Product summary

The good: Compact, attractive design; mic input.

The bad: No optical image stabilization; ineffective wind filter; no headphone jack; modest video quality.

The bottom line: Convenient, well-designed camcorders that look pricier than they are, models in the Canon FS series–FS11, FS10, and FS100–nevertheless deliver typical budget video in line with their budget price tags.

Specifications: Video input type: Camcorder ; Optical sensor type: CCD ; Optical zoom: 37 x

In the continuum that runs from low-resolution, cheapo camcorders like the Creative Vado to high-quality, solid-state “prosumer” HD models like Canon’s own Vixia HF10, Canon’s line of SD-based camcorders–FS11, FS10, and FS100–falls exactly where you’d expect. At budget prices under $600, they’re small, stylish, and provide a reasonably expansive feature set; unfortunately, the real “budget” aspect of these models is the video quality.

The individual models in the FS series differ only by memory and color, with list prices that increment by $100 (but with lower actual street price gaps). The top-end model, the FS11, comes in dark gray and includes 16GB built-in memory; its lesser sibling, the FS10, wears silver and includes 8GB. The cheapest child, the FS100, has no built-in memory but comes in silver, blue, and red. Capacities run about 13.8 minutes per gigabyte of storage for best-quality mode, 39 min/GB for lowest quality; we don’t recommend shooting below best-quality, however.

Weighing only 10.7 ounces and fitting comfortably into the palm of a hand–one my size, at least–the FS is, for the most part, quite well designed. As is becoming typical for SD-based models, you choose among video and still, record, and playback modes plus toggling recording on and off via a big thumbwheel at the back of the camcorder. You operate the zoom switch, photo shutter, and on/off switch with your forefinger. The battery and SD card slot lie under a sliding panel on the bottom of the unit. Some of the nicer touches include a built-in electronic lens cover–at this price, they’re usually manual–and an LED video light.

Behind the LCD, there’s an Easy button for a completely automatic mode and a button to display battery info, which displays the estimated time remaining. There’s also a standard mini-USB port, 3.5mm microphone jack, and an AV out connector for hooking up to a TV via the bundled composite cable. As is becoming typical for Canon, you use a joystick on the LCD to bring up a few quick-access controls, including triggering the video light, exposure compensation, shutter speed, and manual focus. It doesn’t magnify the focus area while in manual focus, but despite the smallish 2.7-inch LCD, it’s pretty usable.

You also use the joystick to navigate the menus, which you pull up via a membrane button on the bevel of the LCD (other membrane buttons include playback controls, recording start/stop, and backlight compensation). Unusual in a budget model, the camcorder offers shutter-priority mode in addition to program exposure and a variety of scene modes. Beyond that, the shooting functions are scarce: white balance, digital and image effects, and a choice of 9Mbps, 6Mbps, and 3Mbps bit rates. Some of the other options, available deeper within the menus, include variable or one of three constant zoom speeds, 16:9 wide-screen recording mode, and a wind screen filter.

source: cnet

Related posts:

1. Canon FS200 Flash Memory Camcorder w/41x Advanced Zoom (Misty Silver) – 2009 MODEL
2. Canon FS300 Flash Memory Camcorder (Silver) – 2010 MODEL
3. Canon VIXIA HFS100 HD Flash Memory Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom – 2009 MODEL

Product summary

The good: Good video quality for its class; manual controls; small, comfortable design.

The bad: No inputs; questionable YouTube friendliness; no optical image stabilization; thin grip strap.

The bottom line: The JVC Everio GZ-MS120 is a nice little flash-memory-based standard-definition camcorder.

Specifications: Video input type: Camcorder ; Optical sensor type: CCD ; Optical zoom: 35 x

Keeping standard-definition minicamcorders competitive against cheaper pocket video cams capable of 720p HD video has basically come down to two features: storage and optical zoom. The JVC Everio GZ-MS120 packs the same 35x optical zoom as 2008′s MS100, and though the company left out internal storage from this model (the MS130 gets you 16GB of built-in memory for about $50 more), there are dual SD/SDHC card slots. That’s one slot more than the competition, letting you go up to 64GB of storage should you want it. Oh, and its video isn’t half bad either, considering its sub-$300 price.

Those thinking about getting a Flip-style minicamcorder but can live with a larger size should consider the MS120. Despite it not technically being in the same category and that it won’t fit in a pants pocket, you get much more camcorder for your money with this JVC (and not much more money, at that), and its video is YouTube-friendly, with some assistance from the bundled software.

source: cnet

Related posts:

1. JVC GZ-MG750 80 GB HDD Camcorder
2. Canon VIXIA HF200 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 15x Optical Zoom
3. Sanyo Xacti CG10 Dual Camera HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 5x Optical Zoom (Black)