/SATA external adapter, a cheap way to use obsolete hard disks to archive your videos.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I'm not a pro-videographer, however, i know my way around a video camera. I own a Canon 40D digital SLR camera, so i expected to buy similiar video quality from this "HD" video camera.

Talk about MAJOR disappointment.

We have a 3 month old that we wanted to capture, and started taking videos inside with all the lights on and windows open. We played them back on my 1080p plasma TV. I had better results with my MiniDV HD JVC camera that was like a couple years old. I Love the memory stick idea, but the camera stinks!

The images were grainy, and blotchy on the 50" TV. This alone should be the reason why you don't buy this camera.

Doesn't shoot in 1080P.

The lens doesn't have a low enough aperture! So the images are dark indoors.

The white balance on the camera just isn't up to Canon expected quality (makes images look dull), unless you define/set it in custom mode.

Canon didn't include a HDMI cable.

Canon didn't include a battery charger. You have to charge with the Camera or buy a seperate charger.

If you shoot in the highest video quality mode, you can't use Canon's burner to create DVD's.

So i have this $600 camera, that i'm using as a camcorder, a video player, and charging station. That was a great idea! (going to the S100 doesn't fix any of these problems either, but you get better image quality).

To be honest, i don't even feel like listing all my complaints because i'm so disappointed with Canon. This is the worst camera I have ever bought. My uncle just recently bought a $300 Sony and the images were far superior.

Nobody cares for a video camera that can play MP3's, and add stupid effects. Thats why we have computers for. However, the videos from this camera are so bad you won't even want to edit on your computer.

This is a straight step forward to 1985 video quality.

In short, stick to Canon's for digital cameras and Sony's for Digital Video Cameras.

I returned this camera and bought the HFS100, which is approx $300-$400 more and although much better than this camera, it's still not "awesome". I didn't go with the Sony myself ONLY cause i don't want to deal with their proprietary memory system

I just posted pictures, so you can see the difference between the HFS100 and this garbage camera.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I like the weight and size of this camcorder which fits nicely on my palm (I have a small hand), and I don't feel tire anymore even after recording for an hour. I hope Canon provides a better manual especially on the video software.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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The camera has been excellently reviewed by previous reviewers. All I can say is, it is a great camera.
- Very tiny, fits into my palm
- Great ergonomics
- Manual focus, not so easy to work around, but good enough.
- Video quality is great
- I use a Mac and did not need any software, iMovie recognizes the AVCHD and imports it. Converts it to Quicktime and I can easily edit it too.
- Low light, like any other cam corder, not bad! Unless you are expecting something extraordinary!
- Battery life: 1.5 hrs
- I have a 16GB card...SDHC class 4...great to record... gives me just over an hour at 24MBPS. If it was class 6 recording would not be affected , but playing back or uploading to a computer would be.
- 15x optical zoom and 300x digital zoom is awesome...I have seen other cameras where the digital zoom is terrible.
- Sensor size is smaller than HFS100 and HF10/100/11 but I am not sure if that would make a difference. I have read it will in the low light conditions, but I am very happy with this camera...

AMAZON:
Takes too long to ship! TERRIBLE
Yes BH has the same price and they ship the same day/ next day at most
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After reading many of the earlier reviews I took the plunge and purchased the Canon VIXIA HF200 flash memory camcorder. I upgraded from a Canon mini-DV camcorder because I had purchased my first HDTV from Amazon last Christmas. Of course, I needed an HD camcorder with my new HD television!

