Canon VIXIA HF S100 HD Flash Memory Camcorder

rattle normal?
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
Hello, I just got this yesterday and am trying it out. I noticed that there is a rattling when the lens is closed. Is this normal? The rattling stops when the lens is open. Trying to determine if I have a defective unit. Thanks.

SHARP!
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Strengths:

HD Clarity; Manual Settings; 8MP Still Photo; Quick Start; Easy Menu; Custom Button; Size.

Weaknesses:

Only 10X optical zoom; Low Light Performance; Weak Stabilizer; Lack of View Finder.

Extremely versatile HD cam loaded with manual settings, including: 1080i or 480i; 24 or 30 frames; 24 Mbps.

The perfect choice for trips. The video (and still photo) quality is amazing. Extremely fast start (from power off and sleep mode) means not missing great shots.

The few low lights, for me were: 1) limited 10X zoom (but it’s due to the large CMOS sensor) 2) Stabilizer not very effective against shakes from walking 3) A bit noisy in low light but better than previous models 4) A view finder would be handy at times.

One minor gripe is the ‘record’ button, which is a bit firmer than my previous Canon camcorders. When recording and pausing, it requires more effort to press the button causing the video to a slight jerk. But the quality alone outweighs all the negatives.

Don’t Buy This Camera
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I bought this camera and here was my experience.

1. Took it out of the box and turned it on – immediately noticed the LCD had a dead pixel.

2. Shot a quick video which I then copied from the built in hard drive to my SD card. Put the SD card in my computer and tried to open the video but to my dismay the video is in the .mts file format which requires a special CODEC in order to open and view the video.

3. Tried to install the software hoping it would have the appropriate CODEC for me to view and edit the video but the software requires the serial number. I located the serial number and entered it into the software but for some reason the software just wouldn’t recognize it. Triple checked the manual to make sure I was entering the serial number. (Which is located behind the battery.)

4. Gave up on the software that came with the camera, did a little research online and found that VLC Media Player includes the CODEC required to open my video file. Installed VLC Media Player and I could finally view my video but unfortunately the video was so choppy it wasn’t worth watching or editing. I’m running an Intel Core 2 Duo processor and 4GB of RAM on Windows Vista. So I don’t think I lacked the hardware resources to watch the video smoothly.

5. Decided to try and transfer a few other video clips from the built in hard drive to my PC. When I plugged in my USB cable directly to the camera I was prompted to also plugin my power adapter. That was disappointing since a $100 Flip doesn’t require you to have your power adapter and USB cable to be plugged in at the same time to transfer videos. (I can only assume because of the much higher quality video this is necessary.)

6. After transferring the remaining videos I tried to install the software that came with the camera again. Still didn’t accept serial number so I called Canon. I navigated my way through their phone tree and was put on hold. Hung up after 20 minutes of hold music and returned the camera to the store.

Summary – don’t waste your time. It’s too valuable for this camera.

just received, looks great so far
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I just received this camera. In researching it I saw several complaints about how it was difficult to transfer video files to a computer. Well, I know what they mean now. It took a while to figure out, but it is not difficult. The problem is the instructions and disc labeling are misleading. The still image software is labeled “Digital Video” software, but doesn’t work with the videos at all. For that, one must install the other included software (Pixela Application Disc) that is not clearly labeled “video.” I have only transferred and watched one video so far, to test it. I recorded in full HD and attempted to play back on my computer (a 5 year old, 2GHz pentium M, 2GB RAM Dell Windows XP machine. The machine is usually pretty fast, but not good with HD video at all. The video quality is what you would expect from true HD – excellent, vivid, and almost too much detail (when looking at my face). I can see the writing on the wall – I’ll need a computer that will play HD with no issues. But I can see this being a great camera. I will add more as I use it, but can’t say much more now…

Utterly Amazing
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The Vixia HF100 is truly an amazing camera. I knew when I bought it that I would be impressed by it, but I had no idea just how great this thing would be. The image quality is amazing. The photo quality is on par with my Nikon D50. It’s tiny, I can carry it around in my old point&shoot camera case. The battery life isn’t stellar, but if you get a Canon BP-827 Lithium Ion Battery Pack for Vixia HG 20/21, HF11/10 & 100 Camcorders, that problem goes away for good.

I record onto a 16gb SD card, and I’ve never found that I didn’t have enough space to film an event. Just drop from highest quality to high quality-17mbps, and you can easily get 2.5 hours on a 16gb card.

The features on the camera are similar to those on a DSLR. You can adjust the white balance, ISO level, shutter speed, and lots more. Or just leave it on auto and have it work itself out for you.

The one major problem I found with the camera is that it has to be plugged into the wall in order to transfer video to a computer. Removing the SD card and plugging that into the computer directly won’t work, because of the cryptic file structure. This is a bummer, since I wouldn’t need to carry the power cable with me otherwise. Still, not enough to keep me from absolutely recommending this camera to everybody.

Best consumer camcorder I have ever seen. Reviewed by professional videographer.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have owned a small wedding videography company for 5 years and after using the HFS10 for a week I am incredibly pleased with it. Please note the HFS10 is identical to the HFS100 except the HFS10 also comes with 32GB of internal flash memory.

If you want the smallest camcorder you can get without sacrificing video quality in any way, than this is the camcorder for you. I am amazed at how small this thing is while still having a professional grade lens. This is the same Canon lens as on their GL2 which is probably the most popular entry level professional camcorder ever (which I have owned for a few years).

Pros:

1.) Professional camera lens with superb HD video quality (even in low light situations). I cannot express enough how amazing the pictures look.

2.) Accepts up to 32 GB of SDHC Flash memory

A.) Flash memory is instant. No waiting for tapes to wind or hard drives to spin. The camera goes from off to red light recording in less than 2 seconds.

B.) Flash memory helps keep the camera small.

C.) Flash memory protects data from being lost due to the camera being dropped or hit (a real problem with hard drive cameras).

3.) The still picture quality, even with the built in flash, is unbelievable for a camcorder. I feel like I am shooting with my Rebel XTi.

4.) I love the auto open and close lens cover. It only opens when you are actually shooting. If the camera is off or if you are reviewing it immediately closes.

5.) Menus are very easy to navigate.

Cons:

1.) Doesn’t come with an HDMI cable. Since it doesn’t take a normal sized HDMI cable I think there is no excuse for that.

2.) Doesn’t come with a battery charger. You either have to spend $50 to get one or recharge batteries using the camcorder itself.

3.) No internal memory, however it’s $200 more for the HFS10 for only 32GB of internal storage and that is way too much. It should have only cost an extra $100. Unless you need to be able to record more than 2.5 hours of shooting without changing SDHC cards, then get this camera because a 32GB class 6 SDHC card only costs $100.

4.) Only comes with the BP-809 battery which doesn’t even last an hour. So you will need to buy the BP-827 which costs another $150. The BP-827 does stick out from the back just a slight bit, but not even an inch and is totally not noticeable nor does it add any real weight.

5.) 10X optical zoom is a little slim for my liking. I am used to 20X.

This camcorder is basically a professional lens barrel with an LCD on the side which gives you the best picture quality possible while keeping the size incredibly small. I cannot encourage you enough to get this camcorder.

Canon VIXIA HFS100
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Outstanding product. I have an iMAC computer. It is very compatable. Easy to use connect the USB & forget it. All the work is done for you. No softeware loading is necessary in advance. The camera takes wonderful video. I am still learning all the things the camera can & will do.

Canon is telling outright lies. This camera can NOT do 30P.
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I will keep this brief.

Canon makes claims that this camera records in 30P. IT. DOES. NOT.

The camera records ALWAYS in interlaced mode. It then uses in-camera de-interlacing to give the APPEARANCE of being 30P footage. But this camera has absolutely no capability to record in native 30P format. Bring the 30P footage into FCP, and whamo, interlaced footage. Canon, you’re outright deceivers and you can have your camera back.

Batteries are expensive and hard to find
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I bought this camcorder two weeks ago. It works as advertised. Be advised the 1.7 zoom feature cannot be activated if the camcorder is recording. BE WARNED – batteries are very expensive ($120-$225)and must be special ordered. Several sites offer discounted batteries but do not have them in stock. When you place your order they call you to get you to switch to a cheap ($20-$50) generic battery that does not communicate with the camcorder, that is you don’t know how much power is left in the battery. If you choose to use this battery you must tell the camcorder to use it every time you start recording.

If you want this camcorder, be sure to order the batteries through your local camera shop, the internet is a little to dicey.

The lack of a viewfinder is annoying as well. I though I could get by without it but the drain on the included battery (1 hr max at hi rez) makes the lack of a viewfinder mystifying.

I don’t have buyers remorse but given the battery situation and the lack of a viewfinder makes me think I should have waited for the next incarnation.

Great camcorder, but one nagging thing…
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
The camcorder is great. It fits easily into the palm of my (large) hand, the controls are laid out intuitively, and it’s easy to figure out how to start using it – without even reading the manual (I’ll do that later).

There is one thing that I thought was wrong with it and I was about to return it to Amazon but then did some searching online. The problem is a very distracting rattling sound when holding the camera. An online search of additional reviews revealed that this happens only when the camera is not recording (true), such as when the camera is off (true). Oddly, no one posted anything about this on Amazon. I suspect this has something to do with image stabilization, but it is so noticeable, you’ll likely think something is broken insider your camera. It is very, very strange and disconcerting after spending this much on a camcorder. If they would fix that (and lower the price), it would be perfect.

I agree with others about the battery charger. It seems like a cheap attempt to get you to spend more money. Well that’s not going to happen, Canon.

Nice in everyway but no burning to disk at Full HD
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Its light, built quality is superb, easy to use but you cannot burn recordings to dvds from your computer if you record at the highest resolution.

What matters to me most when considering to buy a camcorder is ease of use and low lux, its terrible when you can’t record decent footage when the lights are dim, this camcorder is satisfactory when it comes to recording in low light indoors. I am happy!!! Beware the other camcorders do not perform as well in low lighting.

Very handy camcorder, AVCHD is surprisingly handy
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This camera is getting great reviews here and on the net, but having owned one for a while, I have some positive comments and usability tips I haven’t seen elsewhere. (By the way, I’ve owned SLR’s and camcorders since the 70′s; including the old VHS on-the-shouldder camcorders. My previous camcorder, while I’ll keep handy, is a Canon Optura 300 DV camcorder. I also still use a Canon Powershot G3.).

