Canon mainstream camcorders get better sensors

The Vixia HF M series incorporates the company's higher sensitivity HD CMOS Pro sensor.

Lori Grunin Senior Editor / Advice

I've been reviewing hardware and software, devising testing methodology and handed out buying advice for what seems like forever; I'm currently absorbed by computers and gaming hardware, but previously spent many years concentrating on cameras. I've also volunteered with a cat rescue for over 15 years doing adoptions, designing marketing materials, managing volunteers and, of course, photographing cats.

Expertise Photography, PCs and laptops, gaming and gaming accessories

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Lori Grunin

Jan. 5, 2011 6:46 a.m. PT

The most interesting thing about Canon's mainstream camcorder lineup for 2011, the Vixia HF M41, M40, and M400 ($799.99, $699.99, and $649.99, respectively) is that they use the HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor (see the HF G10). That's nontrivial, of course; if it results in improved video quality then I'm all for it. The top-end M41 has an EVF, and they use the same 10x zoom lens as last year's models.

On the downside, Canon hasn't changed its poorly designed touch-screen user interface, so you can look forward to more complaints from me about that in 2011. The 3-inch touch screen remains pretty low resolution, too, at 230,000 dots.

The series includes all of Canon's new friendly features: effects (Cinema-Look Filters), guided shooting (Story Creator), and graphic overlays (Touch Decoration). There's also dual SDXC slots and telemacro (for close-up shooting)

You can expect to see them in March.