I use a Sonnet 21-in-1 multimedia reader&writer Express Card/34 and pop the SD card in to transfer the video clips to my MacBook Pro. Using iMovie '09, this works great. iMovie '09 recognizes it without flaw, and with this software I can choose the clips I want to download from the SD card to my laptop. I use iMovie '09 to organize my videos, and I make the initial selections of clips that I want in each project using iMovie '09. Then, I export to Apple's Intermediate Codec and open this export file in iMovie HD. I prefer the timeline in Apple's older version of iMovie. I also purchased Final Cut Express 4, but haven't cracked that product yet, as it's much more complicated than what I'm used to in iMovie. So, for now, I'm bringing video clips in with the latest version of iMovie, then downconverting and editing in iMovie HD; this works great. I'll eventually learn Final Cut Express and move forward in my video editing hobby. I share all of this because I didn't realize until I read in David Pogue's Missing Manual book (iMovie '09 and iDVD) that I could still use iMovie HD with a flash memory video camera and the AVCHD codec. I'm glad to have discovered this.

As others have said, getting AVCHD encoded video clips into a computer takes LONGER than real-time because of the converting that must take place. My mode of operation with a Canon mini-DV camcorder was to fill a 60-minute tape, then transfer it to the laptop when convenient. I would get it started and come back 60 minutes later to 60-minutes of video ready to edit. Now, I come back 90 minutes later instead. Transfer seems to take about 1.5 times the length of the clips, give or take. For me, this is not a problem when I use my usual transfer and edit process.

If you're looking for instantaneous transfer of files in useable form, though, flash memory won't give it to you -- at least with this camera. Others have stated, and I found directions in David Pogue's book stating that it's possible to transfer the files to the computer's hard drive for LATER conversion to useable form for editing. I haven't done this yet, and I would be nervous about deleting the clips from my flash memory card until I had them converted, could see them, and had them backed up on another hard drive. That's when I clear the flash card and re-use it for new video clips. I've had too many lost data situations in the past and I guess I'm a bit overly cautious when I have once-in-a-lifetime video that I don't want to lose. I believe in multiple copies of precious data, video data included. I get around this limitation by having two 16 Gb flash memory cards which, in best mode on this camera, gives me about 1.5 hours of video per card. I have yet to fill one before transferring video.

I also have multiple firewire and/or USB hard drives which I use for backing up video. If I take a long trip I'll just buy a handful of SD chips, along with the two batteries I already own, and shoot away. Each evening it's my practice to download to hard drive anyway, back that up to an external drive, and this seems to work for most situations. It's less expensive to do this with mini-DV tapes (which provide one backup source), but when precious video is involved I don't mind paying for a few extra 16 Gb chips. They're pretty inexpensive on Amazon.com.

I recommend this camera if your habits fit mine, or if you're looking for great-looking video on an HDTV. I have a lot to learn about this camera to get the most out of it, including the editing process. It will serve me for many years to come, as did my Canon mini-DV standard-definition camera.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom
I use the Canon VIXIA and the Kodak Z16. They compliment each other. The new version of IMOVIE 09 has Digital Stabilization and this works astoundingly well for me. I wouldn't waste any money trading up in this bracket of camcorder, if this wets your appetite I would save and spend on a PRO camera from Canon. The HF200 has all the features of a more expensive version that the average person would use and the menu and joystick are good performers. Both the Kodak and the Canon have good picture quality in good light conditions but the Canon has 15X optical zoom and a much better still camera. The Kodak is great for quick pictures and edits well with the Canon. IF YOU HAVE A MAC AND ILIFE 09 these are two good choices. Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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This camera has a lot going for it. It's really small and easily fits in a jacket pocket. It has an incredible number of controls and adjustments if you're the type that wants to tinker with the settings. While it has shutter priority and aperture priority modes, unfortunately there's no full manual mode. This isn't so bad for an inexpensive consumer camcorder. I was worried for a minute that this camera didn't have any form of manual focus. It is there in the menus, but it would be much better if it had a dedicated dial.

For the folks looking for info on the different frame rate modes and not finding much information, I have good news. I was able to get true 24 frame footage from this camera. It's confusing as the specs say 24 frames recorded at 60i. The footage I recorded in 24p mode imported into iMovie at 29.97. But I was able to take that footage into After Effects and when I told it to guess the 3:2 pulldown pattern, it successfully interpreted the footage at 23.976 fps (essentially 24) and there were no interlace issues, just 24 whole frames a second. I'm assuming other software can handle this conversion too, maybe even iMovie?

