Press Release: Canon Introduces Three New VIXIA HD Camcorders

[Chris Hurd]

CANON U.S.A. INTRODUCES THREE NEW ADDITIONS
TO ITS VIXIA HIGH DEFINITION CAMCORDER LINE-UP

New High-Definition Camcorders Offer Consumers Superb
HD Image Quality and Expanded Recording Capacity

LAKE SUCCESS, N.Y., August 7, 2008 – Canon U.S.A., Inc, a leader in digital imaging technology, announces the VIXIA HF11 Dual Flash Memory Camcorder, and the VIXIA HG21 and VIXIA HG20 Hard Disk Drive camcorders, providing greater internal storage capacity, enhanced High-Definition image quality and added versatility for preserving life's most precious moments.

The newest members to the VIXIA HD camcorder family incorporate Canon's core expertise in optics and image processing, and further raise the bar of High-Definition image quality by offering 24Mbps bit rate recording - the highest possible bit rate in the AVCHD format. The 24Mbps recording provides consumers enhanced detail, finer tonal gradation and improved reproduction of moving subjects. What's more, the new camcorders have higher internal memory capacity. The VIXIA HF11 Dual Flash Memory camcorder can record up to 12 hours of High-Definition video to a 32GB internal Flash drive, as well as record directly to a removable SDHC card for expanded recording time. The VIXIA HG21 and VIXIA HG20 camcorders feature 120GB and 60GB Hard Disk Drives, respectively, for recording up to 45 or 22 hours of HD video, and also offer the ability to record directly to an SDHC card.

"The upgrade to 24Mbps enables consumers to capture the highest quality of video in the market today, providing the best High-Definition experience on an HDTV" said Yuichi Ishizuka, senior vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A. "This increase, as well as dual recording options on all three VIXIA camcorders, is just another example of Canon's commitment to understanding the marketplace and helping to lay the groundwork to lead the market for the current and next generation of High-Definition camcorders."

VIXIA Core Technologies
All VIXIA camcorders feature Canon core technologies to create HD video that possess the highest level of image quality – a Genuine Canon HD Video Lens incorporates over 70 years of optics experience in professional broadcast and photography; a Canon designed and manufactured HD CMOS Image Sensor for Full HD (1920 x 1080) image capture; the Canon-developed DIGIC DV II Image Processor for superior color and clarity; Instant AutoFocus for fast and accurate auto focusing, which is crucial for HD; and SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization, which corrects a wide range of camcorder vibration for virtually shake-free images.

The ability to shoot video directly to an internal drive or to a removable SDHC memory card allows Canon camcorders to deliver a new level of performance, style and flexibility. Internal memory enables consumers to record video to the camcorder's built-in drive even if they do not have an SDHC card handy. When the internal drive becomes full, footage can be easily transferred to an SDHC memory card, and when it comes time to view their video, the card is simply inserted into a memory card reader in a computer or HDTV for instant viewing. Furthermore, having an SDHC memory card slot allows for expandability, since greater capacity can be added in the future by purchasing additional cards.

Availability and Pricing
Available in September, the Canon VIXIA HF11 Dual Flash Memory Camcorder, and VIXIA HG21 and VIXIA HG20 Hard Disk Drive camcorders will have a suggested selling price of $1199, $1299, and $949, respectively. All models come bundled with Pixela ImageMixer 3SE video editing software, which now supports Blu-Ray disk burning.

About Canon U.S.A., Inc.
Canon U.S.A., Inc. delivers consumer, business-to-business, and industrial imaging solutions. Its parent company, Canon Inc. (NYSE:CAJ), a top patent holder of technology, ranked third overall in the U.S. in 2007†, with global revenues of $39.3 billion, is listed as one of Fortune's Most Admired Companies in America and is on the 2007 BusinessWeek list of "Top 100 Brands." To keep apprised of the latest news from Canon U.S.A., sign up for the Company's RSS news feed by visiting www.usa.canon.com/pressroom.

[Chris Hurd]

HF11 photos in previous post... here are the (virtually identical) HG20 and HG21.

As far as I can tell from the press release, the only real difference between
the HG20 and HG21 is the size of the hard drive inside (120GB vs. 60GB).

[Brian Boyko]

Well, drat. I'd be extremely tempted to sell off one of my HV20s to go tapeless, but Canon had to go and move manual-focus from a one-touch button to a nearly inaccessible sub-menu. *sigh*

[Robert M Wright]

[ DV Info Net ] just put up a review of the HF11:

http://www.dvinfo.net/articles/camco...11overview.php

From what they're saying, it sounds like the HF11 is a very modest improvement on the HF10/HF100.

[Chris Hurd]

Heh. Sorry Robert, I had to replace your link with a better one: ours.

Always refer to DV Info Net sources first, over those found elsewhere on the web! Because ours are better.

;-)

From what they're saying, it sounds like the HF11 is a very modest improvement on the HF10/HF100.

Well, we're letting *you* decide. We've provided what other sites can't or won't do: original camera files, unaltered and unedited, for you to download, review, and evaluate on your own. Unlike other sites, we're not going to tell you what you should think -- we'll let you decide for yourself. I'm interested in hearing feedback as to whether or not our own readers think the improvement is modest or not, after judging the material with their own eyes -- I really don't care what some other site says. Thanks for understanding,

[Robert M Wright]

I posted that because it's the first hands on review of any kind (that I knew of). I'm not particularly whipped on the site I saw it at, that's for sure (some of their reviews are pretty sloppy).

[Chris Hurd]

No biggie; I just have to somehow get you into the habit of checking us first! :-)

[Bruno Donnet]

Originally Posted by Chris Hurd

As far as I can tell from the press release, the only real difference between the HG20 and HG21 is the size of the hard drive inside (120GB vs. 60GB).

As far I can see from the photos, the HG20 has no viewfinder but the HG21 has one! ;)

[Robert M Wright]

It looks like that viewfinder should be able to pivot too.

[Chris Hurd]

Ha. I barely glanced at the photos! But now that you mention it... almost looks like it has *two* viewfinders, but I believe the one labeled "viewfinder" at the top right might be an EVF button. Re: attached pics... click to see 'em big...

[Chris Hurd]

Originally Posted by Robert M Wright

It looks like that viewfinder should be able to pivot too.

That would be nice, but it might not pivot. It might work like the HG10 viewfinder, which simply slides back to reveal the thumb latch for the Mini-AAS cover, and to position it over the top of a deeper, high-capacity battery.

Just guessing, but... we'll find out soon enough.

[Chris Hurd]

Just a quick follow-up; I finally had some hands-on time with the HG21 and snapped a pic of the EVF button just to show a little better detail of the back end of the camcorder. All it does is activate the EVF when the flip-out LCD is already open. The EVF pulls out a little bit but it does not flip up.

[Bruno Donnet]

Hi Chris,

Thanks for the update.
But in August, you promised to add more test results (videos and photos) on the pages of your HF11 review, but I've seen nothing new since this date.

Do you plan to add or complete your HF11 review with some new HF11 (or HG21) videos/photos?

For example, It's still difficult to find good comparisons of the 17mb/s and of the 24 mb/s modes. Any new inputs would be welcome!

[Steve Mullen]

Originally Posted by Bruno Donnet

Do you plan to add or complete your HF11 review with some new HF11 (or HG21) videos/photos?

For example, It's still difficult to find good comparisons of the 17mb/s and of the 24 mb/s modes. Any new inputs would be welcome!

Second that for the HG21 because it's the only one with a VF. And, nice to know you can switch it on while the LCD is on.

Any word from Canon on a new HDV camcorder?