19 February 2010
By: Alex Vochin, Gadgets Editor
Canon Legria FS22 SD Camcorder Review
A good performer in the field of standard definition
We live in a world of high definition, being hit by the terms "Full HD" and "1080p" pretty much from all directions. I mean, when you visit a certain electronics store looking for a regular TV set, assistants will start swarming around you, trying to convince you that you have to purchase not only that "latest-gen" LED HDTV, but also a Full HD Blu-ray player and an HD-capable camera to go along. Come on, you know what we mean, you must have gone through something like this at least once in your lifetime. Anyway, the truth of the matter is that HD is such in high demand nowadays that standard-definition (SD) cameras have already gone out of the spotlight. It doesn't matter that most people don't actually have the means of watching a clip they've recorded with their brand-new, 1080p camcorder (a.k.a. a Full HD TV set), they'll go for such a device anyway, probably believing that this sort of makes them "future-proof" or something of the kind. After reviewing a couple of Full HD camcorders, it's about time to take our chances with a standard-resolution one, namely the Canon Legria FS22, which was officially announced back in early 2009, and which delivers at least a couple of interesting features for those people who've decided to wait a bit until moving on to HD. From many points of view, the Legria FS22 is quite an impressive camera, delivering a very high level of portability (very small, and extremely lightweight), but also a higher level of security for the videos stored within, given the fact that it uses flash memory for storage. However, there are also several minuses to point out, some of which, sadly, affect the overall neat impression the device from Canon might leave us with. [[BREAK=Aesthetics and Design]] Overall design features Design-wise, we can't help but notice the diminutive form factor of the Legria FS22, combined with some pretty good-quality materials. There's nothing striking about the Canon camcorder, though, the overall look being pretty standard and classic (black and silver color combo, swiveling displays, leather side hand strap, etc.). [IMG=117] The finishing touches on the Legria FS22 are pretty OK, although, to tell you the truth, we found them to be a bit less impressive than in the case of their Sony or Panasonic counterparts. No, the camera doesn't look cheap or anything, but it doesn't really manage to rise up to the level of some of its competitors from this point of view, despite its glossy sparkle flake paint and chrome trim. Size and portability As we've mentioned before, among the most important selling points the camcorder from Canon has to offer are its size and portability. So, the Legria FS22 measures just about 55 x 59 x 121mm and weighs somewhere around 225g, which ranks it among the slimmest and
Canon Legria FS22 SD camcorder Softpedia
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easiest to carry around products of this type available out there. [IMG=28][IMG=29][IMG=30] In fact, carrying this camera around and shooting with it was a very, very easy task. I mean, when in use, we often simply forgot it was there (yeah, that's just how light it is). Plus, it seems that Canon's engineers have also done a little study in ergonomics when coming up with the design of this thing, since the user's hands simply seem to wrap themselves nice and tight around the camera's profile. [IMG=43][IMG=44][IMG=45] Controls From the point of view of the available control options, we'll have to talk first about the buttons found on the body of the Legria FS22 and then about the ones found on the swiveling display. The buttons' layout is similar to that of pretty much any other camcorder out there, most of them being placed on the top and rear sides of the FS22, in order to allow the user to easily reach them with their thumbs. And in order to keep things simple, we'll start with the top side and then move on to the rear. On the right-hand top side of the camcorder, we notice the power button, followed by a large shutter button on the center, used, quite obviously, for taking photos. In front of the shutter, we can find the rocker zoom control, whose functions depend directly on the shooting mode of choice. Naturally, the main control option on the rear side is represented by the mode selection wheel, which circumvents the video recording button (pretty large and easy to press). The selector wheel only has three settings (playback, video recording and photo shooting), but it also features a security button, which prevents users from accidentally changing the shooting mode. Last, but certainly not least, we'll have to mention that one will be able to find a couple of buttons on the left side of the camera, in the immediate vicinity of the connectivity area. Thus, what we've got here is a battery/info displayoption, as well as the Video Snap button, used for taking short "video snapshots" (4-second video clips), although we're not exactly sure who'd be interested in doing such a thing. Now that we're done with the main body of the Canon camcorder, it's about time to move to the control buttons found on the camera's swiveling display, which, by the way, is not touch enabled, something that came as a rather unpleasant discovery. However, we should remember the fact that we're only dealing with a standard-definition camcorder here, so such minuses should not come as a surprise. [IMG=31][IMG=32][IMG=36] Without a doubt, the single most useful control option found on the display of the Legria FS22 is the small joystick (found on the right edge of the screen), which allows users to easily and rapidly navigate through the available menus. There's also a very small "Func" button hidden at the bottom of the display (so small that we initially overlooked it, but found it later on, when in need of the Function menu it controls), followed by a couple of other buttons that might come in handy especially during playback (Play, Pause, Stop, Playlist). The last button in the row is also extremely useful, since it allows users to instantly change between the playback and shooting modes, something that can be really useful in numerous situations. [IMG=33][IMG=34][IMG=35]