The image quality is really fantastic, especially for footage shot outdoors. I would be thrilled with this camera if it weren't for one issue. Areas with fine detail (like trees and greenery) tend to strobe or pulse, especially in a wide shot. It usually looks fine when I zoom in closer. It can be very distracting. It shows up on all 3 frame rate modes. It seems a little less pronounced with the low sharpening mode turned on, but of course this makes the image clarity softer. In some shots it's not apparent at all, but in others it practically ruins the shot for my taste. (I'm very picky!) It's not too bad when the camcorder is on a tripod, but handheld shots tend to have this strobing problem. Is anyone else noticing this issue and have you found a solution? I might just be expecting too much.

Also, people like to complain about the low light ability of this camera, but I find it perfectly acceptable. Yeah, it's not amazing, but for the price of this camera, I think it's pretty good.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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This HD camcorder is sweettttt, when i first saw the video quality i was speechless, then i was couldn't stop talking, i mean the quality is amazing. transfering files to the PC is quick and easy especially if you have a card reader. the video format used is MTS, didn't give me any problem when inporting it into after effects, but you may still need a video convertor, i found a freeware known as SUPER to convert my files as needed.
the camcorder is small and at first, it may feel a little strange, but in less than 5 minutes you'll get used to it. compared to my last camcorder, which wasn't hd, the HF200 sound playback quality is great, even without the use of a mic, but i haven't tested it in any extreme situation, such as a windy day or so.
battery life is about 1 hour 30 minutes, on highest quality setting, the video is alright at nights... well compared to my previous camcorder which was the JVC Everio GZ-MG330 30 GB Hard Disk Drive Camcorder with 35x Optical Zoom (Blue).
all in all i'm very satisfied with this camcorder and i would buy it again if i was given the choice.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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This camcorder purchase is my second one in about a month. The first try was a Sony HDR-UX20, which is also a HD camcorder, priced at $599.

I tried the Sony for a couple days, but was very unhappy with the performance in regular day-time living room light, i.e. noise levels. I sent it back and researched a ton on camcorderinfo and cnet to find a decent mid-grade camcorder for around that price range.

I hesistated on this camera at first because of the reviews...but I really have to say I was totally impressed with the quality of low-light performance, and it's of course great in better lit areas as well.

The "cinema" mode makes the video look great, and it adjusts shutter speed automatically to enhance low light performance. The 60i fps is good enough, but if you have a slow moving (or still) subject, you can adjust that to the 24-fps mode. In very low light, which is how I would described the living room last night, the lower shutter speed on 24-fps caused too much trailing.

Last night, I got the package, it was after 9 before I began shooting, so the living room was dark, turned on one fluorescent light, and the video light, played around with the settings and I was shooting decent video in no time. It even had a compensatory mode for shooting under fluorescent lighting. The amount of noise on the footage was about the same or better than the Sony during the middle of the day! So if you're at all hesitating because of low-light, I think this camera does a better job than others in the mid-grade price range. I also like the joystick controls, and user interface/menu system, better than Sony's. It's easier to move around the screen with the LCD size being so small, and it's intuitive.

The video quality, image stabilization, added features and amount of manual controls are wonderful for this price range. I would have a hard time justifying spending another $400 for the the HFS100, I just don't know if could be that much better. Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I've had this camera for 2 weeks now, and have successfully taken sports action, indoors and outdoors videos. Happy with no purchase regrets.

Pros
-The HD picture is outstanding. Pleased with picture quality and sound.
-It is very light. 1 lb., and easy to hold and carry
-Time to power on to shooting video is real fast with flash drive. No tapes or power up needed.
-Advanced features: 3 seconds advance video, face recognition focus

Cons
-Software - as others have noted, rather complex and takes many attempts to future out. Manual provided rather weak.
-Camera controls - numerous menus to get used to - challenging yet offers the flexibility (practice and practice)
-You are provided with component cables, yet lacking the HDMI HTC-100 cable. Suggest to buy from Amazon at same time. $40
I-mage Stabilization does not help much. You will be carrying a tri-pod!