1) Many net reviews knock the lack a view finder. Not a problem for me. I’ve shot lots of vacation video, on and off busses, and and out of taxis, lots of soccer games and band concerts. The tiltable LCD allows you to point or position a camera in many ways in which it would be impossible to use a view finder. So I got out of the habit of using a viewfinder years ago, except when trying to carefully compose a still shot. I now use the available gray 3×3 overlay grid to help with composition.

2) Compactness. I didn’t have to buy a new bag. The HF S100 fits well into the same bags I used for my PowerShot G3 and Optura 300; even better than the Optura 300 because I’d have to remove the Optura’s extended battery. The BP-819 I purchased for my HF S100 can stay in the camera all the time; much better for those vacation situations where I’d have to grab the camera out of the bag and be shooting within seconds.

3) Remote control can be used from behind the camera (receiver is on the visible side of the LCD). This is more of a usability comparison with my Optura 300 and PowerShot, but consider the following comments when considering other cameras, or using a camera with this capability:

When shooting, you don’t have to touch the camera, great for not jiggling the camera for stills (I’ve previously used the timer), but also shooting video without having to jar the camera on the tripod.

For shooting a soccer game or band concert from in the stands, I raise the tripod head as high as possible, and use the remote in my left hand to start/stop the recording, zoom, change settings, etc. My right hand just controls the tripod’s pan/tilt handle.

4) AVCHD is very handy. One reason this became important to me is I have a 1st generation HDTV without an HDMI input. I also don’t have a BlueRay burner. Before I bought the camera, I agonized over how I would look at the video except on my computer.

Sony Playstation 3 to the rescue. After shooting my initial test videos, I had what I initially thought was a silly idea; plug the camera into one of the PS3′s USB ports. What’s the worst that could happen, except that the two devices don’t communicate?

To my surprise; the PS3s menu showed it communicating with the camera, and the camera indicated I needed to choose between a DVD burner mode and computer mode. I set it to computer mode.

Then after selected the camera’s icon on the PS3, after waiting a few seconds, it started playing the video clips on the camera!

One unhandy thing about using the PS3 exactly that way, is it didn’t allow me to choose which clips to view, it plays from the beginning of the 1st clip.

To get around that, I import the video from the camera to my computer as one would normaly would (except it’s much faster than tape; ~20 min for 13 Gig). But my PIXELA library is on an external 500 Gig drive.

After safely ejecting the external drive from the computer, I carry it a few steps to the PS3, and plug it into a USB port.

From the PS3, I choose Options -> Display All, which allows me to navigate into the drive’s PIXELA library, and choose which clips to play individually. (I also have PS3 Media Server installed on my computer, but my home network can’t keep up; the resultant video stutters, with dropped frames, etc.)

So lacking HDMI in my home entertainment system hasn’t been a handicap; thanks to my PS3.

Another BIG surprise as a first time AVCHD user: HD DVDs.

I initially thought the manual was mentioning creating a regular DVD, which is also possible.

But in fact, when creating an AVCHD DVD from the PIXELA software, you’re actually burning/storing BlueRay compatible files and directories on the DVD, such as with data.

Pop the resultant DVD into the BlueRay player (in my case my PS3), and you’re looking at your editted video (with menus, etc.) in full HD!

5) Low light capability. One of the big reasons I finally chose this camera over cheaper alternatives, is the comparatively big image sensor, and published specs (how many lux required).

My first real use of the camera was a night baseball game. With default settings (NOT “Night” setting for example), the recorded video not only looks natural with the baseball stadium lights, but the dark areas are free of noise, with nicely saturated color. So in that situation, you get the nice HD perception of looking through a window at the game, without the noise I’ve seen with my older video cameras.

I’ve also shot video indoors, including a banquet, intentionally testing by shooting from the back of the banquet hall, zoomed in (optical only) toward the front where the speaking and awards are happening under the room’s lights, not extra lighting. Again, the final video looks pleasing and natural on my HDTV.

6) PIXELA ImageMixer software. I’m sure this package can’t hold a candle to iMovie or FinalCutPro, but it can do basic editting, and the gui allows you to browse through and view video clips directly in the library. I’ve also created MPEG4, and .mov versions of a particular movie. The .mov seems to have better quality than the mpeg4, with the same file size.

What I’m missing from my latest Canon cameras (I also own a PowerShot 590) is Stitch Assist. I fell in love with Stitch Assist (for panoramic stills), which I first used with my PowerShot G3, and also with my Optura 300. It surprises me that Canon is leaving out this feature. I’ll have to learn how to do without it, because I really enjoy panoramic photos I have hanging. The old PowerShot G3 still has a job.

In conclusion, my new Canon HF S100 does everything (well just about) that I need it to do, compactly and with pleasing results. So it gets my 5 stars.

Get this instead of the HFS10, you’ll get more for your $
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
First off, the HD quality is amazing. I’m not a professional, but it looks like broadcast quality to me. I really like the camcorder, it fits comfortably in my hands. The controls are easy to use, and the lcd is bright and easy to see. It is not nearly as small as the Canon VIXIA HF100 Flash Memory High Definition Camcorder with 12x Optical Image Stabilized Zoom, but its quality makes up for the bigger size. Its size is really almost all lens, the lcd and electronics don’t add much space to it.

I spent a lot of time trying to decide between the Canon VIXIA HFS100 HD Flash Memory Camcorder w/10x Optical Zoom and the Canon VIXIA HFS10 HD Dual Flash Memory w/32GB Internal Memory & 10x Optical Zoom. The only difference between the two devices is the 32GB built-in memory. While that might sound like a nice feature, 32GB for $200 extra is ridiculously expensive. Also, 32GB is not that much if you are recording @ full quality.

I found a solution which gave me A LOT more memory at a fraction of the cost. I got a MoFoto 500GB Portable Photo & Video Storage to backup the SDHC cards when they fill up. This gave me over 460GB more storage space than I would have gotten with the Canon VIXIA HFS10 HD Dual Flash Memory w/32GB Internal Memory & 10x Optical Zoom. I’m really happy with my solution.

This also saved me a lot of money over buying anotherSanDisk 16gb Extreme® III 30MB/s Edition SDHC High Performance Card.

I agree with other reviewers that the battery it comes with doesn’t last very long. Get the Canon BP-827 Lithium Ion Battery Pack for Vixia HG 20/21, HF11/10 & 100 Camcorders, even though it’s way over priced. I’ve ordered mine.

If you want to see the quality, just google for HFS100 sample footage, there is a lot starting to show up on the web/youtube.

Bottom line, buy this. I couldn’t find anything better, and I’m really happy with it. You get some amazing quality at a reasonable price.

Fantastic camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
My previous camcorder was a Sony purchased about 8 years ago and using miniDV tapes. Needing to upgrade, I wanted a camcorder that would record HD and liked the option of using memory cards. I was persuaded to buy the Canon Vixia HFS100 after reading some excellent reviews about it. I have had this now for over a month and suffice to say it is indeed EXCELLENT. The following is my experience with the HFS 100 over the past 6 weeks.

While researching this camcorder I found a few consistent critiques, which bothered me at that time. These were:

1. Lack of an optical viewfinder

2. Poor performance in low light

3. A clicking sound as the lens cap does not close fully and

4. Complexity of the menu.

My take on these 4 points:

1. The viewfinder – not a problem for me. I like the idea of viewing on the screen to shoot. I find it more easy and less cumbersome than squinting through a narrow optical viewfinder anyway.

2. Next the low light – This was the one critique I was most concerned about before purchasing the HFS100. After using it, I am not sure if the reviews I read were written by people who did not know how to use the menu options, or there are some defective pieces about. I had absolutely no problems with low light. There is a convenient night shooting mode that works very well indoors, and there is a flash light that pops up to increase illumination when needed. Shooting indoors and outdoors, for me at least, has been without any issues.

3. It is true that there is a clicking sound, but it really did not bother me. I was more thankful that the lens automatically closed itself after every shoot and thus protected the lens.

4. Finally the menu – anyone who has used a digital camera and can navigate menus, will not have any difficulty. In the interest of disclosure, I have a Canon SLR camera, and found the menu options extremely easy to navigate and use, esp as they were very similar to my SLR camera menus. The menu is very well designed and practical to use. The options are many and makes the process of shooting more appealing. or those who may not be so concerned with the multiple choices, there are simple shooting modes. If you are in the habit of navigating menus with SLR cameras, this should be a cakewalk.

Having discussed and given my take on the often quoted negatives, let me switch to positives.

1. WEIGHT: It is an INCREDIBLY LIGHT camcorder and a joy to use.

2. VIDEO: This is what I purchased the camcorder for! The video image clarity and range of colors are simply STUNNING and to be seen to be believed.

3. BATTERY: The battery snaps easily in place, is perfectly flush with the camera (yes, even the backup battery) and has a decent lifespan. I would recommend a second battery though. Regarding charging, I find it quite convenient charging on the camcorder itself.

4. MEMORY CARD SLOT: Loading and unloading memory cards into the camcorder are very easy. I had a bad experience with one of the Transcend cards I purchased though – it failed after one use and I lost a lot of precious memories.

5.DOWNLOADING: All I have to do is hook it up into a USB cardreader and plug it into my Macbook (Leopard OS), open up iMovie and the whole thing pretty much downloads itself in high-def – I absolutely love the convenience of the whole thing.

Having never owned a Canon camcorder before, I found everything about the HFS 100 superb. It is clear that Canon has taken time to think over all the details and has made a camcorder that is great in quality, ease of use and convenience. Overall, I rate this camcorder very highly after 6 weeks of use, and am absolutely delighted with my purchase. I would recommend it without hesitation.

Very nice
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I like everything about the camera. The photos just seem to be a little overpowering on the blue tones. It makes for nice videos especially around water but I wish the photos had the quality of a big lenz camera and the proper color for the blue tones.

Great camera with some minor design issues
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Canon VIXIA HFS100 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom

Ok, I needn’t repeat the accolades already laid on the VIXIA HF S100. I agree with most of them. I especially appreciate the still camera’s high resolution. I think Canon has missed a few things, however.

I would like a way to add a stronger flash for stills. There is no hot-shoe or PC socket.

The socket for connecting the AC charger is slightly recessed and is equipped with a permanently mounted protector cover. This makes it very difficult to insert (or remove) the L-shaped plug from the charger. A straight plug would work better.

