Canon is entering the vlogging camera market with the release of a new point-and-shoot camera that has a throwback design reminiscent of the old Flip Video cameras. The $429.99 Canon PowerShot V10 is a small, quirky camera with a fixed 19mm equivalent f/2.8 lens and a 20.9-megapixel one-inch-type sensor. It is designed for entry-level content creators who want a simple, portable camera for on-the-go videos.
Features
The PowerShot V10 records 4K at up to 30 fps and has an articulating screen, front and rear record buttons, stereo mics with a 3.5mm mic jack, a Micro HDMI port, digital image stabilization, and a kickstand for propping it up. It also has a built-in neutral density filter and contrast-based autofocus with face detection. However, it does not support manual focusing or log recording or raw capture for photos. The V10’s small size means it only supports microSD cards, and its built-in 1,250mAh battery tops out at an estimated 55 minutes of 4K video recording.
Lack of Controls
The V10’s simplistic design offers limited controls, which may be frustrating for some content creators. Its ISO range of 125 to 12,800 in stills mode is not even manually selectable, and the camera does not support any kind of manual focusing. While this may be fine for on-the-go videos, it limits the camera’s potential for growth and learning. Additionally, the 20.9-megapixel sensor is only using an effective 13.1 megapixels for video and 15.2 megapixels for stills. The camera also has five levels of software skin smoothing, which may not be desirable for all content creators.
The limitations of the V10 may not be deal-breakers for those who use the camera for portable vlogging and simple livestreaming. However, many content creators are already filming on their capable phones, which offer more room to grow with third-party accessories and apps. Canon has plans to release more vlog-centric cameras in the future, but it remains to be seen whether they will offer more control and upside than the V10. The camera market is a competitive one, and Canon will need to continue innovating to keep up with the demands of content creators.
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