Canon VIXIA HF R200
Manufacturer: Canon Part number: 4906B002
- CNET Editor rating: Not yet rated
- Average user rating: 4.0 stars out of 3 reviews
- More product information:
- Editors' blog post
- User reviews
- Specifications
- Product series
- Manufacturer info
- Description:
- The Canon VIXIA HF R200 camcorder is a perfect choice for those seeking ease of use, high performance function and good value. The VIXIA HF R200 records directly to two SDXC-compatible memory card slots and boasts Canon's relay recording, a 3.0" touch panel LCD and smart auto. Its video lens with 28x advanced zoom in combination with the ... Read more
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CNET editors' blog post
By Lori Grunin, 01/05/11
Canon Vixia HF R21
(Credit: Canon USA)This year's entry-level Canon camcorders incorporate a higher resolution sensor than last year's--3.28 megapixels--for an effective video resolution of 2.07 megapixels. Canon is actually using enough pixels this go round to hopefully capture decent video. As long as you're not using the Dynamic IS setting. Sigh. The Vixia HF R21, R20, and R200 also seem to be priced a little lower than they're predecessors were at their launch: $499.99, $399.99, and $379.99, respectively for 32GB, 8GB, and 0GB configurations.
The lens remains a 20x optical zoom, and the LCD display size has been bumped up to 3 inches from 2.7. They all have dual SDXC slots and support the new Touch Decoration feature for overlaying graphics on the video. The R20 will come in black, red, and silver. Look for them in Feburary.
User reviews
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Good value and quality for home movies
by Stephen_Reyes on August 25, 2011
Pros: See in summary
Cons: See in summary
Summary: Bottom line: A good value-oriented camera that works well with my Mac. It is easy to use with intuitive controls - although some of the advanced settings required me to ...
Summary: Bottom line: A good value-oriented camera that works well with my Mac. It is easy to use with intuitive controls - although some of the advanced settings required me to read the instruction manual. For good quality home movies, it seems to be perfect; and the minor improvement in video quality available on higher-end models probably isn't worth the additional cost.
*** P.S. If you will buy this Camcorder I suggest you have compare prices before you decide at: www.amazon.com/gp/offer-listing/B004HW7EAG?ie=UTF8&ref_=dp_olp_new_map&condition=new#?ie=UTF8&tag=***************&********=ur2&camp=1789&creative=390957
Opening the Box:
All items were packed securely in the box except the battery, which was just rattling around in the box; and the box was not taped shut. I don't know if this had to do with the seller or the manufacturer; but I wish that all manufacturers would get in the habit of sealing the boxes at the factory with security tape, so that there would be no question that the box remained sealed from factory to consumer. Maybe I am nit picking, but the lack of security tape on the box and the battery issue could signal larger quality control problems at Canon.
First Use:
My 16GB SDHC card did not arrive on time, so I popped in a Kingston 4GB (class 4) card that I had. I wanted to take a short test video first thing, so I ignored the instructions about charging the battery first. I just plugged the camera in and began to use it.
After I took my test video, I charged the battery as indicated in the instructions: the first time you use it you are supposed to charge it to full capacity, and then use it until completely drained.
Operation:
The camera's operations and controls seem very easy to me. I know that review sites like CNET give Canon low marks for hard to use LCD touchscreen menus, but I found them rather easy to navigate, even without reading the instructions. The exterior buttons and controls were intuitive.
I use a Mac computer, and it was easy to transfer video to iMovie for editing and uploading to YouTube. Instead of connecting the camera to the computer via the included USB cable, I just stuck the SD card into the card reader on the side of my MacBook Pro, opened iMovie and clicked the button that tells it to look for a camera ... and bingo, there was my movie. I did some quick editing and uploaded it to YouTube. I would say that the total time from plugging in the SD card to having the video on YouTube ready to go was no more than 10 minutes.
I have read other websites where people make a fuss about the software not working well with a Mac. The bottom line here is that the Mac recognizes the video shot with the camera and easily transfers it to the computer for editing and storage. Honestly, I can't think of a reason why anyone would need the software that comes with the camera. I'll probably never take it out of the package.
Complaints I have Read in Other Reviews:
1. Noise. I think I hear a very faint sound on playback that might be the noise people have talked about when shooting in very quiet locations. But it certainly is not anything I would ever worry about. The background noise from my computer equipment is louder than the faint noise I was hearing. I probably wouldn't have noticed it if I hadn't read about it. It might be an issue with Canon's 2010 models, but not with this one.