My biggest complaint is with the camera’s side-grip. I simply cannot use it. I have to use two hands when shooting. Of course, I know that’s a better approach anyway, but there are times when it’s not practical. Canon could either lengthen the adjustable strap by an inch (or more) and/or raise the attachment points for each end of the strap. I can actually adjust the strap so it works with my hand but then it isn’t long enough to still fit under the Velcro to lock it into place. Raising it would also help in accessing the connections under the grip.

I too have issues with the lens cover which works like eye-lids on springs. I chose to add a UV filter and a clip-on lens-cap for extra security when transporting the camera.

The instructions seem to say that you cannot use the camera with the older NTSC (non-HD) TV. I think it works fine using the provided AV cord.

A bit like Goldilocks
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Before you think I knock it too much, I really like my HF S100. I bought it mostly to fill a need I’ve had for some time, namely a do-all camera that has a reasonable zoom, a lithium-ion battery, flash memory, and can take good video and decent still images. I spent quite a bit of time trying out different “bridge” and “prosumer” cameras before hitting on the idea of looking at a camcorder first. In that regard I’m a little disappointed, the still images have an over processed appearance and there’s limited manual controls. On the other hand, these are the first camcorder images I’ve seen that look like real pictures and not a frame grab.

There’s a lot to like about the HF S100, video quality is outstanding, and I actually have to reduce the quality somewhat to play on my dual core Athlon. If I had a more powerful machine and a Blue Ray burner I could make some stellar movies. Definitely look into the detachable hot shoe microphone, it doesn’t let you amplify sound from a distance but does remove some wind and local noise and all the clicks and pops from handling the camera. I also like how the battery is not completely enclosed, so “extended power” batteries can be used. Every review I’ve read complains about the lens cover rattling when it’s turned off. Yes, it makes some noise but I barely notice it. A 16 GB SDHC card gives me about three and a half hours of video at the 720P setting, which is amazing considering how VHS-C Tapes used to be about 20 minutes.

So what makes me down on this camcorder? For one thing $1,100 is a serious chunk of change. It’s not quite into the realm of interchangeable lenses but a lot for a single CCD device. It can take excellent video, but is very complex and needs to be set up properly, something not all consumers may be prepared to do. While it looks amazing, with glossy black and gun metal gray, what should be metal is plastic, and it simply doesn’t feel very sturdy.

Do I regret getting it? A little as it doesn’t completely fulfill what I was looking for, and for the money I expected more. However, the video quality makes up for a lot of that.

Nifty, Handy, Rich & Dandy
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Years of owning Canon camcorders (first one was a two part with the recorder hanging on your shoulder), moving on to the ES5000 and more, and now this wonder. After a week of using it, there are pluses and minuses. The obvious plus is the quality of the video, size and features. There are some things that bug me and could be improved.

Manual is too small. Batteries are too expensive. No Mini HDMI cable provided. Software is abysmal. Not even a small soft case provided (for a $1000 camera), hot shoe is strangely small, and more.

I did purchase a 2nd party extended battery from B&H which was a great deal at $57, but with Canon’s ethics, you cannot get rid of the red battery warning (not a Canon battery) on the view finder. Luckily it doesn’t show up in the video you will eventually put to DVD, but it does always show up when you view videos on a TV screen and even on the swing out camera display. To circumvent that, remove the battery and use the A/C adaptor when viewing.

I’m a professional musician by trade and the mic system on the camera could definitely use improvement. It picks up sounds in stereo loud and just fine, but there are not enough mids and highs. Too boomy on the low end. To solve this, I use Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Pro and import the video files into the computer’s hard drive, right-click on the audio track and “open in Sony Sound Forge”. Here you can add more highs, mids, EQ, reverb, volume, and so on, then simply save it back to the original file and that’s that. I use an external mic with the Vixia.

I recommend Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum to do all your editing. It’s cost effective (compared to Adobe Premiere), and does just about all you need. You can completely bypass the Canon software because you can import the video files from the SDHC card onto your hard drive (for quicker editing) and Sony Vegas will open them right away. It also has Video and Audio effects and lets you add an audio track to the video you just shot and embed your own audio.

Strangely enough, Canon has now come out (soon) with the HF-S11. Here is another marketing “give us more money” ploy. Now you will pay $1399 for the same exact camera as the HF-S100, but it has 64GB of built in memory. So what? Shop around and pick up two 32GB cards for around $160 and you’re way ahead of the money game.

Ah, the American free enterprise system….

So, to add it all up, I love the camera and can live with the shortcomings. Hopefully Sony will read these reviews. Lastly, let me add that I ordered a monopod. I think this is a mandatory accessory for these cameras. No matter how hard you try to hold your breath and pan without a monopod or tripod, you will never match the stability when using one. Velbon makes good inexpensive ones. A protective case is a must and you would be best off to order one with the camera. (cut down on shipping costs). Otherwise, I highly recommend this camera.

EXCEPTIONAL VIDEO QUALITY
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
I have a Canon HV20 that takes very good video,but the difference in the HF S100 to me is the processing of the video to DVD and also not having to wind and rewind tapes! I would rate the video about the same as the HV 20 but on my IMAC a lot faster and much easier to process over to DVD’s. If you do not edit your video’s I recommend the DW 100 Canon burner. A very simple way to make backup of your video’s and to keep extra space on your hard drive ,also I believe the transfer to DVD with the DW 100 has better video quality on your DVD’s ,unless you invest in some very expensive software.

Most of the technical stuff has been discussed in other reviews, so about all I have to say is you get very good video quality and an easy way to transfer it to your computer or external burner with a minimal amount of work.

Love the AVCHD format, coming from HV10 HDV
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I love cameras and camcorders, so over the years I’ve had my share of camcorders (Hi8, Digital 8, MiniDV, and HDV – I had them all! Just ask my wife.) Prior to the HFS100 I used the Canon HV10 3.1MP High-Definition MiniDV Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom HDV cam for the past 1.5 years. The HV10′s image quality is excellent, but its tape mechanism gave me a lot of problems (in Canon and Mack shops 3 times in the past 1.5 years, now broken again), so I was eager to move away from tape.

Initially I hesitated to move away from tape because of what people say about the AVCHD format – lower image quality, difficult to edit, needing powerful computer, no timecode, etc., but since my HV10 broke again, I took the plunge and bought the HF-S100.

As it turns out, tapeless camcorder is GREAT!!

- I DON’T HAVE TO BUY MINIDV TAPES ANY MORE!!

- Image quality in sufficient light is excellent, better than HV10 (some would even say better than HV20 or 30)

- Image quality in low-light is better than my HV10

- A lot of manual controls

- I can review video clips without rewinding tapes

- I can delete video clips that I don’t want

- I can even split up clips if I want to

- I can use Class 4 SDHC cards according to the manual

- I can transfer video to my computer faster than real-time (as in HDV over IEEE 1394)

- I can randomly access older video MTS files (make sure you back-up!)

As for AVCHD editing, I purchased Sony Vegas Movie Studio 9 Platinum Pro Pack, which imports MTS files without any problem. I can even mix the videos I take from my camera (QuickTime .MOV format) on the editing timeline. On my 3-year-old laptop, it takes about 2x real-time to render to WMV or MP4 (so a 10-minute video takes about 20-minutes to render). Not super fast, but not that bad either.

As with my previous camcorders, I purchased a wide-angle adapter (Raynox HD 7000PRO – Converter) with makes it front-heavy; but it’s balanced by the bigger battery (Canon BP-827 Lithium Ion Battery Pack for Vixia HG 20/21, HF11/10 & 100 Camcorders).

If I have to pick somethings I don’t like about it, I guess it would be that:

- It doesn’t have a standard-sized accessory shoe

- The media door is blocked if it’s mounted on a tripod or a quick-release plate

Overall, I’m very happy with the camcorder. Highly recommended.

Canon Vixia HFS 100
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I took this camera to Turkey. The video is incredible. It is easy to use.

Fulfills all my expectations
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ll add my observations to what the other excellent reviews here have covered. I am a casual videographer with a still photo background.

I owned a GL2 for the past 3 years and sold it to buy this camera.

Thoughts:

1. Tapeless workflow make video fun for me. The GL2 shot good pictures, but I have stacks of tape that I never edited because I found the tape capture workflow so tiresome. I do video for fun, and dealing with tape is a chore.

2. Crystal clear video. This camera takes GREAT pictures.

3. Low light is better than expected. I filmed my brother’s band in a dark club with a single red spotlight and the video was perfectly acceptable.

4. Sound is better than expected. The band I filmed was incredibly loud (Metallica cover band). I expected the sound to be hopelessly overdriven, but it is clear and distinct. I was pleasantly surprised. Also, when filming normal stuff like my 6 month old daughter, the sound is awesome. It picks up all here little coos and warbles. That said, the external mic jack is there when I need it.

5. Depth of field. Shooting in aperture priority wide open produces very rich separation of the subject and foreground/background. This is the main reason I bought this camera over a cheaper camcorder.

6. Manual focus is a must, but the forward wheel is no replacement for a true focus ring. I find the wheel to have too much travel, so it requires more spinning than I expect to change the focus. I am getting used to it, but am somewhat disappointed.

7. The manual settings and customization of the controls make this camera feel familiar to a photographer. I have the control pad set to open the exposure compensation, and the forward wheel set for manual focus. My only gripe is the steps it takes to switch between Program and Aperture Priority. Also, it would be nice if aperture could be set through the front wheel, but that may be my experience with still cameras talking. I haven’t experimented with shutter speed much on this camera, though, so not sure how that fits into my set up.

8. A 16GB card is a perfect match for the stock battery. I use a SanDisk 16GB Ultra II 15MB/s SDHC SD Card (SDSDH-016G, Bulk Packaging) and get 1.5 hours on it using MXP (maximum quality) setting. 1.5 hours is a boatload of video… I spend an entire Sunday afternoon editing the blockbuster shots of my baby and dog.

9. The small size and light weight of the camera make it difficult to keep steady. The built in image stabilization seems to work well, but it feels like cheating to rely on IS for decent pictures. The GL2 is far more “meaty” and easier to hand-stabilize. I am going to gimp up some kind of steadicam contraption for running shots and the like.

All in all, this camera makes shooting video with advanced settings painless, and the capture is a breeze. I am really enjoying the HFS100. If you are familiar with camera basics and want some real control over your shots, I highly recommend it.