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Overall, the Legria FS22 offers a fairly standard (and not particularly impressive) set of control options, but, to be perfectly honest, we're sure that they'll prove to be enough for the category of consumers Canon targets with this model. I mean, it's perfectly clear that people who only want a camera for easily recording some special moments or some clips from their daily lives won't be keen on making too many adjustments to the standard ones, while true videophiles will most likely go for an HD offering. Connectivity In terms of connectivity, the Canon Legria FS22 is, in fact, pretty basic, providing just the most commonly encountered interfaces and nothing more. So, we've got the miniUSB port for connecting to a computer and transferring the video files stored within, as well as an AV output, used for hooking the camcorder up to a TV set. Interestingly enough, Canon decided to also add a microphone input on the FS22, meaning that users who want an extra level of audio quality will always be able to plug an additional external microphone. That's about it with the readily visible connectivity options, but the camcorder from Canon sports a couple of hidden ones as well. So, first of all, there's the SDHC memory card slot, which can be found behind a protective plastic panel placed on the Legria's bottom (the same panel that protects the battery compartment). And since we're on the issue of the battery, it's important to mention that the FS22 also comes equipped with a power connector, thus allowing users to easily recharge the built-in battery without actually removing it from the case. The only problem with this connector is that it's been placed sort of out of sight, namely on the right side of the camera, behind a small protective plastic cap, which sort of blends in with the rest of the camera's body, thus making it a bit more difficult to spot, at least at first. [IMG=37][IMG=38][IMG=41][IMG=42] While this is not necessarily related to the issue of connectivity, we'll also have to point out the fact that the Legria camcorder sports a tripod screw mount on the bottom side. Yeah, mounting this very tiny camcorder onto a large tripod may seem a little strange (and indeed, it is, as we've been able to see for ourselves), but it does provide the device with an extra level of stability. Swiveling display Since the display represents the only viewing option provided by the Canon Legria FS22, we'll also have to say a few things on this issue. So, what we're talking about here is a 2.7-inch widescreen color LCD display, which boasts a resolution of around 123,000 pixels. The quality of the display itself is pretty OK (not spectacular, though), even in bright sunlight conditions, and users can even adjust the screen's backlight and brightness. As mentioned above, the only detail we weren't particularly happy about was the fact that the display wasn't touch sensitive, a feature we've come to take for granted in most modern camcorders. [[BREAK=Tech Facts]] Video system Recording Medium - Dual Flash Memory (32Gb internal);

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Max Recording Time - Internal memory: 20hrs 50mins;                                  - 16Gb SDHC card: 10hrs 20mins; CCD Sensor Type - 1/6" Interlaced CCD; Total pixels - 1.07 megapixels; Effective Pixels - Movie: 710,000 pixels; - Still photos: 800,000 pixels (4:3 mode); Filter - Complementary Colour Filter; Lens Advanced Zoom - 45x; Optical Zoom - 37x; Digital Zoom - 2000x; Focal length - 2.6 - 96.2mm; 35mm Equivalent Focal Length -  Movie: 41.7-1877mm;                                                  -  Stills: 41.5 - 1536 mm (4:3 mode); Maximum aperture - f2.0 to f5.2; Minimum focusing distance - 10mm; Image Stabilizer - Electronic; Filter diameter - N/A; Wide Attachment - No. Image processor Image Processor - DIGIC DV II; LCD Screen size - 2.7-inch widescreen colour LCD; Pixels - Approx. 123,000 pixels; Manual adjustment - Brightness, backlight; Viewfinder Screen size - N/A; Pixels - N/A. Minimum illumination Minimum Lux. - Approx. 1.5 lux (Night Mode); Night Mode - Yes; Focus Auto/Manual - Yes/Yes;
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Control - Joystick operation (manual mode); AE Mode Program AE - 11 - Dual Shot (Easy), P, TV, Portrait, Sports, Night, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Spotlight, Fireworks; Backlight Compensation Backlight Compensation - Yes; White Balance Type - TTL; Auto - Yes; Set/Preset - Yes (Daylight, Tungsten); Shutter Speed Maximum - 1/2000th sec.; Slow - 1/6th sec. Digital Effect Fade - Auto Fade, Wipe; Effect - Black & White, Sepia, Art, Mosaic. Image quality adjustment Image Effects - Vivid, Neutral, Soft Skin Detail; Still image Capture image size - 1152 x 864, 1152 x 648, 640 x 480; internal memory or memory card; Continuous shooting mode - Yes; Auto Exposure Bracketing - Yes; Simultaneous Photo Recording - No; Selecting AF Frame Function - Yes; Histogram - Yes; Photo Button - Yes; Photo Burst - No. Self timer [IMG=21] Self timer - 10 sec, 2 sec with wireless remote; Rec. Review/Rec. Search REC. review/REC. Search - No/No; Recording Mode LP mode - 3 recording quality modes (XP, SP, LP);

