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New Canon Camcorder Comparison

Professional videographers and creators who use an all-in-one pro camcorder have been spoilt for choice with the release of four new models from Canon. With a series of upgrades and new features added to the XA range, there’s a perfect Canon camcorder for any user who records and live-streams video.

Canon has a rich history in designing advanced video cameras for professional content, which includes Electronic News Gathering (ENG), documentary and cinema. The new XA camcorders join models such as the broadcast-ready XF605 4K Pro Camcorder offering a new set of features for video professionals, in a highly portable form.

Our review highlights key features and compares specification of all four new models in order for you to decide which is the best choice for your video, whether you capture anything from corporate videos and interviews to documentaries.

Which camcorders has Canon launched?

On the 7th September 2022 Canon launched five new camcorders, with four aimed at professional video creators and one for the home video market. The new models are:

• Canon XA75 4K UHD Camcorder
• Canon XA70 4K UHD Camcorder
• Canon XA65 4K UHD Camcorder
• Canon XA60 4K UHD Camcorder
• Canon Legria HF G70 4K UHD Camcorder

Which key features do the new Canon camcorders offer?

Four professional 4K video models are grouped into two ranges, with the XA75 and XA 70 offering a larger 1.0-inch Type CMOS sensor, whilst the XA 65 and XA60 include a 1/2.3-Type CMOS sensor. All of these are 4K-ready, and Canon processes footage from the full sensor in each model to oversample HD video output, with great effect.

Each camcorder also includes a 5-axis stabilised 4K Canon zoom lens, with either 15x or 20x optical zoom and 300x or 800x stabilised digital zoom. This provides extremely flexible recording in varied locations, from tight spaces indoors to large outdoor settings where you want to compress the subject, or shoot from a more distant vantage point.

Within each grouping the higher-end model (XA 75 and XA 65) offers 3G-SDI output, which translates to 3 Gbps SDI, or serial digital interface, which is primarily used for HD video, which equates to 1,920 x 1,080 pixels.

Additional common features between these models include:

• Face Detection AF and Face Tracking
• XF-AVC and MP4 recording
• Simultaneous backup and relay recording with dual SD cards
• The ability to stream HD footage via UVC
• Add a date and time stamp with OSD recording
• Detachable handle with two XLR terminals
• 4-channel pro audio
• IR mode for dark scenes

Video performance

With many platforms requiring 4K it’s no surprise that all of these are highly capable Canon 4K camcorders, however oversampled HD also provides beautifully detailed images, which is available from any of these models. Key video options include:

• XF-AVC 4K UHD 160Mbps at 25P
• Full HD 45Mbps at 50P/50i/25P
• MP4 4K 150Mbps at 25P
• Full HD 35Mbps or 17Mbps at 50P/25P

New Canon camcorder specs comparison

Our comparison table outlines key specifications from the four pro camcorders and highlights how similar and just how competent these are.

You can live-stream content using a USB-C cable via your PC or Mac and record for subsequent distribution with a date and timestamp with OSD recording.

Autofocus performance

Canon’s Dual Pixel CMOS AF is included in all the new camcorders, which allows you to select and track faces across the frame accurately. The system is extremely powerful (and also used throughout Canon’s mirrorless cameras) and is available while Manual Focus is set via the focus/zoom ring.

You can set the focus point using the LCD touchscreen after which Dual Pixel CMOS AF does all of the heavy lifting, allowing you to concentrate on the composition and respond to environmental factors.

Pro audio capture

Two XLR connectors are found in the detachable HDU-1 Handle Unit, allowing you to add high quality external microphones, plus 4-channel linear PCM adds will capture and encode audio without lossy compression. This set-up is ideal for interviews, events, concerts and any other situations where high quality audio is required. A built-in mic is available when ambient levels are low and you don’t have an external microphone or lavalier system available.

Camcorder accessories

All four models include the following video accessories:

• HDU-1 Handle Unit
• PD-E1 USB Power Adapter
• BP-820 Battery Pack
• Lens Hood with Lens Barrier
• Mic Holder

Battery life from the 1780mAh lithium-ion battery is extremely strong, however you can add even higher capacity 2670mAh BP 828. Two lens converters also fit the Canon lenses, allowing you to adjust focal length with either the Teleconverter TL-H58 or go wider with the Wide Attachment WA-H58. A Canon GP-E2 GPS Receiver is also compatible with Canon’s pro video cameras and comes with compile interface cables.

If you’re a pro videographer who works in 4K UHD or Full HD any one of the four new Canon cameras will deliver exceptional performance from a pro body. They all feature effective AF performance, a built-in optical zoom lens and the ability to choose video formats for live capture and streaming.

Browse our comprehensive range to find the perfect professional Canon camcorder for your video productions, which includes all four of these latest upgraded models.

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By Nick Dautlich on 07/09/2022