In 2008 Canon took the camcorder world by storm with the release of its HF10 and HF100. Canon was able to set a benchmark on the AVCHD camcorders and come 2009 the HF11 and HF100 saw gradual improvements in quality and performance. Canon was able to provide exceptional quality camcorders at low prices, hence released their latest addition to the market the Canon LEGRIA HF21.
It saw major improvements in terms of its optical zoom and autofocus system. The ¼ inch CMOS however remains the same from the HF20. The through the lens technique and the Instant AF improved the autofocus system radically. With the availability of external sensors the HF21 can take pictures in dark conditions. A 64 GB flash memory is introduced which provides endless storage capabilities.
At24Mbits/second recording, which is top quality the HF21 can provide a solid six hours recording. Due to the flash memory in the HF21 the weight has significantly dropped to a mere 340grams. Functionality wise the mini jacks for AV output, audio and AV output seems very essential. The new S Mini Advance Shoe is available and protected under a plastic flap; this proves as a viable accessory. Soaring on cloud nine the HF21 suddenly takes a steep fall due to the lack of lens ring, which means adjustments have to be made through the LCD screen.
Exposure control, manual focusing and backlight compensations once again protects the reputation of the HF21. As the features, the face detection system has been improved to detect more precisely however fails to detect faces appropriately in very bright light. The functions menu provides additional options to adjust the shutter and aperture priority modes. The shutter speed varies from 1/6th to 1/2000th of a second and the iris from F1.8 to F8.
The cinematic mode on the HF21 enables film like picture quality and 11 different scene modes provides areas for opportunity and adventure. The Image Effect provides color saturation and image sharpening; color depth, brightness and contrast control are few of the tweaks available. Canon created the HF21 to cater to the enthusiastic and serious videographers. Overall the HF21 is a worthwhile camcorder and it’s now priced at about US$1300.
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_eaUSjWCVjY
