Canon VIXIA Mini X

A high-definition camcorder from Canon with wireless capability, an SD memory-card slot, no optical zoom, and an image stabilizer.

Unlock to see our ratings and compare products side by side

CR Expert Take

How did it perform in our expert lab testing?

Overall Score

The Overall Score for this model is derived from our expert lab test results.

Unlock ratingswith membership.

Current Range of Tested HD camcorders

What goes into the Overall Score?

Picture quality

/ 5

Low-light picture quality

/ 5

Ease of use

/ 5

Auto focus

/ 5

Audio quality

/ 5

Image stabilizer

/ 5

Display quality

/ 5

Versatility

/ 5

Still camera

/ 5

Color

/ 5

Battery life (min.)

/ 5

Detailed Test Results

VIDEO. The Canon Mini X takes only fair video, lower quality than many high-definition models. Pictures were sharp though not as much as on the better models, which means you can see most but not all details and subtle patterns in the image. In low-light situations, the video was good: quite viewable but not as bright or clear as the better models. It captures full HD video of 1920x1080 at 25p frames per second.

AUDIO. It captures very good audio in stereo, better quality than most models.

PHOTO QUALITY. In Photo mode it captures 12-megapixel stills with excellent quality, which is unusual for a camcorder.

LENS. The lens has a fixed focal length; it has no zoom capability. The lens also has a very wide-angle (17.5mm) capability that's very useful for landscapes and group portraits, although you may notice a bit of distortion when you're shooting faces up close, for instance.

IMAGE STABILIZER. This model lacks an image stabilizer. Shooting in well-lit scenes, this model did a poor job of minimizing the effects of camcorder shake.

SPEED. Its readiness when switching to Video mode is slow, slower than many camcorders. It is very slow waking up from standby, much slower than most models.

ADDITIONAL COMMENTS. It has a wireless communication feature. Like most models, this camcorder does not include a viewfinder, which means you'll need to rely on the LCD monitor to compose your video or photo. It has a small 2.7-inch touchscreen LCD, which otherwise has very good quality that lets you easily compose your shots and has fine playback of photos and video. It has a hot shoe for attaching an external lamp, flash or directional microphone (generally sold separately). It's thinner than most.

About

The Mini X is a 2.1-megapixel camcorder with no optical zoom and has a 35mm-equivalent focal length of 17.5mm (fixed). It has a live-view 2.7-inch touchscreen LCD. The camcorder has a maximum aperture of f/2.8. The camcorder allows manual setting of white balance.

The Mini X stores video and photos on SD, SDHC and SDXC memory cards but has no on-board storage. It captures video as AVCHD files at a top resolution of 1920x1080 at 25p frames per second and 12-megapixel resolution stills as JPG files.

The image stabilization system for this camcorder is electronic.

The Mini X measures 3.4 inches wide by 1.2 inches high by 4.4 inches in length, and weighs 0.5 pounds.

Features & Specs

Features

Built-in light

Remote

3D models

Specs

Format

SD, SDHC, SDXC

Weight (lbs.)

0.5

Optical zoom

LCD size (in.)

2.7

Connections

Largeness

Large

HDMI output

Yes

AV Input

Microphone input

Yes

Headphone out

Price & Shop

Canon VIXIA Mini X

CR Expert Take

Overall Score

What goes into the Overall Score?

Detailed Test Results

About

Similar Products

Similar Products

Features & Specs

Features & Specs

Features

Specs

Connections

Price & Shop

Price & Shop

More From Consumer Reports