2. Battery Life: Using the Advanced Zoom and the Dynamic Image Stabilization features (and other such things, which are "ON" by default) suck down the battery pretty quick. If you don't need these features, just turn them off, and the battery will last much longer. There is a convenient button on the side of the camera labeled "Auto." You can turn off all of that stuff and run the camera in manual mode, and then easily use the "Auto" button to activate the other features, and switch back and forth. With a tripod I would leave the IS turned off all the time. You can also dim the LCD screen if you are doing a lot of indoor shooting to get a few more minutes of battery life. I spent a couple of hours shooting test video, turning different features on and off, and using the included HDMI cable to watch playback on my TV, and I still have 75% battery life remaining. I used various recording settings, including highest quality MXP mode, and that didn't seem to make a difference in the battery life. The reviewers who say that battery lasted only an hour must mean that the battery lasts for 1 hour of actual video shooting time with the IS turned on. An hour of shooting video is a long time. Full-length feature films are only 90 minutes. When I spend all day at the park with the kids, I'll carry an extra battery.
3. Low Light Performance: I suppose that if you are doing a lot of indoor low light video, you might want to spend more money to get a camera that has an advanced sensor, like Canon's CMOS Pro. But the R200 has better low-light specs than some other brands; and it has a manual exposure setting. This comes in handy when you are shooting indoor scenes with bright windows in the background. The automatic exposure tends to "underexpose" in these situations, but it can be manually adjusted to compensate. The video does come out a little grainy in low light ... but our standards for acceptable quality have been raised as technology has improved. You won't be able to produce a video on this camera like you see on TV. Duh!
4. Software issues: Honestly, I don't get it. Camera companies make cameras. If you want video editing software, buy it from someone who makes software for a living. As I said above, iMovie works for me.
Conclusion:
I am glad that I did not spend more money on a more expensive camera! This camera is easy to use and will do everything I want it to do. As a casual user, I am mostly interesting in making home videos of the kids. If I find flaws after several months of use, I'll post an updated review.
Updated on Aug 25, 2011
Updated on Oct 29, 2011Edit URL
Compare for best price before you decide at: beam.to/VIXIA-HF-R200
Hope this help!10 out of 10 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Not sure what to say. (Mac Review)
by DylanKR on June 9, 2011
Pros: +Good quality camera, nice visuals.
+Easy to read stuff, interesting visuals
+Excellent zoom
+Holds music filesCons: +Doesn't work with Mac.
(The camera comes with 3 discs, 2 for windows and 1 for other (?). The windows discs contain VideoBrowser and transfer utility for PC, the other works on Mac so that you can save/transfer photos ONLY onto your mac. If you use a meSummary: I paid just shy of $400 for this product for the purpose it was made for and yet it won't work with my laptop. Which is annoying to say ...
Summary: I paid just shy of $400 for this product for the purpose it was made for and yet it won't work with my laptop. Which is annoying to say the least, don't bother asking the sales reps from Wal-Mart or any other store that say it'll work with a Mac because it is a lie. True the photo transfer does work, yes but the video transfer (the main reason for buying a camcorder) does NOT work with Mac OS. Once you open the box it says directly in front of you and I quote 'The supplied VideoBrowser / Transfer Utility software is not compatible with Mac OS'.
UPDATE:
When you pay this much money for a camcorder that doesn't transfer video files to a Mac OS, it's a tad irritating.
If anyone who owns a Mac and the camcorder in question and has a solution for me, I would greatly appreciate the help on this matter.
Updated on Jun 9, 2011
I figured this out after submitting the review. If you want to import videos it seems you need to have iMovie open and it'll show you all the clips which you want to import. I'm stupid.1 out of 2 users found this user opinion helpful.
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Perfect pictures, video less than $400. Easy to use.
by PeteClements on July 5, 2011
Pros: 8 GB onboard flash with slots for 2 more SD cards. Stunning video. Easily imported to iMac. Just use iMovie. Auto mode or techie mode. Good for those who want to point and shoot and good for those who want to tinker!
Cons: Nothing so far!
Summary: I played this back on a 52" Sony 720p and it was perfect. I can't believe now good the picture and sound is.
Summary: I played this back on a 52" Sony 720p and it was perfect. I can't believe now good the picture and sound is.
