Canon Ultra-Compact XA10 Professional Camcorder Revealed at CES 2011

Given Canon's very long history of CES releases, it should come as no surprise that they've also prepared quite a serious lineup for this year's edition, starting with the ultra compact XA10 Professional Camcorder, designed for pro-users on a tighter budget.

And, in fact, this thing is truly very compact, at least as far as pro camcorders are concerned, given the fact that it weighs only 1.7 lbs. and measures only 3.7 x 8.1 x 7.0 inches including the lens hood and handle.

The Canon XA10 Professional Camcorder is built around a Canon 1/3-inch native 1920 x 1080 CMOS image sensor, accompanied by a 10x HD Zoom lens (35mm equivalent zoom range of 30.4mm - 304mm) and Canon DIGIC DV III Image Processor, that work together in order to enable the capture of very good quality images, in most circumstances.

Furthermore, the lens also features Canon's SuperRange Optical Image Stabilizer (OIS) system with standard, Dynamic and Powered IS mode, selectable autofocus speeds and a manual focus ring that, combined with other manual features such as shutter speed, aperture control, and gain settings provide an enhanced level of creative control.

The Canon XA10 Professional Camcorder also comes equipped with dual XLR inputs for external audio sources as well as a built-in stereo microphone, not to mention a waveform monitor for accurate exposure and detailed analysis of image brightness.

Plus, the imager sports a 3.5-inch High Resolution -922,000-dot - Touch Panel LCD screen, as well as an electronics viewfinder.

"We are committed to addressing the needs of the professional market with diverse and tailored product offerings best suited to their specific needs or production environment.” said Yuichi Ishizuka, executive vice president and general manager, Consumer Imaging Group, Canon U.S.A.

“We are making a statement that Canon will have the professional HD video solution for your needs, whether you are shooting in a studio, on the street, on set, or out in the wilderness. The new, compact XA10 camcorder is yet another tool for professionals who are shooting HD video on-the-fly," added Mr. Ishizuka.

As mentioned right from the start, the Canon XA10 Professional camcorder eyes customers who want to go professional but don't really enough money, as it's scheduled to be available in March for an estimated retail price of $1,999.99.