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Video Snapshot - Yes; Dual Shot - Yes; Pre REC - Yes; Search Still image - No; Date - Yes (date select, calendar, timeline); Memory Card [IMG=22][IMG=23] Multi Media Card - No; Secure Digital Card - SD / SDHC; Movie Recording - Yes; Internal Data Transfer - Movie : Yes (internal memory to card);                                   - Stills: Yes (internal memory to card); Audio System - Dolby Digital 2ch (AC-3 2ch); Manual Rec. level control - No; Audio Dubbing - No; Terminal Headphone - Yes; Microphone - Yes; USB - USB 2.0 Hi Speed; DV - No; Direct Print - Yes; Analogue-in - No; AV - Yes; S-video - No; Component - No; Built-in charger - Yes; Quick Start Quick Start - Yes (using LCD screen); Accessory shoe [IMG=24][IMG=25] Accessory shoe - No; Built-in video light Built-in Video light - YES (white LED); Built-in flash Built-in Flash - No;
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PC Connection Kit Digital Video Solution Disk - Yes (v32); DV Network Solution Disk - No; Application software - Yes (PIXELA ImageMixer 3 SE, Music Transfer utility); USB cable - Yes; Wireless controller Wireless controller - Yes; [IMG=26][IMG=27] Battery Pack Type - Lithium-Ion; Intelligent Battery System - Yes; Battery included in the kit - BP-808; Max recording time (included battery) - Approx 3hrs 35mins (normal LCD, LP mode); Quick Charge - Yes; Long life Battery - N/A; Longer recording time- N/A; Dimensions W x H x D - 55 x 59 x 121mm; Weight - 225g [[BREAK=Real Life Performance]] General setup and operation Now that we're done talking about the design-related features and the tech specs of the Canon Legria FS22 camcorder, it's about time to move to something a bit different, namely to the way in which the device behaves when put through its paces. And we'll start first with some general considerations and setup-related features, only to move on later to what pretty much everyone's really looking forward to read about, namely this thing's video and photo shooting capabilities. So, as we've briefly mentioned above, as far as handling the Legria FS22 is concerned, users shouldn't really have any problems, simply because this thing is light and portable enough to be easily carried around by pretty much anyone. In fact, when we first picked it up, we were quite surprised by just how well this thing fitted right in our hands, while carrying it around also proved to be an extremely easy task. Powering the camera can be done either via the dedicated button or by simply opening the LCD screen, which, in fact, should be the method of choice, especially if you're using the FS22 for capturing everyday life videos for later uploading to various social-networking services. Oh, and for the same reason, the camcorder also offers a pre-record feature, but I guess we'll go into this a bit later. Accessing the Legria's various configuration menus is done via the dedicated buttons placed on the display, the small joystick playing a pivotal role in the navigation process. I mean, without this apparently unimportant control option, moving through the menus until the right one is found might have proven a pretty troublesome task.

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[IMG=85][IMG=86][IMG=87][IMG=88] Since we've reached the issue of menus, we'll have to say that the menu system implemented within the Legria FS22 wasn't exactly the most attractive we've encountered. And we're not necessarily talking here about the x/y axis menus used during the photo shooting process, but rather about the ones used for adjusting various camera settings. Of course, they're pretty clear and straightforward, with users having little trouble finding the required setting and adjusting it accordingly, but this doesn't change the fact that they're not particularly easy on the eyes. [IMG=89][IMG=91][IMG=92][IMG=93] [IMG=94][IMG=95][IMG=96][IMG=97] As far as the camera's overall setup is concerned, users will be able to easily receive info on the battery's status, adjust output-related settings (both audio and video, including the possibility of adjusting the image video output depending on the type of TV set one is using), activate and deactivate the image stabilizer and zoom functions, and so on. Of course, they'll also be able to manage the available memory and other playback-related features, but we'll go into further details on these issues later on. [IMG=98][IMG=99][IMG=100][IMG=101] Another issue we'd like to point out here is that videos are recorded using the MPEG-2 codec, in the MOD file format, which can be rather troublesome in certain situations, meaning that it requires some additional codecs to be installed in order to be viewed/processed directly, without using the software that accompanies the Legria FS22. [IMG=102][IMG=103][IMG=104][IMG=105] [IMG=106][IMG=107][IMG=108][IMG=109] So, while simply renaming the files to MPG worked wonders in Windows 7, Windows XP was a bit troublesome, and the same goes for Mac OS X, were things were even more difficult. Video shooting and image quality First and foremost, we have to remind you that we're talking about a standard-definition camcorder here, which means that image quality will be below what some of you might have gotten used to, especially those of you who've already gone HD. [IMG=46][IMG=47][IMG=48][IMG=49] As you've been able to read for yourselves a little earlier, the Legria FS22 has been equipped with a smaller sensor, compared to its predecessor, and this becomes immediately visible especially when shooting in low-light conditions and indoors. Unfortunately, in the aforementioned situations (sometimes combined), the results were less than impressive, with a pretty serious amount of noise affecting the overall image quality and color info being less reliable. [IMG=50][IMG=51][IMG=52][IMG=53] Luckily, the manual Shutter Speed control manages to salvage at least a bit of the image quality in this field. Users can adjust the speed from around 1/8-second up to 1/2000-second, but it's perhaps for the best to stick to the former, rather than the latter, especially when there's only a low amount of light available. Anyway, in order to improve things a little bit, Canon also added a small video light to the FS22, placed on the right side of the lens (as you're looking at it). Sadly, this light doesn't do much good, since it offers only a low level of intensity and tends to illuminate one side of the frame more than the other, which is not something one should be looking for. Plus, it tends to generate somewhat of a bluish hue, yet another no-no as far as the overall image quality is concerned. As expected, the Canon Legria FS22 camcorder behaves a lot better in good lighting

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conditions, especially when recording videos outside, in the sunlight (well, this can be said about pretty much any and every camera out there, and we're yet to see the device that's capable of providing equally good shooting features in the dark and in very good lighting conditions). [IMG=54][IMG=55][IMG=56] So, when taking the FS22 outside, on a sunny day, you'll get some very sharp, detailed videos, which provide an impressive level of color reproduction. To tell you the truth, we were a bit surprised by how well the FS22 behaved in the aforementioned conditions, at least by comparison to the low-light situation. [IMG=57][IMG=58] Another issue we'll have to talk about is the focus, which is directly affected by the display. So, while focusing on people or objects in the immediate vicinity of the camera was a pretty easy task, things got a lot more difficult when talking about objects in the distance, which are not exactly clearly visible, due to the less-than-perfect display. Anyway, as far as we're concerned, opting for the AutoFocus features is perhaps the best solution in the case of the Legria FS22. Now, moving on to the zoom. If we were to just read the specs, things would look pretty cook, since the FS22 delivers a 37x optical zoom, 48x Advanced zoom and up to 2000x digital zoom. However, when put through its paces, the FS22 doesn't really do that good when going above its optical zoom limit. Sure, advanced zoom works too, but if you're looking for optimum results in this case, you'd better get a tripod in the equation, because, otherwise, the image might turn pretty shaky.
The camcorder from Canon also offers a couple of White Balance options, although far less than we'd normally expect, since we're only talking about Auto, Daylight, Tungsten and Manual. Not a lot to go with here, but at least Auto works great in most situations, so that's what we've stuck to. Furthermore, the FS22 offers users access to a set of preset Programmed AE options, namely Program, Tv, Portrait, Sports, Night, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Spotlight and Fireworks. While we haven't tested all of these settings, those we did manage to use did their job pretty well, so we'd dare to extrapolate and suggest that using these features might prove to be a good idea, especially if this isn't exactly the first camcorder you've ever used.

