Canon Vixia HF S11

The GZ-HM400 is an interesting new entry from JVC, presenting significant performance improvements over the HD300 and provided a much fuller feature set than the X900. This is the camcorder for more serious videophiles and it is actually worthy competition for the Canon HF S11. In fact, the HM400 outpaced the HF S11 in all the bright light testing, proving itself to be a powerhouse of color accuracy and sharp, smooth footage.

Unfortunately, this was only true when recording in ideal conditions. In low light, the HM400 really floundered, capturing incredibly dark images riddled with a haze of noise and washed out colors. If you plan to shoot in dimmer lighting, the HF S11 is no champion, but it fared much better than the flagship from JVC. The Canon also provides the user with 24p and 30p frame rate alternatives, which significantly improve low light performance.

The Canon is also a meatier choice for advanced videographers, giving users a more fleshed out array of manual controls. The new compatibility with Canon’s RA-V1 LANC adapter is also sure to draw experienced users.

Where the HM400 does come out on top is in the stabilization department. Even the HF S11’s new Dynamic stabilization mode can’t match the testing results of the HM400, which showed significant improvement with its single optical stabilization level activated. If stabilization is important to you, the HM400 is certainly an interesting model to consider.

And what will compel most users to select the top-of-the-line JVC over its Canon counterpart? Price. A savings of $400 is considerable in this day and age. For people less interested in the bells and whistles offered by the HF S11, that may be $400 you can’t turn down.