Canon HF G50 - Canon's First Prosumer Camcorder with 4k
Announced at CES 2019, the Canon HF G50 doesn't just replace the previous HF G40, it adds 4k recording at 150 Mbps, and it costs less than the previous camcorder as well.
Specifications
Type - 4K video camera (4K camcorder)
Power Supply (rated) - 7.4 V DC (battery pack), 8.4 V DC (DC IN)
Television System - NTSC
Recording Format - MP4
Video Recording System - MPEG-4 AVC / H.264
Audio Recording System - MPEG-2 AAC-LC (2ch 16 bit)
Image Sensor - 1/2.3-inch 4K UHD CMOS sensor
Total Pixels - Approx. 21.14 Megapixels (5352x3950)
Effective Pixels - Approx. 8.29 Megapixels (3840x2160)
Lens
Zoom Ratio: 20x Optical
Focal Length: 3.67–73.4mm
Focal Length equivalent to 35mm film:
(3840x2160) Approx. 30.6–612mm with Dynamic IS On, approx. 29.3–601mm with Standard IS / IS Off
(1920x1080/1280x720) Approx. 32.0–640mm with Dynamic IS On, approx. 30.5–627mm with Standard IS /
IS Off
Zoom Speed: Variable speed / Constant speed (16 levels); Fast, Normal or Slow
Max. F/Stop: f/1.8–2.8
Focusing System
Hybrid AF (TTL-video signal detection system and external phase
difference metering system): Instant AF, Medium AF
Normal AF (TTL-video signal detection system): Face Only AF, Manual Focus
Exposure System
Manual Exposure Available
Manual Control Ring Available, lens ring (function switched between zoom and focus)
Programmed AE
Auto Mode: Auto
Manual Mode: P, Tv, Av, M (Manual exposure), SCN (Portrait,
Sports, Snow, Beach, Sunset, Night, Low Light, Spotlight, Fireworks)
Cinema Mode: P, Tv, Av, M
Maximum Shutter Speed 1/1000 sec.
Minimum Focusing
Distance 20mm (wide end) / 600mm (across zooming range)
White Balance Auto, Daylight, Tungsten, Color Temperature, Set 1, Set 2
Frame Rate MP4 – 3840x2160: 29.97P / 23.98P; 1920x1080: 59.94P / 29.97P / 23.98P; 1280x720: 59.94P
Image Stabilization
Optical system (lens shift) + electronic stabilization
Control modes:
• Dynamic IS*
• Powered IS
- When in Dynamic IS, shooting angle will be different than when set to Standard IS or IS Off.
IS Modes other than Intelligent IS:
• Standard IS
• IS off
Other
Filter Diameter 58mm
Viewfinder 0.24-inch, TFT Widescreen color LCD (equivalent to approx. 1.56 million dots, 100% field of view)
LCD Screen 3.0-inch LCD, Capacitive Touch Panel (approx. 0.46 million dots)
Recording Media 2 SD card slots
USB Terminal mini-B receptacle and Hi-Speed USB supported (output only)
Accessory Shoe Cold shoe, mini advanced shoe*
- Only Video Light VL-5 and DM-100 supported.
HDMI Terminal HDMI OUT mini connector
Microphone Terminal 3.5mm diameter stereo mini-jack, MIC/LINE switching possible
Headphone Terminal 3.5mm stereo mini-jack
Remote Control Terminal 2.5mm stereo mini-jack (input only)
Operating Temperature
Range
Approx. 23–113°F (-5–45°C), 60% relative humidity (operation)
Approx. 32–104°F (0–40°C), 85% relative humidity (performance)
Dimensions
(W x H x D) Approx. 4.3 x 3.3 x 7.2 in. / 109 x 84 x 182mm (not including lens hood)
Approx. 4.5 x 3.3 x 9.1 in. / 115 x 84 x 231mm (including lens hood)
Weight Approx. 1.62 lbs. / 735g (body only)
Approx. 1.91 lbs. / 870g (including lens hood, BP-820 and memory card)
Maximum Recording Time
MP4
Recording Mode
Comments
Canon VIXIA HF G50 Camcorder - Canon-USA
CanonUSA
Published on Mar 1, 2019
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Thanks for posting this, Ziggy! Looks like some good features packed into this little camcorder. I'm so glad they kept the pixel count to 21mp, which means low light performance should be pretty decent. I'm curious if this camera is ISO invariant, like most modern cams. Also happy to see them stick with a curved blade design for a not-chunky aperture.
