Canon Vixia HF M400 (black)
Manufacturer: Canon Part number: 5118B001
- More product information:
- Editors' review
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Accessories
- Manufacturer info
- Bottom Line:
- A fine follow-up to last year's M3xx series, the Canon Vixia M4xx series should please most home-movie-oriented videographers despite its relatively high price. If you don't need the EVF, the M400 is your best buy, but if you'll be shooting a lot in sunlight, it's worth it to step up to the M41.
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CNET editors' review
Canon Vixia HF M400 (black) price range: $799.99
- Reviewed by: Lori Grunin
- Reviewed on: 05/02/2011
- Released on: 03/15/2011
The good: With a nice set of features for home-movie-type shooters and pleasing video quality, the Canon Vixia HF M400 series has lots to like.
The bad: A small, coarse LCD that's hard to view in direct sunlight and touch-screen-impaired menu system hamper an otherwise solid design.
The bottom line: A fine follow-up to last year's M3xx series, the Canon Vixia M4xx series should please most home-movie-oriented videographers despite its relatively high price. If you don't need the EVF, the M400 is your best buy, but if you'll be shooting a lot in sunlight, it's worth it to step up to the M41.
With the Vixia HF M4xx series of HD camcorders, Canon maintains its reputation for delivering a solid midrange consumer camcorder, once again at slightly higher prices than those of the competition. The series consists of three nearly identical models. The cheapest, the M400, has no built-in memory, the M40 adds 16GB, and the M41 adds another 16GB plus an electronic viewfinder. All use the same HD CMOS Pro sensor found in the HF G10, but paired with a smaller, less expensive lens. This review is based on the Vixia HF M41.
Overall, the camcorder's video looks relatively sharp--and like most looks even better played directly on a TV. There is some aliasing on edges, generally a result of the interlaced video format; one difference between the M4xx series and its step-up sibling is the lack of a native 1080 progressive encoding format instead of the AVCHD standard of encoding 24fps and 30fps video as 60i.
Exposure and color rendering look very good, with a broad tonal range--there's no excessive clipping in the highlights or shadows. Though the M4xx series uses the same sensor as the more expensive HF G10, the lenses are very different, and it shows in a variety of ways. In this case, the more pentagonal aperture renders less pleasing out-of-focus highlights. That probably won't matter to most potential users of this model, but will affect those seeking a more artistic look.
The camcorder's low-light video (about 17 lux) looks quite good; a little soft, but with a nice balance between sharpness and color saturation and accuracy in its noise reduction. Lower light--dim living-room quality--displays more softness and color noise, but I think most people would consider it acceptable.
For shooting stills, the low-resolution sensor may not suit some folks' need for large still photos. Like the G10, the stills look sharp and fall just short of looking too digital; they look fine onscreen and printed, but I wouldn't recommend printing them larger than 4.5x8 inches.
As for audio, the stereo microphone is quite sensitive with a bright sound, but the automatic wind filter doesn't work as well as I'd like. It has a decent set of audio tools, including the ability to mix internal and external levels, set directionality (mono, normal, wide, zoom), equalize (boost LF, low cut, boost MF), boost HF+LF), and attenuate.
| Canon Vixia HF R200/ R20/R21 | Canon Vixia HF M300/M30/ M31/M32 | Canon Vixia HF M400/M40/ M41 | Canon Vixia HF S200/ S20/S21 | Canon Vixia HF S30 | |
| Sensor (effective resolution) | 2.07-megapixel CMOS (Dynamic IS on: 1.47 megapixels Advanced Zoom on: 1.04 megapixels ) | 2.99-megapixel CMOS | 2.07-megapixel HD CMOS Pro | 6-megapixel CMOS | 6-megapixel CMOS |
| 1/4.85 inch | 1/4 inch | 1/3 inch | 1/2.6 inch | 1/2.6 inch | |
