The Canon FS200 Flash Memory Camcorder with 37x Optical Zoom review describes the features and benefits of this basic flash memory camcorder camera.
You will find that the Canon FS200 Flash Memory Camcorder w 37x Optical Zoom is a pretty good basic video camera. It also doubles as a camcorder, although you couldn’t call it ‘high-definition.’ It has a nice enough quality that you could use it to take family album shots, though.
When you get higher-up on the video camcorder line, though, they become much harder to use. This unit gives you adequate functionality, but is so simple that a child could perform the actions.
If it’s your first time using a video camera of this type, you’ll appreciate the FS200. It stores it’s photos and videos on a built-in flash memory, so it’s reasonably priced and yet has the memory card built right in so there’s no need to buy a new one for it.
Can you compare it with high-end units? Of course you can’t, however it has its purposes. High-end units will have higher resolution, and the quality is far better, but also the price is off-the-scale.
Here are some of the benefits of the Canon FS200:
1. The FS200 is very small, so you can fit it into your purse or slip it into your pocket quite easily.
2. The videos that you take with it are good enough quality that are crisp and well-defined.
3. The grain is higher than you’d see with a more professional camera/video unit.
4. When you are in dark areas, it doesn’t do as well; but, if you’re outdoors or your have quite bright lighting the camera is great.
5. It has a carefully-thought-out menu, which is easy to use and offers a very user-friendly interface.
To be fair, the Canon FS200 model does have one tiny flaw:
It really isn’t a still-image camera. If you’re figuring to get good quality still images, you’re out of luck. Many of these inexpensive video/camera units fail when you take still images because that isn’t really what they’re for. However, the images are suitable for outdoors snapshots.
Here are some more of the Canon FS200 Flash Memory features:
If you were to go on a trip, and needed a quick way of remembering the experience, the camera would give you lots of versatility. It would certainly be better than purchasing a throw-away camera that you had to have developed when you get home, and you’d also be able to take videos at the same time.
To set the unit up is a very easy operation. When you install the software which comes with it, you’ll find it easy to use and install. The flash memory that you insert into the computer allows you to transfer files easily. On many cameras you need a special serial USB cable which you always lose.
Strange enough, it allows you to plug in an external microphone. Even top-end units sometimes only have a built-in mike, which tends to pick up motor noise as you’re shooting a shot.
When you’re recording in low-light situations, the built-in LED sensor illuminates enough; so that it finds its way in the dark, giving you as good shots as you can get on such occasions. You might find that the power switch is too small for you to easily operate.
If you want a good-enough video camera without paying the exorbitant prices of the more expensive units, you might consider the Canon FS200 Flash Memory Camcorder with 37x Optical Zoom. It’s not bad, and Canon is known for their quality.
