The Canon Vixia G line has its first 4K shooter. On Monday, January 7, Canon announced the VIXIA HF G50 camcorder, along with the waterproof consumer camcorders VIXIA HF W11 and HF W10, during CES.
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The G50 is the G-series’ first 4K 30 fps camera for the company’s prosumer G-series. The camcorder, which Canon says is designed for advanced amateur filmmakers, wedding videographers and student reporters, records that high resolution in 8-bit. 10-bit is available in 1080p using an SDI/HDMI output.
Like earlier generations, the G50 also uses a 20x zoom lens that covers about a 30-600mm range (35mm equivalent) paired with a 1/2.3-inch sensor. The G50 allows for recording in 0.4x to 1,200x slow and fast motion. A five-axis image stabilization system and Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF is also built in.
The camcorder body features dual SD card slots, along with both a three-inch tilting touchscreen and an electronic viewfinder. The Canon Vixia HF G50 is set to launch in April, retailing for about $1,100.
Designed for families, Canon’s new Vixia HF W11 and W10 use a waterproof, shockproof, and dustproof body, yet unlike an action camera, it uses the traditional camcorder design. Both are rated to withstand up to 16.4 feet of water while continuing to shoot down to 14 degrees Fahrenheit.
Both cameras can record 1080p video in AVCHD and include a 40x optical zoom lens. The camcorders also both include a touchscreen, SD card slot, and a battery rated for up to five hours of continuous recording.
So where do the two models differ? The W11 includes an LED video light and 32GB of internal storage, which is good for up to 13.5 hours of footage. The W10 skips the light and uses 8GB of internal storage (rated for up to three hours of footage).
The camcorder industry has slowed significantly thanks to smartphones and, for the more advanced users, the video capabilities of interchangeable lens cameras. A camcorder that can withstand the elements, record for five hours and shoot at a 40x zoom may give a few more reasons to use a dedicated camcorder instead of that smartphone. (Panasonic took a similar approach with waterproof camcorders launched last year).
The Canon VIXIA HF W11 and W10 are slated for availability in April. The W11 is priced at about $450 and the W10 at $400.
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