Canon Vixia Mini targets selfie video shooters
This pocket-size Wi-Fi-enabled minicamcorder does a lot, but it's still a bit of an oddball product.
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When Cisco killed the Flip and Kodak folded, the minicamcorder market basically went with them. That is until GoPro and the like morphed the market into action cams.
Canon's new Vixia Mini falls somewhere in between those two segments, looking like part Webcam and part minicamcorder. In front is an f2.8 16.8mm fish-eye lens giving you a 160-degree angle of view for movies (170 degrees for photos), which is typical of what you'd find on action cams. For those times when you want a more normal view, a Close-Up mode narrows the approximate focal length to 35mm, cutting out the distortion and recording a centered 1,920x1,440-pixel-resolution video.
The 12-megapixel BSI CMOS sensor can record high-bit-rate MP4 files in 1080p. There are also high-speed and slow-motion recording options (two of each). Everything gets stored to a microSD card, which is not included.
There is no external mic jack, but Canon says the stereo mic in front delivers high-quality sound, while Audio Scene Select modes allow you to adjust the sound for your surroundings such as music or speech or road noise that needs suppressing. Also, despite looking like a mini video projector, the Vixia Mini is not one, and the camcorder's Mini-HDMI port is for output only.
On top is a 2.7-inch 230K-dot-resolution touch screen that's attached to the camera on two parallel hinges that make it possible to flip it up and tilt it forward and back. There is also a built-in stand that will elevate the body up to 60 degrees, and a tripod mount on the bottom.
The Mini also has built-in Wi-Fi for wireless transfers to mobile devices and computers or uploading to Facebook and YouTube. There's a live-streaming feature, too, that will allow you to record to an Android or iOS device as well as control the camera remotely.
If you want a look at just what Canon says this thing can do, watch this video on its site. The Canon Vixia Mini will be available in black and white versions when it arrives in September, priced at about $300.