The good: Excellent set of manual features; dual SDHC slots; generally well-designed interface.
The bad: Poorly designed touch-screen menu system; short battery life; defaults to low-quality video mode; doesn't support SDXC; relatively expensive.
The bottom line: Though they're an excellent trio of camcorders, the Vixia HF S21, HF S20, and HF S200 are significantly more expensive than their respective competitors, especially since the S20 and S200 lack electronic viewfinders. If you can forgo some of the subtleties of the manual controls, you can probably get what you need with a cheaper camcorder.
Though I really liked Canon's 2009 prosumer Vixia HF S1x series, I couldn't fully endorse the HF S10/S11 because it lacked an electronic viewfinder, a feature that higher-end users appreciate. Camcorders with EVFs are easier to hold stably while recording video, and EVFs tend to be easier to see with than an LCD in bright sunlight. I'm quite happy to hear that Canon opted to put an EVF on its highest-end model, the Vixia HF S21, for 2010. Unfortunately, the camcorder costs $200 more than than competing EVF-equipped models, making it--and its lower-priced, EVF-free siblings--generally more expensive than their direct competitors. (This review is based on testing of the HF S21.)
Canon's 2010 HF S series of AVCHD camcorders consists of three models that, as usual, differ by memory configuration and the aforementioned viewfinder. Their key specs remain the same as their predecessors', with the same optics and sensor, but they now incorporate Canon's latest optical image stabilization technologies, including the new Powered IS capability for improved stabilization at the telephoto end.
| Canon HF R100/10/11 | Canon HF M300/M30/M31 | Canon HF S200/S20/S21 | |
| Sensor | 2.4-megapixel CMOS | 3-megapixel CMOS | 8-megapixel CMOS |
| 1/5.5 inch | 1/4 inch | 1/2.6 inch | |
| Lens | 20x f1.8-3.6 40 - 800mm (16:9) | 15x f1.8-3.2 39.5 - 592.5mm (16:9) | 10x f1.8-3.0 43.5 - 435mm (16:9) |
| Min illumination (lux) | standard: 5.5 low light: 0.4 | standard: 5.5 low light: 0.4 | standard: 4 low light: 0.3 |
EVF | No | No | Yes 123,000 dots |
| LCD | 2.7-inch 211,000-dot | 2.7-inch 211,000-dot touch screen | 3.5-inch 922,000-dot touch screen |
| Primary media | 0GB/8GB/32GB flash; SDHC | 0GB/8GB/32GB flash; SDHC | 0GB/32GB/64GB flash; SDHC |
| HD recording | MPEG-4: 1080/60i @ 24 Mbps; 1440x1080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps (all video interpolated up from 1664 x 936) | AVCHD: 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440x1080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps | AVCHD: 1080/60i @ 24, 17 Mbps; 1440x1080/60i @ 12, 7, 5 Mbps |
| Manual shutter speed and iris | No | Yes | Yes |
| Accessory shoe | No | Yes | Yes |
| Audio | 2 channels; mic, headphone jacks | 2 channels; mic, headphone jacks | 2 channels; mic, headphone jacks |
| Body dimensions (WHD, inches) | 2.4 x 2.5 x 4.9 | 2.7 x 2.4 x 4.8 | 3 x 2.9 x 5.8 |
| Operating weight (ounces) | 10.9 (est) | 12.9 (est) | 18 |
| Mfr. Price | $499.99/$549.99/$699.99 | $679.99/$699.99/$799.99 | $999.99/$1,099.99/$1,399.99 |
| Ship date | March 2010 | March 2010 | March 2010 |
As the largest and heaviest models in their class, the HF S2 models are nevertheless comfortable to hold and use and will still fit into a roomy jacket pocket. Each model has a set of small rubberized bumpers on the top in front of the zoom switch that give you a little extra grip--a very nice design touch. As with its predecessors, they use an odd built-in lens cover that uses a closing-eye type rather than aperture-blade design that we usually see. The difference wouldn't be notable except that when the cover is closed, the two plastic pieces rattle against each other; since the camcorder is off, it's not a problem, but it is a minor irritation.
Canon packs a lot of stuff in the LCD recess, including buttons for switching between shooting and playback, video snapshot (4-second clips used to create a "highlights reel" effect) and a pair of SD card slots. Though it's nice to have a pair of slots, I suspect this is partly Canon's way of compensating for the camcorders' lack of SDXC support; you'd need two 32GB SDHC cards to get 64GB, the minimum size SDXC card. However, it does enable support for Eye-Fi wireless uploading and it lets you downconvert HD video to standard def video on the camcorder as well as copy to an Eye-Fi SD card in the second slot. Canon uses the limited bezel space for one dual-function button. While playing back video, it handles the wireless uploading; while shooting video, it lets you toggle between the Powered IS and the current image stabilization state.
The component, composite/headphone, and wired remote jacks are underneath a slide-down cover in the recess as well. I think the headphone jack location is awkward for shooters who use the headphones and EVF while recording, not to mention the drain on the already underpowered battery of using the EVF and the LCD at the same time.
The top of the camcorder looks a lot busier than it really is; it consists of the typical power, photo, and zoom switches, plus a bunch of lights and labels. Farther forward are the accessory shoe and a pop-up flash-video light combo. The stereo mics rest on either side of the large lens barrel, with a mic input just below the front strap connector. On the grip side of the camcorder is a small auto/manual switch and a flip-up cover under which the Mini-HDMI and USB connectors reside. As with the older models, the strap tends to get in the way when connecting devices. The battery recess is clearly designed to hold a larger battery. I suggest you budget $75 to $100 for the higher-capacity BP-819 battery because the supplied 890mAh model usually lasts less than an hour.
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