Bottom line: If you are a bit more experienced / technical, then you will enjoy this model. Else, it's a bit rich in functionality and you should consider an simple model.
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For the price, this is a really great camcorder. Canon makes the Canon VIXIA HFS100 and Canon VIXIA HFS10 which are higher end than this camera, but cost a lot more. I thought about getting those higher end cameras, but I ultimately decided on the HF200 because it's smaller and easier to carry. The camcorder is very comfortable to hold, fits easily in a coat pocket and the controls are easy to use. The HFS100 and HFS10 are both a lot bigger than the HF200. The Canon VIXIA HF20 HD Dual Flash Memory with 32 GB Internal Memory and 15x Optical Zoom is almost the same camcorder that just has 32GB of internal memory, which seems like a waste of money because 32GB of SDHC is much cheaper than the price difference between the HF20 and HF200. I also looked at the Sony HDR-CX12 High Definition Memory Stick PRO Duo Handycam Camcorder With 12x Optical Zoom but didn't like that it only used Sony's proprietary memory cards, and it was a lot more expensive.

I think the quality from the HF200 is nearly as good as the higher end models, just make sure that you set the video quality on the HF200 to MXP (24 mbps) because the default setting is not that impressive. That setting does use up a lot more memory, but I bought this camcorder because of the quality and don't want to use the lower levels. I bought a second SDHC card, but quickly found out that I needed more storage. I bought a MoFoto 500GB Portable Photo & Video Storage to download all my video, and think it's awesome. It works well with this camcorder and gives me nearly unlimited recording capacity.

The other accessory which is a must have, is at least one additional battery Canon BP-827 Lithium Ion Battery Pack for Vixia HG 20/21, HF11/10 & 100 Camcorders. If you're adventurous then you could go for an off brand battery like the Canon BP-827 3000mAh Li-Ion Battery by Pexell to save some cash.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom

This is a nice, feature-rich, future-resistant camera for the price. There are a vast array of features on the camera, some of which I will likely never use, and many of which I will not use for months or years - until my familiarity and understanding of the camera catches up or I have an explicit need.
I have one minor whine and one substantial complaint. My whine is that the camera must be placed into playback mode when attached to a computer in order to be recognized. My complaint is with the software bundled with the camera. For such an excellent camera, the bundled software is among the poorest video management applications I've ever encountered. A note on burning DVDs that may save you considerable time if you're attempting to do so from the included software: it does not even recognize a DVD+R, and you -MUST- use DVD-R discs (which I'm not sure about the functionality of, I ended up using a different program). I ended up using "Free AVCHD Converter" from www.koyotesoft.com to convert from high definition to burn to DVD. PLEASE NOTE: this would probably not have been mandatory had I recorded using one of the settings that matches DVD requirements. However, I wanted the high definition recording available when I move to a Blue Ray or hi-def TV. For the time being, I'm resampling to a lower bitrate.

I will try to provide updates to this information as I become more familiar with the camera.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom Review

I'm a filmmaker and I like to have a small camera to take anywhere with me. I used to own Canon ZR80 and loved it so I decided to buy Canon again. This camera is perfect. It shoots quality HD video, you don't need tapes. If you're looking for a camera that's easy to carry this is the one. It's so small, there are not a lot of bulky accessories, and it can fit into a carry on bag on a plane. It's a great camera with a lot of great features. As a filmmaker and just for fun I'm going to get a lot of use of out this camera. Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Nice and compact, shoots great video with adequate light. Has a mini built in light to shoot closeups in the dark. I wish it has some sort of a night-vision mode to shoot in complete darkness. I guess that would cost too much. To edit the hd video, you need a faster computer. Read the system requirements for whatever software you are using. I think the Imagewriter program they provided requires a 2.6 ghz processor or better.

