Customer Reviews

Canon VIXIA HF S200 Full HD Flash Memory Camcorder & Pro Manual Control

5 star:		(27)
4 star:		(14)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I'm generally more of a still photographer at heart, but I finally decided to purchase an HD video camera, and after considerable research, I chose the Canon HF-S200. It seemed to have the right mix of features, size, price and quality - and so far, it's measured up.

From an ergonomics point of view, I found the camera about right for my hands. The controls seem logically laid out, and it fits naturally in my hand in a way that lets me hold it steady without feeling awkward. Still, even though the camera is barely a pound in weight, to get the best HD quality, you'll want to consider a monopod, tripod or some other support. I use a Kirk shoulder harness borrowed from one of my still cameras, and it works well. Otherwise, the controls seem to be where I'd like them and it took fairly little effort to get to the point where I could operate most of the features without fixating on the camera itself. Also, because of the memory card architecture, there are no moving parts in the recording system (there are of course moving parts in the lens, focusing mechanism, zoom, etc), making it quick, responsive and - best of all - totally silent in operation.

The camera also has all the right connections, including HDMI input/output, LANC remote controls, and connectors for outboard audio or microphones. The camera also has a shoe mount for things like video lights, and it can connect to some of Canon's cool accessories like their DVD burner (which I don't own, so I can't comment on).

This recorder writes to SD (SDHC) memory cards - up to two at a time, with the ability to fill one then overflow onto the other. Recording times are purely a function of how large your memory cards are, but assuming 32GB cards, you can get almost five hours of HD recording time by installing two cards in the S200. And of course you can carry a pocket full of extras, making recording time essentially unlimited. The AVCHD video format means you can plug your cards directly into many video editing programs with no need to transform or re-do anything. All in all, this is very convenient compared to other media (such as tape) where you essentially have to copy video to your computer as a separate step before you can work with it.

The camera includes a 10x zoom Canon lens, plus an additional digital zoom feature. I found the lens to be very good for a camcorder, producing bright, sharp and detailed videos with good color and contrast. Still, if you look at the output frame by frame on a computer, you can tell the lens - while impressive - is no match for a top quality DSLR lens. Plus, you're getting only an effective 6-8MP - pretty low by today's DSLR standards. I'm not so sure this is an issue, but I guess I don't shoot serious video with my DSLR, and I wouldn't shoot serious stills on my video camera. In 35mm terms, the range is about 43-435mm...good on the long end, but not quite as wide as I might like overall. Still, it's a fast lens and focuses close (about a foot, depending on zoom setting). A final nice feature is that the lens takes standard photo filters (58mm), and I find it handy for instance to screw on a polarizer sometimes.

I find most of the other features Canon includes to work well and to be thoughtfully designed. The 3.5" LCD panel is sharp and clear, although not always readable in bright sunlight. Auto-exposure and focus seem very fast and accurate, and even when there's a lot of fast motion, I usually find all the critical parts of the scene to be in sharp focus and properly exposed, aided by Canon's face and scene detection capabilities. When you want to, you can override exposure and focus to get a specific effect.

This is also the first consumer camcorder I've used that offers a choice of frame rates, from 24p to 30, giving you video that can have more of a film-like quality (24p) or be more natural to post online (30). The camera also has support for the latest wide-gamut color (x.v.color), giving you rich and vibrant colors if the rest of your equipment can handle it. In my case, displayed on a high-quality 60" plasma monitor, the videos look amazing.

To be clear, this camera is essentially the same as the Canon S20 or S21, the main difference among the models being the amount of on-board memory. I believe the S21 comes with 64GB built-in, the S20 has 32GB and this one (S200) has only the SD slots - you supply the memory. Since I like the idea of external memory cards that I can pop into my computer for editing and post-production, I think I'd end up using the slots anyway, and the onboard memory in the other models wouldn't be particularly helpful for me. This was the main reason I went with the S200 instead of one of the other models.

From an overall image quality perspective, the Canon offers the best image quality I've seen from a consumer product, period. HD images in 1080p are simply stunning, as good as anything you'll find anywhere. The image stabilization helps ensure you don't get "bumpy" scenes, and even the audio channels (which are capable of 5.1 recording with an add-on surround microphone) are quite good for such a small device. Overall, I was blown away by the video quality - it was much better than what I thought I could get at this price point.

Great camcorder - highly recommended and worth the price.

