Customer reviews from usa.canon.com
Canon - VIXIA 3.3MP High-Definition Digital Camcorder - Black
Average customer rating
4.7
(11 Reviews)
Rating breakdown 11 reviews
5 Stars
9
4 Stars
1
3 Stars
1
2 Stars
0
1 Star
0
91%of customers recommend this product.
(
10 out of
11)
Customer Reviews for Canon - VIXIA 3.3MP High-Definition Digital Camcorder - Black
Customer Rating
4
Great camera, using the video is a pain
on May 1, 2010
Posted by: MikeM
from Western Colorado
I love pretty much everything about the CAMERA, but the software/computer connectivity is terrible. When using the Pixela software to download the video, you can view the video. But you can't do much else! The video is encoded in MTS format, which makes no sense from a consumer's perspective. What, as the average person, can you do with MTS? I'll tell you - you have to convert it into something useful. There are a few utilities out there to do this, most of them costing from $59 up. I use PCs and Macs both, but I edit with Final Cut (on a Mac of course). The only way to import the video is to use Final Cut's "log and transfer" utility. You can't import the files directly from the memory, which shows up as an external hard drive on the Mac's desktop. Thank goodness Apple at least planned for allowing editors to get at MTS formatted video. This is a great camera, but if you buy it, plan on spending a lot of energy getting at the video files.
Pros: excellent image quality, easy to use, good memory capacity
Cons: Difficult Computer Connectivity, Limited Software Compatibility
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
One of the BEST camcorders right now.
on December 1, 2008
Posted by: Bob
from New York City,NY
Great Small Camcorder with Great Picture Quality. I took a look at this Camcorder from a Friend and i was amazed by the Image. Its small and little hard to get used too but its a great camorder for anyone looking for one now. i was deciding between this or a sony and i choose the canon for its specs and performence.
Pros: excellent image quality, Easy TV Connectivity, Easy Computer Connectivity, Accurate, Vivid Colors, good battery life, Great sound/audio, durable, easy to use, Good Low-Light Performance
Cons: Uncomfortable to hold, Flimsy Construction, Limited Software Compatibility
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Crystal Clear except on the computer
on March 29, 2009
Posted by: Van425
from Philadelphia
When connected directly to a hi-def TV the video is better than expected and pausing the playback provides stills that are motionless and amazingly sharp.
When using the included software to playback downloaded files via a computer, the video is softer and pausing results in stills that are blurry double images.
Record time using the included battery is a bit short, but the optional higher capacity batteries solve the problem.
Pros: Compact Design, excellent image quality, Easy TV Connectivity
Cons: Short battery life, Limited Software Compatibility
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Can't find anything negative
on November 17, 2009
Posted by: oakley2414
from Point Pleasant, NJ
I bought this camcorder for use with my MacBook Pro. The connection with IMovie 09' is great. So far I have found no problems. Knowing the battery life when I bought the camera I simply purchased a few extra. I was unsure about buying this camcorder when I read a few of the other reviews. Glad they were wrong.
Pros: Compact Design, excellent image quality, Easy Computer Connectivity, Great sound/audio, Ergonomic/comfortable to hold, easy to use, Good Software Compatibility, Good Low-Light Performance
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Very Good but not Perfect
on April 25, 2009
Posted by: Method
from Atlanta, GA
This is a very good camera that takes very good video quality. I wanted a storage solution with no moving parts, so I looked at the AVCHD solution vs Tape. You need a pretty hefty computer to edit AVCHD but my computer is pretty beefy so I can edit without any stutter / slowdowns. Another thing is that it takes forever (upwards of 10 minutes) to transfer a video off of the camera's internal 32GB memory. I dual boot Vista and XP and in both cases it took forever to transfer a 5 minute sample video from the camera to the computer. With flash memory prices dropping I highly recommend you getting 16GB SDHC cards with a memory card reader, the video files transfer much faster this way. I'll only use the 32GB internal memory as a last resort.
The video quality is great, I usually record at the MXP 24mbps setting at either 30p or 24p (for cinema effect). If you don't know much about these settings there's an "easy button" like you see in those commercials and the camera does all the work for you. It also does a pretty darn good job might I add. Audio is decent, nothing home to write about, it gets the job done. When watching video from this camera on my DLP or LCD, I'm amazed that this little thing can capture such great video. My friends and family are also amazed at the picture quality and they all want one now as well. I highly recommend this camera, oh yeah, I would get an extra extended battery... The bundled battery lasts a little bit over an hour. The extended battery for me lasts almost 3 times longer.
Pros: Compact Design, excellent image quality, Easy TV Connectivity, Accurate, Vivid Colors, Ergonomic/comfortable to hold, durable, easy to use
Cons: Difficult Computer Connectivity, Short battery life, Limited Software Compatibility, slow transfer speeds from internal storage
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Awesome camera/so so battery
on January 23, 2009
Posted by: Scoot'r
from Chicago, IL
I bought this camera as an upgrade for my personal use and for my amateur video production facility. The images are fantastic. Works great in low light clubs (I shoot bands mostly). The stills are a little grainy, but not too bad. My only issue is the battery it comes with doesn't last as long as there is memory to record.
Pros: Compact Design, excellent image quality, Easy Computer Connectivity, Accurate, Vivid Colors, Great sound/audio, Ergonomic/comfortable to hold, easy to use, Good Software Compatibility, Good Low-Light Performance
Cons: Short battery life, audio lacks a little bottom end
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Great, but less then a Canon
on November 26, 2008
Posted by: ZDrake
from Atlanta, Georgia
This camera is very good! I love the look and feel, as well as the usuall outstanding Canon image quality. The only thing I would change is the still image resolution. I went shopping for camcorders and I noticed all these brands had camcorders that recodred huge megapixel stills, but not Canon. Photoshop can easily upscale any image of course, but I would like to see Canon live up to thier name and have the best camera on the market.
Pros: Compact Design, excellent image quality, Accurate, Vivid Colors, easy to use, lots of great accesories
Cons: low still resolution
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com
Customer Rating
5
Great HD Camcorder Except
on November 30, 2008
Posted by: dbkguy
I really like this camcorder. I have one problem with it and it's more of a software problem. I use a MacBook Pro and the software only partly works. The camera window software does not work. If it asks for camera or memory go with memory at least you can can your videos off it then. Also even if you use the SDHC card to use it with iMovie you need to import it from the camera. I bought it so I could copy it from the card, so this is a big disappointment. I have no complaints about the camera except you can not used it as a web cam.
Pros: Compact Design, excellent image quality, Ergonomic/comfortable to hold, easy to use
Cons: Limited Software Compatibility, can't use as a web cam, have to have power pack connected to import videos
I would recommend this to a friend!
Written by a customer while visiting usa.canon.com