If you get a camcorder case, I would go with a bigger case than the lowepro edit 110, if you want to fit all the wires in there. It's a nice case but have to cram to get all the wires in there.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Garbage, garbage, garbage!!!!! Don't buy it, I own it and I regrit buying it. First off, it's a ripp off, the visual quality sucks, audio is terrible, it's too tiny, and the uploading to your computer is just a hasle. Product sucks, don't buy it. Oh, and when you upload everything on your computer, it's a MTS file, no editing program can read that, except a couple.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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This is such a great camcorder and i love it! I have seen some bad reviews about this camera and i just don't know why! This Canon HF 200 is so easy to use, yes when light is low it does not have the same quality of HD as it does during sunlight, but i have made videos at night time and i am impressed with the quality! During alot of lighting or on a very sunny day this camcorder puts out its HD at its best and the video quality and colors are fantastic! Alot of people say that they have problems hooking this camcorder to XP and VISTA, i have both versions and i have no problem at all. Yes the software that does come with this camcorder just is not worth a darn to use at all. The software that comes with this is called "PIXELA", i ONLY use this software just to download into my computer..THAT'S IT! When it comes to editing video what i use is Corel Videostudio Pro X2 which works on XP and Vista and works so well that i can't believe the videos i am putting out! As for memory cards i use SANDISK 4GD memory cards, which on MXP i can get up to 20 minutes of HD recordings. When you buy a 16GB card you can get up to an hour of HD recordings. The battery life is great on this camcorder too as it will last up to 2 hours, i just bought me a spare but i use this as my primary battery and it lats to 3 hours and 15 minutes.

For all those people who gave bad reviews about this camcorder and complain how they have problems with hooking up to Vista, i advise all of you to know what your computer can handle and you have enough disk space and ram memory space too, if this camcorder does not work on your computer..DON'T BLAME THE CAMCORDER and be sure you have enough memory! I have learned to not take what these people say for bad reviews because most of them are not computer literate and don't know anything about computers! Learn about your computer first before you put any bad reviews about this camcorder! This is the best HD camcorder to buy for the money and i just love this. Also the mic detects great sound and you can hear what this great camcorder can get into the mic! I have made lots of videos with this Canon Vixea HF 200 camcorder and i got nothing but great reviews from everyone !Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Video imports fine into iMovie 09. I copy the files from SDHC Card to
hard disk and them import from there. Requires lots of disk space when
imported but 1TB hard drives cost ~$75 now and 1.5TB drives will be under $100 by the end of the year. I can make AVCHD structured DVD disks
that keep the High Def content and play on BluRay players using free
software - TSMuxerGUI. Latest VLC player can play *.MTS files nicely
on Macs too.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Hands down, very happy with the purchase. I came from an older canon mini-DV unit that performed great over a 10 year period. I didn't read the directions...charged the battery, stuck in the memory card and made some great videos. Coming from mini-DV unit, the quality is simply stunning. I now have a wide angle lens attached and I am now able to capture all the action in a normal size room without having to stand in the doorway. Anti-shake simply works wonders. No reason to look elsewhere, unless you are in the business or need the top-of-the-line unit, this is a solid performer.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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After 2 months of research this was what I bought. I was looking for a camera to video wildlife and sports mostly. I didnt want to drop a grand and also wanted HD. NO tapes or disks, had to be an SD Card. Technology changes to fast I will probably buy again in 4 years. For the price range this was the best I could find. Just like everyone says the low light is not great (the reason for 4 stars). That wasnt a concern to me b/c with my last camera I only shot 10% in low light. Spending an extra $400 didnt make much sense for me. Easy to use and operate, looked great on Panasonic 42 inch plasma on playback, awesome zoom, fits great on my leupold spotting scope (should be able to see a mnt goat at 600 yards pretty clear). I havent done any editing yet or put burned a Blue Ray. If you graduated high school you should be able to read the manual and other websites on setups. I bought mine from B&H because I wanted to :) , but leaving a review here because this was one of the places I did research. Yes you have to hold the camera steady, this is HD, that means is shows everything. So if you have an ugly fat friend this aint gonna hide it. Try SD if you want to impress on match.com. First thing I did with the download disks that came with the camera was toss them in the trash. Everyone said they sucked. This review is on the camera. Ya the battery wont run 12 hours straight, No there is no HDMI cord, no SD card (I bought 2 Transend 16's, hdmi cable, extra battery, partridge in a pear tree). When all is said and done for the price I dont think it can be beat.If you think it can leave a comment and keep the price within a benjamin, no disc, or tape cameras either. For the people that complained about the camera being to small, your stupid. Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I used the HF200 on a recent trip out of the country and loved the quality, both the build quality as well as the video I recorded. The camcorder feels very sturdy in hand, and is just perfect size to fit in the palm of my hand when in use, and in my pants pocket when idle (large pocket pants though). The battery life wasn't the greatest, however it charges extremely fast and lasted about 80-90 minutes. The thing to keep in mind is that you will record a short clip, couple of minutes maybe?, and turn it off. Since the camera boots in no time this saved me a lot of battery life.

