Canon's top dog in the mid-level HD camcorder fleet is here. Read the full Canon Vixia HF M32 review here.
Canon Vixia HF M32 Overview
The Canon Vixia HF M32 sits in a rather peculiar position. Canon offers a spectrum of HD camcorders in this particular price range, and what we're seeing is a push for storage capacity and compact size. The Canon Vixia HF M32 represents the top of Canon's middle-of-the-road camcorder lineup, but because the company has released so many models since last year, it now competes with the upper-level Canon Vixia HF S100 regarding price. There's just a $100 difference between what Canon had considered their top model last year (HF S100), and the company's newest mid-level tourist and family-friendly Vixia HF M32.
As a result, this places users in a cushy spot, allowing them to choose between the more advanced HF S100, or more user-friendly HF M32. Whatever the case, the Canon Vixia HF M32 is a solid little piece of Canon machinery, but there's nothing that we haven't seen before. The Canon Vixia HF M32 is like a little grab bag of popular Canon features that have grown to become standards within the past few years. It gives you the option to record to a 64GB internal Flash drive, or SD/SDHC cards, which is one plus. Let's take a closer look.
Canon Vixia HF M32 Design
The first thing that came to our collective consciousness while fondling the Canon Vixia HF M32 was how compact and minute the little bugger actually is. Because of the Vixia HF M32's petite size, we were able to discern that the camcorder was not initially created for the power user. This camcorder is ideal for a tourist, family member, or partier who values the space within his or her own carrying container, whether it is a backpack, purse, or fanny pack. The Canon Vixia HF M32 is so compact that we were able to reach our fingers over the top of the lens barrel and over to the other side where they hit the LCD screen panel. Comfort is not as plush as the Canon Vixia HF S21, but we like the felt backing that lines the hand strap and contoured groove containing the Power and Video Snap buttons.
As far as components go, the Canon Vixia HF M32 has a 2.7-inch touchscreen LCD with Powered IS button representing the only other control embedded in the LCD panel. We like Canon's touchscreens, but it's a bit of a stretch on a 2.7-inch screen. Certain screen taps took numerous attempts to register, and visibility was difficult because of the small icons and fonts. Of course, we could alter the font and icon sizes, but then the screen contained even less options then before. Apart from the touchscreen LCD, the Canon Vixia HF M32 offered minimal external controls, whittling the spread down to Display/Battery Info, Record/Playback, Video Snapshot, Power, and Photo Capture buttons. We did like the horizontally-sliding zoom rocker, but the Canon Vixia HF M32 lacked a Control dial, which is understandable, given the camcorder's entry-level audience.
We were impressed with the roster of ports and terminals located on the Canon Vixia HF M32, but the execution was a tad cheap. First off, we get HDMI, Component, USB, Mic, AV Out, and DC jacks. The inclusion of a Mic jack suggests the Vixia HF M32's ability to satisfy the budget film student looking for something to last throughout middle or high school. Keep in mind that half of these jacks are open to the air without any protection. Also, the SD/SDHC card slot door resides on the flimsy side, so we don't get that plush build quality we experienced with the Canon Vixia HF S100. On the bright side, menu navigation is excellent, the camcorder has a flash and a video light, and also includes a Mini Advanced Shoe for external attachments like a boom mic or video light.
Shooting with the Canon Vixia HF M32
Our experience with the Canon Vixia HF M32 was just like any other Canon camcorder released this year. Menus were responsive, well organized, and bountiful. We got full exposure control, Shutter Priority, Aperture Priority, Portrait Mode, and, of course, Cine Mode, which is a gamma shift to emulate the tonality of big screen motion pictures. There were also three frame rates, though the Canon Vixia HF M32 did not offer native 24p and 30p. We got 60i, PF30, and PF24, but the last two merely simulate lower framerates while still recording at 60i. For Manual Controls, we had the ability to adjust the focus using onscreen controls that paled in comparison to the Canon Vixia HF S100's Control dial. Like all Canons these days, the Canon Vixia HF M32 offered Manual Gain control and the ability to adjust the mic levels, which is particularly helpful for dialing in an aftermarket mic.
For image stabilization, Canon offers Dynamic Image Stabilization, which is claimed to boost shake reduction. To even further the effectiveness of the Vixia HF M32's Image Stabilization, the camcorder features a Powered IS mode, which is controlled manually by a button in the LCD panel and is geared toward reducing shake drastically at full telephoto. We tested the Powered IS mode and can honestly say that the mode offered a 50% improvement at full zoom. And with a 15x optical zoom stuffed in its dainty chassis, the Canon Vixia HF M32 needs all the stabilization help it can get. Canon brought its color suite to the plate as well, allowing us to shoot in Vivid, Neutral, Low Sharpening, Soft Skin Detail, and a fully customizable Color mode. For the beginner, the Canon Vixia HF M32 offered more than one could ask for.
Canon Vixia HF M32 Video Quality
Under the hood, the Canon Vixia HF M32 has a 3.89-megapixel Full HD CMOS Image Sensor that captures video at 1920 x 1080 resolution. For glass we get a 15x optical zoom Canon HD video lens while processing is handled by the latest Canon Digic DV III system. Recording is tackled at a full 24Mbps, so we know that the Canon Vixia HF M32 is playing with a full deck.
What we found was that the Canon Vixia HF M32 rocked in bright light, as usual, but struggled in low light. This is to be expected, due in part to the camera's single 1/4-inch CMOS chip, which resides on the small side compared to the Canon Vixia HF S100's massive 1/2.6-inch CMOS 8.59-megapixel chip. Colors in bright light were brilliant, and the Canon Vixia HF M32 handled motion well, especially with the ability to alter the framerate. However, low light struggled, even when we maxed out the Exposure and Gain. Shutter Speed was our only savior in low light, but that affected motion to a choppy extent, so we used the video light whenever possible.
Canon Vixia HF M32 Still Image Quality
The Canon Vixia HF M32 is capable of 3.31-megapixel still images, which resides on the small side for camcorders these days, but that's because of the camcorder's smaller sensor. Still image quality fought to compete with the most entry-level point-and-shoots, but in the end it yielded and produced sub-par images wrought with noise and lacking fine detail. Low light was also out of the question until we went with a slower shutter speed, but at that point it was next to impossible to attain a sharp image.
While the camcorder industry seems to be dwindling, we're left with only a small circuit of big-time all-stars. Canon is one of our top picks in the camcorder world, and the Canon Vixia HF M32 is just a celebration of most of the tried and true features we've tested, rolled into one little camcorder burrito for the beginner. For the tourist, family documenter, or student, the Canon Vixia HF M32 will do the trick. But it's priced so closely to the Canon Vixia HF S100 that serious shooters might want to consider going with Canon's crème of the crop from last year.
The Canon Vixia HF M32 does have dual-memory recording if you're shy a memory card, and it's optimal for those looking for great video quality without having to do much aside from hitting the Record button. Of course the camcorder allows enough space to grow into with a decent spectrum of manual controls. Now you just have to decide whether you're content in Auto mode with the Canon Vixia HF M32, or if advanced shooting is the street you want to go down with last year's Canon Vixia HF S100.
Canon Vixia HF M32 Photo Gallery
Price and Release Date
The Canon Vixia HF M32 will be available in September 2010 for $1000.
|
Archive