Canon HF S11 Camcorder Deals | Is the Canon Vixia HF-S11 Easy to Use or Will It Leave You Frustrated?

We've researched the Canon Vixia HF S11 Camcorder and put the basic information, both pros and cons, here in this article.

We've done all the legwork for you. Read on and judge for yourself.

We think that the Canon HF S11 Camcorder is not only high-def and stylish, but it is super high quality.

PROS: The HFS11's high-quality lens takes exceptional video, with its 1/2.6-inch CMOS sensor and digital image processing.

The colors really pop while still appearing true to life. Just about everything you shoot will be distinct and sharp; so good in fact that it almost appears to be 3-D.

And don't worry about brightly lit or low light settings, as you'll be able to shoot indoors in the evening without your video looking like a speckly VHS tape.

The HFS11 will perform with minimal shaking when zooming in on your subjects.

PROS: When filming while you're walking and talking, it is so stable that it will even reveal the smallest of detail. So don't worry...you won't have to watch those terrible shaky videos anymore!

Plus, with Wired Optical Image Stabilization, there is exceptionally vivid true-to-life color. You will see a steady, crisp video that will look as good as, if not better, than your HD TV shows.

This and That: The manual focus control on the front end of the camcorder is old school while the zoom is fast and very responsive.

It zoomed in on distant objects gracefully and focused nearly instantly in auto-mode.

CONS: The Canon HF S11 Camcorder is sometimes hard to auto-focus at close range on vividly colored objects, but this could be attributed to user's lack of knowledge. It may not be a problem for an expert or the professional user.

There is NO electronic viewfinder which can be a problem since the screen is hard to see when you're in super dark or super bright settings. But this is not an issue when shooting indoors, or in normal light conditions. Perhaps with practice it would not be an issue, but we wanted to mention it anyway.

PROS:  There are some awesome features in the menu system; i.e. 24p and 30p modes, manual gain control and all kinds of special shooting options. And it has a control knob to help you to get through the menus.

If you've used Canon cameras or camcorders before, you'll find them to be familiar.

Canon HF S11 Accessories:

The Canon HFS11 Camcorder also comes with an optional cabled remote that will give you control over manual focus.

Plus... you'll have the ability to shoot and save to SDHC cards, which means you'll never need run out of room.

BUT... your investment probably won't end with the camera. You may also need to buy:

• HFS11 Camcorder Lithium Battery - There is a battery that is included with your new Canon HF S11 Camcorder but it lasts only about 1.5 hours.
• HFS11 Camcorder Lithium Battery Charger - Without the charger the only way to charge the battery is while it's in the camcorder...so you'd have to stop filming while charging it.
• HDMI cable - Designed to deliver both high definition digital video and multi-channel digital audio.
• Canon Remote Control Adapter - Access the camera's functions if you heavily use a tripod.
• Video editing software - Adobe Premiere seems to be pretty popular for AVCHD video.

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Any item seen on this page would be an awesome Christmas Gift idea for the videographer in your family!!

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I've copied and pasted a review from Amazon.com below.

But if you want to read more details about this camcorder, go ahead and Click HERE to go on over to Amazon.com and get the latest reviews.

Remarkable Camera and Camcorder, October 4, 2009

By Eric E. Peterson (Southern California)

I have never owned a Canon Camcorder before. However, being a professional photographer, I am quite familiar and happy with Canon products. I have always bought Sony handy-cams in the past.

I bought this camcorder with the desire to shoot in HD and also because it had dual flash drive options (internal 64 GB and by card). I picked it up at a store (Samy's Camera) and having called ahead they charged the battery ahead of time per my request (but still, nice customer service). My plan was to use it right away.

Anyone familiar with Camcorders or cameras can operate this unit with ease. For the more advanced individual there are endless options available - and from my perspective - easily navigable. Taking photos is a snap, and recording video is just as easy.

The stabilization and zoom in and out is first rate and very smooth. It has a built in pop-up light which also functions as a flash for photos. The dual microphones offer a nice level of surround sound. The mics pick up even the slightest details (my son kicking a soccer ball 50 feet away during his game).

It is slighter larger than I imagined having seen some very small camcorders - but easily disregarded when you consider what you are getting in this pro-sumer camcorder (but it does fit in your hand). Instead of the "rinky-dink" lens you get on some camera's - this has a nice size lens allowing in all the light you need.

It seemed to work well in low-light situations and does an amazing job in a macro situation. Granted, I have only used the thing for 4 days - but I am more than happy with my purchase.

One thing you will want to pick up if you like to plug your camcorder directly into your HDTV is a mini-HDMI to standard HDMI cable or a converter if you already have a HDMI cable - it is one thing CANON left out of the box - that and a SDHC card. I also bought a larger battery for more flexibility.