Canon MVX460 review

Widescreen fans will appreciate the MVX460's true widescreen CCD sensor. Though it's not high definition, it still provides a sharper 16:9 image than sensors that crop the top and bottom to achieve this wide aspect ratio. This native 16:9 support is reflected in the camcorder's 69mm (2.7-inch), 123,000-pixel widescreen LCD.

As usual, Canon's Easy mode offers no-nonsense simplicity and did a good job adapting to a wide variety of shooting situations. If you prefer more control, you can switch to program mode to select an exposure preset, such as Snow, Beach, Sunset, Fireworks, Spotlight, Night, Sports and Portrait. You can also choose from spot, evaluative or centre-weighted exposure metering, and you can shift exposure plus or minus 11 steps if you don't agree with the camera's system. Likewise, you can choose from daylight, tungsten or auto white balance, as well as select the custom setting and designate your own.

Like most camcorders, the MVX460 includes a handful of digital effects, including multiple faders, a mirror-image option that yields a kaleidoscope-type feel, as well as colour masks and plenty more gimmicky distortion options.

Still images can be captured to SD cards in either 1,152x864 or 640x480 sizes at standard, fine or superfine compression. There are even two burst modes (normal and high-speed) in addition to a 10-second timer and automatic exposure bracketing. This last option shoots three images -- one normal exposure, one slightly overexposed and one slightly underexposed -- just in case the camera's auto exposure is a little off the mark. There's no flash for still-image capture, though you can use the built-in LED video light to help illuminate darker scenes, even in still-image mode.

Manual controls were easy to operate, thanks to the new joystick control. Exposure shift and manual focus are accessed by pressing Enter on the joystick and navigating a small menu. The icons were the only confusing part -- the choice of a mountain to indicate far focus made some sense, but in contrast, Canon used an icon of a person for near focus. At first, we thought these were two presets but quickly learned what they meant and were able to focus easily. Using the words 'far' and 'near' may have been a little more straightforward.

Even under bright sunlight, the camcorder's LCD provided a clear picture, as did the viewfinder. Fans of previous MVXs will note that Canon eliminated the tilt-up viewfinder, so you'll have to switch to the LCD for lower-than-eye-level shots.

The built-in microphone wasn't very directional as stereo mics go, though it was very sensitive. In fact, it even picked up a tiny bit of the zoom motor when we zoomed the lens in and out, though any casual conversation would cover the minor noise.

In more challenging low-light situations, the video had pleasing colours, though they were less accurate than in brighter light, and our footage showed noticeable noise. That said, this is where the MVX460 beats the Canon MV960 -- it was able to keep the noise more under control once light levels dropped very low, while the MV960 couldn't keep up and produced much more noise. The MVX460's night mode did a decent job shooting monochrome video of objects that were within arm's reach of the camera. If you're shooting further in extremely low light, you'll want an external light, since the built-in LED isn't powerful enough for longer distances.

Still images from the MVX460, while slightly crisper than the submegapixel shots you get from the majority of camcorders in this price range, still won't be as good as a dedicated digital still camera. In bright, outdoor situations, colours weren't as bad as that of some camcorders, but indoor shots tended to be muddy, and if you use the camcorder's extreme zoom, they are likely to turn out blurry from shaky hands alone.

The MVX models seem to be a strange offering from Canon. The company has trimmed the line in response to market pressure, ending up with a camcorder that trades some features for better performance when compared to Canon's top entry-level cam, the MV960, while keeping it in a similar price bracket. That means that casual moviemakers who prefer MiniDV to DVD but want a step up in quality will have to sacrifice little frills, such as an accessory shoe, or else break out the big bucks to step even further up Canon's line. Still, given its attractive price, the MVX460 packs all the allure of its predecessors and is one of the better deals as low-cost camcorders go.

Additional editing by Kate Macefield