| Lens | 20x f1.8-3.6 41.2-824mm (Standard IS) | 15x f1.8-3.2 39.5-592.5mm | 10x f1.8-3.0 43.6-436mm | 10x f1.8-3.0 43.5-435mm | 10x f1.8-3.0 43.5-435mm |
| Closest focus | 0.4 inch | 0.4 inch | 0.4 inch | 0.4 inch | 0.4 inch |
| Min illumination (lux) | recommended: 100 standard: 5 low light: 0.4 | recommended: 100 standard: 5.5 low light: 0.4 | recommended: 100 standard: 1.5 low light: 0.1 | recommended: 100 standard: 4 low light: 0.3 | recommended: 100 standard: 4 low light: 0.3 |
EVF | None | None | None/None/ 0.24-inch 260,000 dots | None/None/ 0.23-inch 123,000 dots | 0.27-inch 123,000 dots |
| LCD | 3-inch 230,000 dots | 2.7-inch 211,000 dots | 3-inch 230,000 dots | 3.5-inch 922,000 dots | 3.5-inch 922,000 dots |
| Primary media | 0GB/8GB/ 32GB internal; 2 x SDXC | 0GB/8GB/ 32GB/64GB internal; 1 x SDHC (SDXC on M32) | 0GB/16GB/ 32GB internal; 2 x SDXC | 0GB/32GB/ 64GB internal; 2 x SDHC | 32GB internal; 2 x SDXC |
| HD recording | AVCHD: 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440 x 1080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps (also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i) | AVCHD: 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440 x 1080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps (also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i) | AVCHD: 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440 x 1080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps (also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i) | AVCHD: 1080/60i/24p @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440 x 1080/60i/24p 12, 7, 5 Mbps (also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i) | AVCHD: 1080/60i/24p @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440 x 1080/60i/24p 12, 7, 5 Mbps (also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i) |
| Manual shutter speed (video) | None | 1/6 - 1/2000 sec | 1/6 - 1/2000 sec | 1/6 - 1/2000 sec | 1/6 - 1/2000 sec |
| Manual iris | None | f1.8-f8 | f1.8-f8 | f1.8-f8 | f1.8-f8 |
| Built-in ND filter | No | No | No | No | No |
| Accessory shoe | No | Yes | Yes | Yes | Yes |
| Audio | 2 channels; mic, headphone jacks | 2 channels (5.1 via optional mic); mic, headphone jacks | 2 channels (5.1 via optional mic); mic, headphone jacks | 2 channels (5.1 via optional mic); mic, headphone jacks | 2 channels (5.1 via optional mic); mic, headphone jacks |
| Body dimensions (WHD, inches) | 2.4 x 2.4 x 4.8 | 2.7 x 2.4 x 4.8 | 2.9 x 2.8 x 5.2 | 3.0 x 2.9 x 5.5/ 3.0 x 2.9 x 5.8 (S21) | 3.0 x 2.9 x 5.8 |
| Operating weight (pounds) | 10.9 (est) | 13.1 | 14.3 | 18 | 17.6 (est) |
| Mfr. Price | $379.99/ $399.99/ $499.99 | $549.99/ $599.99/ $699.99/ $999.99 | $649.99/ $699.99/ $799.99 | $899.99/ $999.99/ $1,299.99 | $1,099.99 |
| Ship date | March 2011 | March 2010 | April 2011 | March 2010 | March 2011 |
It meters and exposes correctly and consistently most of the time, but like many camcorders tends to underexpose in situations where there's not necessarily backlighting, but a large subject surrounded by a lot of ambient light (think of a flag waving against a blue sky). The image stabilization is solid; the Dynamic setting works well up to about 75 percent of the way through the focal range, and Powered IS is rock-steady at maximum telephoto. It focuses quickly, though you can somewhat adjust how gradually that happens (Instant and Normal). The autofocus works well, but not significantly better than we've seen in previous models, and like all camcorders can inappropriately lock on the background instead of the subject. Zooming feels smooth, and it's easy to keep it at a consistent rate.
I'm not crazy about the LCD; though it's slightly larger and higher resolution than that of the preceding M3xx series, it still feels too small and coarse and frustrating for navigating the menus; however, because of the relatively large virtual buttons, it's not bad for accessing the frequently used shooting settings. I had a tough time viewing it in direct sunlight though, so if you shoot outdoors a lot you should seriously consider the M41 for its EVF. While small, it's serviceable and comes in very handy when you can't see the LCD.