I did have some trouble holding the camera steady while zooming. While the zoom on this camcorder is amazing and reaches really really far, holding the camera steady while doing so was really difficult and the image stabilization was not exactly helping me either.

I also don't know how my 20gis of video on the SD card became 100gigs on my computer after importing it to iMovie; this by the way took about 2 hours over a USB cable while I was hoping to just copy the SD card over and be done with. iMovie didn't recognize just a copied file so importing from the camcorder was the only way to go.

The video looks just awesome on my 40" Sony Bravia LCD. With the quality, size, and the dropping price of this thing, I really don't see how you can go wrong with the HF200. Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Canon HF200 is what I bought for Vegas trip as a primary documenting device replacing my bulky Nikon D300.
I was also considering Samsung HMX-H104 HD SSD Flash Memory Camcorder w/16GB memory &10x Optical Zoom.
Samsung puts more functional features in HMX-H104, such as time lapse recording, slow motion capture..etc However, proven image quality of the previous model, HF100 was the main reason why I decided to go for Canon HF200.

My impression about the image quality is similar to what others say: After setting the image quality to MXP, the video out of this tiny camcorder is really stunning on my 1080p HDTV. The indoor image is just acceptable. I would suggest using built-in video light for a really dark place.

I find video editing challenging. However it is not unique to HF200 but common for all AVCHD camcorders. I guess AVCHD cams are ahead of their time because I need more powerful computer and still pricey Blueray recorder to nicely complement this AVCHD cam. Having this said, I think Canon HF200 is a forward looking investment, that can survive and serve better for years to come thanks to its fine image quality.

To sum up:
[Things I found personally appealing]
* impressive image quality (24Mbps)
* tiny size & build quality (a lot easier to carry around than my usual camera outfit)
* effective optical image stabilizer
* Mic jack and Mini Advanced Shoe (my outfit can grow flexible with more optional accessories if I wish to)

[Things I want to be improved]
* more wide-angle (40mm-equivalent in 35mm film photography at the lowest zoom setting. I bought Kenko SGW-05 Wide Angle Conversion Lens)
* more features such as time lapse & slow motion capture
* better low light image quality (maybe due to small sensor size)
* accompanying software (less than adequate; a complete mismatch to the camcorder itself) Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I Believe this camera is great. It's just above your average models. I've used for a week now filming basic family stuff, kids sports and it works great. It shows great video through a the HDMI cable on my HD TV as well (cable does not come with camera).