Happy family man
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I consider myself a serious amateur videographer/photographer. I used many different brands of video cameras while working as a TV journalist in the 1990s. After leaving the TV news industry, I bid farewell to all those heavy video equipment. Currently, I have a Nikon D300 DSLR and a Canon XHA1 HD camcorder that are much lighter in weight and more compact in sizes. I’m happy with these prosumer products. I truly enjoy shooting these still/video cameras during my frequent travels/weekend outings.

The challenge came when I took my baby girl to Moab, UT and Aspen, CO for my family trip in May 2009. I had to carry my baby while my wife carried a big diaper bag… you know what I mean. I realized I couldn’t carry my favorite Canon XHA1/Nikon D300 combo while carrying my baby girl in a carrier. Anticipating all these challenges, I decided to buy an ultra-light, ultra-handy camcorder for the first time. Amazon sent me Canon HFS100 a few days before the trip. What a relief!

My experience with this Canon camcorder during the trip was amazing. I carried the camcorder in a tiny camcorder bag. Shooting was a breeze with my 2-year-old girl on my back. The image was as stunning as I could find from my Canon XHA1. Some people point out a picture quality at low-light situations, but I found it acceptable. I wanted to use a tripod from time to time to get more steady shots, but my baby didn’t allow me to spend extra time for my serious videography. Without using the tripod, some shots turned out to be a little shaky but still editable. I only had one battery (didn’t have time to order another battery), but each day I had enough battery life. I always shoot people/nature with video editing in mind using Final Cut Pro. I don’t shoot 5-10 minutes nonstop. If you shoot selectively during your travel, you’ll know even one battery will last entire day. All you need to do is to recharge the battery at a motel every evening.

Although my evaluation on this camcorder is solely based on my recent family vacation, I’ve learned that I cannot carry full-sized video equipment to family vacations. I recommend this camcorder to anyone who plans to travel with his/her family. Travel light, be happy.

I do have some disappointments with this camcorder. They are:

1. The camcorder is supposed to produce excellent still photographs. Not really. I tried over 50 still shots with this camcorder, but found the picture quality is still incomparable to those from a dedicated digital still camera. Oh, well. Bring another Canon DSLR if you really want amazing travel photographs.

2. After editing videos using Final Cut Pro 6, I always find panning and zooming shots are not quite clean… with motion drags all the time. I’m not sure if this is due to my camcorder setting… but noticing this motion drags is really annoying. I cannot believe this $900 camcorder still has that video imperfection. I’ll be happy to learn why this motion drag is so evident in my edited videos.

post production workflow in finalcut
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
The Vixia hf s100 is an excellent camera. I just got it and I spent the weekend testing it. I didn’t find any precise review for the postproduction workflow on Mac so I wrote my own for shooting in 24p mode. You will need fcpro 6.0.5 or fcexpress4. Connect the camera, select log and transfer with apple prores codec. The files will go into the scratch disk under the project name (mine is vixia test). All the files will be 29.97 fps interlaced (as a result of the way the camera deals with 24p in 60i).

Download a software called Jes DEINTERLACER, it’s a freeware. drag and drop the files from the scratch disk and then select inverse telecine at 23.98 with direct export to apple intermediate codec. it’ really fast. You’find the telecined files inside the same folder with the same name followed by the word PROJ (added by Jes). now put all the PROJ files in a folder you want, create a new project with timeline settings 23.98 fps, apple intermediate codec, import the folder with the footage (the one with the files ending in PROJ) and that’s it. Start editing. You can easily go to pal or ntsc (my Vixia is NTSC) if you shoot 24p. I suggest to keep the color mode on when shooting in 24p. I haven’t tested 30p or 60i as I don’t need it. Hope this helps. The camera is an excellent one, nice in low light, nice audio quality from additional mic (depends on your mic quality, keep the levels automatic, much better than manual). I am super happy with the camera overall (as always when there is too much light it won’t look good, I suggest an ND filter). Remember that if you want to go full quality HD you will need at least a class4 sdhc card (no need for the expensive class6). Also from my tests VOLTAICHD doesn’t work very well to do the telecine. It is very slow (like 10 times slower than the process I just described) and the footage looks not good at all. So save the 40 bucks they want for it and use the free JES (what a nice piece of software….). The only annoing thing is that following my process you will phisically need the camera to be connected to your mac and you won’t be able just to drag and drop the footage from the memory card (to do so you will need VOLTAIC to batch process the mts files created by the camera). Well, I’d rater get another memory card for the same price of the software and import the footage after the shooting. Good job Canon! ciao

Great Camera (Beware of software)
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Fantastic camera. I’m very happy with it.

However, if you’re expecting the software that comes with the camera to get you started in basic PC-based video editing, don’t! The Pixela bundled software has to be some of the worst shovelware I’ve seen, particularly for such a high-end product, exacerbated by pretty much no documentation. IMHO Canon should be ashamed of shipping this software with the camera, or at least in positioning it as “powerful” and “easy to use”.

So include in your budget & plans an intent to purchase some real video software, capable of dealing with the AVCHD (.mts / .m2ts) files (Canon-flavor) produced by the camera. (Most serious amateurs and pros know this, but me not being either, well it was a frustrating realization…)

It rocks – buy it.
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It’s really an amazing camera. It’s Pro-sumer, so if you’re a true Pro, you need to spend some extra money, this camera won’t do all the things the real Pros want, but if you’re on the “I am a gadget freak” side of the consumer space – this is your new toy.

I am the snobbiest gadget freak of them all – the absolutely king-pin nose in the air, research for months before making a decision, haggle over dollars and cents kind of person – this camera rocks.

Get the extra battery, get the external DM100 mic, grab a case from LowePro, and get a couple of 16GB Class 4 cards. All this on Amazon and paid less than the “package” prices advertised from camera companies.

If you have $1000 to spend on a camcorder, make it the Vixia HFS100
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I purchased the Vixia HF S100 to practice my videography and editing on a Macbook Pro. I spent countless hours researching consumer, prosumer, and professional camcorders. I compared brands, features, formats, reviews, and tons of footage on youtube and vimeo before making my decision. After using this camera I can say with certainty, if you have $1000 to spend on a camcorder, this is the one!

Here is why I’m happy with my choice: The footage has a professional quality to it. It rivals footage from professional 3CCD/CMOS cameras. It’s not quite up there with cameras in the $3K or $4K range, but it’s close. Here is a tip – set your max gain (low light compensation) to 0 or 6 db. Anything over than that and your blacks will be washed out.

There are enough manual features to accommodate the budding auteur. Or, set it to one of the many pre-programmed modes and get great looking video for any occasion without much effort. The cinema mode is one of the effects that you have to see; I recorded the downtown Atlanta skyline while driving on a bright day, and I was amazed when I played back the footage. It looks as if each building was painted with pastels. Almost surreal.

I’m sure some of you out there have been warned to stay away from the AVCHD format. I myself was curious how this was going to preform when editing the video. So far, I haven’t had any issues. Here is what I believe the major advantages of AVCHD are: The high-compression lets you capture a ton of video on small SDHC cards. I purchased a 16 GB class 6 card on Amazon for $35, I’m shooting at the highest quality (24 Mbps) and get over 2 hour of video. In my opinion, that beats the heck out of mini DV tapes. Post-production software is catching up to the AVCHD standard – just look at Final Cut Studio 3. They have made major improvements on how AVCHD is handled. And I’m sure PC software is doing the same. The industry is changing. Post-production workflows are changing. Here is how the digital workflow will look soon: Shoot your footage to digital media, make an offline copy on DVD or Blu-ray. Ingest that footage onto a large capacity external hard drive. When you’re finished, you archive the footage and re-use the media. Tapes will not be around forever. It just doesn’t make sense with digital media becoming larger, faster, cheaper, and easier to edit.

My review would be one-sided if I didn’t mention the shortcomings of this camera. First, Canon accessories are expensive! You will want the external mic (DM-100), long-life batteries, and possibly lens adapters. All of these things seem overpriced in my opinion. But, I justify it by telling myself the HF S100 is such a good deal at $1K, I’ll spend some money on accessories.

Second, the optical image stabilization doesn’t blow me away. I like to implement a good number of moving shots. These take a very steady hand with this camera. It is very sensitive to shake and jitter. I contribute this minor flaw to how light this camera is. In fact, some of the shake can be compensated for by adding weight to the camera (a collapsed tripod works well).

And last, the LCD screen is small. Manual focus can be tricky, but you can choose between several zebra striping or peaking options for focus assist. That being said, the joystick on the LCD screen is easy to control. Still, I’m hoping Canon will give us at least a 3″ LCD in the next iteration of this otherwise great camcorder.

All-in-all, this a worthy camcorder with nice features and an output that should even satisfy discriminating videographers. I truly believe that this is the most camcorder you can get for the price.

Great little camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It’s so small (which is great) that it’s hard to hold steady sometimes. I also wish it had a direct viewfinder, but those are small complaints. The video quality is tremendous. I recently shot a conference from the back of a huge auditorium (tripod) and it turned out great.

Outstanding Product! Gorgeous Video Images!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I will try to make this short and to the point. I’m 61 years old and have had 3 previous video cam-corders. This Canon Vixia HFS100 is the best! Absolutely gorgeous video at 30p – have not used the cinema feature yet. I was all hung up on how to “transfer and store” the videos and also had a hard time deciding between Hard Disk and Flash Memory. Well, the 16GB Transcend HDSD cards hold 90 minutes and only cost about $35. Pop those babies into my Panasonic Blu-Ray player (SD slot) and the Hi-Def images on my 61″ Samsung are truly unbelievable. No need to mess with transferring to the PC hard drive (but I DO, so as to back up and avert disaster). Just pop in the SDHC card and use the Blu-Ray remote to play, pause, skip, freeze, etc.

Now be aware of the small size of the HFS100. It is small and light. Easy to carry almost anywhere. But holding it steady may be a chore. Maybe a mini-tripod would help, or find a wall, bench, rock, etc to help steady it. yes, it has the image stabilization which helps, but a tripod for telephoto shots would be a big plus.

The ‘smart’ LIon battery also tells you how much time is left on the battery and it seems very accurate.

I’ve rambled on too long. Sorry. But it is a GREAT product!

Beyond expectations
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Bought the HFS100 to upgrade to HD and the quality of the video is spectacular. Shot 5+ hours in Borneo in some tough conditions and every frame looks like a Discovery HD program. This camera is relatively expensive but worth it if you want true HD in your home videos.

Great hd camcorder! No view finder used to be worring me a lot, but not any more
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Great promotion deal from Amazon, and very happy to own for 2 monthes, very worth for the money!