| Canon Vixia HF M400/M40/M41 | Panasonic HDC-SD90/ TM90 | Samsung HMX-H205 | Sony Handycam HDR-PJ10 | Sony Handycam HDR-CX360V | |
| Sensor (effective resolution) | 2.07-megapixel HD CMOS Pro | 2.6-megapixel CMOS | n/a CMOS (3.3 megapixels gross) | 1.49-megapixel Exmor R CMOS | 2.65-megapixel Exmor R CMOS |
| 1/3 inch | 1/4.1 inch | 1/4.1 inch | 1/4 inch | 1/4 inch | |
| Lens | 10x f1.8-3.0 43.6-436mm | 21x f1.8-3.5 28 - 729mm | 20x f1.8-3.7 n/a | 30x f1.8-3.4 29.8-894mm | 12x f1.8-3.4 29.8-357.6mm |
| Closest focus (inches) | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 | 0.4 inch | 0.4 inch |
| Min illumination (lux) | recommended: 100 standard: 1.5 low light: 0.1 | standard: 1400 low light: 4 Color Night record: 1 | recommended: n/a standard: 3 low light: n/a | recommended: n/a standard: 11 low light: 3 | recommended: n/a standard: 11 low light: 3 |
EVF | None/None/ 0.24-inch 260,000 dots | None | None | None | None |
| LCD | 3-inch 230,000 dots | 3-inch 230,400-dot | 2.7-inch 230,000 pixels | 3-inch 230,000 dots | 3-inch 230,000 dots |
| Primary media | 0GB/16GB/ 32GB internal; 2 x SDXC | 0GB/16GB flash; 1 x SDXC | 32GB flash; 1 x SDHC | 16GB internal; 1 x SDXC | 32GB internal; 1 x SDXC |
| HD recording | AVCHD: 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440x1080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps (also encodes 30p and 24p as 60i) | AVCHD: nonstandard 1080/60p 28Mbps; 1080/60i @ 17, 13, 9, 5 Mbps | H.264 MPEG-4 1080/60i; 720/60p (bit rates n/a) | AVCHD: nonstandard 1080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440x1080/60i @ 9, 5 Mbps | AVCHD: nonstandard 1080/60p @ 28Mbps; 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440x1080/60i @ 9, 5 Mbps |
| Manual shutter speed (video) | 1/6 - 1/2000 sec | 1/30 - 1/8000 sec | 1/60 - 1/10000 | No | No |
| Manual iris | f1.8-f8 | f2-f16 | f1.8-f16 | No | No |
| Built-in ND filter | No | No | No | No | No |
| Accessory shoe | Yes | Yes | No | No | Yes |
| Audio | 2 channels (5.1 via optional mic); mic, headphone jacks | 2 channels; mic jack | 2 channels | 5.1 channels; mic, headphone jacks | 5.1 channels; mic, headphone jacks |
| Body dimensions (WHD, inches) | 2.9 x 2.8 x 5.2 | 2.0 x 2.5 x 4.7 | 2.3 x 2.3 x 4.4 | 2.4 x 2.6 x 5.1 | 2.3 x 2.6 x 5.1 |
| Operating weight (pounds) | 14.3 | 10.1 (est) | 12 (est) | 12.9 (est) | 13.1 (est) |
| Mfr. Price | $649.99/ $699.99/$799.99 | $549.99/ $599.99 | $549.99 | $699.99 | $799.99 |
| Ship date | April 2011 | March 2011 | April 2010 | April 2011 | March 2011 |
It's not a very compact camcorder, but it has a nice heft and feels comfortable to grip and shoot single-handed. A mic input sits on the right side of the lens, and a flip-up cover beneath the strap hides the dual SDXC slots.
Like the higher-end HF G10 and HF S30, the HF M4xx series has three operating modes: auto, manual, and Cinema. However, the Cinema mode in this camcorder doesn't support a 24p-encoded format, just 24p capture that's encoded as 60i. The mode is just a quick way to invoke 24F plus a selection of filters.
A membrane button in the LCD recess invokes Canon's Story Creator, a guided shooting mode intended to help you capture a variety of content on a given topic. Basically, you choose a theme, such as Party or Travel, and the camcorder provides a list of scene options, like "Planning for the trip" and "Taking off!" They're organized in-camcorder, and you can rate individual scenes for playback filtering. There's also a generic, themeless story if you just want to use it for organizing a shoot. The files reside in the normal AVCHD directory tree, however; the organization is strictly for camcorder-based playback.
Also in the recess you'll find membrane buttons for playback, Video Snap (to take 2-, 4-, or 8-second clips) and information, as well as uncovered mini HDMI, component, USB, and headphone connectors.
Conclusion
A fine follow-up to last year's M3xx series, the Canon Vixia M4xx series should please most home-movie-oriented videographers despite its relatively high price. If you don't need the EVF, the M400 is your best buy, but if you'll be shooting a lot in sunlight, it's worth it to step up to the M41.
User reviews
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Great upgrade for a beginner/amateur
by E-Gregoire on October 29, 2011
Pros: Auto mode is great
Cinema modes are fun
Image Stabilization
Instant Focus works very well
Camera is light and well shapedCons: Touchscreen is horribly unresponsive
No EVFSummary: I had a JVC digital tape camcorder that just wasn't cutting it anymore. Granted, it was about 5-6 years old, before a lot of this new technology was available ...
