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Canon's flagship VIXIA HF S21 Dual Flash Memory Camcorder, with a 64GB internal flash drive and two SD memory card slots, offers Canon's most sophisticated feature set to date - blurring the line between consumer and professional.
Canon's superlative proprietary imaging technologies help deliver video and 8.0 megapixel photos with incredible detail and lifelike color.
Touch & Track allows you to achieve sharp focus and precise exposure for any subject, simply by touching the generous 3.5" High Resolution (922,000 dot) Touch Panel LCD.
Native 24p Mode perfectly matches the frame rate of film. And 5.1-Channel Surround Sound ensures your audio complements the stunning realism of your video.
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 A True Prosumer Camcorder |
| Review Date: April 12, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Just Anonymous, Georgia, USA |
My wife and her friend recently went to a school parade for our children. My wife's friend had a video camera without a viewfinder and it was a bright sunny day. After all was said and done, when we went to look at the video that evening, we found out that half of the footage was missing -- she couldn't tell that the camera wasn't recording - because the light was too bright for the LCD and there was no viewfinder.
That incident sealed the deal for me. I didn't want to miss a video of my 3.5 year old because I didn't have a viewfinder. This Canon camcorder is the only one in their consumer line that has a viewfinder and that's important. The HF S200 or and HF S20 don't have viewfinders.
That said, this is the flagship Canon camcorder and comes with a 3.5" LCD touchscreen which is a very nice improvement from last year's model the HF S11 which has a 2.7" screen.
The other big improvement with this line is the 8Megapixel camera feature. Also, you get 6Megapixel pictures that you can capture straight from video -- this is huge.
I've tried the IS feature and it's good, as good as last year's and the Powered IS features is very handy for when you're at max magnification --- it really helps.
Least but not last is the 64MB internal memory, you get about 4 hours of super high quality HD recording or about 24hrs of low quality recording. You also get two SDHC slots that you can put two memory cards in there...and the camera switches from internal memory to the memory cards instantly so you don't lose any recordings. That's useful.
For those of you considering tape or CD camcorders, I highly recommend FLASH drive camcorders like this one. You get instant access to any part of your recoring and makes it real easy to transfer this to your computer. Flash memory is also very shock resistant to you don't have to worry as much about bumping.
Oh, this camera has the HD lens which is the same lens as on their higher end camcorders. If you're a student of film, this might very well be a good learning camcorder.
About the only the only thing I don't like about this is the lack of a good sized battery ... the batterly lasts about an hour. This is not very good. You should upgrade to the Canon BP-819 Lithium Ion Battery Pack for HF10, HF100 HF S & HF M Camcorders battery.
The other drawback is that it doesn't come with an HDMI cable nor with a carry pouch. Oh well.
I'm very sold on this camera. This is by no means a comprehensive review. There are several websites out there that put this camera through it's paces in a very comprehensive fashion. Just type Canon HF S21 review and several will pop up.
If you're looking to compare -- try the Panasonic HDC-TM300 Twin Media HD Camcorder (Black) which is a fantastic camera and winner of many 2009 awards or you can save a few bucks and get Canon VIXIA HF S11 HD Dual Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom which is Canon's last year's flagship camcorder. If you're a sony lover try the Sony Handycam HDR-CX500V 32 GB Flash High-Definition Camcorder (Black) which is also very nice.
I'm a Canon loyalist so my choice was the HF S21.
This is just my short take on this wonderful camera and I hope it's useful to you. |
Canon HF S21
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| Review Date: July 15, 2010 |
| Reviewer: James E. Hardin, |
I was after a High Quality Hi Def camcorder with a Viewfinder! I have had enough of the silly LCD screens with their "Hold & Hope" feature.
The Canon HF S21 meets or exceeds anything I was looking for!!!
The LCD touch screen is actually usable in all but the most extreme lighting conditions.
The image stabilizing is the best I have ever seen and I have not even tried the extra Powered IS stabilizer button yet!
Image quality is superb! One thing I was hoping for was a 'One Camera' for both movies & stills product... This one will do it for me!
Only downside... OEM Battery (BP 808) lasted me about 55 minutes in real world - easy enough to fix.
Bulky - it is about 2 3/4" square and does not comfortably fit my hand or anyone else who picked it up.
Zoom switch is 'pretty good' sure miss those BIG rocker switches they used to have.
Overall, I am excited every time I pick it up!
Must mention, my purchase was Used (can't tell it) and through HD Camcorders & More. They were top notch and I would seek them out for future purchases - like an extra battery.
