If you’re looking for a camcorder to shoot some cinematic video, the Canon VIXIA HF G70 will give you the chance to do so. This is a more compact model compared to some of Canon’s other premium and professional-level camcorders. This is a 4K camcorder capable of capturing high-quality footage following some of the features in the more advanced XA series models.
There are a lot of different use cases for a camcorder like this. It can be content creation, like shooting a movie or video, or even for other professional purposes. If you’re serious about capturing quality footage, this may be a way to go.
Canon VIXIA HF G70 details
While there is an electronic viewfinder, you will probably make good use of the 3.5-inch LCD touchscreen display that flips and tilts to help frame everything. The lens offers 20x optical zoom with improved autofocus to capture 4K resolution at 30fps. You can record slow-motion in 1080p at 0.4x and fast-motion in 4K or 1080p up to 1200x. If you plan on livestreaming, that’s also possible through the USB-C connection to a Windows PC or Mac.
The 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor and DIGIC DV 6 image processor power many of the visual capabilities here. The VIXIA HF G70 also has an 8-blade circular aperture and 5-axis image stabilization to hold steady and provide some flexibility when shooting.
The on-screen display can record footage with embedded details, like date, time, timecode—basically time stamping every clip. If you need that information for any reason, you can easily include it. Canon says it is required for legal and law enforcement purposes, for instance.
Canon’s face detection applies courtesy of the hybrid autofocus system. You can set focus by simply tapping on the touchscreen, and face tracking will stick to a person as they move. If you prefer to manually focus, you can do that too, especially for more dramatic shifts from one subject to another.
Dual microSD card slots ensure you don’t have to run out of space if one card fills up. Shooting in 4K takes up a lot of space, and faster cards are generally the best for video right now.
Deployment and accessories
You can prop up the VIXIA HF G70 on a tripod, monopod or compatible gimbal. A hot shoe up top is ideal for external microphones or other accessories, like lights, to augment your shooting experience. Given the camcorder weighs 1.63 pounds, it’s fairly lightweight for its size, so mounting accessories shouldn’t make it too unwieldy.
The camcorder comes with one battery, though you can buy an extra separately. You can even get a hold of a GPS receiver to log location-based information, including on screen. Canon includes a lens hood in the box, but not all cables, including an HDMI if you wanted to get a hold of one of those.
Coming soon
The Canon VIXIA HF G70 is coming to Best Buy in 2022, so look for it to be available soon. Check out all the latest Canon cameras and gear available now.