Summary: I had a JVC digital tape camcorder that just wasn't cutting it anymore. Granted, it was about 5-6 years old, before a lot of this new technology was available at reasonable price points. I'll preface this review by stating that I am probably just a tad above the average beginner level in terms of camcorder use. The auto mode is great. Like most modern day cameras, there are settings that you can pick to adjust for exposure, aperture, and so forth (Beach, cloudy, bright, portrait, etc). The nice thing about auto mode is that it will automatically change between those settings while you are recording. For example, I started recording a person about 10 feet away from me, then switched to some fine print in a book a few feet in front of me. The M400 did a really nice job transitioning from portrait mode to fine mode in a single recording session. However, if you are more hands on and like to fine-tune the settings yourself, you can do that as well with manual mode.
Also, from an amateur's perspective, the "story" mode is nice. It has a lot of nice cues to help you create better videos. It provides options in terms of the type of event you are filming and what types of footage to record for that particular event (Kids/pets, travel, ceremony, etc). The cinema modes are fun, too. There are about 8 different types of cinema modes to add more character to your footage. That, coupled with the high definition settings, and Image Stabilization really can make your videos look very professional.
This just may have been user error, but if I had one criticism, it's the fact that they include two different software CDs (one is a video browser and the other one is a file transfer utility). It's certainly possible that they mentioned it somewhere in the documentation, but it took me a while to realize that you can install one or the other to your PC, but not both. Not really a big deal as I eventually figured it out. Again, maybe I'll chaulk that one up to user error.
All in all, I am thoroughly enjoying this camcorder. It's perfect for my intended uses ( filming kids, travel and ceremonies such as weddings and such, and if you will buy this camcorder I suggest you have to compare prices before you decide at: Lowest-pricing.info/VIXIA-HF-M400 ).
Hope this help!4 out of 4 users found this user opinion helpful.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Canon
- Part number: 5118B001
- Description: The Canon VIXIA HF M400 flash memory camcorder features dual SDXC-compatible memory card slots in an ultra-sleek, compact and lightweight body, convenience and capability wrapped in one package. Canon's leading imaging technologies, including a genuine Canon 10x HD video lens and HD CMOS Pro image sensor deliver high video resolution, outstanding low-light performance, and a wide dynamic range. Sophisticated features such as smart auto "read" the visual components of the scene you're shooting and choose the best settings. Touch and track allows you to achieve sharp focus and precise exposure for any subject, simply by touching the 3.0" touch panel LCD. Features such as cinema-look filters, story creator, and touch decoration provide an easy and fun way to shoot great video and add creative flair. And a high-quality internal microphone allows your audio to match the breathtaking realism of your video.
General
- Product Type Camcorder - 1080p
- Camcorder Sensor Resolution 2.37 megapixels
- Effective Video Resolution 2.07 megapixels
- Digital Zoom 200 x
- Effective Photo Resolution 2.07 megapixels
- Camcorder Media Type Flash card
- Optical Sensor Size 1/3"
- Optical Sensor Type CMOS
- Min Illumination 0.1 lux
- Analog video format NTSC
- Digital Video Format AVCHD
- Image Stabilizer Optical (Dynamic SuperRange)
- Digital Scene Transition Wipe fader,
Black fader - Image Processor DIGIC DV III
- Min Shutter Speed 1/2 sec
- Max Shutter Speed 1/2000 sec
- Shooting modes Digital photo mode
- Shooting Programs Snow,
Beach,
Underwater,
Sports mode,
Night mode,
Sunset,
Surface,
Low light,
Spotlight,
Fireworks,
Portrait mode - White Balance Automatic,
Presets,
Custom - White Balance Presets Cloudy,
Daylight,
Fluorescent light (warm white),
Fluorescent light (cool white),
Tungsten light,
Shade - Exposure Modes Program,
Automatic,
Shutter-priority,
Manual,
Aperture-priority - Image Recording Format JPEG