Best Small Camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
If you’re looking for small camcorder with excellent picture and do not care much about the price, this Canon HF s100 is the one. Do not let one or two reviews hold you back, as we all know every video shooter need steady hand to take video, so why complaint.

Great camera and camcorder!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is one great camera and camcorder. 1080/30p video and an 8MP camera. The video is beautiful. Pictures are great. Easy to connect via HDMI-mini from Monoprice. Very easy to operate. Only wish the battery that the camera came with lasted longer.

No discount from list price
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Canon’s website says the list price for this camera (HFS100) is $1099 – not $1299, as stated by Amazon. Maybe Amazon has confused this camera with the HFS10, which does list for $1299.

better but not perfect yet
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is a much improved camcorder.

pros:

good image resolution and color management

small size, better manual controls and good lens

cons:

continous focus unstable (hunting)

min lens focus length too long (it is easier to add tele converter)

noisy still pictures (no reason why can not do better since canon has good DSRL with this size of chip)

Limitation of AVCHD
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I returned the Canon HFS100 today. It’s a fine camera–although shaky. A tripod solves that. The issue is not the camera, but the high def codec (Advanced Video Codec High Definition–AVCHD) which many of the new camcorders have adopted. I recommend asking yourself: why do I want a high definition camera?

1. You will find your videos extremely problematic to edit. AVCHD is a beta concept for NLEs (editing software). The files are huge. Windows Movie Maker will not work, to put it mildly. More on this in observation Number 5.

2. You can attach your camera to your HD plasma screen and see your raw footage in brilliant high Def. But you won’t be able to make a high def DVD unless:

3. You have a Blue-ray DVD burner in your computer, and of course a Blu-ray player on your TV (or a Playstation of other workaround). Your friends will have to have a Blu-ray players also, to view your DVDs. Otherwise, you will convert your high def .mts files to standard def in order to make a DVD for friends or storage. And it will not be easy. And so what’s the point of High def?

(3a. Well, maybe you intend primarily to upload high def video to Youtube or other internet sites. I don’t know much about that, it’s outsidemy experience).

4. The software world has not caught up to AVCHD. If you were a pioneer with the Vista OS, you will recall the misery of incompatibility in which everybody on the Internet was asking the same questions and nobody had an answer. This is the world of AVCHD at the moment (9/2009). Yes, I know this is not what other reviewers are saying. Read reviews of people who have spent time with the camera, not people who have just taken it out of the box.

5. Editing: the real problem. Everybody edits home movies–you put titles on, remove the bad clips, put in music, trim it all down to watchable length. It’s great fun, although time consuming. It’s not fun with AVCHD. I suggest Googling “AVCHD editing” and studying the forums. Those people’s problems will be your problems. The experts, when they run out of other suggestions, usually say this: It’s better to have a quad core computer with 6 gigs of ram and a powerful graphics card.

6. The editing options. There are about seven NLEs (editing programs) which now claim to support AVCHD, several with trial dowloads. Very highly touted is Sony VEgas Platinum 9 (download the free trial and try it, right now, before you buy a camera). Actually, it’s the most complicatied, nonintuitive mess ever–and as a Sony product, it hates Canons. The best suite I tried was Pinnacle Plus 12, a 4-hour trial download. It could handle previewing and editing the huge .mts files, and was learnable –probably easier than WMM (which absolutely does not support AVCHD). Even so, there was no joy in it. It just takes too long for every trim, cut or tweak you make to your project. Not the editor’s fault–the files are gigantic. After all, it’s high def.

7. I write all this because I thought I had done my homework before I bought the Canon HFS100. I’m fairly good at amatuer video editing and have been at it for a long time, through many formats. I found no summary of these issues in one place. Confusion and misinformation reigns. So I repeat the question: why am I buying a high def AVCHD camera?

8. By the way, Canon says it has solved all these problems with the “powerful” Pixela suite of software included with the camera. As you will see on the Internet, Pixela simply doesnt work for many people, maybe most people. I have never seen software so universally reviled. Believe me, if they can’t make the software work, you cant either.

So for me, it’s back to Standard Definition. Never have I more appreciated Amazon’s return policy. Be careful out there, and consider how you intend to use the camera.

CW

Vista HP/ dual core 5000+ AMD 2.60/ 3 gigs ram/ Nvidia 6150se nForce430 (a standard graphics card)

Vixia- excellence/ software- garbage
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Just bought the Vixia HFS 100. The camera is everything Canon says it is. The enclosed software however, is garbage at best. If you plan to edit your movies at all, plan on spending more $ for a useful movie program. Too bad Canon can’t supply computer software equal to the quality of the camera, but it’s ALWAYS about the bottom line. Sorry I can’t recommend movie editing software – I havn’t found one yet.

Two much noise in low light situations…
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I was really excited to get this camera because of the good reviews on amazon but I was not impressed…

I played with the thing for a few hours in every mode inside my house and could never get the grainy noise to go away…

I used it outside and everything looked fine but once inside it was grainy again…30mbps 24 mpps 17mbps did not matter much inside…

I’m really considering returning it but I need a camera for my baby thats will be born next month…

The specs on this camera are amazing so I don’t think you’ll do any better but for the price you should love it…I don’t!

If anyone has some advice, I’m all ears! If I had to do it all over I would have gone with a cheaper HD camera because they all seem to

be poor in low light situations… I don’t know who would say this camera is good under low light situations because it’s awful to me…

Not for everyone
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
LET’S START WITH THE BOTTOM LINE

If you’re new to the game and have never purchased a camera before then this camera is NOT for you. I recommend this camera ONLY IF you are looking to upgrade your current system. A camera system usually consists of:

* Camera

* Filters – polarized, UV, etc

* Lens – wide angle, zoom, etc

* XLR Shotgun Microphone

* XLR audio adapter

* Wireless Mic Receiver

* Tripod

* Movement assists – Steadicam, Dolly, tracks, etc

* Lights

* Computer to edit

* Hard Drive – for storing footage

If you’re thinking about putting down $800+ for this camera and you’re missing some of those elements then my recommendation is to not purchase this camera. Rather purchase the Canon HG10 or HF100, both of which you can probably get for under $400.00 USD used from Amazon or eBay.

Spend the money you save on completing your camera system.

__ __

MY REASONS FOR PURCHASING THE CANON VIXIA HFS 100

After spending over two weeks filming a documentary series for Ilm Summit 2009 in Houston, TX with my Canon FS100 Flash Memory Camcorder with 48x Advanced Zoom (Silver), one thing I came to realize is that editing would be so much faster if I didn’t have to spend so much time cleaning up the images.

My old camera is really no good at filming in low light and you end up with a lot of “visual noise”.

The computer has to spend a lot of time in post-processing to reduce the “visual noise”. The resulting image tends to become very “soft” in nature which doesn’t really scream quality.

I had been experimenting with different HD cameras but none satisfied my desire to be able to shoot well in low light.

One camera I did like was the Canon HG10 AVCHD High Definition Camcorder with Optical Image Stabilizer. I shot a short documentary of my trip to Hollywood called “Browntourage” with that camera and was quite satisfied, except in extreme low-light conditions.

This camera is great, but it’s not worth the $1,100.00 USD retail sticker price. If you can find it close to $800, then go for it.

__ __

THE WINNING FACTOR

The lens it the best part of the camera. The lens is the same lens used on the old Canon GL2 MiniDV Digital Camcorder w/20x Optical Zoom DV cameras.

The images look brilliant and it’s ability to absorb light after sunset is great with the assist of a portable light.

I shot my latest Browntourage episode titled “Hollywood Again” with this camera. Look for it on YouTube or Google for an example.

__ __

THE KILLER

Canon doesn’t consider XLR audio adapters when they design their camera.

With the Beachtek DX-A2S Dual XLR Compact Audio Adapter for all Camcorders. attached to the HFS100, you can’t open the flash disc slot to eject the SDHC memory card.

It’s a pain considering I’m usually shooting with the Tiffen Steadicam Merlin. To change the card I have to off load the camera from the Merlin and screw off the BeachTek to eject the memory.

What I end up doing usually is using my Laptop to transfer the video data via USB to a portable HDD. It’s a temporary solution, but it doesn’t give that quick satisfaction of having more recording space available.

The upside to this is you’ll be limited to shoot only 60 mins of video on a Transcend 16 GB SDHC Class 6 Flash Memory Card TS16GSDHC6E [Amazon Frustration-Free Packaging]. On a day’s worth of shooting, be sure to make each shot count.

What I might end up doing is cutting up the BeachTek device to allow for the camera to open up the memory slot or get a 32 GB SDHC card instead.

good for camcorder, but not good for camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Very good product, I love it. Camcorder is very good, but if you use this for camera…. The software for this is not easy to use, I have to download other software to edit my movies. I would recommend to buy this one

By FAR Best Camcorder I’ve Ever Seen!
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This camera is hands-down AMAZING. Video quality rivals much more expensive professional cameras, easy-to-use, full of great features and options, 8 megapixel lens…

I really can’t say enough about this great camera!

Great Camera So Far…
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
This is the first videocamera I’ve ever owned since my parents huge, clunky VHS camcorder. I’ve had the camera for a few weeks now and am very satisfied with it. I only gave it 4 stars because I’ve not yet tested all of the many features. High Defnition, writes directly to SD Memory Cards (No internal memory). Copying to computer is very fast. Takes excellent 8MP photos. I love the 24p + Cinema Mode. Its small, so you need a steady hand at times. All in all, I’m very satisfied.

On the edge…
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Short and sweet. The Vixia FH s100 is, hands down, the best investment I have made in a long time. I purchased this camera to make the move to HD without spending a fortune in these lousy economic times. I had considered much more expensive cameras but an idie film project came my way that needed to be shot in HD and quickly. This camera does not disappoint.

There are certain things that separate a camera like this from a pro camera but this one tends to blur the lines. First the cons. Lack of manual controls. If Canon would make the focus assist dial have a greater range it would solve this problem quickly (firmware update – Canon, are you listening?) Second would be the lens size – although this is the largest in it’s class from what I understand. The glass, though, is perfect. Third would be the over abundance of special bells and whistles. Obviously, they’ve taken the best of both consumer and pro needs and desires and put them into one small package (it fits in a large pocket – very easy to tote around but not very impressive to an actor on the set!) The low light performance is something that some have complained about. For a film maker it’s not a deal breaker because we can control light for the most part but if you plan on shooting in low light – expect some graininess especially under low lit tungsten. Although, the Vixia has special settings for most situations that seem to work very well. I filmed 4th of July Fireworks the other night and it looked stunning on a 60 inch HD TV. Sold my DVX’s and all the accessories and now it’s just me and the Vixia. Very happy indeed.

