This well-constructed camcorder fits into a coat pocket, but it delivers less than stellar low-light video.

For users who are looking for a coat-pocket-size camcorder but don't want to significantly compromise on performance and features, the MV6iMC strikes a good balance. Like the MV5i it replaces, this 415g unit is one of the smallest and lightest MiniDV camcorders available. Though video shot under low light looks a bit rough, Canon has again succeeded in cramming a solid consumer camcorder into a small space.

The MV6iMC is so trim and solidly constructed that you'll have it with you in places you'd never bring an ordinary model. You can operate the vertically oriented camcorder easily with just your right hand, but you'll likely steady your aim with your left. If you have large hands, the zoom switch may give you trouble; you'll have to bend your finger to reach it.

Small doesn't necessarily mean fragile. The metal-and-plastic case feels sturdy and tightly assembled. The controls should withstand a reasonable amount of abuse--unusual for a device this size--though the plastic band that tethers two of the connector covers will be difficult to repair if snapped.

The context-sensitive menus change according to whether you choose recording or playback, tape or card use, and the Program or Easy Recording mode. The result is uncluttered, quickly navigable menus. One minor irritant is that navigation requires you to alternate between a dial and two buttons. We prefer the mechanism on previous Canon camcorders: a single dial that doubles as a button.

If you're familiar with the MV5i, you'll feel right at home with the MV6iMC. It's essentially the same camcorder with the digital-zoom range extended to 400x from 200x, a slow-shutter Super Night mode, and direct USB connection to more printers. The zoom increase is nothing to crow about; the resulting image consists almost entirely of noisy pixels. The Super Night mode has a tiny assist lamp that illuminates any subject within a few feet of the camera. That selection is best for close-ups in the dark, rather than nocturnal landscapes. Canon's DV Messenger software enables the camcorder to serve as a USB Webcam.

For the point-and-shoot crowd, the MV6iMC offers seven scene modes and fully automatic operation. More-advanced photographers can use exposure compensation, adjust the shutter speed (from 1/60 to 1/2,000 of a second), focus manually, and select the white-balance setting.

The 10x zoom lens suffices for most situations. If you're capturing stills or MPEG video to a card, the range drops to 7.5x. You can save your pictures on SD/MMC media in VGA (640x480) or XGA (1,024x768) resolution, though the sensor's effective photo resolution of 630,000 pixels falls short of the 786,432 pixels needed for a true XGA image. A progressive photo mode reduces blurring in shots of fast-moving subjects, but no such option is available for video. The camcorder also lacks an accessory shoe. Canon offers an optional adapter bracket, but it adds considerable bulk.

Once you're accustomed to the zoom switch, it offers reasonably precise control, and it's certainly smoother than others we've tried. By varying our touch, we were able to zip through the range in as few as 1.7 seconds or drag out the adjustment for as long as 23 seconds.

With brightly lit exteriors, the MV6iMC focused quickly and accurately, but the focus didn't entirely lock in some dim and low-contrast situations, even when we mounted the camera on a tripod. In general, the electronic image-stabilization system performed well; as with most of its kind, its biggest weakness is maintaining focus when you pan left and right.

The audio sounded clear and strong, though the top-mounted stereo microphone picks up the videographer's voice more readily than a front-mounted mike would. Thankfully, the camera didn't record any motor whine the way the MV5i did, even when the ambient-noise level was low.

Considering the small size of the standard 570mAh lithium-ion battery, its life was adequate: 59 minutes when we worked with the LCD, 118 minutes when we used the viewfinder. Canon's optional 1,200mAh cell lasts twice as long, but it protrudes an additional 2cm (three-fourths of an inch) from the camera. Both the 2-inch LCD and the viewfinder look sharp and are relatively easy to view in sunlight.

The MV6iMC, like its predecessor, renders relatively rich, accurate colors in bright conditions. It also delivered excellent white balance on both the automatic and manual settings. In scenes with extremely light and dark subjects, we observed some loss of detail (not an unusual problem among consumer camcorders), but motion and compression artifacts, as well as video noise, were minimal.

In dim shooting situations, the camera didn't perform as well. The low-light modes do an excellent job maintaining color saturation, but they reduce the shutter speed so much that they're not very useful when there's a lot of movement in the frame. The MV6iMC's peers have the same trouble. In general, low-light video looked noisier than what we've seen from some competitors.

The photo and MPEG-1 modes come in handy but have limited value. Outdoor pictures displayed the pleasing range of color and contrast typical of camcorder XGA-resolution shots, but also as usual, image quality didn't match what you'd get from a comparable digital camera. The 320 x 2,400-pixel MPEG-1 captures were jerky and exhibited a considerable number of compression artifacts. But the results were perfectly acceptable for their intended use as videos small enough to e-mail.

Canon MV6iMC
Company: Canon Australia
Price: AU$1,799
Distributor: Selected resellers
Phone: 1800 021 167

Copyright © 2009 CBS Interactive, a CBS Company. All Rights Reserved.
ZDNET is a registered service mark of CBS Interactive. ZDNET Logo is a service mark of CBS Interactive.