# Canon announces the VIXIA HF G50 4K UHD Video Camcorder



## Canon Rumors Guy (Jan 7, 2019)

> ENG-Style Camcorder is The First G-Series Camcorder with 4K 30P Recording and 20x Optical Zoom Lens
> MELVILLE, NY, January 7, 2019 – A versatile addition to the VIXIA G-series family of camcorders, Canon U.S.A. Inc., a leader in digital imaging solutions, today announced the Canon VIXIA HF G50. The camcorder is the first VIXIA G-series camcorder to feature 4K 30P recording and is an ideal tool for advanced amateur filmmakers, wedding videographers and student reporters. Featuring a genuine wide-angle Canon 20x (29.3-601mm)* optical zoom lens, the VIXIA HF G50 provides a well-rounded feature set at an affordable price point.
> 
> “As filmmaking and videography continue to grow into a more ubiquitous medium of visual expression, it is imperative that creatives have products that help capture their unique vision,” said Kazuto Ogawa, president and COO, Canon U.S.A., Inc. “Not only is Canon eager to view what our users create with the VIXIA HF G50, we are excited to be with them along the...



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## Kharan (Jan 7, 2019)

I totally expect this thing to turn around the fate of budget camcorders... NOT! What a waste of time and money, Canon.


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## horshack (Jan 7, 2019)

Kharan said:


> I totally expect this thing to turn around the fate of budget camcorders... NOT! What a waste of time and money, Canon.



These aren't budget camcorders. I own a Vixia HF G20 and it's an absolute workhorse. Great IQ even in low-light.


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## Josh Leavitt (Jan 7, 2019)

"The camcorder is the first VIXIA G-series camcorder to feature 4K 30P recording and is an _*ideal tool*_ for advanced amateur filmmakers, wedding videographers and student reporters."

I would think that those three target demographics would expect an "ideal tool" for videography to include the ability to output C-Log, and have an internal variable ND filter for better exposure control. To be fair to Canon, Sony aren't offering those features in their Handycam or FDR camcorders at the same price point either, but I think we're at a point where the manufacturers need to recognize that a consumer willing to spend over $1000 for a proprietary camcorder is looking for some features to firmly distinguish it from an EOS M50 at half the cost. The servo x20 zoom is a really nice feature to place it apart from the M50, but that's about it. Internal ND filters and C-Log would have been a nice bone to throw at the beginner videographers.


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## RayValdez360 (Jan 7, 2019)

Come on Canon with these corny ass cameras. I havent seen a camcorder in years.


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## syder (Jan 8, 2019)

Josh Leavitt said:


> I think we're at a point where the manufacturers need to recognize that a consumer willing to spend over $1000 for a proprietary camcorder is looking for some features to firmly distinguish it from an EOS M50 at half the cost. The servo x20 zoom is a really nice feature to place it apart from the M50, but that's about it. Internal ND filters and C-Log would have been a nice bone to throw at the beginner videographers.



LOL... Other than the 29-600mm equivalent servo zoom lens (presumably parfocal on a camcorder?) what does this thing do differently...

camcorder ergonomics and 5 axis IS system. Recording times?

Seriously though, the difference is that one is a hybrid camera/videocamera with interchageable lenses, the other is a camcorder with a fixed superzoom lens. If you want the latter the M50 isn't a real consideration.


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## Josh Leavitt (Jan 8, 2019)

syder said:


> LOL... Other than the 29-600mm equivalent servo zoom lens (presumably parfocal on a camcorder?) what does this thing do differently...
> 
> camcorder ergonomics and 5 axis IS system. Recording times?
> 
> Seriously though, the difference is that one is a hybrid camera/videocamera with interchageable lenses, the other is a camcorder with a fixed superzoom lens. If you want the latter the M50 isn't a real consideration.



Well the M50 has decent ergonomics for a mirrorless camera, nearly all it's zoom lenses have 4 stops of OIS correction (plus electronic sensor stabilization for movies), and recording times won't usually be an issue with a high capacity SD card and a 30 minute recording limit.

But yes, the M50 is a hybrid camera and thus in a different class. It just happens to offer many of the video features of the GF50 at half the price.


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## [email protected] (Jan 8, 2019)

I use Vixias as data takers for some wildlife science projects I have going. They're fantastic value-for-money deals when you get them on eBay a couple years old ($65). They will record 24 hours + video when you plug them into a power source and give them a 512gb SD card. They have a non-insane codec without having to press the record button again every 30 minutes (key feature the stills bodies lack), and their zoom quality is decent enough for reliable wildlife data taking, versus making pretty prints. 

An interchangeable lens would make me very interested in even purchasing new, as that would allow me to place a camera quite far away from a nest. The waterproof features I find quite interesting, as I think that might be a bigger market for kids in pools and lakes.


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## syder (Jan 9, 2019)

Josh Leavitt said:


> Well the M50 has decent ergonomics for a mirrorless camera, nearly all it's zoom lenses have 4 stops of OIS correction (plus electronic sensor stabilization for movies), and recording times won't usually be an issue with a high capacity SD card and a 30 minute recording limit.
> 
> But yes, the M50 is a hybrid camera and thus in a different class. It just happens to offer many of the video features of the GF50 at half the price.



