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Canon's Vixia Mini personal compact camcorder (pictures)

It may look like a tiny projector, but it's for capturing all your selfie videos from wherever you are.

Joshua Goldman
Managing Editor Josh Goldman is a laptop expert and has been writing about and reviewing them since built-in Wi-Fi was an optional feature. He also covers almost anything connected to a PC, including keyboards, mice, USB-C docks and PC gaming accessories. In addition, he writes about cameras, including action cams and drones. And while he doesn't consider himself a gamer, he spends entirely too much time playing them.
Joshua Goldman
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Canon Vixia Mini

The Vixia Mini is what Canon calls a compact personal camcorder. Part HD minicamcorder and part Webcam, the Mini is primarily designed for those who like to be in front of the camera.
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Supersmall and light

The camera fits in the palm of your hand measuring just 3 inches wide by 3.8 inches deep by 0.9 inch thick. It weighs in at 6.3 ounces with its battery and a microSD card.
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Flexible design

While the camera folds down to almost nothing, the 2.7-inch touch screen is attached to the camera by two parallel hinges, letting you flip the screen to different angles. It also has a built-in stand for tilting the camera up about 60 degrees. If you'd rather mount it on a tripod, there's a receptacle for that, too, on the bottom.
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Vari-angle

If off chance you're recording someone else, you can always tilt the screen back or keep it flat for shooting low. Canon doesn't mention, but it's likely that you'll be able to shoot with the camera upside down, like the PowerShot N.
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Lens and mics

Between the stereo mics (there is no mic input) is a Canon f2.8 fish-eye lens (160-degree movies/170-degree photos). That's pretty much what you'd find on a lot of action cams, but unusual for something you'd most likely be using to shoot people and not scenery. There is a Close-up mode, though, that will kill the distortion, turning the ultrawide-angle 16.8mm lens to 35mm (35mm equivalent).
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See you in September

The camera does have built-in Wi-Fi for wireless sending and sharing, and a live-streaming feature that will allow you to record to an Android or iOS device as well as control the camera remotely.

It will be available in black and white versions when it arrives in September priced at about $300.

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