At the moment we saw it, we knew that this was the love at first sight. Canon FS11 is in true sense of word, compact digital camcorder with innovative and attractive functions, futuristic design and 16GB of memory for storing recorded video material. Canon Company revived camcorder market with FS11 model. It uses built-in memory instead of MiniDV tape or CD/DVD media. Canon FS11, beside low power consumption and small dimensions, brings completely new approach in recording home videos.

Thanks to combination of well picked functions and innovations that it brings with it, this camcorder is ideal for all users that can be profiled as amateurs and semi-amateurs. Thanks to integrated SSM (Solid State Memory-Flash Memory) this camcorder has same storage capacity as earlier camcorders with integrated hard disk, but it’s smaller in size, more robust (no moving parts as in case of integrated hard disk that was also sensitive to rapid pressure changes). This IS definitely is ideal tool for James Bond, especially if we consider implemented 2000x digital zoom (48x optical zoom).

New solutions

Besides integrated 16GB of flash memory Canon FS11 can use SD/SDHC memory card for storing additional video material. Integrated memory cannot be changed or replaced so when you fill it with video material (that cannot be erased) only solution to free up space is to transfer videos to a notebook with high capacity hard disk. If you plan longer trip make sure to carry with yourself notebook or external hard disk so you can transfer videos and make space for new ones. For users that are “trigger happy” (record a lot of material in short period of time) this could be a problem if there wasn’t one small detail: 227 minutes (3 hours and 47 minutes) of movies in highest quality (9Mbps) can be stored in 16GB of memory. If you record movies in lowest quality (3 Mbps) 16GB of memory will last you for 640 minutes (10 hours and 40 minutes). For those of you that are extremely fond of recording a lot of video material Canon provided a possibility of expanding memory capacities of this camcorder using removable memory card. This is not a practical solution but in case you have few 2GB SD memory cards they can make a difference. In highest quality mode on 2GB memory card can be stored 28 minutes of video material. Not much but it can be useful. One of interesting possibilities is option of copying videos from integrated memory to removable memory card (very useful if you want to give or send someone recorded videos).

Capacity of fully charged battery is 180 minutes of active recording. On LCD at any given time you can see amount of free memory and estimated battery life. Thanks to this you can plan your activities.

Design of this camcorder is definitely different from anything that you can find on the market today. Large LCD screen (2.7 inch) is, in this case, important element because FS11 doesn’t have standard viewfinder (optical). Also large LCD screen makes reviewing recorded movies a pleasant experience. Commands are intuitive and easy to understand. Videos can be copied to SD/SDHC or erased with ease.

Back side of camcorder (side facing the “operator” of camcorder) is dominated by large mode selector wheel with Record button in center (very nicely positioned). Zoom button is located on top side of camcorder and can be easily accessed with right index finger.  All other controls are placed on LCD screen or on side of camera that it is placed in. Great solution that you will quickly get accustomed on is position of ON/OFF button placed on top side of camcorder (behind Zoom button).

Modern and innovative

Movies recorded with this camcorder in lowest quality mode look great on standard TV screens and if you plan to post them on Internet (YouTube) you will need to lower resolution and use codec with higher compression ratio. Bear this in mind when recording in lowest quality mode because integrated memory is sufficient for 10 hours of recording and it is not likely that you will need additional removable memory cards.

Interesting characteristic of this camcorder is 45x optical zoom (Genuine Canon 48x Advanced Zoom) and 2000x digital zoom. Camcorder uses 1 Mpix 1/6 inch CCD Sensor adapted to PAL standard, it can make static pictures in JPEG format, manual and Easy mode controls. Beside all this there is image stabilization, few recording modes, remote control, few digital effects, built-in lamp for night recording, connector for additional microphone, USB 2.0 connector etc. We should mention that in poor lighting conditions this camera had problems with focus as in Easy mode as in manual mode. Nevertheless it is not likely that you are going to record in these conditions so no worries about that.