The color settings options are also pretty limited, since we're only talking about Vivid, Neutral and Soft Skin Detail. The camera offers a couple of useful effects that can be applied to the footage right in the camera, including the already way too common sepia and black and white, plus a quirky mosaic feature, which was a bit too much to go into even for us. Anyway, the last two recording-related features we'll detail as follows are Pre-record and Video Snapshot. The first feature can really come in handy, since it allows users to capture three extra seconds of video (before actually activating the video recording function), while the second one is more or less useless, as far as we're concerned, since we didn't find much use for those four seconds of video.
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All in all, we'd have to say that the Canon Legria FS22 behaves fairly well as far as its main function (video recording) is concerned, although things tend to go a bit downhill in low-light conditions. However, in bright light, the results are more than OK, especially since we're dealing with an SD camcorder here. Photo shooting and photo quality Similar to most other camcorders released on the market over the past few years, the Legria FS22 also offers a photo shooting mode. This functioning mode (called Dual Shot) allows users to take photos and record video at the same time, especially since the buttons controlling each function are separate. [IMG=59][IMG=60][IMG=61][IMG=62] [IMG=63][IMG=64] Anyway, coming back to the photos, we'll have to say that placing that shutter button on the top of camera was probably a very good idea, since it permits users to easily and rapidly access the respective functions. Also, the Legria FS22 delivers a couple of interesting and useful photo shooting options (such as the possibility to adjust the white balance and exposure settings, as well as to add certain effects to the photo right in the camera). [IMG=73][IMG=74][IMG=75] We won't go into too many details regarding the photo shooting features simply because, to tell you the truth, we were not particularly impressed with the quality of the resulting photos. I mean, sure, the photo shooting function is secondary, but we've seen shots taken with a camera phone that looked better than some of the ones the FS22 produced, at least as far as the low-light and inside shots were concerned. [IMG=110][IMG=111][IMG=112][IMG=113] [IMG=114][IMG=115][IMG=116] When we moved outside, things changed, but not dramatically, since even the photos taken in some serious sunlight simply look way too noisy. Oh, well, better choose one of Canon's compact cameras or DSLRs if you're really serious about taking good quality photos. Photo and video playback As expected, the Legria FS22 camcorder also offers quite a few playback and video clip management options, albeit not exactly as many as we might have wanted. Of course, there's the ever-present scene search mode, which allows users to easily search videos they shot on a certain date. Moreover, they can create playlists, as well as set the playback volume and, as we've mentioned before, opt for the type of display the movies will be played on (4:3 and 16:9 aspect ratios are available). [IMG=65][IMG=66][IMG=67][IMG=68] [IMG=69][IMG=70][IMG=71][IMG=72] Plus, users shouldn't have too much trouble constantly checking on just how much recording space they've got left, either during the shooting or via the camera's menu. [IMG=73][IMG=74][IMG=75][IMG=76] [IMG=77][IMG=78][IMG=79][IMG=80] So, if we were to draw a line, we'd have to say that the Legria FS22 offers a set of very basic playback and management features, but which should prove to be quite enough, especially taking into account the specific categories of users targeted by this device. [IMG=81][IMG=82][IMG=83][IMG=84] Battery life The battery life provided by the Legria FS 22 depends largely on the type of shooting mode one might have chosen. So, if you're going to increase the LCD's brightness and set the recording mode at high quality, than you really should expect the battery life to drop

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significantly and a lot quicker than it would during normal shooting conditions (standard LCD lighting, LP recording mode, etc.). [IMG=39][IMG=40][IMG=90] Anyway, while we haven't tested all of the available shooting modes, we've managed to get a pretty decent amount of time out of the camera's battery, including here photo and video shooting and reviewing, plus some playback. However, we strongly suggest that you should get a spare battery for the camera, albeit the fact that a power pack providing a longer functioning life has not been made available is a little disappointing. [[BREAK=Conclusions]] The Good - very small and light, ultra-portable; - relatively attractive external design; - uses flash memory for storage; - good quality videos, especially in good lighting conditions; - relatively OK zooming capabilities; - good battery life. The Bad - relatively few control options; - just standard connectivity options; - lack of a touchscreen display; - files saved in MOD format; - low-quality, noisy stills; - expensive. Overall impressions To be honest, the way one perceives the Canon Legria FS22 camcorders is related directly to what one might expect from them. So, if you're having some high hopes for this thing, be aware, you might be somewhat disappointed, especially since, after all, we're talking about a standard-definition camera here, which is not able to compete with the modern HD offerings. However, if you're the type of person that takes things as they are, the FS22 might provide quite a bit of a surprise, starting with the slim and ultra-portable form factor and ending with the quality of the videos, especially those recorded outside, in bright sunlight (or at least daylight). In such situations, the results are nothing short of impressive, taking into account, once again, the fact that this is an SD camera. On the other hand, there are plenty of shortcomings to go around, especially in the still photo shooting department, where the Canon Legria FS22 behaved rather poorly. Other minuses were the lack of a touchscreen display, as well as the relatively low number of available external control options. Plus, the fact that the battery is located within an internal compartment rather than an external one might be seen as somewhat of a drawback. The most important shortcoming of the Canon Legria FS22 camcorder is its pricing, the device being simply way too expensive for its own good. I mean, the average 550-600 US dollars users have to pay for this thing can be spent much better for purchasing an HD camera, so the company should take this factor into account, because a lower price point
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would certainly bolster sales. Sales package - FS22 Camcorder; - Battery Pack BP-808; - Compact Power Adapter CA-570; - Wireless Controller WL-D88; - Stereo Video Cable STV-250N; - USB Interface Cable IFC-400PCU; - Wrist Strap; - Digital Video Solution Disk; - Pixela ImageMixer 3SE Video Editing Software; - Music CD.