Sorry, which M lens covers 29-600mm, has a servozoom and costs almost nothing? I must have missed that announcement/release.

I guess you could add something like the 28-300L which doesn't have the servo and would only cover about 44-480mm on APS-C but it costs $2.5K USD... 

The M50 is only cheaper/an alternative if you don't want something like the lens on the Vixia. And if you dont want the Vixia's superzoom servo lens you wouldn't buy one.

Also, a 30 min recording limit is a huge problem for filming events for documentation rather than an edited 2 min highlight reel.

It certainly isn't a camera that interests me (we've just got approval to buy another four C200s ) but I can see that it would be useful to those who want a cheap and versatile camcorder, particularly for events and wildlife where the long end of the zoom is going to be useful.


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## Josh Leavitt (Jan 9, 2019)

syder said:


> Sorry, which M lens covers 29-600mm, has a servozoom and costs almost nothing? I must have missed that announcement/release.



No servozooms for consumer-grade EF-M or EF, but plenty of cheap lenses that achieve greater reach than 600mm equivalent and offer faster and smoother zooming with inexpensive lens ring attachments. Let's not forget that the M50 has the standard x1.6 crop in addition to the x1.7 crop for 4k recording. That means a $250 EF 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS II USM is covering 190-816mm.


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## EduPortas (Jan 9, 2019)

Josh Leavitt said:


> "The camcorder is the first VIXIA G-series camcorder to feature 4K 30P recording and is an _*ideal tool*_ for advanced amateur filmmakers, wedding videographers and student reporters."
> 
> I would think that those three target demographics would expect an "ideal tool" for videography to include the ability to output C-Log, and have an internal variable ND filter for better exposure control. To be fair to Canon, Sony aren't offering those features in their Handycam or FDR camcorders at the same price point either, but I think we're at a point where the manufacturers need to recognize that a consumer willing to spend over $1000 for a proprietary camcorder is looking for some features to firmly distinguish it from an EOS M50 at half the cost. The servo x20 zoom is a really nice feature to place it apart from the M50, but that's about it. Internal ND filters and C-Log would have been a nice bone to throw at the beginner videographers.



Canon has you covered. For a price. The GX10 has a larger sensor, ND filters, DPAF, and 4K. That will be $1,500, please.


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## Josh Leavitt (Jan 9, 2019)

EduPortas said:


> Canon has you covered. For a price. The GX10 has a larger sensor, ND filters, DPAF, and 4K. That will be $1,500, please.



Bingo! The GX10 looks like the machine that can appeal to advanced amateur filmmakers with built-in ND filters and the larger sensor. I'm still a little disappointed it lacks C-Log though. Color grading and post-production is half the fun of video work, and for spending $1,000+ on an enthusiast camcorder, I'd expect C-Log to be included. Or at the least offer it as a $100 upgrade package like Canon did for the 5D IV.


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## syder (Jan 9, 2019)

Josh Leavitt said:


> No servozooms for consumer-grade EF-M or EF, but plenty of cheap lenses that achieve greater reach than 600mm equivalent and offer faster and smoother zooming with inexpensive lens ring attachments. Let's not forget that the M50 has the standard x1.6 crop in addition to the x1.7 crop for 4k recording. That means a $250 EF 70-300mm F4-5.6 IS II USM is covering 190-816mm.



So you cant see the difference between 29mm and 190mm at the wide end... Hint: a 20x servozoom is not equivalent to a 4x zoom however much you want to spin it. 

Also, the not-even-close-to-equivalent lens you list is $449 at B&H and $499 at Adorama. If you add that and the 18-135 ($600) + pze1 ($150) you're getting similar focal lengths, with similar zoom functionality on the wider end. But it isn't cheaper, your camera still wont be much use for events over 30 mins long and you need to stop and change lenses to go from wide to superzoom. Which is another way of saying that it's a different type of camera for a different market. Again.


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## cream (Jan 11, 2019)

I'm actually surprised to see that they put 4k in a camera at this price point. A few years go I left Canon for Sony video cameras who were providing comparable features (if not more) for less money. Video cameras have a valid place, especially where the optical zoom is a huge plus. They need to make the XF line up more competitive.


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## VisualNoiz (Mar 2, 2019)

Kharan said:


> I totally expect this thing to turn around the fate of budget camcorders... NOT! What a waste of time and money, Canon.


I just registered on this site to say to you I haven't bought a camcorder since 2002 but I am buying 2 of these the day they come out. The 4K resolution and low light capabilities are something I want to check out first hand. I've been a bit of a hermit in Manhattan and if I was running around town shooting live music for fun with on a $2K investment, that would be well worth it. I'm glad to be doing my part to keep budget camcorders alive, these things feel awesome in your palm and the screen moving around in directions while you change angles and try to stay out of peoples way is something a DSLR cannot do.

But yes, I will yearn for slave timecode capabilities of the higher end camcorders but for the price point you can't beat it. I don't want to lug around a bunch of lenses with a DSLR unless the creative choices of the piece call for that type of depth of field control. I am very excited for this Canon VIXIA HF G50 camera release.


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