We recently spent some time with the Canon Vixia HF R700 Camcorder to see if it was really as good as people say. So after several hours of testing, we’re going to let you know what we thought of it.
This is a camcorder so you won’t find any still capabilities here, but the video quality and price point really make this model one of our top choices for vloggers. Read on to find out what we loved about it and what we didn’t.
Pros
At under $200, it’s affordable
Nice and compact
Real-time image stabilization
Cons
No ultra HD capture
Battery life is not great.
Needs an SD memory card
The Canon Vixia HF R700 Camcorder films in full 1920 x 1080 Full HD Video (1080p). The 32x Optical Zoom Lens (57x with advanced zoom) delivers superb image quality. It also has SuperRange optical image stabilization to keep your video looking sharp in low light. An External Microphone Terminal and Headphone Jack are also on board.
Other features include a 1/4.85 inch HD CMOS Image Sensor, AVCHD H.264, Cinema-Look Filters, 2 megapixel still images, and a 24p, 30p, and 60p mode. That External Microphone Jack is a nice addition as it gives you extra sound options. It’s very user-friendly. We really liked the image stabilization feature quite a bit. One minor gripe we had is that there’s no 4k video option, but for the budget price, we really can’t complain.
This camcorder isn’t designed as nicely as most other models. It’s not sleek and streamlined, but again, at this price point, that’s not a big deal. The LCD display rotates and has touch controls, so navigation is very easy. You can use the screen to access editing features if you want to do things like trim the video or use the cinema look filter. This camcorder also does slow motion recording at a rate of 0.5x and has fast motion recording that speeds things up by 1200x. You can also choose 300x and 600x speeds.
The screen is surprisingly easy to see when outdoors in the sun too.
The camera battery is a bit bulky and the battery will only deliver about an hour of filming time before needing a recharge. This camera also takes a full-size SD card, which to be honest we are a bit torn over. We would have liked a MicroSD card because they can be inserted directly into many other devices to transfer your videos. We liked the Zoom Framing Assist feature, which keeps far-away objects in the frame and gives you less jerky footage.
The Advanced Baby Mode feature is meant for keeping a journal of a baby’s development. This feature supports up to three kids and can be activated using a dedicated button. When you press the record button, the camcorder will include footage from a few seconds before the button was pressed. The videos are then saved in a special album and if you choose to, you can use Touch Decoration to add overlays about your baby’s height, weight etc. This isn’t a feature that most will use, but it’s nice that they included it.
The bottom line on the Canon Vixia HF R700 Camcorder is that it’s a great camcorder for the price. You get a lot of interesting features for the money. If you need a camcorder for on the go and don’t need 4k, this will be perfect for you. New parents will also enjoy features like the Advanced Baby Mode as well as the camcorder’s ease of use. We really can’t say anything bad about this model. It does what it does extremely well and doesn’t pretend to be a top of the line camcorder. It’s just a solid budget camcorder that is the best of its class.