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Vixia Fixation
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| Review Date: May 3, 2010 |
| Reviewer: L. Yoshinaga, Honolulu, HI |
I purchased the Japan version iVIS Vixia which is exactly the same as all the other Vixia versions made in various other countries including the USA. Just different language options and playback formats NTSC or PAL. One version is not inferior to other versions or superior in manufacturing or quality than other versions. Saved $$ buying direct from Japan. I just changed menu settings to English and playback format is same in Japan as in USA, NTSC.
Going from a mini-dv camcorder to a flash memory one took a little while to digest. However, the technology, speed, download, and accessibility is exponentially better. A lot more versatility than mini-dv, more reliable than Hard Drive based camcorders, and better format for editing than DVD type units. I still need to understand the AVCHD MTS format and how to properly edit the video for playback in a Blu-Ray or standard DVD movie. I am presently using Corel Video Studio Pro X3 for importing, editing, and movie making. Trying different formats, H.264, WMV HD, AVCHD, etc. So far, WMV HD have been the most promising. Still some learning to do. Canon makes it easy with AUTO mode for movie and photo taking with great results. Manual mode affords a plethora of individual adjustments for more mature users.
Ergonomics are very good, power, zoom, record start/stop can be operated with one hand while touchscreen LCD interaction must be used with the other hand. I like the viewfinder while taking shots in a very bright environment. Many functions can be set to be accessed directly from the LCD touch screen which makes it very convenient, like mic levels, zoom, etc. I have smaller hands so this helps me a lot. Well made and sturdy, quality feel. It should be for the price, right! Make sure you purchase an additional battery, I recommend the BP-819, which should be the standard battery this camcorder should come with. The BP-827 is the biggest and longest lasting battery, but protrudes out a little too much from the rear. It's more aesthetics than function that would be affected.
Very easy to transfer video to PC via supplied USB cable or transfer video to Memory card and download it that way. No more tapes to rewind or fast forward. Video can also be formatted from HD to SD in the camcorder.
So far, so good. I really like this camcorder. This will probably be my last upgrade since most of my kids will be graduating soon. Will use more for my retirement trips if our Government doesn't put us in more debt and raise our taxes. Otherwise I will just stay home and take movie shots in my local area. Great product at a discounted price. Looked at the Sony and Panasonic equivalent models but settled on the Canon. I have used their products (G6, Powershot SD 780IS, Printer, scanner) over the years and have always been a Canon consumer because of their quality and reliability. I am fixated on this Vixia, you will be too! |
Perfect Family Camcorder
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| Review Date: May 23, 2010 |
| Reviewer: Janis Keeton, South Carolina |
An excellent camcorder at a reasonable price (considering the features) that has true high def picture quality. I would recommend it completely. We tried do get by with a less expensive camcorder that claimed high def, but there is no comparison. This is particularly true for those of us that have husbands that have invested thousands in high def TVs, receivers, Blue rays, etc. Because you can really see and hear the difference of this camcorder over some others in our family and our first attempt at a panasonic "HD". I am not a technically gifted individual, yet I have not had to open the manual once for anything. Also, the hard drive in place is great, but you have the option of using memory cards as well (so you don't have to worry about memory space if your rushing to an event provided you have extra memory cards stored in your camera bag). Also, I have taken video from my car window (when a passenger only) riding down the interstate just to see the picture quality, and it is unbelievable. So I am hoping when my child does start soccer, water skiing, and T-ball, we will be fine without needing an upgrade. Moreover, the feature that does the "image stabilization" (i.e.takes the hand shake out) is no joke! It makes the picture look as if it were taken from a tripod (not so with the panasonic we originally purchased). Also, we have used the camera to shoot video across our lake cove, and the zoom makes it seam that we are 500 feet closer than we actually are. Finally, the face detection feature that focuses is also amazing. Therefore, I (who have never touched a camcorder before 2 months ago when we purchased the panasonic) look like a pro already.
So I hope my 10 month old or husband never do anything worthy of America's Funniest Home Videos. But if either do, I'll have a picture quality to be proud of :) |
Canon VIXIA HF S21 Dual Flash Memory Camcorder - 2010 MODEL
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| Review Date: July 25, 2010 |
| Reviewer: BRIAN P TAYLOR, Tampa, Fl United States |
Best consumer camcorder I've worked with...
Picture and sound are truly amazingCanon VIXIA HF S21 Dual Flash Memory Camcorder - 2010 MODEL |
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