Canon's latest camcorder is keeping standard-definition alive and kicking. Is this the best SD camcorder on the market? Read here for the full Canon FS22 review.
Review summary of the Canon FS22:
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 Its the year 2009 and standard-definition camcorders are getting shafted with minimal features and smaller sensors while high-definition steals the limelight. The Canon FS22 is one of those poor unfortunate souls, though we found it to be one of the best remaining options on the market if your wallet cannot take the Fugitive jump down a tumultuous financial waterfall. We were impressed with the FS22s video quality, especially when compared with the Sony DCR-SR47s, but we wanted more from Canon, especially since the FS22 is the top dog in the standard-definition posse. External controls were minimal and features were truncated, though we did like the manual shutter speed. The FS22 records to 32GB of internal flash memory and SD/SDHC cards, so its obvious were paying for storage. But is $600 a reasonable amount to throw at a standard-definition camcorder in this day and age? High-definition models from last year can be found online for that price tag or cheaper, so the FS22 might be too much of a hard sell. Release: May 2009. Price: $600.
Pros: Highly compact body. Good overall video quality. Decent shooting features.
Cons: Limited external controls. Internal battery chamber. Pricey.
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Full Canon FS22 Review:
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Design - Good
While MiniDV and DVD camcorders are now officially endangered species, manufacturers have begun ladling even more thought into light, compact flash memory models like the Canon FS22. This petit dual-memory compact is Canon's smallest standard-definition model yet, with the FS21 and FS200 occupying the same feathery weight and diminutive dimensions. The FS22 is just a lens barrel with an LCD tacked onto it, and we could easily slip it into a jacket pocket. We also liked the FS22's coat of glossy sparkle flake paint and chrome trim. The Canon FS22 was also exceptionally cushy to grasp, thanks to its padded felt hand strap and ergonomically chiseled chassis.
We liked the oversized zoom toggle for its smooth movement and the large circular Mode dial made shifting into Auto, Camera, or Photo modes a breeze. We weren't too keen on the enclosed battery design, however, due to the fact that the Canon FS22 can only fit a battery pack up to a certain size. The Sony DCR-SR47 featured a rear-mounted battery bay, which supports the largest compatible pack on the market since there is no capacity restriction. We dug the Canon FS22's front-mounted microphone over the DCR-SR47's top-mounted mic because our fingers couldn't muffle the pickup. The Power button was easy to reach, though adult hands will have to shift downward in order to comfortably operate the FS22.
Interface and Menus - Mediocre
Here's where Canon threw a stick in the spokes of the FS22's control room wheels. This dual-memory captain is supposed to be the top standard-definition member of the fleet, yet we see no signs of advanced control anywhere. Perhaps it's just runoff from the fading popularity of standard-definition camcorders in general, but we remember the days when MiniDV camcorders rocked control dials, AE and TV Priority modes and lens rings. The Canon FS22's only navigational force is its LCD-mounted joystick. All other buttons are administrative-oriented aside from the Video Snapshot button. For 600 smackers, we'd expect a little more from the FS22's interface, especially since the FS21 and FS200 feature the same configurations and retail for less.
For our viewing pleasure, the Canon FS22 offered a 2.7-inch LCD with a 123,000-pixel display. Needless to say, the picture was average, but sharp. The FS22's menus were a watered-down version of Canon's x-axis/y-axis structure found on nearly all of the HD and standard-definition models in the company's lineup. We loved the Function menu for its conduciveness to rapid option selection and the Joystick menu was convenient for on-the-fly adjustment. Playback was easy to access and navigate, particularly due to the convenience of the Joystick. The FS22's flat strip of buttons mounted on the LCD panel made Playback more user friendly, but we also had the option to use the Joystick. In Camera mode, the flat button panel doubled as Record and Zoom toggle buttons. All in all, Canon does not offer much externally for the advanced shooter, but the FS22 is no slouch once you travel inside its interface.
Shooting Features - Mediocre
The standard-definition market has been whittled down over the years in order to make plenty of room for the latest and greatest high-definition models, so it's no surprise that the Canon FS22 offered a very basic set of shooting features. We got manual Shutter Speed control out of the deal, and the FS22 could dip down to 1/8-second for low light and crawl all the way up to 1/2000-second for fast motion. However, anything below a 1/15 second-shutter speed will look like a jumpy Unsolved Mysteries reenactment scene. For an additional low light boost, the FS22 was equipped with a small video light, but it cast a bluish hue and illuminated one side of the frame more intensely than the other. White Balance options were limited to Auto, Daylight, Tungsten and Manual, which was odd because we're used to seeing an extensive list on Canon's high-end camcorders. Nevertheless, the white balance functioned well and we rarely had to manually balance.
The manual Focus was hit or miss, due to the mediocre quality of the LCD screen. Close-up objects were not that difficult to fine-tune, but objects in the distance were a lost cause. We stuck with the Canon FS22's Auto Focus most of the time because it performed very well. Color options were also limited to Vivid, Neutral and Soft Skin Detail, but Image Effects were packed to the brim and even included an additional filter that sounded the Consumer alarm. Anytime a manufacturer tosses a Mosiac filter on a camcorder, we know we're not going to be shooting big budget documentaries. Art mode was still our favorite. The FS22's Pre-record feature worked like a charm, allowing us to catch three seconds of footage before pressing the Record button. The FS22's Video Snapshot mode was rather gimmicky, creating a montage of four-second video clips set to a Midi version of The Entertainer. Despite its novice-aimed artillery, the Canon FS22 managed to get the job done.