I'm going to keep this short. Other reviewers have pointed out the many great things about this camcorder, and there are many. Unfortunately, there is one deal breaker for me, and I'm absolutely shocked that more people haven't mentioned it.....the lens is not wide angle enough!! I bought this a week ago to take on vacation. I am in Orlando right now doing the Disney thing, and I'm in a big suite, and I am constantly backing up, and telling my kids to back up, so I can get them in the picture. Even then, it's still not quite enough, and I'm not getting the shots I want. Just to make sure I wasn't being too critical, I asked my 19 year old stepson what he thought (and he's a film/video major in college right now), and he totally agreed. He said his much less expensive JVC has a much, much wider angle (of course the overall quality of the camera and of the videos is less than the Canon).

To put it in perspective, consider the 2 top competitors to the Canon HF S200, the Panasonic TM700 and the Sony CX550V. Without hashing out the merits of the 3 camcorders, just know that the wide on the Canon is 43, the wide on the Panasonic is 35, and the wide on the Sony is 29. Huge differences!!!

If you plan on doing videos of the family at home, as I do, I really think you want to consider this. It's a problem for me, and it may be a problem for you. Not sure if this is a tradeoff between higher quality video and photos and having a wider angle lens. I'm going to return my HF S200 and do some more research to find a better balance. I need that wider angle!

**Update 7-21-10**Wrappinig up my vacation, and I realized that there is another huge negative for this camera (and any camera without a viewfinder).....I was shooting video outside all week, and it was a total crapshoot. I couldn't see a thing on the LCD due to the sun. Again, this is not a knock to this camera specifically, but to any camera that does not have an EVF. I know that this is not an issue for many (most) people, but something to consider if you plan on shooting vacation videos outside in the bright sun.

**Update 5-27-11**I did return the Canon and got a Sony CX550V. Picked it up last year. Yes, the wider angle lens made a big difference, at least to me. I have never had a problem framing the video the way I want and getting everything in. Overall quality is very good, with a few quirks. I did a full review under the product listing.

I bought the Vixia H S200 based on the many good reviews and the top rating on cNet. It is a great all around camcorder no doubt with fabulous image and video quality. It ranks at the top of what's out there today in the prosumer or near-prosumer category. Then I read about the Panasonic HDC-TM700 and especially the comparison of the Panasonic with the Canon VIXIA H S21 was intersting. The Vixia H S200, VIXIA H S20 and VIXIA H S21 are identical from a hardware/firmware perspective, just that the H S21 has a viewfinder and 64GB built in memory, the H S20 has 32GB built in memory plus SDHC slot and the H S200 does only have SDHC card slots.
The Panasonic beat the $400 more expensive Canon easily. So I decided to do my own comparo and ordered the HDC-TM700. Now after two weeks of comparative footage I have to agree. The Panasonic HDC-TM 700 is the better camcorder for all the same reasons listed on camcorderinfo.
Since this is a common comparison many consumers are doing these days, I will frame my input here in a Canon vs. Panasonic list.

Pros of the Canon VIXIA H S21/20/200 camcorders vs. the HDC-TM700:
- Sound quality seems a tad better, but not much
- 3" touch screen is much larger and has much, much higher resolution
- Menu structure is better
- Still image capability is significantly better
- Video gain functionis flat out excellent and can effectively be used to increase low light sensitivity, while reducing image noise drastically
- Two SDHC card slots
- Flash is more powerful
- Has a built in video light, even though it's meek
- Hot shoe layout is much better than Panasonic, but it's a Canon proprietary design, so you can only use Canon accesories
- The standard battery is not very large (last about 80-90 minutes) quite tricky to eject, especially when you have wet or sweaty hands. It doesn't come right out when you release the lock and is hard to pull out.
- The hand loop is very chintzy and permanently mounted to the camera body (cannot be replaced if it wears out). It is not big enough for larger hands and constantly a bother.

Pros of the Panasonic HDC-TM700 vs. the Canon VIXIA H S21/20/200
- Lowest price of all of these ... even lower than the H S200 which has no viewfinder and no built in memory
- Far better video image quality in all aspects in the new 1080p60 mode, especially resolution and sharpness
- Smoother video quality, especially when panning
- Better and more vivid colors .. this used to be Canon's strength ... go figure
- Better low light capability and better low light colors, although video gain function is much better on the Canon
- Wider angle, 12x aoom and faster lens f/1.5 ... this seem unimportant, but the wider lens is immensly important for capturing everything in close ups. Big advantage for the Panasonic!
- More manual controls, especially the fact sharpness levels can be set !!
- Much more comfortable to handle and operate. The Canons are quite a bit larger in size and more awkward to handle.
- Better full size manual control ring around the entire lens vs. the silly knob on the Canons
- Has a real battery charger/power supply in which you can charge one battery while the other can be charged on the cam simultaneously (Canon has only a power supply, a charger to charge batteries out of the cam is extra!)