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7 April 2010

By: Alex Vochin, Gadgets Editor
Canon Legria FS307 SD Camcorder Review
Thin and ultra-portable taken to extremes
Although the whole marketing frenzy built around the Full HD concept has managed to boost up sales of high-definition camcorders, the truth of the matter is that there are plenty of standard-definition versions around, targeting either those people who've not yet made the move to a 1,080p LCD or plasma TV set (and trust us, there are still plenty in this situation) or customers who want a small and ultra-portable device for quickly recording videos and then uploading them to one of the many online video-sharing services, such as YouTube. Of course, as far as the latter category is concerned, "classic" SD camcorders are starting to get some pretty stiff competition from their YouTube dedicated counterparts, which sport a much lighter and more portable form factor. Given this situation, Canon, one of the world's best-known camcorder manufacturers, has decided to make one of its latest SD digital camcorders as small and lightweight as possible, in order to better compete on this ever more crowded market. The device in question (and the subject of our review) is the Canon FS307 standard-definition camcorder that was officially announced in early 2010 and that can be easily described as the thinnest, most portable and versatile product in this category coming from Canon, as it sports a very light and portable body, combined with a couple of very interesting video recording capabilities. As some of you will certainly remember, a while back, we had the chance to test Canon's Legria FS22 SD camcorder, a predecessor to the FS307. Of course, back then, we expressed our hopes that Canon would improve at least a couple of features, and sure enough, they did, as you'll be able to see later on in our review. [IMG=52][IMG=53] Additionally, we'll also have to mention an interesting detail. Similar to the Canon Ixus 130 digital camera, the Canon FS 307 camcorder was one very important piece of gear in our CeBIT 2010 equipment, which helped us record a lot of interesting videos of the latest gadgets and technologies presented in Hanover, Germany. [[BREAK=Aesthetics and Design]] Overall design features In terms of design, the differences between the FS307 and the FS22 aren't really that noticeable, meaning that Canon has not done any serious improvements, whether we're talking about the color choices, build quality or finishing. So, the FS307 sample we tested had exactly the same color combo as the FS22, mostly gray and black, with a couple of silver (chromed) areas around the lens. As in the case of the previously mentioned model, we can't help but notice the fact that Canon doesn't seem to care much about such things as its camcorders' "cool factor," the overall design and look being a lot less elegant that those of its competitors.

Canon Legria FS307 Canon

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Then again, we're sure many people out there don't care that much about just how a camera looks and are more interested in the end results, which is something completely different, as the FS307 manages to offer some nice results in this area. Size and portability As mentioned before, the FS307 is one of Canon's slimmest and most portable SD camcorders, this being one of the reasons why we've chosen it as our companion during CeBIT. And we're not talking just about the official figures here (55 x 59 x 121 mm, 225 grams overall weight), but also about how this thing feels when carried around. [IMG=45][IMG=46][IMG=47] The two of us taking turns at operating the Canon camcorder have very different hand sizes, but neither has really small hands. Neither of us had any serious trouble operating the device from Canon, which means people with regular/larger hands shouldn't really have any issues working with the tiny flash video camera. [IMG=48][IMG=49][IMG=50][IMG=51] As for people with smaller hands. well, they shouldn't have any major problems either, since they'll get an improved grip on the camera, due to its slightly larger size. In other words, this will work well, regardless of the size of one's hands. Controls In terms of control options, the Legria FS307 is not that different from the FS22, so getting accustomed to it was, in fact, a pretty fast job. Once again, the gadget relies on a combo of buttons placed all over it for accessing the various available controls, but most of these controls are quite intelligently located, allowing for easy operation and rapid availability of all the functions. [IMG=35][IMG=36][IMG=37][IMG=38] So, on the rear side, we've got the shooting mode dial, which allows users to opt for the video shooting mode, the photo mode or the dual mode, which enables them to take photos (albeit at a lower resolution) while recording video. In the center of the dial, we can see the thumb-operated video shooting button, easy to reach and press in just about any condition. Next in line come the buttons placed on the top side of the Canon camera, namely the photo shutter button and the zoom rocker. Their location is identical with their FS22 counterparts, apart from the fact that they're manufactured out of plastic, rather than metal in the case of the FS22. And since the button layout is so familiar, we weren't the least surprised to find the power button also on the top/left side. Moving on to the left side of the Canon FS307, we encounter yet another familiar area. Here, we can see the Battery Info/Display button (which allows users to either display or stop displaying certain parameters on the camcorder's screen), the video snap button that activates the function bearing the same name, and the reset button. Of course, the FS307 also sports some extra buttons right on the display (naturally, no touchscreen, but we sort of expected this, given the fact that we're talking about an entry-level device that doesn't even come equipped with some internal memory). So, what we've got here is the navigation joystick found on the right side of the screen, which once again proves extremely useful in navigating the menus and accessing specific functions. Beneath the joystick, we notice the function button, while, on the lower side of the display, we can see the recording Start/Stop and Pause buttons, the Playlist button and the one that switches between recording/photo shooting and playback functions. We won't go into more

