A review of the Canon MVX460 Mini DV digital camcorder
The MVX range of Mini DV camcorders that Canon has introduced offer the ability to take still images as well as movies at 1 mega pixel and are much more compact than the earlier MV range. The Canon MVX460 also offers some great additions such as a 9-point AiAF auto focus system, more options on still images and a higher pixel count for the LCD screen. With these welcome extras and a very competitive and reasonable price tag, the Canon MVX 460 has just got to be worth checking out. Design |
Most camcorders today have a similar appearance and shape, however the Canon MVX 460 feels more comfortable in the hand than many others we have tested. Its curves are in the right places and the size is just perfect at 57mm (w) x 77mm (h) x 109mm (d) and a weight of only 430g (approx), it fits so snugly in your hand. Canon seem to have taken on board the opinions of its users when it came to the design of previous MV models as some of the controls and dials were situated in odd places and proved difficult to operate, whereas on the MVX460 the controls are much more strategically placed and sit just where you need them to when operating. Simplicity rules with the MVX460 and this leaves the camera body looking sophisticated and clean and it certainly draws you in with its minimalist appearance. On the right hand side of the MVX 460 is the MiniDV tape compartment which opens out and tapes load from the top, which compared to the MV960 is a god send as for some very strange reason Canon chose to change the design and tapes were loaded into the bottom of the compartment?! The buttons and controls on top of the tape compartment are in very easy reach of your fingers and these controls are the zoom rocker, video light, photo mode and direct printing. On the back of the MVX460 is the power switch which surrounds the record button with a switch below which swaps between Mini DV recording and SD card recording. Just below these are a LCD backlight button and a widescreen button which are a little on the fiddly side but not used too much so it doesn’t seem to matter. To the right of these function, is a joystick and enter button to navigate your way around the on-screen menu which we must say was absolutely easy to use and we failed to find a problem with it. When the LCD screen is folded out you will see that the battery pack slots in behind it and Canon have changed the design of the battery with the MVX460 as it is more compact and small and disappointingly, the older batteries are no longer compatible. It also means that there is not a large capacity battery available for the MVX460, however Canon state that the battery will run for approx. 85 minutes with the LCD and the Normal brightness setting. |
| Features |
| The Canon MVX460 has a 20x optical zoom lens, which for a camcorder of this price range, is pretty average and Optical Image Stabilisation is not included because of the low price. However, Canon has included digital image stabilisation to help keep your filming shake free. The Canon MVX460 offers a great feature, which in today’s technological world is very welcome and this is the ‘Easy’ mode. In selecting this mode, the MVX460 will preset all functions and adapt to a variety of shooting situations without you having to do much at all really. For those control freaks among us, you can choose the ‘Program’ mode which will enable you to choose more complex settings to achieve the desired results. Some of the preset exposure options available are Snow, Beach, Sunset, Fireworks etc. You can also select from a range of exposure metering options, choose from daylight, tungsten or auto white balance, and select the custom setting. We love the ability that the Canon MVX460 has to take still images at 1megapixel, so don’t expect fantastic results, but at least you have the option and these can be saved to the SD card. There is no flash with the stills mode, however, the built-in LED video light will assist you when capturing still images and will brighten darker conditions. The MVX460 has a true Widescreen CCD sensor which will provide you with a perfect 16:9 ratio image, which has got to be an improvement on the cropped image that some sensors do, however it is not high definition. The 123,000 pixel 2.7” LCD displays the ratio of 16:9 so what you see is what you get effectively. |
| Performance |
| One of the most impressive things about the Canon MVX 460 is its user friendliness. The on-screen menu was just a breeze to navigate, although we thought that some menu options should have been prioritised compared to others and placed at the start of the menu rather than having to search a little further for them. All buttons and controls were perfectly placed and in very easy reach of your fingers to aid with single handed filming. The transferring of our footage to the TV was so simple too, all we had to do was connect a cable to the MVX460 and to our TV input and away we went. The 2.7” LCD provided us with a clear and bright view and although Canon has included a viewfinder with the MVX460, we didn’t need to make much use of it as the LCD was more than adequate with its 123,000 pixels. Texture and colours were very accurately reproduced in the video mode and also still mode. Fine details were displayed particularly well in video mode and we were impressed with the sharp clear images that the MVX460 showed us. The main flaw we came across is when we filmed in very low light as the built in LED video light was not very powerful and we would suggest using an external light in these situations. Although not as good as dedicated digital still cameras, the still images that we achieved we surprisingly good for a camcorder of this price range. Images were clear and sharp and very usable, however indoor shots were a little disappointing. |
| What's In The Box? |
| Camcorder, Wireless Controller , Lithium Battery (for Wireless Controller) , Lithium Battery (for Auto-date), Compact Power Adaptor , AC Cable E, Battery Pack , Stereo Video Cable and Interface Cable Set, Shoulder Strap, Wide Attachment , SCART Adaptor, Digital Video Solution Disks (for Windows & Mac), Instruction Manual, Guarantee |
| Overall Opinion |
| The Canon MVX460 MiniDV Camcorder impressed us immensely for a camcorder of this price. Canon has managed once again to create a superb quality camcorder for an affordable price. With great images and good usability we strongly recommend it. |
| By Hayley Malyon |
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Pros + Great features + Dual ability (stills and movie) + User-friendly + 20x optical zoom |
Cons - Poor indoor still shots |
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Picture Quality 10/10
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Battery Life 9/10
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Setup Simplicity 10/10
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Build Quality 10/10
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Ease of Use 10/10
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Overall Rating 
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