Review: Canon’s “Prosumer” Legria HF21 Camcorder

Technology Vox — By Nini Suet on March 4, 2010 at 11:59 pm

Hong Kong – Aimed at the family market, Canon’s Legria HF21 full HD camcorder hit the market late last year. Its compact size, light weight (340g/0.7pounds) and the Canon High Definition (HD) system are the main features that appeal to users.

Verdict: (4.5/5)
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PROS	CONS
Large storage option & HD quality Compact size Added video features (details below) Microphone & headphone jacks	Price, Price, Price Overly detailed menu Lack of touch screen (may upset the Apple enthusiasts out there)

“Blurring the line between consumer and professional”

What is it in technical terms?

I won’t bore you with technical jargon here, but if you are keen to explore the specifications, check out the official Canon website and the video on Trusted Review.

And in plain English?

I’ll share with you my personal experiences of playing with the camcorder’s special features:

Dual Flash Memory & Relay Recording:
According to Canon’s specs, the camcorder’s 64GB internal flash drive can hold up to 24-hours of high-definition video. With five levels of video quality to choose from, HF21’s internal flash memory can store from approximately six hours to more than 24 hours of footage. If you set it on a medium quality level, you can easily go on a week- long trip without needing to delete footage — the dual memory functionality is a major plus.

Image Stabilization (Dynamic OIS):
The HF21 features Canon’s Super Range Dynamic Optical Image Stabilizer function, which reduces unwanted shake and movement across different zooming ranges. However, you can’t completely avoid shaky images when the camcorder is zoomed in. Though comparison shows that Canon’s stabilization is better than its rivals, I advise you to hold it at waist level for better balance when switching between zooming ranges.

Face Detection:
In addition to the normal face detection functions in most equipment, HF21 provides the option to select footage through the “timeline by faces” mode, which displays thumbnails of the scenes that include faces chronologically. This option allows users to search desired scenes quickly. However, unless you have a large amount of footage on a few individuals, I’m not sure you’ll use this function that much.

Night Scene & Low Light Mode:
New night scene and low light modes are added features to the digital camcorder. However, it is not ideal for shooting nocturnal scenes or any low-light situations – the screen gets very grainy. Frequent partygoers and night owls should look elsewhere.

Pre-REC Function:
One of the biggest challenges for avid documentary makers is missing the valuable yet unexpected shots. HF21 tackles this problem by introducing the “Pre-REC” function, which pre-captures three seconds of footage in the buffer memory before the REC button is pressed. Similar to the face detection function, this pre-rec option is unlikely to be used much for for leisure shooting, though it does come in handy in news sensitive situations. 

Dual Mode Function:
The photo & video dual function simplifies switching between the two modes — definitely a plus when filming news packages. 

Video Snapshot:
Sharing gets easier with this video snapshot function. It allows you to film live action in four-second segments, or choose clips from available footage, to merge into a montage via inbuilt editing software, forming a chic film reel. Then, you can select a rights-free soundtrack provided by the camcorder, and be instantly ready to watch your own blockbuster on TV, without the need for heavy editing. This fun function targets the casual users in the market.

Image Effects:
The camcorder incorporates Canon’s Image Effects, which include presets for altering color saturation and sharpening. The “customizable option” of which users can specify colour depth, contract, brightness is worth a mention as well.

What does it look like?

FRONT

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Frontal view shows all lens with the camcorder’s built in lighting at the lower right side of the lens.

RIGHT

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The camcorder features a rotating control dial to switch mode among photo, video and dual.

BACK

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The battery compartment is located in the back. Also, the external microphone port sits toward the left of the back side, as well as the HDMI and USB terminals.

LEFT

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The left of HF21 has a large 3.5-inch LCD screen with playback buttons below it. The circular menu dial is located on the left side of the screen, and earphone plug as well as the memory card slot sit on the camcorder body.

TOP

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The zoom toggle, photo shutter button and power key are visible from the top view.

BOTTOM

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The bottom has a tripod mount and a battery release switch.

Overall, LEGRIA HF21 is extremely user-friendly – think video recording for dummies – and thanks to the arrangement of controls on the LCD, you can easily operate the camcorder at waist height with both hands.

In addition to the starter kit items, the package includes the following software for image and video editing:

• PIXELA ImageMixer 3 image & video tools. However this program is not compatible with Mac
• Digital Video Solution disk for saving, managing and printing photos
• Music data that can be used as background music during playback

How much is it?

Canon has a special package for HK$12,480 (US$1,608) if purchasing from Broadway in Hong Kong, and you’ll also get the following goodies for free (perhaps more depending on your bargaining skill):

• One tripod
• One extra battery
• One 16GB memory card
• One multifunctional card reader
• One HDMI cable connection
• One dust blower
• Cleaning wipes for both lens and camcorder

Lastly, and completely unrelated to the product, Broadway also gave way:

• A promotional mug (or door mat, bag, T-shirt, document folders, etc.)
• An air purifier
• Two adult tickets to Hong Kong’s Ocean Park

The Verdict?

All in all, the camcorder does live up to its reputation – “shoot a full day in full HD mode” – however, make sure you have extra lighting for night shots.

Tags: Camcorders, Canon, Review