Things I don't like:
Canons: Lens is not wide angle enough which makes getting all into the picture, especially challenging for inside a home or when close up. Touch screen is not very sensitive and smooth scrolling through the menu is difficult. I often also accidentally selected a menu items while trying to scroll. This really needs work and makes the high res screen quite cumbersome. Lack of a real battery charger and on top of that the power pack has a proprietary plug (for all of my Nikon and Panasonic gear I only need to take one AC cord and can use it with all chargers or power packs, for this camcorder you need a proprietary AC cord!). The camcorder is a bit awkward to hold and really too big for today's standard. Glossy high shine finish makes the camcorder slippery with wet or sweaty fingers and you see every finger print.

Panasonic: The bolt-on accessory shoe is a real joke. Like a massive bolt on to the side. Screen and menu structure not up to par of the Canons, albeit the touch screen works much better for touch commands. Cooling fan is a moving part and will break eventually. Only one card slot.

In the end I am after the best video quality and most vibrant colors with super sharp footage. In that department the Canons do not even come close to the new Panasonic. Period. Since I am also carrying a bunch of Nikon gear around for still photography, I like that the Panasonic is smaller and is also much more comfortable to hold.

Great camcorder, I've had it for a little over a week. and am still learning all the ins and outs. the "auto mode" is great until your ready to go full manual and adjust all the settings to your hearts content.

- The video is captured in the .mts container.
- The files do play natively on the PS3 straight from the SDHC card(s).
- The included software is OK, will allow you to convert your files to standard def.
- Adobe Premier Pro CS4 had no problems importing the files. Was able to edit and work with files smoothly, but exports to .mp4 (for best quality). I'm not an expert with Premier, but wish i could export back to .mts or .m2ts, might have to wait for CS5 or different software.
- The powered "IS" is great! really helps to steady shots.
- you can use 58mm lens filters (add-ons)

I found when filming outside (kids soccer game) that the mic picked up a lot of wind noise, will be looking into getting an external mic.

Tried both class 4 and class 6 SDHC cards and could tell no difference, both cards recorded the video and the stills fast with no hesitation.

You can use regular SD cards which could be placed in the 2nd SD slot and have the photos recorded there.

Using a mini HDMI to hook up to the TV is great! you have full access to the menu through your TV. only wish that you could close the LCD monitor and still use the remote.

The touch screen is nice and big, not as responsive as i would have hoped,(I have an Iphone) it does require a bit of pressure to "touch" the buttons.

but over all I am very pleased with my purchase almost bought the HF S100 last month, but decided to wait to see what the new model offered. the only major changes were the larger LCD and touch screen, powered "IS", dual card slots, and i believe the ability to shoot and capture true 24F (24 progressive).

if you have questions i can try and answer them or update my post.

We've owned a standard definition Canon FS-10 camcorder for two years and enjoyed every minute of it. It was a very dependable dual-purpose camera with solid components that never gave us a bit of trouble and always operated as designed. However, the attraction of true HD became just too strong to ignore. I chose the Canon HF-S200 after comparing all of the features of the top contenders in it's price range. These are the HF-S200's features that make us glad we bought it:

Video and Still Photo Quality:
Stunning video, even at 24fps (frames per second). At its standard 60i setting - you get the picture. Additionally, and one of the principle attractions for us, the 8 megapixel stills are what we needed so that we can take just one camera to events for excellent resolutions in both photo worlds. The stills we've taken with our HF-S200 compete with the best photos we've ever taken with any still camera. Though our digital still camera exceeds this resolution, 8Mpixel translates to a little bigger than 8"x10" prints at 300 dpi (dots per inch) resolution. Canon's dual picture mode, allowing us to snap high resolution stills while video recording, works seamlessly and is a welcome bonus feature we really enjoy. The Image Stabilizer (IS) and Powered IS yield very smooth motion on screen as advertised, a big advance from our older FS-10. Performance in all categories was impressive.