Hardware and Connectivity - Good
Sensors are also shrinking in 2009, and the Canon FS22 is donned with a 1.07-megapixel 1/6-inch CCD. Sony dropped the DCR-SR47 down to a 1/8-inch chip with a reasonably low 410,000 effective pixel count. We noticed a significant decline in the DCR-SR47's image quality over previous models with larger sensors and higher pixel counts. Fortunately, the FS22 did not exhibit the dreaded sensor downgrade syndrome, but its performance could not hold a candle to Canons of the past.
The Canon FS22 has a 37x optical zoom with a 48x Advanced Zoom. Canon's Advanced zoom basically magnifies the overall image, sacrificing external pixels. The Sony DCR-SR47 offers a 60x optical zoom while the Panasonic SDR-H80 rocks a 70x optical zoom. So, if zoom is a major factor then Canon is not the ticket. The FS22 records MPEG-2 videos to 32GB of internal flash memory or SD/SDHC cards. We had issues with Canon's files on our Mac and had to switch to Windows in order to extract frame grabs from our editing program, so file conversion will be the thorn in the side of Apple fanatics. A rechargeable Lithium Ion battery powers the FS22.
Despite the Canon FS22's limited external controls, the little lens barrel is strapped with Mic, Headphone/AV, USB and DC jacks. The Sony DCR-SR47 does not offer sound inputs and outputs, so that wins the FS22 a few points. The FS22 even has an onscreen Audio Level meter, though dB levels cannot be adjusted.
Image Quality - Good
With all of the sensor shrinking going on, we didn't expect much out of our Canon FS22 review unit, especially in low light. When a company crams more pixels onto a smaller imager it usually leads to a decreased sensitivity when the lights go down, but the FS22 did not choke entirely. A decent exposure was at least attainable thanks to the Shutter Speed control, though low light video clips appeared to have lost a good deal of color information and were pelted with noise. Bright light shooting was an entirely different story. Our video clips were sharp, detailed and filled with vibrant color. The FS22 blew past the Sony DCR-SR47 with ease and our only complaints were limited to some moderate fringing and typical contrast issues.
All video clips were captured at the highest 9Mbps quality and processed using Sony Vegas. The frame grabs are 655 x 480 JPEGs, although they were shot in widescreen. That was another issue. The FS22's file format made it so we could not work with widescreen footage, even after we selected a widescreen preview window in our timeline. Clips would have to be converted to more popular file formats in order to achieve this. Regardless, the slightly smooshed frame grabs do not take anything away from image quality, for we also analyzed the footage on an external monitor at their true aspect ratios.
Outdoor Test GS500 in the Sun
Scenery Test Dragon Mountains
Motion Test Catie Carving Corners
For a standard-definition camcorder in this day and age, the Canon FS22 performed admirably in the first two clips. We were able to attain a nice focal length on the GS while maintaining a boost of overall sharpness and even color tones. The second frame grab demonstrates the FS22's ability to render fine detail. The Sony DCR-SR47 would have jumbled all of the trees into a pixilated mess, but we were surprised at the level of intricacy cranked out by the FS22. The third clip was shot at a 1/60-second shutter, and viewing the action on the big screen was not only smooth, but beyond awesome. What's cooler than a 4th grader scraping pegs on a mini bike? Not much.
Zoom Test Southern Souls (Wide Angle)
Zoom Test Southern Souls (Telephoto)
We used the Advanced Zoom initially to capture the fear and intimidation of the Southern Souls, but we settled on the 37x optical range as the cap. The Advanced Zoom was far too difficult to control unless the FS22 was set down on a solid surface. We did experience some fringing in this video clip, however and slight haloing along the edges of the ruthless maniacs.
Portrait Test The Mad Indian
Sharpness Test Unicoi Crest
Contrast Test Tree of Shame
Portraits were impressive with the Canon FS22 because the camcorder handled skin tones very well. Not only was the Mad Indian a complete nut to ride with, but he also instilled fear and intimidation into those around him even with the helmet off. It's the FS22's impressive detail that enabled us to stare into the eyes of the devil himself, even though the Mad Indian wouldn't even harm a fly in actuality. Sharpness looks great along the edges of the Unicoi Crest sign, and that was something the FS22 excelled in. We did run into a little contrast road block at the infamous Tree of Shame due to the blown-out sky, but that's to be expected from a camcorder with an imaging setup like the FS22's.
Dim Light Test North Carolina Sunrise
Low Light Test - Abby
We shot the first clip on the long ride home, and the FS22's rendering of color was the most impressive aspect of the clip. The sky was a smooth gradation from deep periwinkle to golden rust, and the footage looked highly impressive. We lost it all in low light, however, as we can see in the final frame grab. But that's mostly attributed to noise, and the exposure held its own. We also lost some color information, but the FS22's low light capacity exceeded the Sony DCR-SR47's.
Price and availability
The Canon FS22 is available for $600.
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