Canon VIXIA HF R20 Full HD Camcorder with 8GB Internal Flash Memory (Black)
- 8GB internal flash drive and 2 SDXC-compatible memory card slots
- Genuine Canon HD video lens with 28x advanced zoom
- Canon 3.28-megapixel full HD CMOS image sensor
- Canon DIGIC DV III image processor
- Dynamic IS stabilizes a wide range of movements for smooth, steady video
The Canon VIXIA HF R20 Flash Memory Camcorder is a perfect choice for those seeking ease of use, high performance function and good value. The VIXIA HF R20 has an 8GB internal flash drive, together with two SDXC-compatible memory card slots, Canon’s Relay Recording, a 3.0″ Touch Panel LCD and Smart Auto.
List Price: $ 349.99
Price:
Find More Fun Facts About China Products
Tags: Black, Camcorder, Canon, Flash, Full, Internal, Memory, VIXIA
3 responses to Canon VIXIA HF R20 Full HD Camcorder with 8GB Internal Flash Memory (Black)
Stunning 1080p video, but a few flaws,
The Canon Vixia HF R20 is a basic HD (hi definition) flash memory camcorder that is capable of producing very high quality 1080p video in MPEG4-AVC/H.264 format, thanks to its 1/4.85-inch CMOS sensor and DIGIC DVIII processor. The unit is rated at 3.28 Megapixels (2.07 effective).
Canon positions this product as offering the ideal combination of price and performance for the budget-conscious consumer who wants Full HD 1920×1080 video.
The camcorder comes with 8GB of built-in flash memory, and accepts 2 additional SDXC memory cards, each of which can be up to 2 TB. Yes, that is terabytes. Suffice it to say, you can record a LOT of video on this unit if you make use of the expansion slots. The camcorder switches automatically from one storage device to another without interruption. Nice feature. With just the built-in memory, at highest quality, you can record 40 minutes of video. As inexpensive as flash memory is, there’s no reason not to fill both slots with at least 16 GB SD cards in each … 32 if you’re feeling extravagant.
As a budget HD camcorder, the Vixia HF R20 seems a likely upgrade for pocket camcorder users. I shot indoor and outdoor video with this camcorder, and with a pocket camcorder that shoots 1080p video also. I viewed the Canon Vixia video first, and observed the quality, then watched the pocket camcorder video and made comparisons. I’ll share comparisons at the end.
First, here are some Pros and Cons I observed while using the Vixia camcorder.
PROS:
Excellent 20x optical zoom lens produced very sharp video in adequate lighting. This means outdoor daytime, and bright indoor lighting.. There is a 28x “advanced” setting and 400x digital zoom. The advanced zoom is supposed to yield more zoom without compromising image quality. I’ll stick to optical zoom myself, but it’s a nice feature if you’re into zooming.
Auto Exposure worked very well outdoors, exposing bright scenes and shaded ones very well, and smoothly transitioning between the two. Indoors, I was less thrilled, because even during the daytime indoors, the video seemed a wee bit contrasty.
Combined processor/lens/metering produced stunning outdoor video. Perfectly exposed, very sharp, vibrant color without being super saturated … if this is the main way you use your camcorder, you would be completely satisfied with the product.
Opening the LCD doesn’t turn on the camcorder. You have to press the on button too. However, once it’s on, closing the LCD puts the device into a standby mode and shuts the automatic lens cover, so that opening the LCD again puts you into shooting mode in less than a second. While out and about, I recommend operating in this mode … however it likely consumes extra battery, so be sure to power down completely when you’re done shooting for the day.
3″ touchscreen for settings and preview. It’s a good size while maintaining the light weight of the device.
Face detection works well at acquiring faces. Even cat faces. Well implemented feature.
CONS:
No onboard light. There is no accessory attachment for adding light (you have to move up to the HF21 model for that), and unbelievably, there is not even a booster LED onboard. For a camcorder of this price, and for the quality of video it is capable of producing, this is just inexcusable. Even phones today have a LED for lighting. My $100 pocket camcorder has one. Seriously Canon? Because of this, indoors, even during daytime, the camcorder had a tendency to hunt for focus a bit, and indoor video was more contrasty than I like.
No viewfinder. While this adds cost, I have always found it very difficult to use LCD screens in the daylight for composing scenes. You have to move up to the HV40 to get a viewfinder. More than double the cost of this unit.
The image stabilization just didn’t do that much. I tried both Auto and Dynamic modes. The jittery effect is most noticeable when zoomed in, so be aware of this.
Battery life seemed short to me. I shot video and looked through settings for no more than 1.25-1.5 hours.
So-So:
The GUI. Most of the settings are made on the touchscreen, and the menu system is easy to navigate without needing to go to the manual to figure everything out. Contrarily, there are actual buttons on the body of the camera opposite the LCD (record/play, video snap, auto/web, disp/battery info). Why the mix? I spent 10 minutes trying to find the playback button in the menu system, until I was forced to go to the manual to figure out how to playback video. Sheesh. It’s 2011. Can’t we be consistent with GUI design? Please?
Daylight and daytime indoor white balance was set properly by the camera, but under compact fluorescent light at night, the balance was very very warm.
Comparison with pocket camcorder:
Canon Vixia…
Read more
Was this review helpful to you?
|Canon VIXIA HF R20 Full HD Camcorder with 8GB Internal Flash Memory (Black)
Very Happy With Good Value; Not Perfection,
Customer Video Review Length:: 4:19 Mins
I’ve use the Vixia HF R20 to record this review. The built-in mic and external mics show the real life results. Mac owners should note the great info around here about dealing with the AVCHD files. Get a monopod/tripod and decent mic, and you’ll be ready to play Spielberg!
Was this review helpful to you?
|Canon VIXIA HF R20 Full HD Camcorder with 8GB Internal Flash Memory (Black)
Warning: SHORT BATTERY LIFE,
For all the appeal of this small and proficient camera, the battery life is quite short, and the bottom-mounted battery doesn’t allow for a larger battery to be used. And extra batteries are quite expensive! ($70 with no free shipping).
Yes, the internal memory + two SD slots will allow for hours and hours of continuous recording…from an AC power source! But the battery? The “mini instructions” that come with the camera suggest a typical recording time of 45 minutes. 45 minutes? I’ve NEVER had a camcorder with such short life on a new battery!
I’ve been testing, and the actual maximum continuous recording time, with no zooming or focusing, is about 75 minutes to an external SD card. Recording to the internal memory increases the recording time slightly, as does setting the viewscreen to ‘extra dim’ mode.
Conclusion: the extended recording time of the multi-memory system is completely wasted, as the battery will be the limiting factor for almost every user.
Other issues: I like the touch-screen, but it helps to have fingernails.
The flashing red “access” light on the back of the camera is really annoying.
Low-light performance is not as good as previous Canon camcorders.
The lens mount has threads for an accessory, and there’s a mic jack and headphone jack option (unlike an otherwise attractive Panasonic competitor).
The camera defaults to recording on the internal memory, even after you put in a memory card, which is confusing.
The full instruction manual is included only on a CD disc; very annoying.
Haven’t yet looked into the file format, but if, as suggested, it’s non-standard, that would be quite a drawback.
Sad to say, I’ll be returning this camera AND the Panasonic. Maybe by next year chip cameras in this price range will be worthwhile. This year (7/2011), not so much.
–Gary
Was this review helpful to you?
|Canon VIXIA HF R20 Full HD Camcorder with 8GB Internal Flash Memory (Black)