Highly Recommended, but you’ll need some accessories
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
MY BACKGROUND: techno-geek engineer, camera and camcorder enthusiast, not a pro videographer or pro photographer. I purchased the [...] from Amazon.com (great price!) and have explored its capabilities VERY thoroughly for six months. I use this camcorder to capture magic moments in the life of our 15 month-old daughter.

REVIEW IN A PARAGRAPH:

Highly recommended for being one of the best full HD (60i/30p @ 1920×1080) “prosumer” camcorders – at this price level. Yes, the convenient SD flash memory is so much better than messy digital tape. The Auto Focus often works even after you attach the recommended accessory lenses or filters. We love this video camera! However you only see the exceptionally vibrant and very-close-to-broadcast-quality video IF you shoot under very bright indoor light (or typical daylight outdoor) lighting conditions; otherwise, in less intense lighting the video looks good but nothing like broadcast quality. (That drawback is typical to nearly all camcorders at this price point.)

We can shoot video at our kitchen table, which has direct overhead lighting of five unshaded 75-watt incandescent bulbs, and even that is NOT enough light to get the best video this camcorder can produce. However, when I put two separate inexpensive flood lights (each using two standard 150-watt incandescent bulbs) directly on the subject from five feet, then the resulting HD video is so close to broadcast-quality on brightness, crispness, and color intensity that our friends and extended family are absolutely stunned when they see it on a decent big-screen LCD. For great indoor video, you’ll need something like two easily movable floor lamps / floods that you can position to put at least 600 watts of incandescent light (or equiv.) onto your subject.

YOU MAY NOT KNOW THIS ABOUT THE S10/S100:

1) Shoots astoundingly great photos and can even do continuous-mode 8-megapixel snapshots at 5 frames/second. You will not miss your baby’s momentary smile when you can shoot continuous stills at 5 f/sec, but if you do that for several minutes you will have A LOT of still images to parse!

2) The AF sensor is located INSIDE the lens ring, meaning the AF usually keeps working even with a variety (but not all) lens attachments.

3) It has the weird proprietary Canon Mini Advanced Accessory Shoe, so your previously existing Universal Hot Shoe accessories (such as camera external flash) will not fit this camcorder. You can buy a small adapter, but that can only convert to a universal COLD shoe.

4) It may have a 8.6Mp CMOS sensor, but it only utilizes 6Mp of that sensor when shooting movies. However, the video still looks great.

5) This camcorder records to its memory in 60i; when you set its recording mode to say “24PF” or “30PF” it merely changes its post shooting CONVERSION method. If your goal is something like 24p, you will get better results to simply shoot in its native format, and do your own conversion in post using a higher-end 3rd party utility such as Cineform Neo Scene. NOTE: many report better video end result by using Cineform Neo Scene (or similar) to convert ALL of the S10/S100 AVCHD files for editing as visually lossless (but much larger) CineForm AVI or MOV files.

6) Get a Blu-ray burner (~$200) for your PC, and you can directly burn this camcorder’s video onto Blu-ray disks, yielding permanent media containing stunning video when seen on a big screen HD LCD.

KNOW THIS BEFORE YOU BUY:

This is NOT a sub $1000 investment; it is more like $1600+ (because you’ll need to buy multiple must-have accessories). Plus, you’ll likely discover your PC isn’t fast enough to edit the very CPU-intensive AVCHD video, so you’ll need to buy a very fast PC (which will cost you another $1500, or more).

Here is just one (of many) different examples: you shoot video of your child’s soccer game in the park, only to discover your video is garbage because of wind noise. To get acceptable sound when shooting under even slight wind conditions, ANY camcorder must use an external video mic equipped with a “dead cat” wind screen. And there are a half-dozen other video accessories you’ll find you must buy to cover different shooting conditions; otherwise, you are gonna get embarrassingly mediocre video. This holds true for any camcorder, not just this one. I spent many hours reading online reviews specific to the S100, then I bought a variety of recommended accessories and tested them, parsing them down to this list of MUST-HAVE accessories needed to get great video from the S100:

-> PC w/Intel Core i7-920 2.66GHz (or similar), at least 4GB (or more) SDRAM, ATI Radeon HD 4850 (or better) video card, Blu-ray Disc Burner, plus a good LCD monitor. OR: (expensive choice) Mac Pro Quad-Core (or 8 Core), with 3GB SDRAM (or more). Plus in either case you need at least a 1TB (2TB is better) in a RAID0 (or RAID10) array for needed read/write speeds; alternatively, you could go without the RAID and instead temporarily edit your video off a super-fast SSD (Intel X25-M, or similar), moving the files back to a large conventional hard drive when finished with each project.

-> Video editing software. Limit your choices to software built to handle AVCHD format, such as: SONY Vegas Movie Studio Platinum 9 (PC Windows, lowest cost, well-reviewed), OR: Adobe Premiere Pro CS4 (expensive). NOTES: the Canon Pixela video editing software included w/this camcorder is horrible.

-> Canon DM-100 Directional Stereo Microphone (I strongly recommend this Canon mic, as it does both mono shotgun mode, and also 90-degree and 120-degree stereo modes, and the S100 interacts w/this mic through the Mini Advanced Accessory Shoe), OR: Rode Stereo VideoMic + Dead Kitten wind screen, OR: Rode (shotgun) VideoMic. NOTES: for Rode camcorder mics to mount on S10/S100, you also need an adapter to convert the Canon Mini Advanced Accessory Shoe to Universal Shoe (try [...]).

-> Canon BP-819 Battery (expensive!). It doubles the std battery capacity (1780mAh vs. 890 mAh), giving you about two hours or typical recording time, compared w/one hr for the standard battery. The Canon BP-827 (very expensive!) triples the capacity to 2670mAh, OR consider a great MONEY SAVER: for only $40 to $60 for 2700mAh non-OEM (non-Canon) battery, including the non-OEM battery charger (Note: the S100 will NOT charge these non-intelligent batteries or show battery time remaining, so that extra non-OEM charger is req’d, and consider the non-OEM battery available with LED power level indicator). Try a Google search string such as “BP-827 Canon Compatible Battery LED+Charger Kit”

-> Canon CG-800 Battery Charger. OR: find the $20 non-OEM charger, see search string above.

-> Sandisk 32GB ULTRA II SDHC SD Card Class 4

NOTES: Currently the 32GB Class 6 costs significantly more than Class 4. This camcorder works fine with Class 4, as it states in the manual.

-> Canon SC2000 Soft Carrying Case. Alternative: (less expensive) Lowepro Edit 120 Bag (or similar)

-> Tiffen P/N 58UVP 58mm UV Glass Filter, OR: Tiffen 58CLR 58mm Glass (protection) Filter, OR: Tiffen W58DIGULTCLR 58mm Ultra Clear Glass (protection) Filter

-> Moderate Wide-angle lenses: S10/S100 user community prefers the HD6600PRO58 or SRW-6600-58LE over the Raynox HD-7000PRO 0.7x Wideangle Lens. While Raynox claims slightly better optical performance of HD-7000PRO on S10/S100 vs HD6600PRO58 or SRW-6600-58LE, big drawbacks of the HD-7000PRO are high price, and it is a VERY heavy lens. The HD6600PRO58 or SRW-6600-58LE are said to avoid vignetting up to 5X zoom, (HD-7000PRO to 10X) but who uses a wide-angle lens beyond 5X zoom level anyway? (As for the Canon WD-H58 Wide Converter, plenty of pro’s are saying that is a POS lens plus is far more expensive than the – superior – Raynox lenses mentioned above.)

-> HoodMan HD-300 LCD hood to shade the display from the sun.

TIP: Search [...] forums for advice on the S10/S100.

Nice-to-have Accessories:

-> Tiffen 58mm 812 Warming Filter

-> Tiffen 82mm Digital Ultra Clear Protective Filter (use if you buy the Raynox HD-7000, buy different size for the HD6600PRO58 or SRW-6600-58LE)

-> 0.45x or 0.50x Wideangle Lens.

-> Tiffen 58CP, 58mm Circular Polarizer Filter, OR: Hoya B58CRPL, OR Tiffen 58WIDCP

-> Steadicam or similar. This is a VERY light camera, so easly shakes in hand when used without Steadicam.

WARNINGS: Do not buy the cheap Tripp Lite Mini-HDMI to HDMI Cable. They are worthless. I recommend the Sony cables.

Canon VIXIA HFS100 HD is as close as you can get to professional camcorder in terms of video quality
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
Canon VIXIA HFS100 is currently the top-of-the-line Canon consumer camcorder. It takes very good quality full HD video (one of the best among consumer level camcorders). The optical image stabilization is very useful and face detection is accurate. Autofocus is very fast and the menu system is intuitive. Low light capability is decent (but improved a lot by using the video light for video recording or internal flash for taking photos). The pre-recording mode is very useful for shooting sport, action, fireworks, child and other scenarios where it is often hard to predict when those Kodak moments will exactly be until it has happened/passed. It also has filter thread so you can install lens filter to enhance the video/image and to protect the lens. The LCD is very sharp and clear from wide viewing angle. It has a dual shooting mode where video recording and photo taking can be done without switching settings.

Image quality is very sharp with 8.59-megapixel CMOS image sensor that is also found in Canon DSLR. Taking photos in continuous mode is also very good (about 4 frames per second, comparable to DSLR cameras), however, the shutter response is nowhere near the DSLR cameras (it’s slower than DSLR). For point and shoot customers, they won’t notice the shutter lag (as it is the same if not better than most point and shoot camera) and they will probably be able to replace their point and shoot camera with this camcorder as it produces image quality better and sharper than most point and shoot cameras.