The problem I have now is trying to get my computer to read the files. My memory is full and need put on DVD now. After doing some research I found out that camera requires new software and for whatever reason Canon does not provide the proper software to do this with the camera. The files that you will be dealing with, will be CPI or MTS files. I'm not very savvy about this stuff, but I understand now that I have to buy a new program that will read these files and because they are fairly new files, there isn't that many programs out there yet. The programs range from $75 and up, so now you can add this to your cost. After my research every new HD camcorder brand is pretty much having similiar problems.

http://www.internetvideomag.com/Articles_2008/022408_HD_Video_Editing.htm
I just stumbled across this. I hope you have a new, big, powerful computer to operate this camcorder as well, if not, your looking at another $1000 for a computer to handle this thing. This camcorder is ahead of it's time right now. Pc's and software are trying to keep up with them.

To look for software, google video editing software, to get a good idea what you're up against.

Like I said, so far the camcorder itself works great. I see a bunch of people complaining about the low light filming being grainy, but if you have ever owned a camcorder, you will know that they all do that. unless you spend over $2000-$2500 for a one.

I gave this 3 stars only because I'm not happy that Canon didn't provide the proper software in the box in the first place.

If any of you ever had any problems with this or found a better solution, please let me know or leave comments.

Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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The product is all that it is advertised to be. I have not had full opportunity to learn to use all of the options but the features that I really wanted are there. I can ACTUALLY see the screen in bright sunlight. The feature that the camcorder I had purchased and returned previously did not have!Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I love this camera. It is small, which makes it convenient in so many ways. It fits in a first class airline toiletry bag, easily. It take great pictures and video. On a 52'' LCD Sony 1080p w/ HDMI connection it looks just better than Direct TV HD. I will say, this is the first HD camcorder I have owned but regardless of that fact this camera couldn't get much better, IMO. Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Great camera with an absolutely horrible Pixella software. With a fresh Windows Vista 32-bit install and installing the Pixela software that comes with Canon, the software refuses to work. Searching the Internet for IMXBROWSER CRASH reveals that plenty of other persons are having the same problem.

Canon should dump this looser to a company as it tarnishes an otherwise wonderful product.

I would recommend this camera if you are willing to purchase another $100 worth of a software, or if you have an Apple computer.

Canon: Dump Pixela like a hot potatoe!Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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i love this camcorder.. it's so easy to use and the price is great for what you're getting.

For the one person who made a 1 star bad review about this camcorder comparing to his Canon digital SLR in terms of quality and expecting the same result, that person is plain old stupid who doesn't know what to expect. This camcorder is a "consumer camcorder" which you compare the quality to a consumer camera. You want to compare the quality of your professional Canon DSLR camera? Get a "professional camcorder"! It should cost you $4k-8k depending on the output you want to produce. So don't take it on this camcorder and post nonsense pics with a "Don't buy HF200" comment on it coz clearly, you're comparing a Lexus to a Ferrari! No wonder you're disappointed. And the Vixia HFS10/100 aint a professional camcorder as well even if it's better on low lighting..

Bottomline, the camcorder is way good for its price and it's worth the money.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I was needing an HD camcorder when our older standard def one broke. I first tried the JVC Everio GZ-HM200 Dual SD High-Def Camcorder (Black) but found the indoor video was horrible. That's what we use it for 90% of the time so indoor is important. The HF200 indoor quality was about 75% better than the HM200, plus you get the bonus of optical stabilization and its slightly heavier so I think its actually a bit easier to hold.

I DO NOT like the hand strap on this Canon. I have small to medium hands and almost can't get it tight enough, but my husbands huge hands are almost too big to fit in the strap at all. The JVC HM200 was far superior in that regard, their design is genius for me. The canon menus offer a lot more adjustment options, but they aren't as intuitive. I had to look through the book several times and the book is just not user friendly. There's no quick start guide, and it's like reading the most boring textbook ever.

Aside from that, the most important thing is image quality and ease of use. I have to give it 5 stars for that. once you learn the menus and how it "thinks" then it's easy. Outdoor video is also excellent, but indoor was really my primary concern. I hope this lasts at least 5 years. The ease of the SDHC cards is really great, especially when you get one of those little Transcend 8 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card with Card Reader TS8GSDHC6-S5Ws for it. [...]

