Canon VIXIA HF M41

Professional cinematographers tend to stick to the same high-end digital camcorders for several years because upgrading models are pricey. Many of these outdated models like the professional Canon camcorders still function well as long as they have HD features. Although Canon introduced a new model this 2011, other form factors are getting some attention too as consumers want to go beyond the capabilities of their point-and-shoot and do some serious recording without going through the complicated learning curves that the bulkier models introduce.

That is what the Canon VIXIA HF M-series set out to accomplish and the M30 and M31 models contributed to the trend significantly. Canon is shifting to the next revision by offering the M40 and M41 models that have a similar relationship to the M30 and M31 units. The Canon VIXIA HF M41 is the choice for those that need extra storage capacity but existing M31 users will meet some surprises in some of the changes.

Canon VIXIA HF M41

Design and Interface

These changes won’t be noticeable at first glance because the M41 pretty much looks the same as the M31. This is a good thing because new camcorder users prefer simplicity and they will like the layout of controls on the top. There is no confusing mode dial to deal with and toggling between the Dual Shot mode and manual mode is as easy as flicking a switch. The record button is found just at the back and the power button can be used to turn off the camcorder and close the built-in cover simultaneously.

When the M20 and M21 models were introduced, the touchscreen feature was a major addition. Now in the M41, the touchscreen is a bit bigger with the LCD touch panel display measuring 3 inches allowing a resolution of 230,000 dots. This gives users more room to operate the touchscreen controls that operate the friendly interface.

Since this is a VIXIA model, the comfort levels are high thanks to the comfortable strap the weight of the camcorder is not sacrificed either. All audiences should be able to handle the camcorder for long periods of time without serious issues.

Main Features

The internal memory capacity remains the same as its predecessor at 32 GB which is enough for around 12 hours of video in LP quality or about 3 hours of Full HD 1080p video when using the 24Mbps MXP setting. Like the M31, more memory can be added by inserting one or two SD cards to the any of the two available slots. But even more memory can be added to the M41 because both SD card slots support the SDXC format which allows the available 64 SD cards to be used and higher capacities of these cards will be available in the future. The Relay Recording still exists so all of the capacities combine so that continuous recording is possible as long as there is available space in one of the memory cards.

The other big improvement focuses on the overall video quality. This may not be noticeable on paper since the megapixel count of the M41 is actually lower than that of the M31 but the VIXIA HF M41 can still take 1080p images and record Full HD video. Megapixels do not really affect the overall quality of a digital camcorder on a large scale to begin with and the M41 clearly shows that by sporting an improved image sensor instead.

With the new HD CMOS Pro Image Sensor, the low-light performance is noticeably better and wider dynamic ranges are now accessible. It works well with the Smart Auto feature that automatically detects the scene and tries to choose the best settings and that sometimes fixes its color accuracy shortcomings. The DIGIC DV III image processor still works and reproduces those purple and blue tones nicely.

On the downside, the M41 has reduced zooming capabilities of up to 10x but the Dynamic SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization technology still works for users that frequently shake while recording so the footage is not affected. The Focus Assist feature can even capture quick moving subjects accurately regardless of the lighting.

Bottom Line

The Canon VIXIA HF M41 is a massive improvement for those that can live with the 10x zoom. With the support for SDXC formats, memory problems are a thing of the past. While the SDXC is more expensive, users can enjoy reduced power consumption for longer battery life and quicker transfer speeds when sharing and the downconverting feature can still be used when sharing. All of this leads to the $799 price tag making it $100 more the M40 and M31 models.

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