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details on this issue, since their functionality is exactly the same as in the case of the Legria FS22 camera, but rather we'll draw a conclusion, namely that, despite not being "perfect," the control system of the Canon Legria FS307 is quite an easy-to-understand and user-friendly one. Connectivity options While the Canon Legria FS307 control system is almost identical to that of the FS22, things are just a tad different in the case of the connectivity options, practically proving the fact that the former is a more entry-level product while the latter targets the mid-range segment. As in the case of pretty much any video camera on the market, the available connectivity options can be divided into three main categories: those used for connecting the camcorder directly to a TV set, those for transferring video content from the camera's memory to a computer and those for adding certain external accessories to the TV itself (we'll also include the power connector here). The first category is not exactly "rich," since we're only talking about an A/V out interface, which can be easily found on the left side of the camcorder. Naturally, the A/V out requires a dedicated cable for connecting to a TV set, but, luckily, the respective accessory is included right in the sales package. Also on the left side of the FS307, you'll notice the mini USB connector used for hooking up the device to a computer and transferring the files (both photo and video) recorded onto the memory card (since, as we've mentioned before, this thing relies solely on external Flash memory for storage purposes). And since we've reached this issue, we'll also have to mention that the memory card slot is right where we expected it to be, namely on the bottom, behind a protective plastic cap and in the near vicinity of the battery slot. Yeah, you're right, that's the same as in the case of the FS22, apart from the fact that this protection system is a lot more important here, given the lack of internal memory. [IMG=40][IMG=41][IMG=42] [IMG=43][IMG=44] Last, but certainly not least, we'll also have to point out the location of the power connector, found on the right side of the FS307, behind a small plastic cap that slides up to allow users to insert the charger tip. However, that's just about the only accessory one will be able to hook up to the Legria FS307, since there's no dedicated shoe connector and not even a line-in for an external microphone (as was the case with the Legria FS22 model). Display, microphone and video light Naturally, we wouldn't be able to end the review chapter dedicated to the external design of the Canon Legria FS307 without a brief talk about the display, built-in microphone and video light, all of which are extremely important for the gadget's overall functionality and performance level. As far as the display is concerned, there are absolutely no differences between the FS307 and the FS22, since in both cases, we're talking about 2.7-inch screens providing approximately 123,000 pixel resolutions, as well as backlight and brightness adjustment systems. Not a particularly impressive quality of the display, but, then again, we weren't really expecting it, given the fact that, after all, we're talking about an entry-level product.

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Next in line comes the built-in microphone, which, to be honest, was quite a pleasant surprise. The microphone is located in the front side of the camera and manages to do quite an impressive job, even when in high background noise conditions (as was the case at CeBIT). In fact, you can check out some of our clips later on in the review and see just how the two-channel microphone behaved in real-life conditions. [IMG=39] Last, but certainly not least, comes the video light, also placed on the front side of the FS307, underneath the lens. The bulb provides a relatively OK (not impressive, though) amount of light for recording video in low-light situations and doubles as a flash bulb when taking photos. Results are pretty OK, but, as mentioned above, don't really get to the "impressive" realm. [[BREAK=Tech Facts]]  Video system Recording Medium - Removable memory card (SD/SDHC); Max. Recording Time - Variable, depending on memory card size (32Gb SDHC card - 20hrs 50mins); CCD sensor Type - 1/6 type interlaced CCD; Total pixels - 800,000 pixels; Effective Pixels: Movie - 540,000 pixels / Still - 530,000 pixels (4:3 mode); Filter - Complementary Colour Filter; Lens Advanced Zoom - 41x; Optical Zoom - 37x; Digital Zoom - 2300x/2100x; Digital Tele-Converter - No; Focal Length - 2.6 - 96.2mm; 35mm Equivalent Focal Length - Movie: 40.5-1676mm / Stills: 49.8 - 1843 mm; Maximum Aperture - f2.0 to f5.2; Minimum Focusing Distance - 10mm; Image Stabilizer - Electronic; Filter Diameter - N/A; Wide Attachment - No; Image processor Image Processor - DIGIC DV II; Face Detection Technology - No; LCD [IMG=25] Screen Size - 6.7cm (2.7-inch) widescreen colour LCD; Pixels - Approx. 123,000 pixels; Touch-Screen LCD - No; Manual Adjustment - Brightness, backlight; Temporary Underscan - No;
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Viewfinder Screen Size - N/A; Pixels - N/A; Minimum Illumination Minimum Lux. - Approx. 1.1 lux (Night Mode); Night Mode - Yes; Auto Gain Control Limit Adjustment - No; Focus [IMG=21][IMG=23] Auto/Manual - Yes/Yes; Control - Joystick operation (manual mode); Manual Focus Assist - No; AE Mode Smart AUTO - No; Program AE - 11 (Dual Shot (Easy), P, Tv, Portrait, Sports, Night, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Spotlight, Fireworks); Zebra - No; Backlight compensation Backlight Compensation - Yes; [IMG=22][IMG=26] White balance Type - TTL; Auto - Yes; Set/Preset - Yes (Daylight, Tungsten); Shutter speed Maximum - 1/2000th sec.; Slow - 1/6th sec. Digital Effect Fade - Auto Fade , Wipe; Effect - Black & White, Sepia, Art, Mosaic; [IMG=24][IMG=27] Image quality adjustment Image Effects - Vivid, Neutral, Soft, Skin Detail; Custom Functions - No; Custom Key Custom Key - No;