I sent back the JVC and kept the Canon. Return process with Amazon was simple, 7 days from my ship date to refund on my card. If I decide to get an extended warranty on this I'm considering SquareTrade, I've read great things about them.

Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Nice little camera with plenty of features. Unfortunately the image quality pales compared to two other (Canon HV20 and Sony HDR-HC7) HDV cameras I used before. And the image stabilizer is much worse in my opinion than the one in the HV20. I bought this specific camera for the full 1920*1080 at 30p resolution, which has been a disappointment, even though I set it to 24Mbps mode. I do like the solid-state storage. Since the image quality is what counts for me here, I can only give it two stars.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I just came back from family vacation from sunny Mexico, connected camcorder via HDMI cable to my HDTV, and I was stunned. Picture quality from this camcorder was amassing and comparable to if not better then blu ray DVD. Outdoors shoots were comparable to professionally done movies, color were vibrant and rich, but not over saturated. They were natural, and accurate. Sharpness was excellent, and thanks to superfast auto focus you do not vast firs few very important seconds of your video on un usful video footage. Indoor footage was a little bit granny, but considering low light conditions I did not expect better results. You can use built in video light to improve video image for close shoots (which did help), but I plan on purchasing external video light that you can connect via hot shoe connector. You can do a ton of adjustments on this camcorder, and that was important to me since I used to work as a cameraman for TV station. Sound was great, and you can control level of sound recorder during recording (this is one of many professional tools in consumer camcorder in this price range offered only by CANON). Still photos were great quality. Do not let relatively low number of pixels on this camcorder to confuse you. This camcorder is equipped with 3.3 MP chip, good enough to reproduce stunning still pictures as big as 8x10. If you want to make poster size pics, than you would need more mega pixels. This camcorder is so small and lightweight that I fit in in camcorder/camera bag that I carry on my belt. I owned this camcorder for only 7 days and I am vary satisfied with my purchase.
Prior to this one I owned several Sony camcorders (analog and digital), and I was big fan of them, but I have to say: GOODBY SONY, HELLO CANON.
Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I'm a hobby video maker and this camera makes professional results easily within reach. easy to operate and a sensible approach to the menu features makes this a joy to use. the resoultion is amazing and all the features work as advertised. great color and LOTS of options for those who want to adjust shutter speeds, etc. I can easily log and transfer the avchd files into final cut studio for editing...I just plugged it into my macbook pro and the files popped up after about 1-2 minutes. no hassle at all, but the files are big so you will need an external hd if you do much video. Small and easily fits in your hand. the zoom speed feels just right too.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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Most of the video I take are usually indoors. Low light does not mean moonlight setting. I'm taking just normal indoor lighting conditions when there are no outside light coming in.
The camera I got was horrible. Grainy was an understatement. I'm talking big black flakes. I dont know what some of these good reviews are talking about, this product should never been made. I returned for a Sony XR100. That one was not so good in low-lights too. But not horrific like this Canon. The Sony had a lot of digital noise.
On the other side, in out door lighting, the Cannon was excellent. I still feel because of the black flakes (large), this product should never have been made. Extreme unacceptable.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I planned to get an HF100, but it was back ordered. I got this HF200 with the same price.

I love it! I can slice the clips with it (HF100 can't) after shoot. I get x15 zoom(HF100 X12). I get 1920x1080 picture MXP at 24 mbps (HF100 can only do FXP at 17 mbps ). I have used these features, maybe there are more stuff that the older modle can't do.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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I found the Vixia HF200 easy and fun to use. Sometimes when just carrying around in dual or video mode, inadvertant depressing the video button will start recording. Menu's are understandable but take a little studying to learn, but that would be with anything new. They are intuitive to follow. Battery life is the only downfall I see so far so plan to buy an upgrade or a standby.Get more detail about Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom.

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