Only thing I couldn't find in my search online yet is how many stops of dynamic range. Canon has continually lagged behind in this area, so I hope they at least stepped up to break through the 13 stop mark.
ISO Invariance does not apply to this prosumer camcorder, as it has no RAW video capture capability.
Unfortunately most consumer and prosumer camcorders lack either Log-Profile recording or RAW recording capabilities. Instead they have assigned profiles which the user applies to affect the resulting recorded video. The user has extremely limited post-processing headroom available for making changes. White-balance is fully burned as well, so you either use auto-WB and hope that you're not in a mixed lighting situation and that the WB is recorded correctly, or, if the camcorder allows, use manual WB to set to the closest compromise.
Another consideration is finding out how any posted Dynamic Range figures are calculated. Dynamic range is not a true standard, and each manufacturer is free to determine their own "brand" of dynamic range to use for their figures. This might be useful for comparing products within a single manufacturer's line, but comparing two different manufacturers' products is pretty meaningless and one manufacturer's 13-stops of dynamic range compares nicely to another manufacturer's claimed 15-stops of dynamic range.
In the consumer and prosumer markets a somewhat better judge to follow is direct visual samples from competing products in various lighting situations. Using a properly calibrated monitor is also important to gauge which products will best match your needs.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
I agree with most of this to an extent, but to say that one manufacturer's 13 stops is virtually the same as another's 15 stops is definitely agreeable to me. I tend to follow the tests from DxO mark, as they use the same procedures for each manufacturer to get a baseline. Additionally, after using Canon for years, and moving to Sony, I can attest to the validity of increased DR in the product. It's hugely noticeable to anyone with a pair of eyes, especially when working the files in post.
With all of that said, yes, most certainly the best gauge of whether a camera fits one's needs is to get actual field use examples for visual comparison. It'll be nice to see some real-world use with this VIXIA model, as I'd like to find a good replacement for our HF-20 model. We loved this little camcorder, but need something much more modern for general grab'n'go video.
I agree with your assessment of DxOMark. While their absolute values only really apply to their own DxO line of software, the relative metrics do seem to closely parallel other independent test results for still cameras.
Since this discussion is about a camcorder, and since I don't think that DxO has done testing on consumer and/or prosumer camcorders, I am not sure of the relevance.
I own the Canon Vixia ...
... HF 11
... HF S11
... HF S30
... and I very much enjoy using them to this day. (I videotaped each of my childrens' weddings using the HF S11, albeit using external short-shotgun microphones.)
The HF S30 has a rather clunky touch-screen interface, but I found a remote control which works pretty well for setting up the camera functions and for triggering record. The "Dynamic SuperRange Optical Image Stabilization with Powered IS" works very well and it's a significant improvement over previous Canon implementations.
Some light sharpening in Resolve is usually all that's required to make really nice looking full-HD/1080p30 video.
Moderator of the Cameras and Accessories forums
Wow, you've been through the gamut of these Canon VIXIA cams for sure! We have always loved using the HF G20. Its low light performance was great for it's time, still pretty dang decent for nowadays.
For the production work I do, I couldn't really get into a camcorder anymore, as we're always working out wide shots, tight shots, playing with DoF, and so on. Plus, the main subjects I shoot (luxury real estate & architecture) require quite a wide DR, which is why my brain is always going there with every camera.
I'll keep my eyes open for some real world testing of this new model. My wife LOVES using her camcorder, and it'll make a sweet upgrade if it shakes out clean.