Pros:

1. Video quality (1920 X 1080 Full HD) comparable with many professional camcorder

2. Image quality for photos are sharp and vivid (8 megapixel).

3. Zoom covers super wide angle to semi-zoom (6.4mm to 64mm) before the 1.7x magnification

4. Dual shot mode (capture video and photo without having to change setting)

5. Very effective optical image stabilization (a combination of optical and image sensor stabilization)

6. Lens filter thread (58mm)

7. Autofocus is very fast and includes a very accurate face detection to keep people’s face in sharp focus

8. Up to 12 hour recording in LP mode with 32GB SD card

9. Innovative Pre-record mode is available (and never miss critical shots anymore)

10. Video snapshot mode (shot short movie clips and blend with music tracks)

11. Almost instant on and record (stand-by to recording in less than 1 sec and from off in less than 2 sec)

12. Continuous mode for taking photos is very fast (though the shutter lag isn’t nearly as good as DSLR cameras)

13. Record HD videos and take 6MP photo to memory card simultaneously

14. Small but bright video light and photo flash.

15. Built-in automatic lens cover

16. Wireless remote control included

17. Bright and clear 2.7 inch lcd screan (and the image is sharp)

18. Very easy to navigate the menu (even though there are so many options and settings available)

19. 24p cinema mode and 30p progressive mode included

20. Pre-programmed video and photo mode (sunset, night, beach, spotlight, fireworks, etc)

21. Aperture priority, Shutter priority, and Program mode available (in addition to Auto setting)

22. Accepts up to 32GB SD card

Cons:

1. Only 10x optical zoom (not sure why Canon doesn’t make this top-of-the-line camcorder 20x or 30x optical zoom)

2. No internal memory

3. Included batteries only last about 75-90 minutes of recording time

4. Shutter response still not as fast as DSLR

5. Low light performance is average (improved if using the video light or internal flash)

6. A bit bulky compare to many other flash memory camcorder

7. Not the lightest camcorder but still lighter than DSLR cameras

8. 24Mbps recording mode has many restriction (require fast speed flash memory, and not all DVD player can playback)

9. No touch screen LCD

10. Non-standard accessory shoe terminal (better than none though. can use VL-5 video light or DM-100 microphone)

11. Must plug in ac adapter to transfer data from Camera to computer (or use an external memory reader)

12. No optical viewfinder

13. HDMI cable not included

14. Doesn’t come with external battery charger (use the camcorder to charge the battery instead)

15. top-of-the-line price (though still cheaper than the HFS10 that has 32GB built-in flash memory)

In conclusion, Canon VIXIA HFS100 is targeted for those who are looking for a consumer camcorder with the best video quality that can also take photo with the best image quality and the largest megapixel to date for a canon camcorder (8MP). Basically, Canon Vixia HFS100 is currently the Top-of-the-line Canon consumer level camcorder.

Also check out the following Canon camcorders that has comparable main feature (Full HD video and DIGIC DV III image processor) before deciding to buy Canon VIXIA HFS100 (and whether any of these camcorders will fit your needs better than the HFS100). With the exception of HFS10, the remaining are less expensive than HFS100:

- Canon VIXIA HFS10 (32GB internal flash memory, 10x optical zoom, 8.59-megapixel CMOS image sensor)

- Canon VIXIA HF20 (32GB internal flash memory, 15x optical zoom, only 3.89-megapixel CMOS image sensor)

- Canon VIXIA HF200 (no internal flash memory, 15x optical zoom, only 3.89-megapixel CMOS image sensor)

Sidarta Tanu

Bought and returned
Rating:2 out of 5 stars
I returned this camcorder after using it for a couple of weeks. I had two major issues with this camcorder. There is a noticeable delay in focusing, which is frustrating, especially when you are zooming into something. The other problem I had was that since the camcorder is so small and light, unless your hands are super-steady, the resulting footage can be quite shaky.

Apart from this, I think the transfer of the files from the sd card to the computer seems a bit cumbersome. The software that comes with the camcorder is not great in my opinion.

The Sony mini-dv tape camcorder I owned before this one performed much better.

Canon HFS100 Camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
It is incredible, The colors, The quality of recoded videos and the stills. After using a 1.07 MP for a bunch of years which I thought was ok, and now to do a side by side comparison Canon VIXIA HFS100 HD Flash Memory Camcorder with 10x Optical Zoom I will be going to the Grand Canyon later this year. With the battery it only weighs 1 pound, my poor shoulder. The stills shots I am still comparing to my Canon G6, we will see.

Outstanding camcorder
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
This is simply one great product – makes stunning video. Its quality can be truly appreciated when viewed on a large screen hi-def television through a HDMI connection.

A lot of info and samples can be found on [...].

A good idea for film-like compositions would be to add a 35 mm DOF adapter.

If you want a great camcorder, your search ends here.

Fantastic video camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I currently owned 3 Canon digital cameras and am very happy with every single one of them. Canon’s optics is second to none and the Vixia HF S100 demonstrated that. I have compared the Vixia to the Sony HD video camera and the only pro’s I see were increase optical zoom, bigger HD space (if you own a PC/laptop you know HD tends to die from years of use), and better night shots (I do not anticipate on recording nocturnal activities of bats). Aside from features Canon supersede Sony in everything else. Also it uses SDHC memory cards instead of Sony’s expensive Memory Stick.

Great Images and Features, Remarkable Stills
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I’ll try to cover what others haven’t. Yes, the images are sharp and the colors are faithful. That goes for both video and stills. I’ll try to post an image of a flower as an example of a still shot. Posting video’s problematic. One of the key reasons I chose this camcorder is its still image capabilities. I followed other reviewer’s recommendations and purchase the separate battery charger and BP-827 battery. And I purchase the optional video light, VFL-2 which is light and small.

If you’re new to video, it’s a commitment. Taking good videos requires concentration, and at least a little bit of practice. Though the camcorder is truly compact, the supporting equipment is an order of magnitude more bulky than with today’s point and shoot digital camera. You can slip an excellent point and shoot in your pocket; video demands a case for the charger, cables, optional video light and power supply at a minimum. Then there’s the mandatory downloading and editing.

This camcorder has so many features and choices that you’ll need to refer to the manual and once you understand the way the menu system works, it’s fairly intuitive. There are five resolution choices for video. Similar for stills. On the other hand, you can start creating videos and stills out of the box; they may not quite match your preferences though. The complexity of the options shouldn’t stop anyone; you don’t have to take advantage of all the features. To get what you want, you’ll need to spend maybe an hour with the camera and manual. The you can pretty much ignore the details if you wish.

The screen image is readable, even in bright sunlight. And even better with a little tilt to put it in shadow. The controls are OK though the zoom is just a tad awkward for my stubby fingers. Record/Stop is convenient and the camera sits well in your hand. No big deal. Tougher I suppose if you’re left handed.

I have a couple of 16G, class 6 SDHC cards because they’re at the right price point. They’re good for 1 hour 18 minutes at the highest resolution and that pretty well matches the included battery capability. That’s a LOT of video, though an hour of video may end up as only a few minutes of edited material worth keeping.

So far I haven’t figured out how to get the video directly off the flash card so it can be edited with the software. I have to download it from the camera using the included software. It may be a problem with the Corel editing software I’m trying to use. The included software seems to have limited editing capabilities, but that may reflect my inexperience as a user. The manual for the software is lengthy, but so far, not particularly useful. (added 17 May 09, With more time the Corel Video Studio 12 is perfect, cheap, and has all the features I need and I’ve been able to pull the video directly off the SDHC card without using the camera, very convenient).

The zoom’s what you’d expect. The optical zoom is magnificent. The digital has two setting, one to 40X and one to 200X. The 40X setting’s good, the 200X looses a lot and I really can’t imagine a useful application, perhaps very great distances with infinite focus. Only the optical zoom works with stills.

What I like best: great images, the 3 second “pre-record” feature, beautiful stills, OK sound with the built-in microphone, pop-up flash and video light, and yeah, again crisp images.

What I don’t like: not crazy about the software, no separate charger, no case or good case recommendation (see below). Trivial compared to what I like.

Finding a suitable case wasn’t obvious. Tough search. I’m happy with a USA Gear Pro Series “Gear S-6″ for $14.95 from Amazon through Accessory Genie. See my reviews of that case and the Case Logic TBC-5 Medium Case I didn’t like for this application.

Great Camera – Horrid Software
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this camera for a commercial I was shooting. It preformed so well while shooting and the picture is stunning. The audio is a little weak but that’s easily fixed with the Mini Shoe and shotgun mic. Also bought a lens and (I think) its one of the only Pro-sumer camcorders that have the thread to actually allow you to just add a wide angle lens or a tele lens, quick. The software for this camera is absolute crap. It does not run on Macs and well…doesn’t run on PC either. At least from what I can tell, again easy to over come with a FCE 4 or Sony Vegas and many other alterniatvies. Its a annoying that it has a Mini HDMI jack for quick viewing but a Mini HDMI cord does NOT come with the camera, that will cost you extra. No Firewire either…ugh, but the camera without the poor software and lacking cord is 100% amazing (for the price).

The video looks so real !
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this camcorder after careful review of all the camcorders out there. I wanted to buy a camcorder that had good reviews and good quality video. I am careful with expensive items that I buy especially nowadays with the money being tight.

All I can say is, do believe the hype ! This camcorder is awesome. When I used it for fathers day and put the SDHC card directly into my PS3 blu ray player SD slot the video played flawlessly. My nieces and nephews were saying how great of a quality the video was.

Buy this camcorder. Do spend the extra bucks it is well worth it.

Buy Sony HDR-CX500v instead!
Rating:3 out of 5 stars
I bought this camera but returned it for 2 reasons:

1) Mediocre low light performance (i.e., recording in a typical in-door setting)

2) Too much camera shake, despite image stabilizer

Also, I did not like the ergonomics of the device and found the screen to be too small.

Instead, I purchased a Sony HDR-CX500v and blows away the HFS100 in both low light performance and reduced camera shake. The Sony made the HFS100 obsolete!

glitches of the camera!
Rating:1 out of 5 stars
I got this camera the day it came out. Around 7 months ago from the date posted on this review. I see a lot of people are doing what they always do writting great reviews about cameras that are really bad so I’ll telll you the truth.

I got this camera for making short films and lots of video editing. I have a green screen set up, lots of lights and a whole series of tests planned for this camera. I waited four long months for this camera to be released and had great expectations for it. I figure if you spend a lot of money on a camera you better get your moneys worth.

I have been encoding video and editing video for 8 years. I know a lot about cameras and filming conditions so I hope to give you guys and girls a good review.

I looked over the manual two times thinking I missed something. The manual does not cover anything you would ever need to know about the camera. It basically says do not drop your camera or put it in water. It was not a helpful manual. For this price you should get some good documentation to read.

I preformed all tests on the highest quality settings of the camera. The lower settings were not good in any way and pointless for me to use them for a review.

