Canon Vixia HG21
September 30th, 2008 | by David Elrich
Full Review
Features and Design The front is dominated by a 12x optical zoom that translates to 42.9-514.8mm in 35mm terms. This is great on the telephoto side but I’d still like a wider view for close-ups. The lens has a built-in cover that opens and shuts when you power on/off. The JVC GZ-HD40 by comparison has a 10x zoom and a manually-operated lens cover. Also on the front is a flash for improved still quality, the Instant AF sensor and a stereo mic, not Dolby 5.1 surround like many Sonys. The right side houses the 120GB hard drive and small logos attest to this fact. Toward the lens is a compartment with a mic input and A/V out. At the back is another door covering the mini HDMI output. Make sure you pick up an adapter to work with a full-size HDMI connector if you don’t feel like buying a new cable. You’ll also find a comfortable, adjustable Velcro strap. The widescreen swing-out LCD takes up most of the left of the HG21. It measures 2.7-inches and is rated 211K pixels. It’s a decent monitor and in case the sun is too bright or the scene too dark, the unit has a pullout viewfinder in the back with diopter control. I typically use the LCD 95-plus percent of the time but I definitely used the .27-inch viewfinder with this one. Canon should upgrade the LCD or have an auto gain up or a screen brightness button rather than burying the adjustments deep in the menu system. When the LCD is closed the gloss black finish is dotted with a few logos and a silvery metal insert proclaiming the fact you own a HD Vixia HG21. Sadly, there are no shining blue lights like the HD40. When you flip open the screen you’ll see a series of controls under it on the bezel along with a 4-way joystick control on the left side. The stick lets you walk through menus and make adjustments. The bottom controls give you access to the main functions, letting you adjust the zoom, engage backlight control and start/stop your videos and stills during playback. I like the handy BLC button since this helps you get a quality recording of common situations such as your subject standing in a window. There are just two controls on the body with the screen open—Easy and Display/Battery Info (LCD adjustment should be added). Easy is basically no-brainer mode where the camcorder makes all the adjustments and you can’t tweak the unit at all. The Display button lets you decide whether you want the screen dotted with a million icons or none. It shows battery life remaining to the minute, a great service. Grid lines are available to help keep your horizons straight. Also found on the body is a slot for common SDHC cards (not hard to find microSDHC like the HD40), a USB out and the speaker. You’ll need a Class 4 card to record HD video on it rather than just stills. With 120GB I really doubt anyone will need additional space for video but the card is convenient for downloading stills via a reader. The top has the cover hiding the hot shoe, power button along with CMOS and OIS logos. On the right above the hard drive are the wide/tele toggle switch and a button for taking snapshots. At the rear is the pull-out viewfinder, a key to turn it on and a circular mode dial to choose between recording video/stills and playing them back. On the bottom is a tripod mount and battery release. What's Included in the Box The Vixia HG21 comes with a solid kit including rechargeable battery, AC adapter, remote, component, A/V and USB cables as well as a printed 134-page owner’s manual. It seems like a little phone book because there are 134 pages for each of three languages. The supplied CD-ROMs have Pixela ImageMixer 3 SE and Digital Video Solution disk Ver. 31.0 software. Pixela helps you manage your footage, edit it and burn AVCHD or DVD disks. The other software is for downloading and editing stills.
The “dressed in black” HG21 is a low, long model measuring 3.1 x 3 x 5.5 (WHD, in inches) and tips the scales at 19 ounces with the battery. Speaking of juice, the HG21 has a nicely recessed battery that smoothes the lines and doesn’t intrude in any way. It’s nicely done. And, in case you’re wondering, the HDMI connection isn’t tucked behind the battery like the Panasonic HS9.
All in all, this is a good looking, sensibly designed camcorder that fits easily in your hand.
After snapping in the battery and charging it up, it was time to see if 24 Mbps video meant anything special.
Image Courtesy of Canon
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by Matt H on January 5, 2009:
“I went and bought an hg21 based mostly on the strength of this review but I had to return it because you missed a major flaw in this camera. Although it does indeed shoot in 24 and 30-frame progressive it converts those shots and records them in 60-field...” More...