Canon's new video cameras make capturing, creating and sharing quality video even easier with new Wi-Fi functionality

Canon’s new video cameras take quality and simplicity to new levels, enabling users to create engaging mini masterworks with easy-to-use movie making tools and quality high-definition imaging features.

Setting a new standard in compact video recording, Canon today revealed three new video cameras at CES in Las Vegas, set to launch in New Zealand from April, 2012. The new LEGRIA HFR36, HFR38 and HFM52 video cameras deliver a new benchmark in handheld video production, with full High Definition video recording as standard and improved features including full Wi-Fi connectivity. Whether used to capture baby’s first steps, birthday celebrations, holidays away or to make it big on YouTube, the Canon LEGRIA video range for 2012 delivers a truly show-stopping performance that’s easy and fun to use when capturing the most important moments in your life.

“Image quality is continually cited as the most important feature for video camera users as they capture significant life moments and memories on video. With full HD and features like Intelligent Auto and the new Intelligent Image Stabiliser delivering great video at the press of a button, the 2012 video camera line-up delivers quality like never before,” says Rochelle Mora, Brand Manager – Imaging at Canon New Zealand.

“With more than two billion video views a day and 24 hours of video uploaded to YouTube every minute*, our new Wi-Fi connectivity features help connect a passionate community of movie makers worldwide, allowing anyone to share their favourite home movie moments at home or on the go”.

Canon’s 2012 LEGRIA range of video cameras provides the perfect tool to create quality memories and mini movie productions easily at home.

Across each of the three new models, some of the new and improved features include:

· Wi-Fi: New feature to the Canon camera range, enabling recorded video to be sent and viewed anywhere via a wireless connection and uploaded to Facebook or YouTube via a new iPhone App “Movie Uploader”. The video cameras are also DLNA compliant, meaning home movies can be watched instantly on the big screen on DLNA enabled TVs.

· Easy back-up to an external hard drive: This easy back-up feature allows users to save large amounts of video data shot on vacation to a hard disk without the need for a computer. Video backed up to a hard disk can also be played on a TV, via the camcorder. (NB: requires an optional USB Adapter - UA-100).

· Intelligent Image Stabiliser: Automatically switching between different image stabilisers to ensure users get the best image quality and minimise shake in conditions of shooting while walking, telephoto shooting, macro shooting and more.

· Story Creator and Video Snapshot: Designed to help first-time users create engaging movies easily, the Story Creator tool follows a story board structure offering suggestions on composition, length and type of shot for mini-movie themes like Birthday, Travel, Kids and Pets. Users can rate their favourite takes and play the best scenes, resulting in a ready-made movie. No complicated editing required.

· MP4 Recording Support: A container format that enables direct video playback on iPhone or iPad devices without conversion. Using the 2012 LEGRIA range, recorded MP4 files can be easily uploaded to typical social networking sites such as YouTube or Facebook.

The Canon HFM52 delivers amazing full HD quality video though the eyes of Canon’s advanced HD CMOS PRO sensor, seen first in Canon’s professional video camera XF series range. Ensuring every detail of the image is crystal clear, the Canon HD CMOS PRO sensor delivers more image detail and less noise to video images and strong low-light performance, so videos created during the day or night make the cut.

The Canon HFM52’s new features also include Audio Scene Select, allowing users to choose a scene mode to suit the audio of the shooting situation. Simple in-camera guidance is given (e.g. Music, Speech, Forest and Birds) to shoot video optimised to produce realistic audio for that situation.

The Canon HFM52 also packs 32GB internal flash memory to ensure you can shoot for hours or for longer, expand the shooting times with additional SD cards. Delivered in a more compact body than its predecessor (15% smaller and 30g lighter), the HFM52 weighs only 310gms and features a sleek, flat touch panel. A waterproof case is also available for underwater shooting up to 40m.

Rounding out the pack, the LEGRIA HFR Series (HFR36 and HFR38) deliver impressive full HD video features as standard, with increased zoom capabilities (32x optical and 51x advanced) and wider angle view that capture more in frame. The HFR36 has 8GB of internal flash memory while the HFR38 packs in 32GB. These tiny but mighty 250g video cameras deliver powerful movie making tools in a unit the size of a soft drink can, ensuring you can always have it handy.

Ensuring each of the video cameras meet the demands of virtually any shooting environment, a wide range of compatible accessories are available including long-life batteries, wide and tele-adaptors, microphones and even an underwater case for the HFM52, enabling shooting at depths of up to 40m.