All tests were done with the Class 6 Speed SD Cards that were brand new.

For looking over the video quality I used 4 different computer monitors of all sizes and manufacturers. I also tested the video quality on two 52″ lcd tv’s that are maxed out in the quality department. I would never want to talk about quality after only viewing it from a single source. That’s why in some reviews people say quality is nice and then some say the quality is not good. It’s their viewing sources that also impact the viewing quality. Not just lighting conditions. Monitors have all different lighting sources and colors as their defaults.

1) The little light on the camera is almost worthless.

2) The Zoom feature makes the quality disgusting.

3) The cameras body needs a slightly better design and should be slightly smaller like a lot of the other HD cameras since this does not do anything that those do not.

4) The camera does not come with any recommended size memory that will get you more then just a minute of video.

5) The camera does not come with a battery charger! You have to charge it though a cable in the camera.

6) you need a special smaller hdmi cable for the camera to play on your TV. A normal HDMI cable will not fit in into the camera. You have to buy one because it’s the only way to see the maximum quality of what you recorded. More about that later on in the review and the glitch the camera has. Raw data of the video on the computer is not as good as video directly played to the tv with the hdmi mini cable for some reason! That’s one of the glitches!

Indoor Lighting Test

The first test was indoors at night time in 6 different fully lit rooms (About the average home lighting) The video really picked up colors! It distorted the color making it slightly darker then what the color really was but I actually preferred what it was doing since it looked so nice! Looked like an expensive pro 3ccd camera and blew me away! The problem was the grain was very bad. The grain flowing through the video makes the video quality worthless. Grain is the (fuzzy-ness) and I was so mad that the colors were great but the video quality was so poor.

Indoors on a nice bright day (with no lights on) made the quality very good. Colors were a bit distorted and slightly faded even in the shade and the video still had grain that I was not happy to see. Overall the quality was ok but not as good as it should be.

Indoors with very bright lights for green screen or making movies made the video lag slightly! The video is unusable from the lag! Remember I’m using two of the fastest memory cards money can buy (class 6 speed) and they don’t have scratches or dirt on them since they are brand new so there should be no lag. I adjusted the settings of the camera hoping it would help but it did not make any change in the lag. The camera was not over heated either since it had only been on for a few minutes. The lag is a very big flaw of this camera!

Outdoor Lighting Test

In The Bright Sun

The video lagged in the bright sun. This is not a normal lag. This is not because of the camcorder not recording fast enough but rather the lens constantly adjusting for max quality after the camera has any movement. It’s not the same kind of lag from the indoor bright studio lights. When the camera is on a tri-pod standing still filming a still area the quality is 90% perfection almost like a perfect film camera for the movies! BUT as soon as you move the camera a little bit the camera takes a second to readjust and blurs the video for a second. If you are going to film anything outside you will hate the constant blurring and re-adjusting of the lens every time you move the camera. I’m not talking about zooming but rather the lens blurring the video until it adjusts its self after you moved the camera when filming. It’s programmed to do that!

Normal Day Light But Not Sunny

The video still did the same blurring and re-adjusting as it did in the brighter day. This camera hates Sunlight! Is it a vampire camera? Cameras normally do great in well lit conditions! They should not lag or constantly re-adjust blurring the video!

In the shade on a bright sunny day the video quality was great but still had a slight grain that killed its video perfection but it was still very good.

Basically from the light tests I gather that the more light and the best lighting conditions actually make this camera have worse video recording quality. Any normal lighting conditions overwhelm the lens! Filming under the shade of a tree on a nice day makes the video quality seem to be the best but far from being what you would expect with this kind of camera.

With this camera you need to have a mini-hdmi cord! Don’t get that mixed up with a normal hdmi cord because a mini is not the same. The camera does not come with one and you need to buy it separately because the normal component video cords it comes with really lack in quality, well compared to hdmi quality. You see a difference on a 52″ TV when watching your recorded video.

When you try and encode the video to your computer or to put it to dvd the video quality is really lacking and you lose a lot of quality. The encoding program that the camera comes with is horrible and the worst encoding software I have seen in 8 years. Free encoding programs from the year 1999 are even better. Use anything but what they give you. I tried 9 very good encoding programs but all of them are not ready for this kind of format to encode to get the max quality out of your video and dumb down the quality tremendously no matter what you do. Maybe in 2-3 years the software will catch up to this camera. Encoding programs took the rich color out of the video along with making it even more grainy but you can hardly tell since the video is grainy to begin with. I know all about encoding with codec’s and even uncompressed quality was lacking and better when played from the actual camera rather then transferred to the computer for some reason. The video quality on a 52″ lcd being played directly from the camera was better then the raw video data transferred to a small lcd computer monitor. How can that be! The glitches in this camera are Crazy! The quality on average is better then most cameras up to the date it was released but the glitches are just unbearable. This camera was an epic fail in my opinion.

Maybe five or six versions down the line when they make the quality better and work out some of these lagging issues I’ll get the newest one. That will not be for at least two years.

If they make it so the quality when you transfer the video to your computer is as good as hitting play on your camera and linking it directly to your tv with hdmi the camera would definitely be better but you don’t get the same quality in the raw data for some reason when its transferred from the camera to your computer.

Simply remarkable
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I bought this camcorder to take on a family vacation to the Carribbean for all seventeen members of my extended family. I knew this would be a once in a lifetime experience and I wanted good videos. I was not disappointed. The camcorder was simple to use in its automatic setting and the videos, when played back on a high definition t.v., are remarkable. The color and resolution are stunning. It is hard to believe that with my inexperince and pretty much “out of the box” start that I could get such great results. It is really hard to see much difference in the resolution and color of my videos and that of network high def broadcasts. Using the downloading/editing software that came with the package is not as simple for me as the camcorder, but I am working my way through it. Meanwhile, to enjoy my videos the most simple way, for me, is to plug the camcorder to my t.v. with a separately purchased HDMI cable. Really simple. Oh, you will want a bigger battery than the one that comes in the package, and a higher capacity memory card.

Perfect in almost every way, except dynamic range
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Be very skeptical of anybody who claims to be knowledgeable about video cameras, and then states this Canon to be near-professional quality. There is one huge difference between this camera and a professional-level one: dynamic range. In the race to put a 5 MP sticker on this to entice consumers, Canon needlessly sacrificed image quality for still resolution. This is done all the time in consumer digital cameras, but it’s really a shame when its done on a video camera, because there’s no point in having more resolution on the chip than that needed for 1080 video.

The result of the poor dynamic range is harsh lighting. For example, if you take this camera outside, you’ll notice that the resulting video has highlights washed out to white and shadows to black. A cloudy day will turn into high noon on a clear day when you look at the video.

Unfortunately, there aren’t too many better options out there, given that everybody is playing the same ridiculous resolution game on the consumer video cameras. However, you might take a look at the Panasonic three-chip cameras. While they aren’t as sharp as the Canon, they have better dynamic range (according to video testing sites) and from what I’ve seen I think they produce better video, overall, especially in outdoor scenes with a lot of tonal range.

Why four stars despite the above complaints? First, as I said, this is par for the course these days in consumer video. The companies assume we’re all idiots who only buy based on the pixel count. Second, everything else about this camera is superb. The video is sharp, color excellent, and it’s actually quite good in low light. The autofocus is fast. For nicely lit indoor scenes, the results really are remarkably good, bordering on professional. Take it outdoors, however, and any illusions of this camera being anywhere near professional-level quality go away. You really have to work with the manual exposure to get good results, and you can forget about capturing shadow details on a scene with direct sunlight.

Good Value
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Good Camera, right price. under $1000

You can get some exceptional video with good lighting.

Use tripod!

Canon Vixia HFS 100
Rating:4 out of 5 stars
Nice camera that seems fairly durable. The image quality is very sharp. Better than I expected. The SD card downloading/transfer to the computer works fast and easy. No problems to report.

Very Good Camera
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
I have shot with all types of cameras for many years, my last camera was a Sony FX1. This camera out performs the Sony, the images are beautiful. AVCHD has been a bear to figure out but I found a workable option using FCP. look up finalcutprotips for the work flow tip. I was going to give the camera 4 stars but I realized this camera is a consumer grade camera shooting better than most pro grade cameras so I really can’t knock some of it’s short comings, such as the mini shoe connection which I had to buy an adapter for, stupid idea, manual focus is not that easy to work with, which will be up to me to get a handle on and no native 24p but It has a great feature set that is so easy to work with that I have to give it 5 stars. Buy it

Best bang for the buck
Rating:5 out of 5 stars

Skill: Event Videographer

Product Usage: 6 months (5 projects made with it)

Pros:

1) Exceptional HD Video quality (especially outside in daylight)

2) Mac Friendly (iMovie, FCE 4, FC Pro)

3.) Flash Memory is so much better than HD drives (great camcorder for automotive mounts)

4.) 24mbps is great! (the 24p and 30p are awesome)

5.) New intuitive menus are very user friendly

Cons:

1.) Below average video quality in low-light (indoor) areas

2.) Digital Still Picture quality is okay. I would still keep your still cameras

3.) The lens shutter makes some noise when it’s closed. I fixed this by adding a very small rubber lining.

4) As usual, included software is horrible (what do you expect, its FREE)

5) Need a fairly fast computer to do the editing

Notes: I suggest also buying/using:

A) 58mm multi coated UV lens glass filter ($20)

B) 16gb SDHC Memory Card Class 6 with a card reader ($40)

C) HDMI to mini HDMI cable ($20)

D) The bigger battery ($150)

E) A good editing program like Premier or Final Cut

F) Use at least a 2.5 ghz Core Duo and 3gb of ram to edit

G) Turn off facial recognition to improve focus time

The included battery lasts about 1.5 hours which would exactly fill a 16gb memory card. I highly recommend this camcorder for people trying to transition to entry level-pro videography.

Agree
Rating:5 out of 5 stars
A fantastic camera… couldn’t be happier.

It’s all been said by now…..

Including that it’s not the greatest in low light but better than I feared.

First thing I did was get a (Raynox) wide angle lens and UV Filter, SDHC cards (2 8GB’s are cheaper than 1 16GB.), DM100 mic, card reader (makes a HUGE difference), HDMI cable and a great deal on a Cannon charger and BP-819 battery at http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B001TQK2AW/ref=ox_ya_oh_product

Software named VoltaicHD converts the AVCHD files to SD quicktime MOV’s if your limited for editing options.