Ergonomics and Connectivity:
Canon got this right with their HF-S2xx family of camcorders. Our 200 just feels right all over. The few buttons I need to touch are literally at my finger tips. The ingenious touch screen menu and function controls are a breeze to operate - intuitive and responsive, with a very short learning curve. Connectivity is comprehensive, though I wish they had included the mini-to-standard HDMI cable I prefer to hook up to the HDTV. I found a nice adapter at Radio Shack though for the "mini" end for just nine bucks, so no points off for that. Honorable mention goes to their nice arrangement for the pop-up still flash/video light. It's right up front over the lens barrel, so my fingers never get in the way of its operation (I always hate that with our still cameras). Highest marks all around.

RAM Storage:
I have no complaints about Canon's internal digital storage systems, our FS-10's 8GB internal never acted up in the two years we used it. Still, I saw the flexibility of two SDHC ports as a plus in the unlikely event an internal chip became damaged. The 200 was my personal preference to avoid the possible expense and hassle that would involve. On the other hand, if one of the externals becomes corrupted, all we would lose would be the images on that chip. Maybe not even that, since recovery software is available from SanDisk if an SDHC goes bad.

Purchase Source:
Kudos to Amazon for outstanding pricing and delivery: Best price I could find, and three items from three sources all delivered on the same day, earlier than estimated. You guys are too good!

Conclusion: Very impressive video/still camera we are very happy with (except I still wish Canon had tossed a mini-HDMI adapter in the box :-)

I've had this camera for a few weeks now and I am in love with it. I'm a film student and wanted to buy a camera that i=I can shoot great quality shots with but I didn't want to have to pay 2 or 3 grand for an entry level professional grade camera. I had been looking at the 2009 model of this camera for a while and was just about to buy it when this one came out. Boy am I glad I did. Even though it's essentially the same camera, the things that are added to this model and the lower price was what made me buy it the week it came out.

Ok now that I've explained the reasoning for me buying the camera, i'll get to the quality of it. The picture on it is simply amazing, especially when shooting in cinema mode native 24p. The touch screen is awesome and allows for a larger screen by eliminating the need for physical buttons. The dual SD card capabilities are great as well.

The only "bad" part of this camera is that to be able to edit AVCHD footage that is shot in native 24p you have to have a video program that can handle it, free programs like iMovie and Windows Movie Maker won't process it. You'll have to go with programs like Final Cut Pro or Adobe Premiere to be able to edit this footage.

But despite that minor con this camera is amazing. It's great price for the quality of video you get.

The S200 is a REALLY good camcorder. Like the previous reviewer, I'm a still photog. This is my very first digital camcorder. I have been waiting for the right feature set at the right price, and this has it for me, although it will be cheaper in the future.

Essential features:

* Standard SDHC memory that every laptop can read.
* Standard video file format that basically every video processing software can work with
* Very good glass for a camcorder--this is what will get you the videos your Flip will miss. The glass and sensor on this thing are a major step up from the popular YouTube camcorders out there.
* Viewfinder eyepiece that works in bright sunlight.
* A swivel screen that lets you compose your video even when holding the camera high above your head to see past the crowd.
* A retail price of under a thousand bucks. You can 'street' this camcorder at around $800 or even less.
* Excellent battery life with aftermarket choices for spare battery.

If you're looking for a camcorder that won't let you down indoors like a Flip or zi8 when the light gets poor, this can help you. I still recommend a zi8 or whatever the best pocket camcorder is now. You simply can't carry this Canon everywhere video opportunities present themselves, so a pocket camcorder is a great thing to carry with you.

But for events you know you will want to record, it's good to have a cam that will not let you down. You can buy a lot more camera, but you have to spend a lot more.

I've had this camera for about 6 months now. I use it primarly to capture indoor sporting events, but also use it for vacation videos and videos of kids. I use 16GB Class 4 memory, and the recorder works fine with this speed memory, even in the highest resolution/data rate modes.

I especially like the 3 second pre-record feature. It's a feature that I read about, and said "no big deal" but after using it, it's great. Picture that your 10 year old is playing in his first football game. You don't want to record the whole game, you only want the highlights. So you turn on the 3-second pre-record and fix your camera on your all star. When he/she breaks a tackle and starts heading for the end zone, you hit the record button, and whammo, you've got the whole play recorded from the very beginning. Awesome feature for videoing small children, as you never know when they're going to do something cute.