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Still image [IMG=28][IMG=32] Capture Image Size - 1,024 x 768, 640 x 480, 1,024 x 768, 640 x 480; Continuous Shooting Mode - No; Auto Exposure Bracketing - No; Simultaneous Photo Recording - No; Selecting AF Frame Function - Yes; Histogram - Yes; Photo Button - Yes; Photo Burst - No; Self Timer Self Timer - 10 sec; Recording mode LP Mode - 3 recording quality modes (XP, SP, LP); Extended Recording Mode (ELP Mode) - No; Progressive Shooting Mode - No; CINE Image Mode - No; x.v.Color - No; Video Snapshot - Yes; Dual Shot - Yes; Pre REC - Yes; Colour Bars and Test Tone - No; [IMG=29][IMG=30] Search Still Image - No; Date - Yes (date select, calendar, timeline); Memory card Multi Media Card - No; Secure Digital Card - SD / SDHC; Movie Recording - Yes; Internal Data Transfer - No; Audio System - Dolby Digital 2ch (AC-3 2ch); Manual Rec. Level Control - No; Audio Dubbing - No; Terminal Headphone - No; Microphone - No; USB - Yes (USB 2.0 Hi Speed Out Only); DV - No; Direct Print - Yes; Analogue-in - No;
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AV - Yes (Out Only); S-video - No; Component - No; HDMI - No; LANC - No; Built-in Charger - Yes; Quick start Quick Start - Yes (using LCD screen); Accessory shoe Accessory Shoe - No; Built-in video light Built-in Video Light - Yes (white LED); Built-in dedicated flash Built-in Flash - No; PC Connection Kit Digital Video Solution Disk - No; DV Network Solution Disk - No; Application Software - Yes (PIXELA ImageMixer3 SE, Music Transfer utility); USB Cable - Yes; [IMG=31][IMG=33][IMG=34] Web Easy Web Upload - No; HD->SD conversion - N/A; Wireless controller Wireless Controller - No; Battery pack Type - Lithium-Ion; Intelligent Battery System - Yes; Battery Included In The Kit - BP-808; Max Recording Time (included battery) - Approx 3hrs 35mins (normal LCD, LP mode); Quick Charge - Yes; Long Battery Life - N/A; Longer Recording Time - N/A; Dimensions W x H x D - 55 x 59 x 121mm; Weight - 225g.
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[[BREAK=Real Life Performance]] Setup and overall functionality Given the rather close relationship between the Canon Legria FS307 and FS22 models, we were pretty much expecting a very similar real-life usage experience, and, to be honest, that's pretty much what we've got, whether we're talking about the controls, the setup or the overall quality of the videos (but this is a subject we'll tackle a bit later on in our review). [IMG=90][IMG=91][IMG=107][IMG=108] As we've mentioned before, the control options' layout is almost identical to the FS22, so we were pretty much expecting the user interface to be similar. And that was exactly the case, the familiar (yet rather ugly) settings menus making an appearance once we hit the corresponding button. [IMG=109][IMG=110][IMG=111] [IMG=112][IMG=113][IMG=114] Given this level of similitude, we won't go that deep into describing just what settings one will be able to adjust within the menus, and to what extent. However, we will point out that there are a couple of minor differences, most of them related to the fact that the Legria FS307 relies on a memory card for storage. Otherwise, things are typically the same as in the case of the FS22, including the possibility to receive important information regarding the battery's status, to adjust output-related settings (both audio and video, including the possibility of adjusting the image video output depending on the type of TV set one is using), activate and deactivate the image stabilizer and zoom functions, etc. Video recording and video quality This issue is actually quite surprising, as far as we're concerned, because, while the FS307 is in fact a more recent camcorder model than the FS22, there are certain situations in which it actually behaves less impressively than its predecessor (or at least that's how we felt about it). One of the reasons behind this is that, while the FS22 features a 1/6-inch CCD sensor with 1.07 megapixels, the FS307 is limited to just 0.8 megapixels. Not that much of a difference, you might say, but this is nevertheless visible when recording video. Now, as far as recording videos outside in good lighting conditions goes, the Canon FS307 is quite a good solution, managing to record videos that offer an acceptable sharpness level, good color reproduction and also plenty of detail. Of course, noise tends to make an appearance quickly, especially when noticing a drop in the amount of available light or moving in indoors. Unfortunately, most of the videos we recorded during CeBIT are taken within the booths of the famous Hanover trade show, and even if the level of artificial lighting is still well above what one might get in normal situations, there's still plenty of noise.

