Canon Camcorders Buyer's Guide (NTSC standard definition flash memory models)
Note: Unlike other brands, Canon never made any standard-definition hard drive camcorders, or DVD camcorders which can record to flash memory.
Click on the model number to access Canon's product support for it, including user manuals and software downloads.
LCD: diagonal size of LCD monitor in inches; W = Widescreen, T = Touch screen; VF = color Viewfinder
light: LED = LED video light; flash = strobe flash for taking still photos
remote: model number of originally equipped infrared wireless remote control; no = not supported
mic/ear: external microphone/headphone jacks
zoom opt./ext.: amount of optical zoom / Extended Zoom
auto cover: yes = automatic lens cover; no = manual lens cover; cap = uses a lens cap
lens thread: diameter of lens thread for adding extra lenses or filters (if present)
recording media: capacity of hard drive or internal flash memory; SDHC = SDHC card up to 32 GB; SDXC = SDHC or SDXC card
mic type: number of audio channels of internal microphone; Z = Zoom Mic; F = microphone on front; T = microphone on top
image stabil.: type of image stabilization; Optical = uses optical image stabilization instead of electronic
35 mm focal length: 35 mm equivalent focal length when recording 16:9 video; the lower the number, the wider the field of view
image sensor size/pixels: size of CCD (or CMOS) image sensor in inches; total number of pixels / effective number of pixels when recording 16:9 video
low light sens.: low-light sensitivity at 1/30 shutter speed; the lower the number, the better the low-light sensitivity
weight: weight of camcorder body (without battery and removable media)
MSRP: Manufacturer's Suggested Retail Price at time of introduction; actual retail prices were often discounted; non-U.S.=Canada/Latin America model
*** 2008 *** 
Canon lens, Megapixel CCD image sensor, 123k pixel LCD, audio level meter
model LCD light remote mic/ear zoom
opt./ext.
auto
cover
lens
thread
recording
media
mic type image
stabil.
35 mm focal
length (16:9)
image sensor
size/pixels (16:9)
low light
sens. (1/30)
weight MSRP
FS100 2.7W LED WL-D88 yes/no 37x/48x yes no SDHC 2 ch F yes 41.7 mm 1/6 1.07M/710k 8 lux 260 g $399
                               
FS10 2.7W LED WL-D88 yes/no 37x/48x yes no 8 GB 2 ch F yes 41.7 mm 1/6 1.07M/710k 8 lux 260 g $499
                               
FS11 2.7W LED WL-D88 yes/no 37x/48x yes no 16 GB 2 ch F yes 41.7 mm 1/6 1.07M/710k 8 lux 260 g $599
                               
*** 2009 *** 
New entry-level model with non-Megapixel CCD; headphone jack and Pre-Record mode added; improved low-light sensitivity
model LCD light remote mic/ear zoom
opt./ext.
auto
cover
lens
thread
recording
media
mic type image
stabil.
35 mm focal
length (16:9)
image sensor
size/pixels (16:9)
low light
sens. (1/30)
weight MSRP
FS200 2.7W LED no yes/yes 37x/41x yes no SDHC 2 ch F yes 41.3 mm 1/6 680k/450k 5 lux 225 g $349
                               
FS20 2.7W LED no yes/yes 37x/48x yes no 8 GB 2 ch F yes 41.7 mm 1/6 1.07M/710k 6.5 lux 225 g non-U.S.
                               
FS21 2.7W LED no yes/yes 37x/48x yes no 16 GB 2 ch F yes 41.7 mm 1/6 1.07M/710k 6.5 lux 225 g $499
                               
FS22 2.7W LED WL-D88 yes/yes 37x/48x yes no 32 GB 2 ch F yes 41.7 mm 1/6 1.07M/710k 6.5 lux 225 g $599
                               
*** 2010 *** 
Dynamic image stabilization added; Megapixel CCD, remote control, and microphone and headphone jacks dropped
model LCD light remote mic/ear zoom
opt./ext.
auto
cover
lens
thread
recording
media
mic type image
stabil.
35 mm focal
length (16:9)
image sensor
size/pixels (16:9)
low light
sens. (1/30)
weight MSRP
FS300 2.7W LED no no /no 37x/41x yes no SDHC 2 ch F Dynamic 41.3 mm 1/6 680k/450k 5 lux 225 g $299
                               
FS30 2.7W LED no no /no 37x/41x yes no 8 GB 2 ch F Dynamic 41.3 mm 1/6 680k/450k 5 lux 225 g non-U.S.
                               
FS31 2.7W LED no no /no 37x/41x yes no 16 GB 2 ch F Dynamic 41.3 mm 1/6 680k/450k 5 lux 225 g $349
                               
*** 2011 *** 
SDXC card support, Web mode, and 50/60 Hz flicker reduction added; audio level meter dropped
model LCD light remote mic/ear zoom
opt./ext.
auto
cover
lens
thread
recording
media
mic type image
stabil.
35 mm focal
length (16:9)
image sensor
size/pixels (16:9)
low light
sens. (1/30)
weight MSRP
FS400 2.7W LED no no /no 37x/41x yes no SDXC 2 ch F Dynamic 41.3 mm 1/6 680k/450k 5 lux 220 g $279
                               
FS40 2.7W LED no no /no 37x/41x yes no 8 GB 2 ch F Dynamic 41.3 mm 1/6 680k/450k 5 lux 220 g $299