Specifications
- Manufacturer: Canon
- Part number: 4906B002
- Description: The Canon VIXIA HF R200 camcorder is a perfect choice for those seeking ease of use, high performance function and good value. The VIXIA HF R200 records directly to two SDXC-compatible memory card slots and boasts Canon's relay recording, a 3.0" touch panel LCD and smart auto. Its video lens with 28x advanced zoom in combination with the highly developed Canon CMOS image processor to deliver the crisp, lifelike video your TV demands. Advanced video snapshot lets you create 2, 4 or 8-second movie clips, with music, that are perfect for sharing. And the advanced but simple-to-operate control features of the VIXIA HF R200 help you create high quality video that can flatter the novice while at the same time satisfying the experienced.
General
- Product Type Camcorder,
- 1080p - Camcorder Sensor Resolution 3.28 megapixels
- Effective Video Resolution 2.07 megapixels
- Digital Zoom 400 x
- Effective Photo Resolution 3.05 megapixels
- Camcorder Media Type Flash card
- Optical Sensor Size 1/4.85"
- Optical Sensor Type CMOS
- Min Illumination 0.4 lux
- Analog video format NTSC
- Digital Video Format AVCHD
- Image Stabilizer Electronic
- Digital Scene Transition Black & white fader,
Wipe fader,
Sepia 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,
Sports mode,
Night mode,
Sunset,
Low light,
Spotlight,
Fireworks,
Portrait mode - White Balance Automatic,
Presets,
Custom - White Balance Presets Artificial light,
Daylight - Exposure Modes Program,
Automatic,
Shutter-priority,
Aperture-priority - Image Recording Format JPEG
- Widescreen Video Capture Yes
- AV Interfaces HDMI,
Composite video/audio Lens System
- Type 20 x x Zoom lens - 3 mm - 60 mm - F/1.8-3.6
- Lens aperture F/1.8-3.6
- Features Built-in lens shield
- Optical zoom 20 x
- Lens system type Zoom lens
- Min focal length 3 mm
- Max focal length 60 mm
- Auto Focus TTL contrast detection
- Filter Size 34 mm
- Focal Length Equivalent to 35mm Camera 41.2 - 1154 mm
- Focus Adjustment Manual,
Automatic - Min Focus Range 0.4 in
- Zoom Adjustment Motorized drive
Additional Features
- Self Timer Delay 10 sec
- Low Lux / Night Mode Yes
- Additional Features Gesture User Interface,
Touch Decoration,
24p Cinema Mode,
Face detection,
RGB primary color filter,
Built-in speaker,
Pre-Rec function,
Progressive scanning,
Dolby Digital AC-3 (2 channel) recording,
Auto gain control,
Touch-screen control,
Video Snapshot mode,
Relay Recording,
x.v.Color technology,
Auto Backlight Compensation,
USB 2.0 compatibility - Software Drivers & Utilities,
Pixela Video Browser,
Pixela Transfer Utility - Included Accessories HDMI cable,
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 Headphones - Memory Card Slot SD card
Viewfinder
- Viewfinder Type None
Memory / Storage
- Media type Flash card
- Supported Memory Cards SD Memory Card
- Image Storage JPEG 1920 x 1080,
JPEG 1792 x 1344,
JPEG 2016 x 1512 - 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-110
- Supported Battery 1 x Li-ion rechargeable battery ( 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 2.4 in
- Depth 4.8 in
- Height 2.4 in
- Weight 9.5 oz
Product series
-

Manufacturer: Canon
Specs: CMOS,
9.5 oz,
4.8 in,
2.4 in,
20 x x Zoom lens - 3 mm - 60 mm - F/1.8-3.6,
camcorder,
Canon VIXIA HF R21 - Consumer - Flash card -

Canon VIXIA HF R20 Full HD Camcorder (black)
Manufacturer: Canon
Specs: CMOS,
9.5 oz,
4.8 in,
2.4 in,
20 x x Zoom lens - 3 mm - 60 mm - F/1.8-3.6,
Camcorder,
Canon VIXIA HF R20 - Consumer - Flash card -

Manufacturer: Canon
Specs: CMOS,
9.5 oz,
4.8 in,
2.4 in,
20 x x Zoom lens - 3 mm - 60 mm - F/1.8-3.6,
Camcorder,
Canon VIXIA HF R200 - Consumer - Flash card
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