The video quality is top notch. I can't speak for the canon editing software, as I use Adobe for all my video processing, but the included utility works great to transfer video directly from the camera, or from the memory card (if you're using a memory card reader) The transfer software renames the recorded videos with the Date/Timestamp in the format YYYYMMDDHHMISS. This is very nice for organizing clips in your video library, as they are all stored in chronological order.

The Video display screen is the best I've seen on a camcorder. The videos are very watchable right on the camera. The speaker on the camera is terrible, but that's to be expected.
The touch screen interface is very nice, and extremely responsive. It took me a few minutes to get used to the interface, but now that I'm used to it, it's very nice.

I don't use the "still shot" very much, but the still picture output is reasonable, considering that you're using a video camera.

Battery life could be better (it's about 1.5 - 2 hours) of actively using the camera, but I've purchased 2 non OEM extended life batteries from Ebay, and they work very well (and they were only $10 each)

I really wanted a good quality HD camcorder for a long time, and almost purchased the Canon HF S100 model when it was out. I held back until S200 came out and decided to plunge. I'm glad I did. There are a few features that are critical to my decision:

1. Reasonable video at night - getting the biggest image sensors means lessor grainy pictures at night, and this one does pretty good job

2. Take pictures while recording - I can't count on any others around me to take pictures while I'm filming, so this is a highly valuable feature. Actually it's priceless for me.

3. Image stablization - don't want the viewers (including me) to get dizzy. That happens quite often before. But Vixia S200 does a pretty darn good job.

4. Lightweight enough, even adding a 4 hour battery.

5. Investment that won't get obsolete so soon (video resolution / quality must be good for 5 - 7 years)

While it doesn't have the absolute best in a single category, collectively just can't beat it especially below $900 when I bought it (now below $800).

Some pleasant surprises (or happy to confirm other positive reviewers said):

1. Life of the stock battery. Spec says it lasts just over one hour, and I was able to get about 1hr 20min of continuous day time recording. I do carrying a spare 6 hour battery to use when I'm recording on long hiking trips...

2. Dual SD card slots. Very nice for overflow. I have a 32GB class 6 for recording, and 8GB for pictures. I can imagine using dual 64GB along with 6 hour battery!

3. User interface - nicely done. Better than the S100

4. Image quality is stunning! After getting a faster CPU laptop that was able to keep up with playing the full HD (1080p) files, I just awed at the spectacular details of the outdoors to every single standing hair of my kids. I actually can see dusts on my table and laptop with recording directly focus on them!

5. Could hear the Dolby digital 5.1 effect when played with receiver and surround speakers!

6. Remote was nice and had a descent range. I was able to control the recording at least 60 feet away.

7. Cinema mode - very cool as everyone get to be filmed to be movie like! (I don't really care about super true to color, as ultimately my audience is my family and relatives)

Some short comings but not big deal

1. Stock lens doesn't get too good coverage in small areas. I bought a wide angle lens and that was adequate.

2. Software - not very intuitive (as other reviews have noted). I had low expectations so no big deal. I always just drag/drop files out of SD card to my hard drive. Just use third party if desire to cut/edit.

3. I do have a third party 6 hour battery (same OEM as Canon's though but without the smarts). So every time I turn on the camcorder, it would pop up a dialog box saying it can't recognize the battery: proceed or cancel. A bit annoying but understandable. If that tests your patience, spend a few more bucks and buy Canon.

4. Plenty of finger prints on the touch screen. But easy to wipe. My iPhone and iPad are worse!

5. No viewfinder (only in the S11 model I think). This is more of the fault of Amazon, as it had it in the description (while I made my purchase) but wasn't on Canon's website. I was still able to make out the picture on the touch screen decently in very bright sun lights. I had a Kodak v1273 12MP camera and that was impossible to see anything in bright light!

Overall, this is every bit what I wanted and a sound investment for me. It records full HD 1080p with high enough frame rate, flexible with external SD card slots, super sharp images, and picture taking while filming.

Right out of the box my wife is happy with this camcorder. The wife and I aren't the type of people that have to have the latest and greatest. We bought this camcorder because our usual bang for the buck approach was not working. Over the last 5 years we have spent close to $2000 on different camcorders trying to save memories of our child. All we have to show from that is shaky and grainy memories from 4 different camcorders and my wifes comments on how I can't buy a decent camcorder no matter how much time I spend researching. This was taken the day after we bought the camera using auto settings
[..] we could not be happier.