- Widescreen Video Capture Yes
- AV Interfaces HDMI,
Composite video/audio Lens System
- Type 10 x x Zoom lens - 6.1 mm - 61 mm - F/1.8-3.0
- Lens aperture F/1.8-3.0
- Features Built-in lens shield
- Optical zoom 10 x
- Lens system type Zoom lens
- Min focal length 6.1 mm
- Max focal length 61 mm
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Filter Size 43 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 43.6 - 436 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual,
Automatic - Min Focus Range 0.4 in
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- Self Timer Delay 2 sec,
10 sec - Low Lux / Night Mode Yes
- Additional Features Story Creator,
Touch Decoration,
5.1 channel surround sound ready,
Touch & Track technology,
24p Cinema Mode,
Accessories hot shoe ,
Face detection,
RGB primary color filter,
Brightness control,
Built-in speaker,
Pre-Rec function,
Progressive scanning,
Dolby Digital AC-3 (2 channel) recording,
Auto gain control,
Saturation control,
Touch-screen control,
Video Snapshot mode,
Relay Recording,
x.v.Color technology,
Takes photos while movie recording,
PictBridge support,
Auto Backlight Compensation,
Sharpness control,
Contrast control,
USB 2.0 compatibility - Remote control Remote control - Infrared
- Software Drivers & Utilities,
Pixela Video Browser,
Pixela Transfer Utility - Included Accessories HDMI cable,
IR remote control,
USB cable,
Power adapter,
Audio / video cable,
Pen stylus Display
- Type 3 in LCD display
Connections
- Connector Type 1 x Component video output,
1 x Composite video/audio output,
1 x HDMI output,
1 x Hi-Speed USB,
1 x Microphone,
1 x Headphones - Memory Card Slot SD card
Microphone
- Microphone Features Sensitivity control,
Zoom Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type None
Memory / Storage
- Media type Flash card
- Supported Memory Cards SD Memory Card
- Image Storage JPEG 1920 x 1080
- Video Capture AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 24Mbps - Require SDHC Class 4 or higher,
AVCHD - 1920 x 1080 - 17Mbps - Require SDHC Class 4 or higher,
1440 x 1080 - 12Mbps,
1440 x 1080 - 7Mbps,
1440 x 1080 - 5Mbps - Video Recording Modes LP,
SP,
XP+,
FXP,
MXP
System Requirements for PC Connection
- Peripheral Devices USB port,
CD-ROM drive Battery
- Supported Battery Canon BP-808
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery - 890 mAh ( Included )
Audio Input
- Audio input type Microphone
- Microphone type Built-in
- Microphone Operation Mode Stereo
Viewfinder / Display
- Display Features Folding
- Resolution 230,000 pixels
Environmental Parameters
- Min Operating Temperature 23 °F
- Max Operating Temperature 113 °F
Manufacturer Warranty
- Service & Support 1 year warranty
- Service & Support Details Limited warranty - Parts and labor - 1 year
Physical Characteristics
- Width 2.9 in
- Depth 5.2 in
- Height 2.8 in
- Weight 12.3 oz
Product series
-
Manufacturer: Canon
Specs: CMOS,
12.3 oz,
5.2 in,
2.8 in,
- F/1.8 - 3.0,
10 x x Zoom lens - 6.1 mm - 61 mm,
Canon VIXIA HF M40 - Camcorder - Consumer - Flash card,
2.9 in -
Manufacturer: Canon
Specs: CMOS,
12.7 oz,
5.4 in,
2.8 in,
10 x x Zoom lens - 6.1 mm - 61 mm - F/1.8-3.0,
Canon VIXIA HF M41 - Camcorder - Consumer - Flash card,
2.9 in -
Manufacturer: Canon
Specs: CMOS,
12.3 oz,
5.2 in,
2.8 in,
10 x x Zoom lens - 6.1 mm - 61 mm - F/1.8-3.0,
Canon VIXIA HF M400 - Camcorder - Consumer - Flash card,
2.9 in
Accessories
- Sony LCE X3TH - case for camcorder (34881135)344.95
- INTELLISHRED SB-99CI-17SHT SHREDDER (32955601)183.49 - 419.92
- Porta-Brace Rain Slicker RS-55 - rain jacket for camcorder (31059775)233.49 - 269.00
- Sony SPK HCG - marine case for camcorder (34580847)239.95
- JVC KA-551U tripod adapter (32090695)299.95
- Panasonic P2HD-CASE - carrying bag for camcorder (33921985)363.95
- Sony SPK CXA - marine case for camcorder (33958662)299.00
- Canon HC 4100 - hard case for camcorder (30584700)239.95 - 256.30
- Canon WP V2 - marine case for camcorder (33984051)169.95 - 499.00
- KATA PRO Video Collection CCC-10-A - carrying bag for camcorder (34400943)325.00
Manufacturer info
- Manufacturer profile
- Browse Canon products on Shopper.com
-
- Manufacturer:Canon
- Address:
One Canon Plaza, Lake Success, NY 11042 - Phone: 516-328-5000
- Email: mediacontact@cusa.canon.com
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