[IMG=54][IMG=55][IMG=56][IMG=57] [IMG=58][IMG=59][IMG=60][IMG=61] Nevertheless, we've noticed quite an improvement in the case of the FS307, in terms of low-light shooting, as compared to the FS22, and that's because, as you can see for yourselves in our tech-facts section, the minimum illumination threshold is lower in the case of the former. [IMG=62][IMG=63][IMG=64][IMG=65] [IMG=66][IMG=67][IMG=68] As some of you will certainly remember, in the case of the Legria FS22, we were
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complaining about the quality of the video at maximum zoom, the camera's built-in image stabilization system not being able to compensate for the hand movement in such situations. To some extent, that's also the case with the FS307, but the engineers from Canon seem to have done some extra work in this segment, at least as far as the digital zoom is concerned (pushed up to 2,300x, instead of just 2,000x in the case of the FS22).
Sadly, the optical zoom level is inferior to that of the FS22 (41X vs. 45X), which translates into poorer video quality and details at larger distances. Focus at larger distance seems to have suffered some slight improvements, but our recommendation of sticking to the Auto still stands.
Things haven't changed at all as far as the Program AE pre-set recording modes are concerned, and the same goes for the shutter speed adjustment options and the applicable effects. Pre-record and Video Snapshot are still with us, and, much as in the case of the FS22, the pre-rec is rather useful, while the Video Snapshot thing was still something we weren't particularly interested in.
If we were to draw a line and sum things up, we'd dare to say that the FS307 is almost on par with the FS22, albeit the quality of recorded videos is slightly lower in the case of the more recent camcorder, due mostly to the "weaker" sensor and inferior zooming capabilities. However, the behavior in poor lighting conditions seems to favor the FS307, which is quite an OK feature. Photo shooting and photo quality Since we've also recently tested Canon's Ixus 130 entry-level digital camera, we were actually able to see just what the differences are (in terms of photo mode, of course) between the two. But we weren't particularly impressed with the results, whether talking about the shots taken in the photo mode or those taken in the dual mode. [IMG=69][IMG=70][IMG=71][IMG=72] Naturally, the dedicated photo mode offers a few extras when compared to the dual mode, simply because the resolution at which the photos are taken is higher. However, due to the smaller sensor size, the resolution of the photos taken with the FS307 is slightly lower than those attained with the help of the FS22, but we're pretty sure that not many of you will mind this. [IMG=73][IMG=74][IMG=75][IMG=76] Users will also be able to fiddle with at least some of the camera's settings when taking photos, including the white balance, photo size, the various filters to be applied to the image after being taken, colors, etc. The settings and options are not that different from those available in the case of the video shooting mode, all easily accessible via the respective buttons. [IMG=77][IMG=78][IMG=79] Last, but certainly not least, we'll have to mention that we haven't noticed any significant differences in terms of usability between the FS307 and FS22, as far as the photo mode is concerned (same button placement, same buttons, just slightly less powerful zoom). Photo and Video playback

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The Canon Legria FS307 also offers extensive playback options, whether we're talking about photos or videos. However, the in-camera editing options are not fantastic, the only useful function being the possibility to divide certain video clips before downloading them to a computer. [IMG=80][IMG=81][IMG=82][IMG=83] [IMG=84][IMG=85][IMG=86][IMG=87] Anyway, one can create playlists including their favorite video clips and also search for certain scenes amid the videos (either by looking in a calendar or selecting the exact date when the respective clips were recorded). Not a lot to talk about, but, once again, we weren't expecting a great deal of built-in features. [IMG=88][IMG=89][IMG=92][IMG=93] [IMG=94][IMG=95][IMG=96][IMG=97] Photo playback is actually a bit better developed than video playback. So, we've got the already classic slideshow mode, but users will be able to view detailed info regarding each photo, select them for transfer or even print them directly, if the camcorder is connected to a compatible printer. Also, adding music to the slideshow is quite easy, provided you upload your own music onto the memory card you're using with the camera (no pre-stored music clips, in other words). [IMG=98][IMG=99][IMG=100][IMG=101] [IMG=102][IMG=103][IMG=104] Battery life [IMG=105][IMG=106] The official battery rating for the Canon Legria FS307 is set at around 3hrs 35mins, and the real-life performance is quite close to this value (around 2 hours or so when recording videos at the highest possible quality). During our time at CeBIT 2010, we had very little trouble in terms of battery life, so we'd say this is a definite pro in the case of this model. [[BREAK=Conclusions]] The good - relatively good video recording quality; - OK behavior in low-lighting conditions; - very portable and versatile; - easy to get accustomed to; - extensive photo playback options; - good battery life; - built-in color and video effects. The bad - reduced sensor size; - lower resolution photos, compared to the Legria FS22; - no external microphone input; - poor photo-shooting capabilities; - few in-camera video editing options; - limited memory card support. Overall impressions Since we recently tested Canon's older Legria FS22 standard-definition camcorder, we couldn't really help but make a lot of comparisons with the subject of our review, the Canon

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Legria FS307, which was released onto the market in early 2010. And while the newer gadget certainly proved to be better in particular areas, things were pretty different in others. Of course, we should keep in mind the fact that the Legria FS307 is a standard-definition camcorder, so it provides lower video quality, compared to its HD counterparts. However, these videos can prove to be quite OK for uploading to the web or even for those people who've not yet adopted HDTVs (although their ranks are most likely diminishing). We should also remember that this is an entry-level, affordable product, so it offers very few extras. There's no internal memory, for once, but this issue can be easily solved by adding an SDHC memory card, with a size of up to 32GB. Obviously, that will push up the price point a bit, but not significantly. If you take these issues into consideration, you'll have a much clearer image of what this thing can and cannot do, and perhaps even make up your mind whether the price/performance ratio it provides suites your needs/possibilities or not. Sales package [IMG=115]- Canon Legria FS307; - Battery charger; - USB cable; - AV cable; - User's manual; - Software CD.
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